Central heating remote control

[Steve]

Ok, so British Gas have got Hive and Scottish Power (who currently supply our gas and electric) have got Scottish Power Connect.

Has anyone got one of these systems? How good/bad are they?

I don't know about BG but on a cursory look it would seem that the only way to pay for the system with SP is over two years. I'm currently with SP on a fixed dual-fuel deal until the middle of next year but may well move when it comes to an end. If I had the Connect system installed would it tie me to SP or could I swap energy provider and still expect the Connect system to work if I did?

Same question of BG - would Hive only work for as long as you're a customer of BG or would it work irrespective of energy supplier?

[Bernard Peek]

We've got Hive and it's fine. We don't have any fuel from BG.

You can schedule a temperature profile throughout the day, different on each day if that's what you want. You can override the schedule via the thermostat at any time. The thermostat is just like any other wall-mounted controller except that it doesn't need any cables so you can put it anywhere. You can also control it through a web browser or smartphone app from anywhere you can get an Internet connection. Cost £199 including fitting and VAT. Payment is in advance by CC and not through your fuel bill.

As far as I know Hive will work with any CH system because it just replaces the thermostat. There's no reason why your current gas supplier should even know you had it fitted.

[Steve]

Thanks for that Bernard, sounds very interesting. We currently have an Alpha CD32C boiler with wireless programmer/thermostat in the hallway but it has a very stupid design fault - the timer is only programmable in 30 minute increments!

If you want the heating to come on at, say, 6.45am, you can't - it has to be either 6.30 or 7.00. Am I correct in assuming Hive (or other similar system) can be set to the minute?

[Bernard Peek]

I've never tried programming it from the thermostat. Programming via the web page involves dragging pointers around the screen. It looks as if you can only do that in 15 minute increments. I suggest you check with BG.

[gareth]

I recommend the Idratek systems.

[Dave Liquorice]

So that is no different to any of the half decent, wireless, programable room stats you can get. The Danfoss TP7000RF or the Honeywell CM67 (or whatever they have replaced it with). The TP7000 goes to 1 minute programming, I think.

They don't do that but be honest do you use it very often? Most people have a fairly regular schedule, wage slave M-F, home at the weekend sort of thing. Very few live alone and have a really unpredictable schedule.

Ouch! The TP7000RF is about £70 and is not exactly rocket science to fit...

[A.Lee]

They are both rebranded other makes. I cannot see the point of these programmers, you are adding complexity to your sytem, and actually using more energy to make them work - your computer/router will have to be on permanently to control them remotely.

Then you can ask why would you want to control them remotely? I can think of very few scenarios where it would be useful - left the heating on when you are going away for a month, probably,(but, really, who has ever done that?) left it on for a day, not really too much of a problem, you have the room stat, so the boiler will not be on full power all day, it'll just be modulating. Put it on 30 minutes before you get home? Surely anyone can stand the cold for the few minutes it takes to get the heating working on a cold day if they get home early?

If in the market for such a gadget, I wouldnt be looking at BG or SP, I'd be going for a good, well known brand, something like the Honeywell 9000 wifi, so you know you will be able to get spare parts from any decent supplier in years to come, with no ongong ties to BG, who are not known for their longevity of spare parts supplies.

[ray.alexander]

I think Hive tends to be a BG thing, so there's no way of knowing whether it will and/or be supported by other energy supplier - good old supplier lock-in?

You could try asking them but you might get some nonsense back - I'd consider Nest because it's supplier/vendor indepdenent and it's backed by Google so that's an instant win I guess.

I mean I got mine from STL Heating last year and I think it can work with any/most central heating systems but you're best asking them as they are not energy supplier biased so can help even with questions like this.

[Tim Watts]

Wise words...

With my new CH install, I am deliberately keeping a clean separation between supplier (of fuel and boiler) and the controls.

[alan_m]

Also consider if they tie you into a Internet service (albeit free) to get the best out of the system - weather information from the Net an/or tracking your mobile phone etc. If the company supplying the support service go bust, change hands or just consider the product too old (next year when the next generation come out) to support you could be left with a expensive toy that works no better than a bottom of the range wall thermostat.

Download the installation manuals for any product you are considering buying. Some require a mains connection to every part of the system while some have the room thermostats that are wireless/battery operated allowing more freedom of positioning.

Some of these systems may not work too well if you have a hot water tank as part of the overall system.

I'm not sure how some of these systems would reliably detect you are not at home if the only sensor is inbuilt to the one thermostat you may have.

[Andy Burns]

yeah, sure you did ...

[Geo]

lying newsgroup spam for STL