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Wireless Temperature / Thermostat & Pump Control

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  • 07-05-2020 12:28am
    #1
    Deagol
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭


    Hi all, hoping someone here can help?

    I have a 300l hot water tank in my garage that supplies the showers etc in the house. I also have PV panels heating the tank (Excess power) supplementing the oil boiler.

    What I'm trying to do is find some way to wirelessly transmit the temperature back to the house so we know if we need to turn on the boiler or not to raise the temperature.

    Right now I have it wired that hot water circuit pump doesn't turn on unless:
    A) Boiler is on
    B) Thermostat is >45C.

    But ideally I'd like to be able to see if the water in the top is hot enough to not need to turn on the boiler. RIght now the option is to run the tap for 2-3 mins to allow water to run hot and see. Or, turn on the boiler for 15-20 minutes.

    Neither is really ideal nor enviromentally friendly!

    Any help much appreciated.


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    #2
    Marlow
    Registered Users Posts: 14,555 ✭✭✭✭Marlow


    Lots of ways of doing that .

    What is your budget ?

    What other home automation do you have in place ?

    To give you a few examples:

    - a friend of mine has a boiler, that is wifi connected. He can check the temperature of the boiler from an app and turn it on remotely.

    - myself, I'm looking at a system, that will integrate my boiler and the 4 heating zones into a smart home system, that I can control from everywhere in the house. Won't be specifically cheap though.

    - you can get a temperature sensor like this: https://www.omniinstruments.co.uk/temperature-and-humidity/surface-mount-and-pipe-mount-temperature-sensors/tt-351-strap-on-temperature-sensor.html ... strap that to the immersion tank ... connect it to an Arduino board and do the programming yourself to tie it into something you can check remotely.

    All down to budget and what you know you can do yourself.

    /M


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    #3
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,959 ✭✭✭emaherx


    Deagol wrote: »
    Hi all, hoping someone here can help?

    I have a 300l hot water tank in my garage that supplies the showers etc in the house. I also have PV panels heating the tank (Excess power) supplementing the oil boiler.

    What I'm trying to do is find some way to wirelessly transmit the temperature back to the house so we know if we need to turn on the boiler or not to raise the temperature.

    Right now I have it wired that hot water circuit pump doesn't turn on unless:
    A) Boiler is on
    B) Thermostat is >45C.

    But ideally I'd like to be able to see if the water in the top is hot enough to not need to turn on the boiler. RIght now the option is to run the tap for 2-3 mins to allow water to run hot and see. Or, turn on the boiler for 15-20 minutes.

    Neither is really ideal nor enviromentally friendly!

    Any help much appreciated.


    Do you need an of the shelf solution or willing to build part of the solution?

    Here is mine.
    I use Home Assistant and some MySenors.org compatible sensors supplied by PiHome


    49816058203_c4eef095f1_z.jpgHW Temp by Emaherx, on Flickr

    49816922217_4bf46e0256_z.jpgIMG_20200425_105226 by Emaherx, on Flickr


    The Automation checks the tank temperature at the mid point, where emmersion and boiler zone valve heat from at a set time and if temperature is below the set value then the immersion heater will top up the hot water if required. In this weather nothing happens and in the cold weather the boiler mostly keeps water hot but in days where there is a shortfall the immersion kicks in.

    49816901107_cf9c7c54ef_z.jpgHeating Graph by Emaherx, on Flickr
    Graphs are useful too for checking how system is preforming.


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    #4
    legin500
    Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭legin500


    Are you trying to keep the water in the tank at a constant temperature or just at particular times of the day. Either way a simple thermostat fitted to the tank will sort this out.

    -time clock on + tank below setpoint = boiler and pump on
    -time clock on + tank above setpoint = boiler off, pump on

    If you want to read the temperature remotely then something like the sonoff/ewelink units will do that but you need wifi


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    #5
    Deagol
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭Deagol


    legin500 wrote: »
    Are you trying to keep the water in the tank at a constant temperature or just at particular times of the day. Either way a simple thermostat fitted to the tank will sort this out.

