Upgraded to Hive MINI

[Colinm101]

Based in the UK. Changed from a Potterton controller to a hive mini for my heating and hot water system.

But coming across an issue……

As you’ll see from the pictures of the rear of the old controller and the controller diagram it have two cables in L, two in N. A yellow in 3 and a red in 4. There was a loop from L into 5.

When I’ve changed them out into the hive I’ve put the two L into L. The two N into N. The yellow into 1. The red into 2. I’ve got rid of the loop. If I turn the heating or hot water on they operate and the white sting valves turn on (amber light) and the spring valves open. BUT when I turn the heating or hot water the boiler still runs?

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

 

[stem]

The wires in terminals N, L, 1, 2, 3, 4. move over to the Hive Dual Channel exactly as they were at the EP. N, L, 1, 2, 3, 4. You will see from the diagrams below their functionality is exactly the same.

The link between L and 5. Hive is discarded. Hive has this made internally for you already, which is why it doesn't have a terminal 5.

If there is an old room thermostat somewhere that should be either left in place and set to maximum, or alternatively it can be removed and a small wiring modification made to complete the open circuit caused by its removal.

 

[Colinm101]

Thanks for the prompt response. That was my initial assessment too.

But when I do that the boiler fires up but the heating itself doesn’t come on? When I put it L in L, N in N yellow in 3 and 4 it fires up but no heating (it appears to do the hot water) When I did put in the loop the heating came through though? But again the boiler doesn’t go off when the hive shows it’s off and the heating continues to come through?

 

[stem]

So, just to check:

The 2 black wires that were in N are now in Hive N
The 2 red wires that were in L (less the loop to 5) are now in Hive L
The yellow wire that was in 3 is in Hive 3
The red wire that was in 4 is in Hive 4

Was there an existing room thermostat? and if so what have you done with it?

 

[Colinm101]

So, just to check:

The 2 black wires that were in N are now in Hive N
The 2 red wires that were in L (less the loop to 5) are now in Hive L
The yellow wire that was in 3 is in Hive 3
The red wire that was in 4 is in Hive 4

Was there an existing room thermostat? and if so what have you done with it?

That is correct. I have no thermostat. No zone upstairs / downstairs. Just the temp valves on all bar one of the radiators.

There is now the thermostat for the hive but that’s it. And I’ve put that down to 10 after I’ve had the heating on to ensure that it’s not that that’s keeping the boiler on

 

[stem]

If there wasn't a room thermostat in place before you installed the Hive, then you should have simply swapped one device, which from an electrical point of view has two simple switches inside, one for hot water and one for central heating, for an identical device also with two simple switches inside. So if it's not working, either you have made a mistake transferring the wires over, or the the Hive is faulty.

If you swap it all back to the Potterton as it was, including reinstating the link from L to 5 and everything works as it should the problem is with the Hive itself. If it doesn't work with the EP back in place you have a problem elsewhere.

 

[Colinm101]

you’ve come to the same conclusion as me. The wiring is literally the exact way it was before. I’ve triple checked everything.

I just wasn’t sure the probability of the HIVE being faulty

 

[stem]

Reading you post again, it's all a bit odd. Because the Hive is only responsible for opening and closing the motorised valves. I take it from your post there are two motorised valves, one for HW and one for CH. They should be wired to terminals 3 and 4 respectively. But here's the thing. Opening the valves is all that Hive does. It's then the motorised valves that have a small switch inside them that as they open and close, start and stop the boiler. Hive doesn't control the boiler directly. So, if the valve isn't opening the boiler shouldn't be coming on, but if the valve is opening and the boiler is coming on the heating should start up, yet you say it doesn't.

Do you know if the heating valve is opening and closing when the CH is set to be on and off?

 

[Colinm101]

Yes. When I turn on the heating / hot water in terminal 1 and 2. The heating and hot water work. But when I turn them off the boiler stays running. When I turn on the heating and hot water in terminal 3 and 4 the boiler fires but you get no heating into the radiators. You do however get heating in the radiators if you put the loop in from L to 4. But again the boiler stays on when the app and the controller both show the hot water and heating as off, but it just stays on and continues to heat the house. All very odd. 100% the only thing I have changed is the hive controller. No other electrics have been touched

 

[stem]

Yes. When I turn on the heating / hot water in terminal 1 and 2.

Forget Hive terminals 1 & 2 they will be live when the heating and HW are OFF. Your system doesn't use them, which is why they were vacant in the original EP.

I see that you have motorised valves with indicator lights on to show they are open. Try just switching on the CH only. And wait a few seconds. What happens? Does the light on one of the valves come on?

Then try switching on the HW only. And wait a few seconds. What happens? Does the light on the other valve come on? You have have to turn up the hot water cylinder thermostat temporarily to maximum when you do this if the cylinder is already full of hot water.