Smart Heating

[sh4d0w]

Hello to everybody taking the time to read this post.

I will start by introducing myself, I'm Martin from Stockport and I'm here today with a question I'd like to get some opinions on if I may…

Given the current climate with smart technology, I feel it time I dive in myself. Currently I have a Vaillant boiler with Vaillant controls and outdoor weather compensator, however the outdoor weather compensator has become faulty. So rather than replacing this at a substantial cost of £220 pounds. I would rather invest the money in new controls.

I am lost in the world of different brands and versions of heating controls. I think I have narrowed it down to Honeywell EvoHome, GeniusHub or Drayton Wiser.

Hopefully, somebody here can give me direction if I share what I have now.

ecoTEC Plus 624
VRC 470F Wireless Stat – Downstairs Zone
VR81 Remote Stat – Upstairs Zone
Albion 210 Hot water store with temperature probe running straight to the boiler, Electric stat is currently not wired up.
3 Honeywell zone valves all hard wired into my VR61, Upstairs Circuit, Downstairs Circuit and Hot Water. (will become 4 when UFH goes in)

I understand that my 470 offers true weather compensation and has better modulation for the most part BUT, the outdoor unit has failed and needs to be replaced.


*Whats the issue*

We live in a fairly large house with a total of 8 rooms and 9 Rads downstairs and 7 Rooms and 8 Rads upstairs. some of our rooms are unoccupied for weeks at a time or used very sporadically and without turning off the TRVs we have no control and feel its just a waste and other rooms heat up much faster than others creating some real hot and cold spots in the house - we did have everything balanced too. We also have no control via phone or any "smart" features.

*What i would like*

in an ideal world i would like a solution that can help save us some money and only heat the rooms we want at the times we want, so i am drawn to the EvoHome straight away, i know i would loose certain "key" things from my 470 but i believe the benefits of modern system will outweigh the loss ?; I would like to control the 3 zone valves as is to avoid any pipework modification and i would like to control thermostatically the hot water tank rather than it be a case of on/off, i dont believe the evo home can do that? we are about to embark on an extension project that will see the installation of a 3 zone single room underfloor heating system so will need to be able to control wet UFH.


Can anyone please help me try and decide on what to do here?

I also know that Vaillant are to bring out their new Senso stats but I suspect they will lack the power of the aftermarket units BUT will be propriety for my boiler which me be advantageous given that the vaillant boiler is not opentherm and only manageable through eBus.

 

[Gasguru]

I'm not that familiar with the Vaillant controls but is this any help...

https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...oor-sensor-faulty-use-glowworm-sensor.486083/

Glowworm sensor around £50 or maybe..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=0020093880&_sacat=0

 

[ianmcd]

The Glow worm weather compensator sensor is exactly the same as the Vaillant one but under £50, sorry over typing at the same time as @Gasguru

 

[muggles]

If you ditch your current eBus controls, you'll lose the modulating controls aspect as you'd have to switch to on/off, unless of course you were to import a Vaillant VR33 to convert eBus to OpenTherm

 

[sh4d0w]

If you ditch your current eBus controls, you'll lose the modulating controls aspect as you'd have to switch to on/off, unless of course you were to import a Vaillant VR33 to convert eBus to OpenTherm

So if i convert eBus to OT with a VR33 which i am happy to do, what system would we go for?

 

[sh4d0w]

The Glow worm weather compensator sensor is exactly the same as the Vaillant one but under £50, sorry over typing at the same time as @Gasguru

thank you!

 

[muggles]

So if i convert eBus to OT with a VR33 which i am happy to do, what system would we go for?

Honeywell EvoHome. It's the only multi-zone OT system out there as far as I'm aware

 

[MeldrewsMate]

i would like to control thermostatically the hot water tank rather than it be a case of on/off, i dont believe the evo home can do that?

It's about the ONLY aftermarket controls that WILL give you control of hot water temperature, but beware, the temperature can be displayed on the App, it can be switched ON and OFF on the app, but you can only change the desired temperature on the main control.

As an owner of the Evohome, I will NOT recommend it. The TPI control algorithm will have your zone valves dancing an irritating tune and, according to Honeywell, can't be turned off, meaning that as your room temperature approaches the desired temperature the zone valves will be opened and closed several times per hour. If that's the only zone in use it'll mess with your boiler cycling too....Honeywell technical's answer? Use Opentherm...and as you say, you can't do that with your Geeeerman boiler without spending even more wonga.

MM

 

[sh4d0w]

It's about the ONLY aftermarket controls that WILL give you control of hot water temperature, but beware, the temperature can be displayed on the App, it can be switched ON and OFF on the app, but you can only change the desired temperature on the main control.

As an owner of the Evohome, I will NOT recommend it. The TPI control algorithm will have your zone valves dancing an irritating tune and, according to Honeywell, can't be turned off, meaning that as your room temperature approaches the desired temperature the zone valves will be opened and closed several times per hour. If that's the only zone in use it'll mess with your boiler cycling too....Honeywell technical's answer? Use Opentherm...and as you say, you can't do that with your Geeeerman boiler without spending even more wonga.

MM

But i can get the VR33 opentherm / eBus bridge that should bridge that gap - see what i did there.

It really is a minefield

I was about to press the buy button on the evohome 24 hours ago...