First look at home automation

dfdream

I currently have an issue with my current basic controller on my my heating system.

The system is oil boiler with 3 heating zones and 2 hot water zones.

The 3 heating zones are controlled by 3 wall stats to zone valves and circulation pumps and the hot water by stats on 2 cylinders.

There are 17 rads and 12 have on rad thermostat valves (manual type)

Then its all controlled by a standard heating/water timer.

As the timer is giving me a bit of trouble and I dont get the granular control Id like Im thinking of using the opportunity to get into some home automation.


Id like to set some schedules for each room or zone and some but ifs via sensors too (are rooms occupied or not to decide on temperature).

Then to also manual override with Amazon Echo if required.
Alexa turn off heating in kitchen after 8 but leave sitting room on etc...

This is what I see would be valuable in home automation but not much out there (in the modular sense anyway).

Anyone working on something like this ?

bk

Your setup sounds like a very large and complicated setup.

Most of the Smart Thermostats that we normally talk about on this forum, Netatmo, Nest, Hive are very good, but are designed for much simpler one to three zone setups, at least for the moment (in time I expect they will gain more options like Smart TVR's).

I think the only option for you is Honeywells Evohome system:
http://getconnected.honeywell.com/en/evohome

It supports up to 12 zones and comes with both multiple Thermostats and Smart TVR's, so I think it should cover all of your setup. It also supports Alexa voice control and IFTTT so some nice smart home integration there.

Only thing you would need to double check is if it supports two hot water zones, it certainly supports one, but not sure about two.

The other issue is Evohome is a very good system, but also a pretty expensive system, I suspect it will cost you more then a €1000 and you will likely need to get it professionally installed.

Note that the Irish energy regulator has a grant at the moment for updating heating systems that might help with the cost.

I suspect you will need at least the following:
- Evohome Wifi Base Pack
- 2 x Hot Water kits
- 3 x Zone Thermostats

Optionally you can also get Evohome smart TVR's for every room, but that would greatly add to the cost. You could also just continue to use the existing TVR's but obviously with less control.

Stoner

dfdream wrote:

Then to also manual override with Amazon Echo if required. Alexa turn off heating in kitchen after 8 but leave sitting room on etc...

This is possibly the most difficult challenge from your post.

Your system is as BK stated more complicated than normal. If you want to turn the kitchen heating on or the living room on independently than you will need them to be on a dedicated zone or have a TRV on the rads in each room.

Amazon echo as far as I aware is not talking to any individual TRVs yet. But it can turn off zones , I'd add lightwaverf to your list here, the TRVs have two wave control, you can group TRVs and bring things in that way over IFTTT.

You other option is smart relays on each zone and heating zone. Honeywell have a good system for your needs as advised, otherwise you are looking at something that has relays and heating controls on the one system.

paulbok

I'm not 100% on it, but depending on how your plumbing is zones, there may be a controllable zone valve for Evohome that controls the water leaving your tank, which may suit your needs better than individual rad tvrs.
It might be worth contacting Honeywell in the UK to pick their brains, they are pretty good at helping with enquiries.