Nest (3 zones)

xtreme rebel

Hi,

I have upstairs, downstairs heating and hot water (3 zones). With 2 Nest devices needed, and a single Nest being able to control 1 heating zone plus water, is the second device the exact same item as the first one? Do I buy two of these?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nest-Learning-Thermostat-3rd-Generation/dp/B016PW3JSG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523708836&sr=8-3&keywords=nest

Thanks

Dardania

Yes. You’ve got it spot on.

It may be finished now, but nest I think we’re doing a 50 Euro off promotion for buying direct - might be worthwhile seeing if it’s still on. I bought 2 for €398 lately

xtreme rebel

Dardania wrote: »

Yes. You’ve got it spot on.

It may be finished now, but nest I think we’re doing a 50 Euro off promotion for buying direct - might be worthwhile seeing if it’s still on. I bought 2 for €398 lately

Where did you buy from?

Thanks.

Dardania

Here, but it’s obviouwl back up:

https://store.nest.com/ie/product/thermostat/T3028GB

xtreme rebel

Dardania wrote: »

Here, but it’s obviouwl back up:

https://store.nest.com/ie/product/thermostat/T3028GB

When you install two Nest devices, does that mean you have two separate apps to control both devices (heating/water & heating) remotely?

irishguy

xtreme rebel wrote: »

When you install two Nest devices, does that mean you have two separate apps to control both devices (heating/water & heating) remotely?

nope all done in the same app

xtreme rebel

irishguy wrote: »

nope all done in the same app

That's great. I had read somewhere that two separate apps would be needed.

It's as simple as downloading one app and choosing which Nest you wish to connect to?

irishguy

xtreme rebel wrote: »

That's great. I had read somewhere that two separate apps would be needed.

It's as simple as downloading one app and choosing which Nest you wish to connect to?

Yup. All the nest products will show up at the same time in the one app, smoke alarm, camera and thermostat.

Also have a look at this €130 installed
https://shop.electricireland.ie/products/install-detail/nest-thermostat

Ted Plain

I'm looking into getting this myself and also have Zone 1, Zone 2 and water.

The deal from Electric Ireland is €130 for one unit, which would control Zone 1 and the water heating. A second unit for Zone 2 would be €270 extra.

So getting one unit fitted is a good deal, but not so with the second one. So i was thinking I might get the first one fitted and then procure and fit the second one myself.

My setup is at present is a Horstmann digital control unit, where the three zones can be switched on individually. There are then two old-fashioned mechanical room temperature thermostats in Zones 1 and 2.

Now, I have seen the Nest unit installed in another house and it was fitted not to replace the digital control unit, which is what I thought would have been the case, but instead the mechanical unit.

In this case is the digital control unit redundant or can it still be used to manually override the Nest unit?

Or is it the case that the digital control unit can no longer be used? If so, how does Zone 2 get switched on?

Confused! Can anyone give me any pointers?

Thanks!

Dardania

In principle the existing timer and thermostat should be removed and the nest installed in lieu.

If either of those 2 devices remain they should basically be overridden eg set the timer to on always and the thermostat to max temperature. Nest will perform the time and temp control function.

It sounds like the installer took a lazy option to leave those components in place.

In comparing prices about getting nest fitted by electric Ireland, near in mind that you will be on a more expensive electricity tariff afterwards to partially pay for their costs. Check out bonkers.ie for indicative annual costs on the nest tariff.

If you want to do a suck it and see approach, you could get them to fit the first nest, but leave the old timer and thermostat there for the second zone. They should bypass he old timer with nest for the first zone.

Ted Plain

Thanks for the reply, Dardania.

So in a three zone setup with Zone 1, Zone 2 and water there is the main control unit, zone 1 thermostat and zone 2 thermostat.

In the case where a single Nest is fitted, it replaces the zone 1 thermostat and controls the water and zone 1. The main control unit is still required to switch on zone 2.

Is it possible to have one unit fitted and then decide at a later stage to replace the zone 2 thermostat yourself? Is this straightforward or are there also wiring changes needed on the gas boiler?

When the two Nest units are fitted then the main control unit is fully redundant and can be removed. Is that right?

xtreme rebel

Hi again,

I got NEST installed. One downstairs for heating and one upstairs for heating plus water. All good so far.

Quick question. I’m using the app mainly to set the temperatures. Upstairs last night it was telling me on the stat that the actual temperature was 20, so I had to set it to 21 to get the heating to come on. Today, it told me it was 21, so I had to set to 23 turn on the heating. Tonight, it told me the temperature was 23, so I had to go to 24 to turn on the heating. It seems to be telling me that the actual temperature is the last set temperature I used to turn the heating on. Should the actual temperature not be the temperature in the room where the stat is? I’m only turning the heating on to test the NEST. To turn my heating on, I don’t have to continuously go to a temperature higher than the actual in the room? Why is it telling me that the actual temperature is the last temperature I set the stat to?

