Hive installation on a Potterton Powermax HE
- Thread starter Lloyd-D
- Start date
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Have you put a link in between Tr and Tl as shown in the wiring diagram.
Also you don't need the connections to 1 and 2 on the Hive.
With the old controls did you have to have the hot water on for the heating to work?
If you did then the Hive needs setting to "gravity mode"
After just reading through the manual it says that you won't get heating until the hot water tank is up to temperature, which can take upto 30 minutes. Are you giving it time to do this?
Also you don't need the connections to 1 and 2 on the Hive.
With the old controls did you have to have the hot water on for the heating to work?
If you did then the Hive needs setting to "gravity mode"
After just reading through the manual it says that you won't get heating until the hot water tank is up to temperature, which can take upto 30 minutes. Are you giving it time to do this?
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Tr and Tl have been looped.
I have connected 1 and 2 on the hive but I guess I can disconnect them for the purpose of your suggestion but I can't see why that would make a difference?
Hey guys, after further investigation it turns out I have a faulty hive receiver so I've had to order a replacement through British Gas 
The CH channel is not producing a signal when it command has been triggered - the led lights up and you can hear the relay click but thats it, to trigger output.
Thank goodness I came across this forum as according to British Gas, there was a problem with the boiler and they wanted £100 to send an engineer to visit but with a little help and perseverance I was able to diagnose the fault myself. Guess I got what I deserved buying second hand goods from eBay lol.
I was better off buying the hive brand new by the time I fork out for a new receiver.
The CH channel is not producing a signal when it command has been triggered - the led lights up and you can hear the relay click but thats it, to trigger output.
Thank goodness I came across this forum as according to British Gas, there was a problem with the boiler and they wanted £100 to send an engineer to visit but with a little help and perseverance I was able to diagnose the fault myself. Guess I got what I deserved buying second hand goods from eBay lol.
I was better off buying the hive brand new by the time I fork out for a new receiver.
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if you look at the boilers manual it states that only voltage free connections should be used for the room Thermostat so the twin channel hive is not suitable for this
That is why I have been aprehensive about giving advice but as no one else seems to know -
However, there is nothing to suggest that the controls are not 240V and as Lloyd has operated the DHW with 240V and not damaged the PCB I think we can assume that they are 240V.
Lloyd:
The original link in your OP is clearly WRONG
The manual shows this to be the required way to wire the controls
You will see that HWL and CHL apply voltage to the programmer switches and when HW or CH are called for by the programmer voltage is applied to HWR and/or CHR to turn on the boiler.
As you have done, just applying voltage to HWR and/or CHR will operate the boiler (albeit the CH part of your Hive is faulty).
BUT whether the boiler might switch off the volage to HWL or CHL (switching off the boiler while the programmer is still calling - which would not happen while using the Hive as you have done) for some safety reason, I do not know.
You would have to ask Potterton about this.
It is true that the manual states volt-free contacts should be used so the Hive might not be compatible.
However, there is nothing to suggest that the controls are not 240V and as Lloyd has operated the DHW with 240V and not damaged the PCB I think we can assume that they are 240V.
Lloyd:
The original link in your OP is clearly WRONG
The manual shows this to be the required way to wire the controls
You will see that HWL and CHL apply voltage to the programmer switches and when HW or CH are called for by the programmer voltage is applied to HWR and/or CHR to turn on the boiler.
As you have done, just applying voltage to HWR and/or CHR will operate the boiler (albeit the CH part of your Hive is faulty).
BUT whether the boiler might switch off the volage to HWL or CHL (switching off the boiler while the programmer is still calling - which would not happen while using the Hive as you have done) for some safety reason, I do not know.
You would have to ask Potterton about this.
@EFLImpudence - the Hive works in both the configuration that was posted in the guide I used and as you have suggested with nothing connected to 1 and 2 on the Hive backplate (HW off and CH off).
The boiler seems to work fine with the Hive so I am optimistic that with the replacement RF receiver I can have the Hive system running fully.
There seems to be a lot of contradictions in this thread so I hope my findings can be of benefit to someone else.
The boiler seems to work fine with the Hive so I am optimistic that with the replacement RF receiver I can have the Hive system running fully.
There seems to be a lot of contradictions in this thread so I hope my findings can be of benefit to someone else.
I found this on another forum:
"The single channel receiver is the one designed for any volt free/low voltage boilers, which are always combis, the receiver has to have mains voltage to it for it to work, that is what would switch the low voltage contacts. Systems that have HW cylinders so need the dual channel are never low voltage because the external controls all need 240v.
Hive will fit and work all ok for your boiler but like you have said wont be able to do anything else."
The person's user name on the forum seems to suggest they are from within the heating industry.
"The single channel receiver is the one designed for any volt free/low voltage boilers, which are always combis, the receiver has to have mains voltage to it for it to work, that is what would switch the low voltage contacts. Systems that have HW cylinders so need the dual channel are never low voltage because the external controls all need 240v.
Hive will fit and work all ok for your boiler but like you have said wont be able to do anything else."
The person's user name on the forum seems to suggest they are from within the heating industry.
Yes, it would but the two I have crossed out do nothing and therefore are wrong.
I do not mean to be patronising but if you cannot see why then you clearly do not understand how the boiler or the Hive work.
Yes, but as I wrote, if the boiler has some kind of internal safety mechanism, (to turn off the boiler even when the programmer is calling) this will not work with the way the 2 channel Hive is connected.
You really need to ask Potterton.
Yes, I do understand the way the boiler and the Hive work and I can see the reason why the OP of the original guide got confused. What we have to remember is these older boilers were never dsigned with smart controls in mind.
I will contact Potterton to discuss the safety aspect of using Hive. The Powermax HE is not on the list of uncombatable boilers on the Hive website.
The Manual does not say that the DHW switch is voltage free, if the OP pops a very expensive PCB by putting 240V in to a volt free connection that is completely up to them
The diagrams show that it is - the same as the CH.
He has already put 240V to it and it works - apparently without damaging the PCB.
My concern is why it is built that way if all that is needed is 240V to HWR and CHR.
I have had both the HW and the CH running from the Hive.
The replacement RF should be with me either today or tomorrow and hopefully this will resolve my issue as all things seem to suggest that this is the root cause of my issue.
I have found enough evidence to satisfy that the Hive can be used on the Potterton PowerMax HE.
Extract from the Potterton Powermax HE manual:
"The integral programmer can be replaced by one sited away from the boiler if required. It is recommended that it should be of a type having volt free contacts. Wiring connections are indicated in Fig. 25, Page 36. When using an external programmer, the integral programmer must be disabled, see Fig. 13."
The opening statement says it all in particular the word reccommended.
Its your boiler you can do with it as you please, if you end up needing a new PCB good luck, you chose it
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