Getting A British Gas Hive Active Heating...

[iamlee2002]

Hi all, not sure if this is to go here or in plumbing. Basically, I have purchased a Hive active heating controller from British gas (supply only not installation). I ordered it yesterday so has not arrived yet. However, I am going to ask a friend of mine to fit is as he is a domestic electrician, not sure if he has fitted anything to boiler before etc so would like to know if anyone has any advice on fitting these? I have taken photos of current installation looks a mess to be honest wouldn't know where to start if i was to do it lol

First image is inside the boiler panel where the current cable runs to

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• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

then it goes into a fused spur which not sure what happens in here tbh

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• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

then also it runs to a switchmaster

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• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

this is the hive wiring diagram

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• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

Can he not run a new cable to the boiler and use existing one somehow and disconnect the switchmaster unit + room stat?

many thanks in advance

Lee

 

[EFLImpudence]

Not sure what you are asking, really.

The receiver should be fitted near the boiler or wiring centre and

the programmer/thermostat can go anywhere you want.



So, depending on your present arrangement the wiring to the switchmaster and thermostat may be redundant.

 

[flameport]

Switch off the power at the consumer unit.
Disconnect and completely remove the cables to the room thermostat and the switchmaster. These are not needed any more.

Disconnect the cable which goes to the boiler.
Fix the new receiver backplate on the wall.
Connect the boiler cable to the new backplate - blue N, brown L, black 3, green/yellow to 'earth tether'.

Obtain a short length of 3 core cable. Connect one end to the new backplate, and the other end to the fused spur.
Backplate - brown L, blue N, green/yellow earth.
Fused spur - brown L out, blue N out, green/yellow earth. Terminals might be marked 'load' rather than 'out'.

You should then have 1 wire in each terminal on the fused spur, 2 wires in the L N and E terminals on the backplate, and a single wire in terminal 3.
Nothing is changed in the boiler.

 

[iamlee2002]

ok thanks both, flameport that has made it clear now on whats involved, many thanks

 

[flameport]

You may need to put a wire linking terminals L and 1(common) on the backplate as well - depends if the device has an internal link or not.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the programmer/thermostat can go anywhere you want.

Unless that's the au pair's bedroom.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Why not? She could adjust it for you.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fiddle with the knob, you mean?

 

[bazza2000]

Hi all, not sure if this is to go here or in plumbing. Basically, I have purchased a Hive active heating controller from British gas (supply only not installation). I ordered it yesterday so has not arrived yet. However, I am going to ask a friend of mine to fit is as he is a domestic electrician, not sure if he has fitted anything to boiler before etc so would like to know if anyone has any advice on fitting these? I have taken photos of current installation looks a mess to be honest wouldn't know where to start if i was to do it lol

First image is inside the boiler panel where the current cable runs to

Untitled

• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

then it goes into a fused spur which not sure what happens in here tbh

Untitled

• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

then also it runs to a switchmaster

Untitled

• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

this is the hive wiring diagram

Untitled

• iamlee2002
• 17 Nov 2013
• 1

Can he not run a new cable to the boiler and use existing one somehow and disconnect the switchmaster unit + room stat?

many thanks in advance

Lee

Hi Lee,

We have a forum you might be interested in once you get your installation sorted (or before) there are a few BG installers on the forum already answering posts and a lot of techies from BG and also those who have the installation so may be able to help with more specific queries. Come and take a look:

http://britishgashive.freeforums.org

 

[gobezza]

Can I ask why you opted for the Self Install (saving £40) when you don't know how to install it?

Installed price is £199 and it'll be installed by a qualified engineer without putting your friend to any inconvenience.....

Bezza

 

[Trazor]

Can I ask why you opted for the Self Install (saving £40) when you don't know how to install it?

Installed price is £199 and it'll be installed by a qualified engineer without putting your friend to any inconvenience.....

Bezza

He has been given all the information he needs to install, what do you think he will do.

 

[stevob]

You may need to put a wire linking terminals L and 1(common) on the backplate as well - depends if the device has an internal link or not.

Hi, new on here and was hoping to pick your brains on the Hive.

I have a new Bosch Hiflow boiler and a separate programmable thermostat. The stat only has 2 wires which go to the boiler but due to tiling etc i am unable to get additional wires to the boiler. I am able to fit a fused spur to the point where the stat is mounted though which will give me permanent live and neutral.

Looking at the wiring diagrams of the Hive it also shows a common connection which means i may be a wire short but i see from your earlier answer that bridging L and common may work? was just wondering if anyone could confirm the viability if this before i get the gas Board out. I'll get them to fit it.
cheers
Steve.

 

[Lectrician]

Can I ask why you opted for the Self Install (saving £40) when you don't know how to install it?

Installed price is £199 and it'll be installed by a qualified engineer without putting your friend to any inconvenience.....

Bezza

Can I ask where you purchased for £40?

 

[Trazor]

Can I ask why you opted for the Self Install (saving £40) when you don't know how to install it?

Installed price is £199 and it'll be installed by a qualified engineer without putting your friend to any inconvenience.....

Bezza

Can I ask where you purchased for £40?

Cost...£159.....Install cost....£40....Total cost....£199

 

[ericmark]

I seem to remember this has come up before. And of course to control central heating remotely can vary a lot with either a simple on and off or with full temperature control. In the USA with hot air central heating one simple thermostat will control the whole house but here first step has to be to swap all the TRV heads for wireless versions controlled by some central computer as unlike USA where the system was designed we don't have all rooms at the same temperature.

With the central controller programmed to control each room so temperature varies throughout the day it would of course be possible to vary the time and temperatures of selected rooms and one could clearly have it set to delay the heating of main rooms if stuck in work but with only the main living area heated anyway the saving would be minimal.

However most homes don't have wireless TRV so any simple system can only control main boiler.

Many British homes still have a central thermostat, as to why I don't know, but it has to be in the coldest area. Once the temperature selected is lower than the temperature set with the TRV then the lock shield valve setting takes over in setting the proportion of heat each room receives, however to work with the TRV the lock shield valves have to be set with as set temperature drop between the incomer and outgoing pipes, so radiator sizes will set the proportion when trying to combine both systems.

If some very clever guy has selected the radiator sizes taking into account cavity wall and double glassing then may be the two systems will integrate, but likely either sizes were never correct in first place, or cavity wall and double glassing will have upset the balance.

So reducing the temperature where the thermostat is fitted will affect each room in a different way. Some rooms will stay at the TRV temperature selection others will get very cold and unless the lock shield valves are set correct returning to full TRV control can take a long time.

So in general better to simply switch on/off rather than any complex temperature control unless full wireless TRV system fitted. It is really a case all or nothing.

I have lost count of the number of houses I have visited where the occupier says one room is always cold and very rarely warms up and when I check every lock shield valve is wide open.

I am not saying HIVE will not work I am sure it will but the central heating has to be set spot on to start with it's not simple fit and walk away. Biggest advantage of HIVE is it senses the outside temperature as well as inside but biggest disadvantage is it upset the boilers anti-cycle software which is trying to do the same thing.

HIVE is for hot air systems and with them it works very well but it does not combine easy with anti-cycle and TRV used with British systems.