Problem with Center RF Room Thermometer?

[stevec59]

Hi Guys,
I had by Baxi boiler installed and they used a Center EHE0200361 RF Programmable room Thermostat in April 2016, the problem is that it displays the wrong temperature, my wife got up at 3 AM to go to the loo and had a look at it and it said that it was 19 degrees, there was no way that it was anywhere near that, we've also compared it with a normal thermometer and it reads high, is there anything I can do or does it need replacing?
I used to work on computers and a common thing was over heating, especially laptops, they just clog up with dust, is it the same with these? Can I take it apart and clean it? I'm guessing there is some kind of temperature probe or something, does that need a wipe over?
I've Googled 'Center EHE0200361' and it tells me that Amazon sell them for around £230, that seems like a lot of money for a controller.
If I do need to replace it, do I need to replace the 'Relay' in the loft.
I have gone through the 'Binding process just in case, at the moment no difference.
If it makes any difference, the boiler is in the loft, the RF Room thermostat is in the hall, probably 12 ft away

Many Thanks,

Steve

 

[Alec_t]

If the error is constant, e.g. always 2 degrees too high, you can simply allow for that. There'd be no need to replace the stat.

 

[stem]

If it's consistently out for example it always reads 2 degrees higher than the actual set temperature then just set it to run at 2 degrees higher. This is a re-badged Honeywell product and you can bind the BDR91 Wireless Relay Box with most Honeywell products, so no need to change it unless it's faulty. In effect it's simply an on / off switch wirelessly told whether to switch the heating on or off by the thermostat. So, you would know if it wasn't working.

 

[stevec59]

Thanks for that, I did tell the wife to set it 2 degrees higher than normal to see how that was, she was up early this morning and I haven't had a chance to ask her about it.
Good news that it's a re-badged Honeywell, there are some reasonably price RF ones available. After reading the instructions I soon learnt that the box in the loft is purely a relay that communicates with the Room Thermostat via RF.
I did think about going the Wi-Fi route, so we could control it away from home, is that a difficult thing to do? Any particular, not too expensive ones?
Is it fairly 'Normal' for a room thermostat to show higher heating that it actually is?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Both temperature displays need to be co-located, if they are to measure the same air temperatures. Is the thermostat mounted in a suitable place? Not near a radiator or other heat source, on an inside wall which does not get any direct sun.

Your PC has a fan which draws cooling air through, along with hair, fur and dust which clogs it up. Your thermostat, just relies on ambient air currents passing it, to get a realistic measure of air temperature.

 

[gas112]

They have changed them a bit this year but essentially the same and are 40 quid plus vat to trade off shelf at plumb centre you may get this price or about 50 plus to public

 

[stevec59]

The controller’s not near radiators or sun light, so I’m ok there. Shame I can’t do anything to the existing one, we’ll try put the temp up 2 degrees on all the timings and see how that goes
£50 for a replacement is good, what about a Wi-Fi ones that I can control away from home, I.e returning from holiday or something? If it makes any odds I have an IPhone, but I guess the apps that control them come in Android and Ios

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The controller’s not near radiators or sun light, so I’m ok there. Shame I can’t do anything to the existing one, we’ll try put the temp up 2 degrees on all the timings and see how that goes
£50 for a replacement is good, what about a Wi-Fi ones that I can control away from home, I.e returning from holiday or something? If it makes any odds I have an IPhone, but I guess the apps that control them come in Android and Ios

Potentially very useful, but the risk is that the supplier may decide to turn the server off after a few years, or have not support the system you bought into. You have no direct control, except via the manufacturers server - you are entirely reliant on that server.

 

[stevec59]

O wow, I didn’t know that, along with thousands of other people I guess

 

[DP]

Potentially very useful, but the risk is that the supplier may decide to turn the server off after a few years, or have not support the system you bought into. You have no direct control, except via the manufacturers server - you are entirely reliant on that server.

Unless I am reading you wrong, Honeywell for example, Connects to your Wifi and mobile; your phone leaves the house, heating goes to frost protection. You can control your heating remotely

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Unless I am reading you wrong, Honeywell for example, Connects to your Wifi and mobile; your phone leaves the house, heating goes to frost protection. You can control your heating remotely

As I understand it, via a special server for the purpose. So you are reliant on that server.

 

[stevec59]

A bit like Microsoft Windows really, I have an old Dell Laptop, there is no driver available for the 'Fall Sensor' as my laptop was designed for Windows 7, I don't mind as I have a solid state drive, but lets say they stopped doing a driver for the Ethernet and Wi-Fi, I could use my laptop my not on the internet, OK< I'm might be able to get a USB one or something, but you get the idea.
I'm guess if a certain manufacturer turn off a server for 'Old Products', no more remote control, I guess you could still use the control in your house and I'd like to think that they would support them for 10 years, but I wouldn't bank on it. Maybe I'll stick with RF

 

[stevec59]

I think I'm going to go with the 'Salus RT510RF/TX', apparently this can be set to 24hr mode by a DIP switch, so that will be good for us, gets good reviews on Amazon and only £35.25 with both the controller and the relay box, OK I'll have to change the relay box, but that looks simple enough, I have a fused isolating switch on the boiler, so I'll take the fuse out, double check that there is no mains going to the box and swap it over. Any thoughts?
The Salus web page says 5 year Warranty and Amazon say 1 yr and you can add accidental damage, but I guess after a year go to Slaus

 

[Starlyte]

A bit like Microsoft Windows really, I have an old Dell Laptop, there is no driver available for the 'Fall Sensor' as my laptop was designed for Windows 7, I don't mind as I have a solid state drive, but lets say they stopped doing a driver for the Ethernet and Wi-Fi, I could use my laptop my not on the internet, OK< I'm might be able to get a USB one or something, but you get the idea.
I'm guess if a certain manufacturer turn off a server for 'Old Products', no more remote control, I guess you could still use the control in your house and I'd like to think that they would support them for 10 years, but I wouldn't bank on it. Maybe I'll stick with RF

With Open Source logicals, such as one of the Linux OS's, specifically written for IoT (smart switches, thermostats and the like, plus an all-in-one cpu board (Raspberry or other Pi for example) or your "old" laptop (they get a new lease of life with Linux!), with a telephone connexion add on and wifi, you can control most of the smart devices available. The mini programs for different systems of RF appliances are available on the web. There are quite a few sites dedicated to building an Open Source home server for your Smart Hoe, using Internet of Things, and you don't need to be a pro in informatics either.
The bits and pieces are all available for a few quid if you shop around the network, Ebay, etc.
Updates are available and you're not dependant on a propriatory server (which are both expensive and unreliable over the years), only on what you want to add to your system, and there the possibilities are endless.

 

[Alec_t]

As I understand it, via a special server for the purpose. So you are reliant on that server.

The Hive one involves a £2.99 per month subscription.