Sensible heating controllers

[Theo]

I've been looking around at central heating controllers, and they seem to come in two kinds:

1. Cheap white plastic things that think programming a 1980s VCR was the height of user interface sophistication (or alternatively blinged up things that are the same design in a posh frock)

1. Expensive Internet of Terror devices that phone home to North Korea every time you open the fridge

Are there any vaguely sensible ones in the middle ground? ie those which are actually easy to program, but without the IoT stuff?

I don't want to control it on my phone, just twiddling the knob is fine. But at least let there be a knob to twiddle, as opposed to pressing obscure combinations because it was too expensive to fit more than three buttons to the thing.

I'm also not needing a zillion zones: there's just heating and hot water to switch, not a NASA launch. It's just two relays, a timer and a thermostat.

Turns out they do still sell the mechanical dials-with-sliders which win the usability stakes, but I'd rather not have something that looks like it's from the 70s...

Theo

[Michael Chare]

Danfoss TP9000 is a programmable 2 channel central heating controller. You need to put the temperature probe somewhere using a wired connection.

[Theo]

That's a prime example of the '1980s VCR' school of programming. Here's the 'Easy User Guide'

Just look at the pictures on the right side to see how bewildering it is to someone unfamiliar. It's full of modal buttons, and not only that the behaviour changes depending on the setting of a hidden DIP switch on the back. It's completely unintuitive to someone who hasn't studied the instructions.

Theo

[alan_m]

The hidden DIP switch would only be operated by the "skilled" person installing it to suit the CH/Hot water system.

For the same reasons you may not like

but once set up the heating or hot water can be overriden by the press of a single button. Manual available on the above link.

[Michael Chare]

If you want to install and use something like that then you need to read the instructions. Once you have it working you possibly won't need to touch it much. If you want the heating temperature raised temporarily you just press the up button quite simple.

[Capitol]

Look at Horstmann HRT4A. Simply replaces normal thermostat but operates through some strange logic system which takes a day or so to work out what it's trying to do then does it IME faultlessly. Temperature change is with a manual knob, which I never need to adjust. Mains powered, no new wires, no batteries, seems very reliable over a few years so far.

[Theo]

How do you set the on/off times? That looks like a simple thermostat to me, not a programmer? How does it handle hot water?

Theo

[Capitol]

Sorry, yes it's a thermostat, on/off is controlled by a clock type timer, again easily adjusted. IME simple = reliable and cheap.

[Brian Gaff]

There was an american one that actually talked, but whether they are any good I don't know as I don't have that kind of heating. Brian

[Andrew]

In what language ?.

[alan_m]

Updated with an additional image showing instructions attached to the inside of the flap for those who can be bothered to read some instructions