Replacing wireless thermostat with smart one

[A1Dan]

Looking to upgrade to a smart thermostat, for the ease of being able to control the heating from a phone app from anywhere. I've currently got one of the British Gas wireless controls shown in the photo below (not my photo, just one I found of the same model!), and I'm trying to work out if I can get a replacement controller that will just work with the existing receiver, rather than having to do any wiring replacing it?
Seems like a no-brainer to me that you should be able to... after all, all the receiver is doing is receiving "heating / water on / off" commands and switching the boiler accordingly, so should just be able to receive the commands from a different control unit. But the impression I've got from what I've found so far is that this isn't the case and a new receiver will need to be wired in?

 

[CountryFan]

If it’s the same no wiring should be involved as the backplate should be the same. The receiver and handset would need to be paired together using the same frequency

 

[Mister Banks]

That looks like an old Hive controller.

 

[A1Dan]

If it’s the same no wiring should be involved as the backplate should be the same. The receiver and handset would need to be paired together using the same frequency

It won't be literally the same, I'm after a smart thermostat. Trying to work out if / how I can find one that is compatible.

 

[A1Dan]

That looks like an old Hive controller.

Yeah, I've seen some discussion on the fact the British Gas branded ones seem to share the same body as Hive ones. Not sure if that means the receiver is the same and can be used?

 

[CountryFan]

It won't be literally the same, I'm after a smart thermostat. Trying to work out if / how I can find one that is compatible.

Sorry, wasn’t that clear in my head as you mentioned Hive/BG (Centrica/BG invented Hive afaik). Plenty of app based one search nowadays

 

[trojanhawrs]

It won't be literally the same, I'm after a smart thermostat. Trying to work out if / how I can find one that is compatible.

As @CountryFan suggests, the backplate is likely the same as some of the newer hive receivers, so it could be a case of popping the front off the old one and slotting the new one on. Isolate the power before doing this though.
It's worth pointing out that the newest single channel receivers have opentherm which has its own terminals, meaning it could require replacing the backplate.

 

[A1Dan]

As @CountryFan suggests, the backplate is likely the same as some of the newer hive receivers, so it could be a case of popping the front off the old one and slotting the new one on. Isolate the power before doing this though.
It's worth pointing out that the newest single channel receivers have opentherm which has its own terminals, meaning it could require replacing the backplate.

Ah, so you think it will definitely need a new receiver with the new thermostat, but may be able to avoid doing any actual rewiring if the receiver can just attach to the existing back-plate?

I had forgotten that the receivers attach to back-plates rather than being "directly" wired in. That would save a more complex install (probably needing a qualified engineer electrician?) I guess, but still seems a bit wasteful that you need to replace the receiver with another which is presumably doing pretty much exactly the same job.

 

[trojanhawrs]

Ah, so you think it will definitely need a new receiver with the new thermostat, but may be able to avoid doing any actual rewiring if the receiver can just attach to the existing back-plate?

I'd assume so, it may have to be the generation before the latest one as I mentioned.

but still seems a bit wasteful that you need to replace the receiver with another which is presumably doing pretty much exactly the same job.

That's the world we live in

 

[A1Dan]

After reading through a few more related threads in here... I have to say I'm more confused than I was before!

I've seen various references to people having 2 wired in points / back-plates, and also references to separate controllers/programmers and thermostats. Not sure if I'm just getting the terminology confused, or if that's just a different setup... as far as I understand it I currently have:

Remote / wireless unit (left on the photo) which is both thermostat and controller/programmer.
One thing wired in via back-plater which is the receiver (right on the photo), just passes on what it's told to do by the other unit

And my smart setup would be much the same, with new versions of the two pieces of kit, but with the addition on a smart hub so that apps can talk to the thermostat / controller.

Is that right, or am I missing something?

 

[trojanhawrs]

Remote / wireless unit (left on the photo) which is both thermostat and controller/programmer.
One thing wired in via back-plater which is the receiver (right on the photo), just passes on what it's told to do by the other unit

And my smart setup would be much the same, with new versions of the two pieces of kit, but with the addition on a smart hub so that apps can talk to the thermostat / controller.

Is that right, or am I missing something?

That's right yes. You want a single channel receiver (heating control only) as replacement since you have a combi.

 

[A1Dan]

That's right yes. You want a single channel receiver (heating control only) as replacement since you have a combi.

Awesome, thanks Trojan

 

[ericmark]

What is "Smart"? I read how the Wiser TRV head works out how long it takes to heat the room, and starts heating the room that amount of time before the time set, I can see that is called smart.

But wireless in its self is hardly smart, so what features are you looking for?

 

[A1Dan]

What is "Smart"? I read how the Wiser TRV head works out how long it takes to heat the room, and starts heating the room that amount of time before the time set, I can see that is called smart.

But wireless in its self is hardly smart, so what features are you looking for?

Indeed, already have wireless and it's definitely not smart!

Mostly just the app control I'm interested in at this point... so can manage while away from the house / don't have to fiddle around with the current clunky controller to change programmes etc. Will probably look to get some smart TRVs in once it's up and running too, so can heat the house according to who is going to be home etc.

More advanced features, like heating times / AI learning stuff would be interesting, but not the main priority.