Vaillant cylinder and boiler controls

[Milleniumaire]

I'm looking to have a Vaillant uniSTOR and ecoTEC plus system boiler installed.

There is a good choice of controls, but the one I'm interested in is the VRC 430 Digital weather compensator.

As it has been explained to me this controller can be installed in the boiler (which will be in the garage) or on the wall in the hall, replacing my existing Honeywell 7 day programmable thermostat. This seems like the ideal solution as I can then "play" with all the settings in house, rather than while freezing in the garage .

As I understand it, this dual channel control can operate the on/off times of both the cylinder and the boiler and different temperature settings can be programmed as well (the same as my current programmable thermostat).

Does anyone know if it can be used to set the temperature of the hot water in the cylinder and/or the boiler or must this be done at the boiler?

More importantly, I've had a couple of Vaillant registered installers quote me. One of them told me I would need the VR 65 control centre, the other specifically said this was not required as my system is not an S-plan or Y-plan type installation.

What does the VR 65 control centre do and is it required?

Is it really worth paying extra for a weather compensator controller or is this just a gimmick? According the Vaillant marketing blurb it will save money over time due to efficiency savings.

 

[Onetap]

Does anyone know if it can be used to set the temperature of the hot water in the cylinder and/or the boiler or must this be done at the boiler?

Yes. I have that system.
The VR65 is an interface which allows the Vaillant low voltage bus to operate the 230V zone valves (S plan) used in the UK. I don't think they use 230V domestic valves in German systems.
If an installer says it's not required, you'd need to find out how the flow is to be directed to the heating or/and cylinder. I think it would be needed, but he may know better.

I think there's an updated version of the VR65 available now, but the older ones are still on shelves.

 

[JoeMar]

...

Does anyone know if it can be used to set the temperature of the hot water in the cylinder and/or the boiler or must this be done at the boiler?

...

Is it really worth paying extra for a weather compensator controller or is this just a gimmick? According the Vaillant marketing blurb it will save money over time due to efficiency savings.

if connected via ebus, all temp/program settings are done on the VRC430.

the weather compensator comes as part of the VRC430 kit. it is no gimmick.