Hive thermostats

[Funkyfridays]

Hi I want to change these poly pipe room thermostats that control the ufh with hive ones so I can operate remotely. There are four thermostats controlling x7 zones. Each one has two wires attached and there is a spare wire is this something that could be easily done? Would I need to change the main Drayton unit as well tia Rick

 

[flameport]

If you really must install Hive devices there it can be done.

The Drayton programmer goes away
Hive receivers are installed at the location of the rest of the controls and wired into the wiring box there.
Wiring in the walls is irrelevant as Hive thermostats are battery powered.

 

[Funkyfridays]

You don’t sound like your a fan? What would be the best and easiest way to change the thermostats for remotely controlled ones?

 

[Funkyfridays]

The hive thermostats would still need wiring to the ufh control unit though wouldn’t it? Same as it it now and what would you change the Drayton programmer for?

 

[flameport]

What would be the best and easiest way

Do you want remote control of the temperature in each zone
or just to be able to turn the heating on and off remotely?

hive thermostats would still need wiring to the ufh control unit though wouldn’t it?

The Hive thermostat is a wireless battery operated piece.
The mains powered Hive receivers are wired to the control unit.

what would you change the Drayton programmer for?

Nothing, with Hive or similar it's totally redundant.

 

[ericmark]

One would need to read the instructions carefully. The reaction time is always the problem with any heating system, whole aim is to reduce hysteresis to a minimum. Each head could be wired to it's own thermostat.

You may be able to fit Hive TRV heads, I have never tried, but in the main underfloor heating is slow to react, so there is no point in having any smart controls.

What is wanted with Smart controls is speed, so when it detects your returning home it can turn on the fan assisted radiators and heat the house fast. UFH is nearly as slow as storage radiators, so no point in smart controls.

 

[Rodders53]

Hive don't do UFH controls. Nor, do I think can they do 4 individual zones as you would require to control the 7 loops in 4 rooms actuators you have (plus another for HW if it's not a combi).

You probably want to consider something like the Drayton Wiser system https://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/p...r-heating/wiser-underfloor-heating-controller (or the Honeywell evoHome equivalent) where the UFH actuator wiring system is replaced and you have individual wireless battery thermostat units for each room.

It don't come cheap though. But the Hive modules are equally, shockingly, expensive.

I have just bought and (part) fitted a 2 zone plus HW Wiser system to my home as it was on offer at 40% off. I have yet to fully decipher the rats nests of cables and choc block connectors in three locations in the house to allow me to get the Wiser to switch the UFH on/off by time (leaving the existing room stats in situ). {I can't justify to myself the over £500 cost of doing it properly with the Wiser kit, yet }.

 

[Rodders53]

You may be able to fit Hive TRV heads, I have never tried, but in the main underfloor heating is slow to react, so there is no point in having any smart controls.

Of course you can't!
The TRV (if one would fit the manifold valve thread, and operate the correct way) will control it according to the temperature in the manifold's location - not the room the loop is heating.

Rooms with two or more loops only need one room thermostat to switch all the associated actuators on/off.

 

[flameport]

If the objective is to just turn the system on or off remotely, then keep the existing thermostats, remove the programmer and replace with a Shelly1 or similar.
Cost about £20.

 

[Funkyfridays]

Never really like the ufh thermostats for the downstairs rooms found them fidly to use, setup and control the room temps, thought it would be better with hive style thermostats so I can operate from my phone on/off and room temps

 

[CBW]

Maybe look at other ufh thermostats, such as heatmiser?

 

[Funkyfridays]

Do you use them remotely or are they just easier to work?

 

[CBW]

Do you use them remotely or are they just easier to work?

No idea, take a look at their website. I’ve seen them receive good mentions on another forum.

 

[Funkyfridays]

I’m still non the wiser? I also have thermostats on floors 1 and 2 for the radiators that I need to take into account?

 

[Rodders53]

I’m still non the wiser? I also have thermostats on floors 1 and 2 for the radiators that I need to take into account?

Is that a total of three levels? Ground (UFH with 4 room zones) 1st floor zone and 2nd floor zone with TRVs on some/all radiators in the last two?

What about Hot water? Stored or Combi boiler?