Completely wireless heating control options?

[jmhill]

Hi,

My builders plumber and electrician obviously never spoke to one another and as such there is no wire installed to connect a hot water programmer in the airing cupboard on the first floor to the boiler on the ground floor. Whilst this it their problem to sort out, I have been looking at wireless options to overcome the need to install a wire.

So far the Honeywell Sundial RF2 pack 3 or 4 seems to fit the bill and possibly the TADO smart thermostat system.

What, if any, other options do I have?

Are these a safe bet or should Insist on a hardwire (my house has brick internal walls and I'm worried about a weak signal)

Thanks in advance.

Jon

 

[omega015]

There's loads of wireless thermostats and smart controllers. Hive, Nest, Lyric, EvoHome etc... and it all depends on what functionality you want/need from them as some are overkill if you only want a simple solution. As for the signal, most of them operate on RF which should go through brick walls without any real issues and tend to be much better than wireless with less interference.

 

[jmhill]

Hi Thanks,

Most of those that offer hot water control Hive, Nest Etc seem to have a unit that replaces an existing programmer that is already wired to turn the boiler on and off.

Or am I wrong?

Jon

 

[omega015]

You are correct they do replace the existing programmer/thermostat. Or at least most of them do, I'm sure there will be exceptions

 

[jmhill]

Hi Yes that's the problem, I don't have an existing programmer in the airing cupboard and no switching wire to the boiler. Its a system boiler and I have a hot water cylinder so any wireless controls need to be able to turn on the boiler remotely to control the hot water. Not many of the wirless systems do that, or am I mistaken?

Regards,

Jon

 

[omega015]

There are ones that control both heating and hot water. e.g the evohome has wireless relays for both heating and hot water so no wires are needed between the two.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Evohome or sundial pack. Doing an Evohome at the moment. There is much snipping of wires:

 

[bernardgreen]

As for the signal, most of them operate on RF which should go through brick walls without any real issues and tend to be much better than wireless with less interference.

What do you think is the difference between RF ( radio frequency ? ) and wireless ?. They are the same. What you appear to be saying is that wireless ( you called it RF ) is better than wireless.

 

[bernardgreen]

Are these a safe bet or should Insist on a hardwire (my house has brick internal walls and I'm worried about a weak signal)

No wireless system that uses a Licence Exempt frequency ever can be a safe bet. Anyone else can legally use type approved equipment that same frequency and signal from that equipment may block signals on your wireless system. There is also an abundance of illegal to use equipment ( high power output ) that can be bought, some is sold as jamming equipment.

Insist on a hard wire link,

 

[omega015]

What do you think is the difference between RF ( radio frequency ? ) and wireless ?. They are the same. What you appear to be saying is that wireless ( you called it RF ) is better than wireless.

My bad, what I actually meant was lower frequency RF that has less interference/traffic compared with the likes of 2.4ghz etc...

 

[jmhill]

Evohome or sundial pack. Doing an Evohome at the moment. There is much snipping of wires:

View attachment 113698

Thanks Evo-home looks like the way forward then

No wireless system that uses a Licence Exempt frequency ever can be a safe bet. Anyone else can legally use type approved equipment that same frequency and signal from that equipment may block signals on your wireless system. There is also an abundance of illegal to use equipment ( high power output ) that can be bought, some is sold as jamming equipment.

Insist on a hard wire link,

Out of interest, and because I think I might end up threading any wires through for them what sort of cable should I use?

Regards,

Jon

 

[bernardgreen]

what sort of cable should I use?

Depends on how many wires are needed, 1mm² triple and earth will give you three wires ( the Earth must be used as an Earth and nothing else )

If the system requires more than three either two cables or 5 core flexibles such as

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Index/Flex_White_3/index.html

 

[Dan Robinson]

Christ Bernard, will you give it a rest.


OP, 0.75mm heat resistant flex 4 core and earth.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Double post.

 

[bernardgreen]

Christ Bernard, will you give it a rest.

OP, 0.75mm heat resistant flex 4 core and earth.

I believe the link was for 5 core which is 4 core plus earth

CA 0.75F5 0.75mm² 5 Core PVC Flex 3185Y 100M

And I told the OP where he could buy it from if necessary. ( there are other suppliers )

 

[Dan Robinson]

I was referring to you blathering on about rf jamming and 1mm cable.