Hive Nightmare

[Calaban]

You've not mentioned a room thermostat, only a timer. So at the moment the timer controls the boiler and pump. When the timer is 'on' the pump and boiler run so provide heating and hot water.

When you have the Hive installed it operates on the temperature of the room it's located in, so when the room in which it's located is warm enough it will turn off the boiler and pump. So you won't get any hot water when the house is warm.

Yes but I've made sure the required temp on the thermostat is above the current temp.. but if i push the button on the reciever to test it, does it not over ride the thermostat anyway.?

There are no other thermostats installed at present..

 

[Calaban]

You've not mentioned a room thermostat, only a timer. So at the moment the timer controls the boiler and pump. When the timer is 'on' the pump and boiler run so provide heating and hot water.

When you have the Hive installed it operates differently it's controlled by the temperature of the room it's located in, so when the room in which it's located is warm enough it will turn off the boiler and pump. So you won't get any hot water when the house is warm.

Yes I understand that.. There are no thermostats fitted at pres.. and I've made sure the thermostat is looking for a higher temp.. but even before I connected the temp control should the power on switch on the receiver not over ride that and fire the boiler.. It says in the manual that it will do that..

 

[stem]

You could do that, if you don't mind heating the radiators in August when it's 25 degrees in the house already then that's fine. OK, I suppose you can switch off the pump manually at the socket and stop the radiators actually heating up (provided that they don't still get warm by gravity) but it's a bodge.

I wonder why you would do that when you can fit a dual channel Hive and do it properly and have the facility to have the hot water on on its own? But it's your house you can do as you see fit.

 

[Calaban]

You could do that, if you don't mind heating the radiators in August when it's 25 degrees in the house then that's fine. OK, you can switch off the pump manually and stop the radiators actually heating up (provided that they don't still get warm by gravity) but it's a bodge.

And why would you do that when you can fit a dual channel Hive and do it properly and have the facility to have the hot water on on it's own?

If my hot tank is in line as I think it is thats major work.. At present I just leave the bathroom radiator on 24/7 in the summer. Like I said its the house that Jack built lol.. But I still cant get my head round the Hive not acting like an on/off switch for me (all be it a more controllable one).. what I have at present just looks like on/off..

I think my hot water tank is basically a radiator...

 

[Calaban]

You could do that, if you don't mind heating the radiators in August when it's 25 degrees in the house already then that's fine. OK, I suppose you can switch off the pump manually at the socket and stop the radiators actually heating up (provided that they don't still get warm by gravity) but it's a bodge.

I wonder why you would do that when you can fit a dual channel Hive and do it properly and have the facility to have the hot water on on its own? But it's your house you can do as you see fit.

You say do it properly.. I would love to.. considering what I have at the min with I think the hot water tank in line with the heating system, fitting a duel channel Hive isnt going to help me with the existing plumbing. How big a job am I looking at? Would appreciate the advice...

 

[stem]

You could convert it to a fully pumped system that would allow totally independent thermostatic control of both the heating and hot water. Hot water heating would be quicker, and when there was no demand for heating or hot water, the boiler would shut down completely and save fuel / money. (This set up is presently a requirement of the building regulations and would need to be implemented should you need a replacement boiler anyway). At the moment whenever the clock is 'on' the boiler will be running to keep itself warm even if your house and hot water are already warm enough.

This process would involve adding motorised valve/s and converting it to a what is commonly known as a Y Plan or S Plan.

If you don't want to make plumbing modifications, then a dual channel Hive fitted to the system you have would allow you to have the hot water 'on' when the heating wasn't, (but not vice versa) and wouldn't provide thermostatic control of the hot water, or shut the boiler down when the hot water and central heating were up to temperature. So would be a halfway house.

 

[Calaban]

You could convert it to a fully pumped system that would allow totally independent thermostatic control of both the heating and hot water. Hot water heating would be quicker, and when there was no demand for heating or hot water, the boiler would shut down completely and save fuel / money. (This set up is presently a requirement of the building regulations and would need to be implemented should you need a replacement boiler anyway). At the moment whenever the clock is 'on' the boiler will be running to keep itself warm even if your house and hot water are already warm enough.

This process would involve adding motorised valve/s and converting it to a what is commonly known as a Y Plan or S Plan.

View attachment 251410


View attachment 251411

If you don't want to make plumbing modifications, then a dual channel Hive fitted to the system you have would allow you to have the hot water 'on' when the heating wasn't, (but not vice versa) and wouldn't provide thermostatic control of the hot water, or shut the boiler down when the hot water and central heating were up to temperature. So would be a halfway house.

Yes I understand your diagrams but I'll have to get someone in to figure out what that means in real terms (as in where). Its just valves fitted at different positions in the existing system and controlled opening and closing but using the existing plumbing? I didnt know I could do that. As I said its very much the house that Jack built, its old and everything I touch seems to fall apart lol... Thank you very much for taking the time to explain, I've learnt something and I really do appreciate it..

 

[Calaban]

So here's the answer to my heating system from the stone age just on the off chance it helps someone in similar circumstances..

From the 3amp spur to the Hive receiver:
N - N
L - L

From the Boiler/Pump combination to the Hive receiver:
N - N
L - 3

With a bridge from L - 1 (common) on the Hive receiver..