Vaillant - Thermostat faults - Is swapping to nest a backwards step?

[dishman]

My brother has a Vaillant ecotec plus 835.

It seemingly has weather compensation installed and a smart thermostat, bluetooth control, mobile control etc. Is this called the vsmart thermostat?

Anyway, he has had to call out Vaillant out a number of times due to a fault with the thermostat control that renders it inoperable. Each time they have replaced the whole thermostat control unit. It is as if there is a common and ongoing fault with the thermostat system. No other issues are apparent with the boiler's operation . It is still in warrentee so vaillant are doing this as per that service at no cost.

So, my brother is considering an alternative....nest being one.

However I remember reading on here that the nest may not fully utilise the internal management the boiler has.

Does it modulate the boiler in the same way as vaillant's own thermostat. Does it bypass the external thermostat and use internet data as a "cheat"?

What are the alternatives that will actually use the internal management the boiler actually has if the nest does not.

Apologies for the lack of specifics on the thermostat fault, but if there is any further info you need let me know. I assume vaillant's own thermostat is well known and I cannot see an obvious serial on the wireless receiver unit. Are faults with the unit a common issue?

Here are some images to assist.



Kind regards

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Only the VSmart (or other Vaillant controls) will utilise the weather compensation on the boiler and adjust the burner output and temperature based on whats required with the house.

The nest is certainly a nice bit of kit, and I like them, but it wont have the same working as the Vsmart. Its really up to him what he would preffer, controls do save money but I doubt its going to be night and day of a difference what one they use.

I would be keeping the current Vsmart and if it fails again, asking for a Senior engineer to attend, and having them explain whats going on, as theres no ongoing issues with the units I've ever seen, so it may be something else thats causing the problems, first of all being that going by the picture theres almost no way that reciever is sitting properly flush against the wall when its mm's off the socket (they need to be perfectly flush for the connections to make properly at the back) also it would appear to be in a garage at a guess where WIFI signal may be low, relocating the Reciever closer to where the router is may be an option as well, they dont use much bandwith so will creep along with very poor signal for a while then fault (many apps that can check signal strength at different points of the house)

 

[dishman]

first of all being that going by the picture theres almost no way that reciever is sitting properly flush against the wall when its mm's off the socket (they need to be perfectly flush for the connections to make properly at the back) also it would appear to be in a garage at a guess where WIFI signal may be low, relocating the Reciever closer to where the router is may be an option as well, they dont use much bandwith

You are certainly correct about the first point.

For some reason....and I know not why....that socket below is powering the receiver via that adapter/transformer. But for the receiver to be connected to the transformer, the cable is very tightly squeezed in behind the connection to the wall. So the cable is causing the receiver to not be attached properly to the wall.

The second point should be less of an issue......it is in an internal utility room and within the envelope of the main house and within the router range.

But that first issue is certainly something to look at. Although I am surprised it has not been picked up by the multiple replacements thus far.

 

[dishman]

Our of interest.....

That wireless receiver unit that is attached to the wall.....are they not mains powered?

I just found it odd that it needs it's own adapter plugged into a separate socket nearby and then a cable going into it.

It seems.....messy....

As I said the cable going into it is causing it to be raised off the wall.

Does the cable normally have a route into the receiver that does not cause this?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

However I remember reading on here that the nest may not fully utilise the internal management the boiler has.

It would be a large backward step, to a more basic heating control, with the only advantage on basic being the remote control.

The Vaillant system is a clever system and well integrated into control of the boiler.