Vaillant System with 2 heating zones and hot water

[MG360]

Hi all, I have installed an ecoTEC 630 system boiler in my property and am looking into a control system. I am wanting to use the VRC430 with the VR65 or VR61 to control a downstairs underfloor heating circuit (with 6 thermostat controlled zones), an upstairs radiator circuit and a domestic hot water supply.

From what I understand, this can not be done with a single VR65 as it has only 2 independently controlled channels.

Can this be done in one of two ways:
1 - Use a VR61 with VR10's? I have heard this before but no idea how it could work so a detailed description would help
2 - Use one VR65 to control the DHW and the CH and a second VR65 to control the underfloor heating (Polyplumb)

Many thanks.

 

[mickyg]

option 1 is the only way it can be done. However the VR61 is hard to come by. "Officially" its available in the UK, but you'll have a job sourcing one. I might bring a couple back from poland next time I'm there

 

[MG360]

Thanks mickyg.

Any more detailed info on how to set the whole thing up? Will it be able to control the upstairs CH and the downstairs UFH independently?

More detailed info would be very useful!

Cheers.

 

[mickyg]

Thanks mickyg.

Any more detailed info on how to set the whole thing up? Will it be able to control the upstairs CH and the downstairs UFH independently?

More detailed info would be very useful!

Cheers.

haven't done one yet so not sure! but I do have the instructions and they're not great tbh! It will basically give you control over 2 240v zone valves, so you need to work this in with your ufh, but it depends what controls you already have for that. To be totally honest, I wouldn't bother with the Vaillant controls for your system, you'd be opening up a can of worms.

 

[MG360]

Hmmm, yeah I've been getting that feeling from a few people now.

If I was to skip the Vaillant controls - which would you suggest?

Are the Horstmann controls any good (Vaillant recommended 3 or 4 channel alternative)? Or should I go with Honeywell (contractor recommended alternative)?

Cheers.

 

[kevindgas]

Horstmann H37 timer gives you 3 zones reasonable price and reliable
we fit Vaillant Boilers but rarely use the VR65 prefering a seperate timeclock, valves & wiring center arrangement.
there is now a 4 zone available as well think its H47 but not certain

 

[MG360]

How about the Honeywell Smile, any thoughts on that system?

 

[kevindgas]

haven't seen this in use yet, so can't help on that one

 

[RoyMacDonald]

I had exactly the same set up and just put the VRC 430 in the hall and let the heat from the underfloor circuit set the flow temperature by the VRC 430 thermostat monitoring it. My underfloor heating circuit had a motorised valve on it but we never connected it up. My underfloor system was a stand alone one with a pump and control centre that turned the valves and pump on as dictated by the room thermostats.

The weather compensation was so accurate on the Vaillant that even though each room had it's own thermostat they almost weren't really needed, although we did set them, as the flow temperatures were pretty perfect without any other adjustments.

Upstairs the rads had TRV's so the sensor on the flow knew how much total load was needed for the system as a whole.

 

[JoeMar]

when i was installing my system i did look into all those options, trying to come up with a 'clever' system. in the end it turned out to be way too complicated and i went back to basic.

I have ufh downstairs in the new extension and radiators in the old part and upstairs. All radiators have TRV. My 937 is controlled by a VRC430 located in the ufh area. UFH pump is controlled by a VR61. Eventhough the system is plumbed as 2 zones im using it a single zone.

the system works perfeclty and i dont see any need to introduce zone valves or mortorised TRV. sometimes it is best to keep it simple.

i have never understood the need to have uhf and rads on different zones in a 'normal' sized house if the system is designed properly.

 

[ALEC1]

I have several installs with UFH, rads and hot water on a vr 61. if you have a low loss header then the zones are totally separate, if not the rads get up to floor flow temp if that is their is a demand.


You can't combine on off UFH controls with vaillant stuff, other than running a zone cooler than others...

its first rate kit. ypu will need an esbe mixing valve or similar...

 

[RickMoore]

I've used the heatmiser controls a few times for zoned systems. Just finished my own with a ecotec 615. 2 ufh zones. 5 rads and a under plynth in the kitchen. Each room has a programable stat and actuators in place of the trv's. The hot water is a 150l unvented. I've gone with network controls rather than 230v so I can interface it with control 4, but the 230v versions work just as well as a standalone system.

 

[virgilns]

I've used the heatmiser controls a few times for zoned systems. Just finished my own with a ecotec 615. 2 ufh zones. 5 rads and a under plynth in the kitchen. Each room has a programable stat and actuators in place of the trv's. The hot water is a 150l unvented. I've gone with network controls rather than 230v so I can interface it with control 4, but the 230v versions work just as well as a standalone system.

good to hear of someone using the heatmiser controls...what actuators have you used in place of the trvs? and out f interest why did you go room by room rather than use the central control unit...have you used this before...i'm leanign toward this over the honeywell....

 

[RickMoore]

We've used the heatmiser kit on a few projects now both the 230v and 12v. We use emmetti actuators on pegler trv be aware not all actuators have enough travel to work a trv valve.
I've gone room by room because the back of my house gets the sun most of the day. The back rooms can get toasty without heating but the front is still freezing. I can also set different time temperature settings for each room as required.
Btw heatmiser make the jg controls. They are identical except price, oh and the fact that heatmiser actually know how they work if you need some support.

 

[ALEC1]

the vaillant controls described need no other. and installing the way the vaillant design engineers dreamed up will give you a seamless and decent heating system, although you will have to get used to low temperature circulation in the radiators if only the UFH is on..unless you have a LLH