Hive removal - rough idea of cost?

[Lol999]

Hi, my daughter wants to remove the Hive controller from her heating system and have a standard thermostat fitted.
Roughly how long a job is it and what would be a likely charge by a qualified spark?
We're in Derbyshire.
Just trying to avoid getting ripped off.
Cheers.

 

[SUNRAY]

Hi, my daughter wants to remove the Hive controller from her heating system and have a standard thermostat fitted.
Roughly how long a job is it and what would be a likely charge by a qualified spark?
We're in Derbyshire.
Just trying to avoid getting ripped off.
Cheers.

It all depends on where your Hive controller is and where the thermostat has to go.

If it's one and the same place and the existing cable is usable (ie not cut too short etc) it may be a quick job and within the initial attendance period.

 

[RandomGrinch]

my daughter wants to remove the Hive controller from her heating system and have a standard thermostat fitted.

This may be a good question to ask on the plumbing and C/H forum.
The Hive (*receiver) uses a standard backplate - used for years on many British Gas installations.
The Hive has been designed to be a direct swap for many existing programmers - conversely, this means that many basic thermostats/programmers can be fitted straight onto the backplate, with little or no wiring changes.
...It could be one of the simplest of DIY jobs to accomplish, without any need for an electrician!
Do you know if the Hive is single channel (for a combi), or dual channel (controlling heating and hot water)?

...but as above, it does depend if the Hive *receiver is in the right place.

* Edited for clarity

 

[CBW]

If you get something that can be fitted to the industry standard backplate, it’s something very easily achievable by yourself or even your daughter. Then keep the backplate from the new item and use on the Hive - simples. So the cost would only be the cost of the new item.

Edit: as per @RandomGrinch and @SUNRAY - if the Hive is what is classed as “industry standard” - the standard that was created by most companies for replacement programmers.

 

[ericmark]

Hive tends to replace both the programmer and the thermostat. As said likely to replace Hive with a programmer will be easy. Just slack off two screws and unplug, and plug in new, and re-tighten the two screws.

However the back plate comes with three wiring configurations that I know of, single channel, twin channel and three channel, although latter is mainly Drayton Wiser Hive does not as far as I know do a three channel version.

I would not really call any thermostat standard, we have the mechanical on/off with anti hysteresis compensation, and for very little extra a programmable one battery powered. But neither fit on the back plate, I like the idea of simply turning a dial but this is hardly standard and more complex to the Hive it replaces.

Likely looking at minimum charge to fit it, but one wonders why? The thermostats around my house are mainly programmable and I can see when fitting them how a wall thermostat has very little to do, and could well be replaced with a programmer (timer) or very simple thermostat.

But main reason to down grade a thermostat is to take it with you when moving house, I in fact swapped most of mine before selling my mothers house mainly as buyers did not want them, but it was simply a case of unscrew one and screw in replacement, and £6 for mechanical and £50 for Hive with this house having 14 of them I can see the point.

But for the wall thermostat I see Hive for sale at £60, so not really worth the hassle to change.

 

[SUNRAY]

Any particular "Industry standard backplate" in particular.

I've worked on 3 Hive units (to 2 different mounting formats) and not yet encountered a thermostat which would have fitted directly on either.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Any particular "Industry standard backplate" in particular.

Possibly, fairer to say a 'Programmer' backplate?
Original post edited for clarity.

 

[Lol999]

the HIve system was in when she bought the house but the controller was faulty so she bought a new one and set off but she's had nothing but glitches with it and just wants a wireless stat in the lounge area.
I'd probably have to get an electrician in as being senile due to old age (I'm 57 and far from it) I don't get trusted with this sort of job anymore
I know it definitely controls heat but not hot water and didn't realise it was a 'simple' bolt on job in the first place so it might be achievable.
Thanks for all your advice.

 

[CBW]

If it is the standard backplate, then a Drayton Wiser Kit 1, Drayton RF601 should be a pretty much straight swap. There may be others too.

 

[GarethW]

Can the smart functions of the Hive be turned off, so you can just use it as a standard thermostat ?

 

[SUNRAY]

View attachment 296777
Possibly, fairer to say a 'Programmer' backplate?
Original post edited for clarity.

oh that one.

As mentioned before, I've

... not yet encountered a thermostat which would have fitted...

One of the hive units I removed had a completely differrent arrangement and I hate to think how many other versions I've handled for programmers (time switches) I've dealt with over the years. Additionally the NC / NO layout wasn't always standard either; I've been out a fair number of times when a replacement programmer didn't work and needed to be rewired. I wouldn't swear to it but I believe I've encountered; com/NO + com/NO, NO/NC + com/NO, and NO + com/NO/NC formats.

 

[SUNRAY]

If it is the standard backplate, then a Drayton Wiser Kit 1, Drayton RF601 should be a pretty much straight swap. There may be others too.

Not all of those 'standard' back plates were/are universal. At home right now my own heating programmer sits on the contacts but the bottom part is a different shape and doesn't fit, some have 1 screw.

 

[SUNRAY]

the HIve system was in when she bought the house but the controller was faulty so she bought a new one and set off but she's had nothing but glitches with it and just wants a wireless stat in the lounge area.
I'd probably have to get an electrician in as being senile due to old age (I'm 57 and far from it) I don't get trusted with this sort of job anymore
I know it definitely controls heat but not hot water and didn't realise it was a 'simple' bolt on job in the first place so it might be achievable.
Thanks for all your advice.

Had exactly the same issue with a retired customer, moved house and couldn't work it, estate agent eventually came to show them how to use it, I was called in to look/replace it when it kept losing the set point and suggested a mechanical thermostat at a 1/10 of the price.

 

[hllns]

Can the smart functions of the Hive be turned off, so you can just use it as a standard thermostat ?

Yes, mine was in this mode after installation because there was no Internet connection and we didn't have a Hive hub, I can't remember how much this limits the functionality with respect to timers/boost etc but it gives you a standard temperature thermostat at least.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Any particular "Industry standard backplate" in particular.

Well, Drayton for one call it an 'Industry Standard wall plate', throughout their catalogue...

And you may want to argue with this statement!

Additionally the NC / NO layout wasn't always standard either;

No, they are not all the same, but generally, it is a pretty straightforward job to swap the wires over on the wall plate, hence:

can be fitted straight onto the backplate, with little or no wiring changes.

And as said by @CBW , the Wiser kit for example (along with other Drayton's), is a direct drop in replacement for the Hive, you just have to make sure that you buy the version with the correct number of channels.

...you should pop over to 'Plumbing and C/H' occasionally, to see how often questions about these backplates come up! They may be as common as Drayton claims!