Controlling home heating from my phone !

M5

Bruthal wrote: »

It would want to be a seriously weak device to not be able to switch a gas or oil boiler.

Lightwaverf have a 250w relay... Can't understand why you have an issue with advising someone to make sure?

Some are designed for lighting also

veetwin

I've had a Climote installed for the last year or two and very happy with it. I'm not aware of any subscription or annual fee. It was certainly worth paying EI a little more over the last 18 months for the convenience alone. I don't know if there is any huge saving but it is very handy.

Bruthal

M5 wrote: »

Lightwaverf have a 250w relay... Can't understand why you have an issue with advising someone to make sure?

No issue at all, It just wouldnt have thought there would be too many remotely controlled relays that wouldnt have the capacity to directly switch a central heating boiler.

I would be interested in a link to that 250 watt relay all the same. I know they make a 500 watt one alright. Are you confusing it with the 250 watt inline dimmer?

M5

Bruthal wrote: »

No issue at all, It just wouldnt have thought there would be too many remotely controlled relays that wouldnt have the capacity to directly switch a central heating boiler.

I would be interested in a link to that 250 watt relay all the same. I know they make a 500 watt one alright. Are you confusing it with the 250 watt inline dimmer?

Sorry that's correct the relay is 500w. I was thinking about the plug in modules. They can be designed for lighting, as can relays like the one you mentioned. All I am saying is best to check the rating before shelling out or installing.

sunny2004

ok I am leaning towards the NEST system, now I have another question,
How do I control the HOT WATER only.... does this require additional hardware, and if so what would I need ?
Say during the summer I wanted to use the APP to switch on the hot water, what would I need to have installed ?

Thanks

M5

sunny2004 wrote: »

ok I am leaning towards the NEST system, now I have another question,
How do I control the HOT WATER only.... does this require additional hardware, and if so what would I need ?
Say during the summer I wanted to use the APP to switch on the hot water, what would I need to have installed ?

Thanks

Simple solution is to turn off all your rads and use nest as a switch

sunny2004

M5 wrote: »

Simple solution is to turn off all your rads and use nest as a switch

ahhh, its great when you get advice that you don't want to do but it sparks something.. there are too many rads, or I am too lazy.... BUT I do have manual electrical valves in the hot press for cutting off, either upstairs or downstairs rads during the winter... so for the summer I can just HIT both to off.. leaving only the option for water heating...

M5

sunny2004 wrote: »

ahhh, its great when you get advice that you don't want to do but it sparks something.. there are too many rads, or I am too lazy.... BUT I do have manual electrical valves in the hot press for cutting off, either upstairs or downstairs rads during the winter... so for the summer I can just HIT both to off.. leaving only the option for water heating...

You can actually get motorised valves along with the manual ones. Have 2 nests, one for each zone. That's a setup I am in the middle of here!

sunny2004

M5 wrote: »

You can actually get motorised valves along with the manual ones. Have 2 nests, one for each zone. That's a setup I am in the middle of here!

The two nests sounds interesting, I mislead you, I don't have manual valves, they are electrical connected to two standard light switches, each switch cuts off either upstairs or downstairs

M5

sunny2004 wrote: »

The two nests sounds interesting, I mislead you, I don't have manual valves, they are electrical connected to two standard light switches, each switch cuts off either upstairs or downstairs

stick nests on there and you have control of each!

You'd either have to leave the boiler on constantly on the hot water loop or add a control line from the valves down. I'm currently investigating the way to do that myself!

adding the nest to your current set-up would be a doddle if you are anywhere near handy! Get it checked though if you do it yourself as its all mains work!

sunny2004

Update, after speaking with NEXT direct and getting a list of possible installers I am getting quoted 150 euros upwards for installation.. In the UK the installation is £50... drop of rip off Ireland going on..

M5

sunny2004 wrote: »

Update, after speaking with NEXT direct and getting a list of possible installers I am getting quoted 150 euros upwards for installation.. In the UK the installation is £50... drop of rip off Ireland going on..

Yeah, its nuts, get any heating contractor to quote you. They dont have to be a specialist. The nest is only a relay anyway. There are two connections. Live and neutral to power it and live in and switched live out. Thats it!

Again, im not an electrician or a heating contractor so the above would need to be verified by a qualified person

kyomi

I've been trying to research the options for a smart heating controller. I've already used a Climote in a holiday home and found it great, but I can't get any clarity on whether there's an ongoing charge. The one I used was SMS-controlled so I understand it would need a SIM card, but surely if you're going to control it through the smartphone app this wouldn't be required?

HeidiHeidi

kyomi wrote: »

I've been trying to research the options for a smart heating controller. I've already used a Climote in a holiday home and found it great, but I can't get any clarity on whether there's an ongoing charge. The one I used was SMS-controlled so I understand it would need a SIM card, but surely if you're going to control it through the smartphone app this wouldn't be required?

When I was recently talking to EI about this, the advice was that the Climote was controlled via a SIM for which there is a monthly ongoing charge (I can't remember what it was), the Nest is controlled via your home wifi so there is a one-off payment for installation and no ongoing charges.

Dufftronic

M5 wrote: »

Yeah, its nuts, get any heating contractor to quote you. They dont have to be a specialist. The nest is only a relay anyway. There are two connections. Live and neutral to power it and live in and switched live out. Thats it!

