Hive Help, which one to buy?

[mattymcgimpsey]

Hello,

I am probably asking a question that to many here may be stupid

I am looking to install hive on my heating system but I don’t know which one to buy? I have an old oil boiler and an immersion heater for my hot water, for when the heats not on, but my boiler doesn’t heat the water unless heating the house.

This is what I have found confusing, as it says if I have a separate tank to order the one that heats the water although I do not need this?

i have added a picture of my current wiring and I can see that my current timer is simple an on off switch for the boiler.

any help is greatly appreciated

 

[stem]

No not a stupid question and looking at your photo of the wiring I can see why you are confused as it gives mixed messages.

The Single Channel Hive is for Combi boilers that don't have a stored water system connected to them (ie a hot water cylinder). Instead hot water is generated on demand when someone opens a hot water tap, so there's no on/off time control required for the hot water heating.

The Dual Channel Hive as the name suggests is for systems that require control of heating (channel 1) and also stored hot water (channel 2) But the design of the system needs to be such that separate control of both functions is possible.

However, when you say "my boiler doesn’t heat the water unless heating the house" That means that Hive is not suitable for your system as it stands. Or that there is presently a fault with the existing plumbing or control components. Normally with very old systems it's the other way around, in that the boiler doesn't heat the radiators unless the hot water is on also.

The backplate of the existing programmer looks to be of the type that is a dual channel, but as you don't give its make or model, it's hard to tell. To me it looks like a 'Horstmann' in which case it is dual channel. But only the central heating channel has been connected [Terminals 4 and 5.] The hot water control terminals [1, 2, 3] aren't connected to anything.

My guess would be that at the moment you have a dual channel programmer wired up and used as a single channel programmer, and that when that single channel [Central Heating] is 'on' the pump and boiler are both wired together and so the heating and hot water come 'on' together. [In the summer you can use the electric immersion element to heat the hot water cylinder.]

If my assumption is correct your installation is not suitable for control with Hive without some changes to the existing wiring and most likely the plumbing too. To be sure someone would need someone to inspect the whole installation and see how the boiler, hot water cylinder, radiators and pipes are interconnected before confirming what would need to be done.

 

[mattymcgimpsey]

@stem Thanks for the detailed reply.

you are correct and it is a Horstmann system I have, I am trying to incorporate a thermostat into my heating system that would turn off the heat rather than my options currently being just on or off.


With its current setup is it possible to wire it a single channel receiver and just use the heat and water the same way that it works now? I had managed to find that response else where on this forum for the same system I have but I can’t now find the original thread, so I’ll include the screenshot I had.

 

[stem]

At the moment as it stands, the programmer appears to control both the heating and hot water together. That may be because of the way it has been wired up; or due to the way that the plumbing is installed so that the hot water and heating systems aren't plumbed on separate circuits. It may be a simple job to correct this, or it may not be. But, without a knowledge of the installation it's impossible to say.

Wiring wise, with regard to your question, it's entirely possible to install the Single Channel Hive, but it would mean that when the house warms up and the Hive switches off the heating, you wouldn't have any hot water being heated either. So, in the winter it would heat the water in a hit and miss, adhock manner. During very cold spells it could be fine, but in milder weather you might get enough hot water, or you might not; and in the summer it wouldn't heat any hot water at all.

 

[mattymcgimpsey]

@stem oh yes thank you, yea I will look into just getting a plumber into have a look at the system then for me, and have it set up to control both separately. When I had seen the wiring in the back of the programmer and thought it was just a on and off switch I was thinking happy days it should be simple, but I guess that was just me hoping for the best

thanks for your help on this one!