Also, it’s handy to boost the water and easily done. Is it possible to boost the heating for an hour or two without going in and creating a schedule?

Dardania

xtreme rebel wrote: »

Hi again,

I got NEST installed. One downstairs for heating and one upstairs for heating plus water. All good so far.

Quick question. I’m using the app mainly to set the temperatures. Upstairs last night it was telling me on the stat that the actual temperature was 20, so I had to set it to 21 to get the heating to come on. Today, it told me it was 21, so I had to set to 23 turn on the heating. Tonight, it told me the temperature was 23, so I had to go to 24 to turn on the heating. It seems to be telling me that the actual temperature is the last set temperature I used to turn the heating on. Should the actual temperature not be the temperature in the room where the stat is? I’m only turning the heating on to test the NEST. To turn my heating on, I don’t have to continuously go to a temperature higher than the actual in the room? Why is it telling me that the actual temperature is the last temperature I set the stat to?

Also, it’s handy to boost the water and easily done. Is it possible to boost the heating for an hour or two without going in and creating a schedule?

Well done and great to hear it seems to be installed okay.

The behaviour you’re describing about what’s happening sounds perfectly Normal. Unfortunately, you have to change how you use and understand your heating. The reason nest is telling you that the actual temp in the room, after a while, is the last temp you set it, is because that’s what it does - it runs the boiler to try to achieve the temp you set.

In principle you should set the temp on the nest to what you want in the room, and let it decide how it switches on the boiler to get there. You shouldn’t be trying to use it as an On Off switch. It’s a different mindset needed. I installed a pair of nests for my parents last weekend, and have watched them go through the same “re-learning” of how their heating works - it’s tough to give up control to the nest basically, but that’s how it works best.

If you want it a bit warmer for a few hours (like the boost function from old programmers) it’s fine - just turn the thermostat to a higher set point temp, and turn it down when you don’t want it so warm.

With the week that’s in it, probably not the best week to test out a nest - although I would rather not want a cold snap to test it out!

xtreme rebel

Dardania wrote: »

Well done and great to hear it seems to be installed okay.

The behaviour you’re describing about what’s happening sounds perfectly Normal. Unfortunately, you have to change how you use and understand your heating. The reason nest is telling you that the actual temp in the room, after a while, is the last temp you set it, is because that’s what it does - it runs the boiler to try to achieve the temp you set.

In principle you should set the temp on the nest to what you want in the room, and let it decide how it switches on the boiler to get there. You shouldn’t be trying to use it as an On Off switch. It’s a different mindset needed. I installed a pair of nests for my parents last weekend, and have watched them go through the same “re-learning” of how their heating works - it’s tough to give up control to the nest basically, but that’s how it works best.

If you want it a bit warmer for a few hours (like the boost function from old programmers) it’s fine - just turn the thermostat to a higher set point temp, and turn it down when you don’t want it so warm.

With the week that’s in it, probably not the best week to test out a nest - although I would rather not want a cold snap to test it out!

Cheers for that. It’s going to take a bit of getting used to, but I can see huge savings in this. As you say, I won’t see the full benefits of it and it’s operation until the winter. The change in mindset and how the heating will operate will take a little getting used to.

colm_c

Also be careful where you put the thermostat itself, a friend installed it where it was best for access, but there was a window directly opposite and the sun through the window threw off the temperature.

ed112

xtreme rebel wrote: »

Hi again,

I got NEST installed. One downstairs for heating and one upstairs for heating plus water. All good so far.

Quick question. I’m using the app mainly to set the temperatures. Upstairs last night it was telling me on the stat that the actual temperature was 20, so I had to set it to 21 to get the heating to come on. Today, it told me it was 21, so I had to set to 23 turn on the heating. Tonight, it told me the temperature was 23, so I had to go to 24 to turn on the heating. It seems to be telling me that the actual temperature is the last set temperature I used to turn the heating on. Should the actual temperature not be the temperature in the room where the stat is? I’m only turning the heating on to test the NEST. To turn my heating on, I don’t have to continuously go to a temperature higher than the actual in the room? Why is it telling me that the actual temperature is the last temperature I set the stat to?

Also, it’s handy to boost the water and easily done. Is it possible to boost the heating for an hour or two without going in and creating a schedule?

Hi,
I am looking at setting up a similar configuration with mine - but am struggling a bit!

I have Heating Zone1 and Zone2 and Hot Water.
All are controlled today by one Nest and this works fine.
The old thermostats are still in place, but we just leave them set at the max temp, to essentially override them.

I purchased a new Nest thermostat, with the intention of splitting Zone1 and Zone2, so the heating would come on 'only' upstairs or 'only' downstairs as required.

But I'm struggling to see what I need to do to configure this?
Do I need to do anything to the Heat Link to separate out the zones?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks..