Hive install

ellee

Hi all

I had a hive installed today.

The house has a combi boiler and is then zoned upstairs and downstairs. The combi boiler and zoning was done all the same time about 10y ago.

Today, the installer put in a system with heating only down stairs and “hot water” upstairs. I’ve been left with one thermostat.

This was not discussed with me. I was expecting to get two thermostatic control zones.

The timer that was there had hot water on one side and heating on the other but the hot water side always controlled the heating with a thermostat upstairs. Maybe this is an issue though?

Before I ring tomorrow I am wondering if I am missing something? The install was pricy enough and I’m v annoyed the proper multizone hive was not put in.

By the way I can’t get the app going so maybe this is all clearer on the app? The thermostat is working (just not pairing) and it just looks like all I’ve got upstairs control wise is on and off.

tia

Wearb

Perhaps your upstarts is still controlled through your previous upstairs thermostat. That is often enough control for some customers. It saves on buying a second Hive thermostat and still gives wireless control over that zone.

Of course that should have been all made clear at the beginning when you first discussed this with the installer, then you could have made an informed decision.

ellee

Maybe. I’ll have to ask when I ring them today. The installer was vague. It must have been obvious from my questions I was expecting two thermostats from him.

thebiglad

I had Hive installed a few years ago by BG on my Combi boiler. As with you, I have only 1 thermostat (with the previous set up it was 2). Zoned the same as yours but off the 1 thermostat.

I was told that Hive can only control 1 thermostat although as I understand it, since then there is a better version available which can do dual zone - I had the discussion before the install so I would have had the option to not proceed.

It's worked fine for me off the 1 thermostat and, I tend to manually control the heat through the boost option in the App.

Find Hive extremely useful.

Wearb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121657984#Comment_121657984

Any explanation as to why the second old thermostat wasn't used. It gives a lot more control. With upstairs/bedrooms, the temperature would not be changed much and on and off is often adequate.

thebiglad

Hive has its own thermostat which connects to the boiler via its WIFI controller. To get around it I would have needed a 2nd Hive Thermostat set up upstairs and, I was not convinced by the Engineer (at that time) that both could be routed into the controller on the boiler independently - this was early days of Hive install by BGE so knowledge and equipment may have moved on somewhat.

My 2 thermostats which were installed were removed with a blank plate over them and hidden when I next decorated - they were redundant in the new set up. BGE Engineer would not remove the old thermostats, I know, not a big job but I would have hoped they'd at least provide some basic assistance.

ellee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658225#Comment_121658225

When I rang they seemed surprised actually that it hadn't, so hopefully it has just been a mix up.

ellee

Since posting initially, still have not managed to link the thermostat to the app AND the radiators now are only barely heating, so I'm not convinced the thermostat is linking to anything. Wont really be able to ring Hive until the weekend.

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121666400#Comment_121666400

My Hive runs off its own thermostat - the previous thermostats upstairs and down were wired straight into the old boiler controller so I could fully understand why they could not be used in my Hive system.

The Hive thermostat runs on wifi so, unless the old thermostats can communicate with it in some way, hard to see how they can be used - but then, i am not a plumber.

Even without using the app you can set the temperature you want on the Thermostat or, activate/boost the boiler from the module which connects directly to the boiler.

My BG installer ensured everything worked, including the APP before leaving.

Wearb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121666458#Comment_121666458

I'm talking about using the hotwater part (that's just on off without temperature control) of the Hive thermostat to control the bedroom zone. So in that case you'd wire the hotwater part of the Hive receiver through the hotwater contacts of the old programmer. That way, the call for on from the Hive app would go through the old thermostat for that zone.

The 1st zone would be controlled from the Hive thermostat which would give you wireless temperature control over that zone, whereas you'd need to physically set the non (old) wireless stat to the normally desired temperature.

ellee

Yes I think that is what they did. However I’d prefer full control upstairs as I believe that is what I ordered!

Hive not available for a call yesterday, have had to email them.

Have to say though it is v nice now downstairs and it keeps the temp v pleasant and even when on.

ellee

Can I ask do any of you know what people typically pay for two zone hive v multi zone hive.

I've already paid €690 to these people (heating/hot water - the "hot water" has been set up as heating for upstairs) and they want another €250 to change it over to multi zone. We've used them before and never felt like they were super pricy. Should obviously have done some checking but due to past good experience took them at their word. But looking around now I am worried I've actually been massively overcharged and looking for another €250 is heaping insult upon injury.

Btw the house was already wired for thermostats upstairs and downstairs. So there was no big install needed here.