Again, im not an electrician or a heating contractor so the above would need to be verified by a qualified person

i have a nest a couple of years now. To echo what others have said, i'm not sure of any savings but the handiness is hard to beat.

wiring it is a piece of piss and is how you have described. don't pay €150 for it. Also, the new nest (V3) does hot water as well.

kyomi

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

When I was recently talking to EI about this, the advice was that the Climote was controlled via a SIM for which there is a monthly ongoing charge (I can't remember what it was), the Nest is controlled via your home wifi so there is a one-off payment for installation and no ongoing charges.

That's useful to know. I did a bit of research about Nest this afternoon and it seems you have to buy a separate Nest for each zone (I have two - upstairs rads, downstairs UFH/hot water). Whereas with the Climote you can have one unit covering two heating zones plus hot water. This seems to make the price of the Nest way out of my reach, unless I'm missing something.

HeidiHeidi

kyomi wrote: »

That's useful to know. I did a bit of research about Nest this afternoon and it seems you have to buy a separate Nest for each zone (I have two - upstairs rads, downstairs UFH/hot water). Whereas with the Climote you can have one unit covering two heating zones plus hot water. This seems to make the price of the Nest way out of my reach, unless I'm missing something.

Can't help you there I'm afraid.

I just have the one Nest unit, and am investigating how I can set things up so it will heat water only - my hot water tank is on the same loop as all the rads (or I'm assuming it is anyway) so I think the solution will be a plumber and alterations to my piping

Mine is a small house, and the sitting room/dining room is where I need to be the warmest so that's where I have the Nest. I have a stove that I light in the evenings so the heating knocks itself off very early in the evening. If the bedrooms are colder later I don't really care.

kyomi

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I just have the one Nest unit, and am investigating how I can set things up so it will heat water only - my hot water tank is on the same loop as all the rads (or I'm assuming it is anyway) so I think the solution will be a plumber and alterations to my piping

Mine is a small house, and the sitting room/dining room is where I need to be the warmest so that's where I have the Nest. I have a stove that I light in the evenings so the heating knocks itself off very early in the evening. If the bedrooms are colder later I don't really care.

I have the same problem - the hot water is tied to the underfloor heating, so I can't heat water, even in the middle of summer, without turning on the UFH. Luckily we can turn off the UFH in individual rooms through the thermostat, but there's no way to stop the pump coming on. Can't imagine why it would have been set up that way.

My house is quite big and the upstairs rooms get very cold, so I think I would definitely need two zones - which seems to mean two Nests. It's a shame as it looks like a very useable system that could save energy.

M5

V2 nest going for 130 stg on Amazon

sunny2004

M5 wrote: »

V2 nest going for 130 stg on Amazon

This is the old one right ? as in we are at V3 now ?
anyone know what the difference is ?

* edit, did my own research, which I should have done in the first place
Ok it would seem the main difference is the New version V3 has a bigger screen area, 40% and is clearer, also it has some technology to allow you to read the screen from a distance.. It also allows independent control of hot water only, with the required wiring..

not sure if I missed anything else ?

frankthetank83

I was looking version 3 of Nest online. It starts to get expensive when you add the Nest, the stand and install together – over €400 I think as I would not be able to wire it myself. I went with Electric Ireland and got Nest with a boiler service too for €250. My house has zones so I got an extra Nest for upstairs and that cost €270 from them too. I was offered another product which can do 3 zones but really like the look of Nest and is well worth it so far. So 2 Nests, 2 stands, installation and a service for my boiler for 520 quid. I want to get the smoke alarm now!

sunny2004

frankthetank83 wrote: »

I was looking version 3 of Nest online. It starts to get expensive when you add the Nest, the stand and install together – over €400 I think as I would not be able to wire it myself. I went with Electric Ireland and got Nest with a boiler service too for €250. My house has zones so I got an extra Nest for upstairs and that cost €270 from them too. I was offered another product which can do 3 zones but really like the look of Nest and is well worth it so far. So 2 Nests, 2 stands, installation and a service for my boiler for 520 quid. I want to get the smoke alarm now!

My concern is what you are paying for the electricity ?

M5

sunny2004 wrote: »

My concern is what you are paying for the electricity ?

You pay an additional 250 over the 2 years based on my usage... Works out installation is free. If you use more lecky than me you are just spreading the cost

sunny2004

I'm seriously thinking of just getting the nest V3 and installing it myself at this point, then getting what seems to be a basic enough installation checked by an electrician.. that's the plan at this point.. but we all know how plans go haha

frankthetank83

sunny2004 wrote: »

My concern is what you are paying for the electricity ?

I'm still on good electricity rate. Well maybe not the best in market but discounted at least. Getting one with a gas boiler service is not with a contract with electric Ireland. You can if you want for free but I just paid 250. That's the same as online price but with install and the stand. And get your boiler checked out! Makes most sense to me.

It's hard to say as I'll need to compare against last year etc but I definitely think I've saved on gas usage. Just down to the remote control and the auto away.

Stoner

frankthetank83 wrote:

It's hard to say as I'll need to compare against last year etc but I definitely think I've saved on gas usage. Just down to the remote control and the auto away.

I've been controlling 5he heating in my house via apps for a number of years.

It's convenient, however it is a way for my wife to turn the heating on and she uses it just for that.

Stats in various places, zones , detailed calanders that have an away mode , units that automatically turn off zones or rads when the house hits a comfortable temperature and no more is what will save money imo

Being able to remotely turn on or off the heating in my case is used most times to turn the heating on only.

ninja 12

I've just installed a Heatmiser SmartStat , replacing an APT time clock .

I don't want to cross post , so you can see my impressions of it here -

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057565084

Stoner

Just buy the 3 way relay 1000w per channel and only about 10 pounds more expensive