    -time clock on + tank below setpoint = boiler and pump on
    -time clock on + tank above setpoint = boiler off, pump on

    If you want to read the temperature remotely then something like the sonoff/ewelink units will do that but you need wifi

    Its actually not complex. I just simply would like to see the temperature of the water in the tank inside the house so I can see if it's hot enough to have a shower :)

    Your solution is the simple one I already considered but due to the way our house is plumbed (pump on continously circulates water from and back to the tank) if I had it on a thermostat (which I did have) or a timer then it wastes hot water heating up the pipes and ground and air when we don't need hot water... if you see what I mean. I'd rather keep the hot water in the tank until it's needed.

    At the moment I either turn on the water for 2 -3 mins (long pipe run from house to garage) and waste a lot of water seeing if it's hot OR turn on the boiler for 20-30 mins and possibly waste oil heating up the heat exchanger system.

    I have wifi in the garage so Emaherx suggestion might be good. Going to take a deeper look at his suggestion later when a bit more time.

    Appreciate all the answers so far- thanks for taking the time to respond.


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    #6
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,959 ✭✭✭emaherx


    Deagol wrote: »
    Its actually not complex. I just simply would like to see the temperature of the water in the tank inside the house so I can see if it's hot enough to have a shower :)

    Your solution is the simple one I already considered but due to the way our house is plumbed (pump on continously circulates water from and back to the tank) if I had it on a thermostat (which I did have) or a timer then it wastes hot water heating up the pipes and ground and air when we don't need hot water... if you see what I mean. I'd rather keep the hot water in the tank until it's needed.

    At the moment I either turn on the water for 2 -3 mins (long pipe run from house to garage) and waste a lot of water seeing if it's hot OR turn on the boiler for 20-30 mins and possibly waste oil heating up the heat exchanger system.

    I have wifi in the garage so Emaherx suggestion might be good. Going to take a deeper look at his suggestion later when a bit more time.

    Appreciate all the answers so far- thanks for taking the time to respond.

    Let us know if you need any more info on hardware / software setup.


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    #7
    freddy99
    Registered Users Posts: 116 ✭✭freddy99


    I have a house with 3 zone valves just added in hot press, but not possible logistically to run cables from hot press back to boiler. 220v supply is available in hot press to power the zone valves.
    Can anyone tell me if a PiHome kit will reliably control this setup?
    Do I need HA for external 4G control?
    How long to batteries last in the thermostats?
    Does the PiHome integrate with Apple HomeKit without the use of HA or Homebridge?
    Thank you


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    #8
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,959 ✭✭✭emaherx


    freddy99 wrote: »
    I have a house with 3 zone valves just added in hot press, but not possible logistically to run cables from hot press back to boiler. 220v supply is available in hot press to power the zone valves.
    Can anyone tell me if a PiHome kit will reliably control this setup?
    Do I need HA for external 4G control?
    How long to batteries last in the thermostats?
    Does the PiHome integrate with Apple HomeKit without the use of HA or Homebridge?
    Thank you

    I have used the hardware from PiHome but have HA running on the Pi and don't use PiHome software. The hardware has been rock solid and the batteries last over 12 months in the temperature sensors.

    You don't need HA at all to use the PiHome hardware, but I was looking for a whole house automation solution not just heating. The PiHome Hardware is Arduino based using Mysensors.org sketches.

    No idea about the PiHome OS and Homekit as I've never used either.


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    #9
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,532 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Deagol wrote: »
    Its actually not complex. I just simply would like to see the temperature of the water in the tank inside the house so I can see if it's hot enough to have a shower :)

    Easy peasy, just buy one of these. Then install and connect to Wifi.
    Hey presto the temperature appears on the free app on your sartphone.


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    #10
    bucky08
    Registered Users Posts: 153 ✭✭bucky08


    Simple setup buy a SONOFF TH 16.. the SONOFF can be connected to home wifi network and you can view the temp of tank on the app. Have it done in my own home works 💯.


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    #11
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,532 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    bucky08 wrote: »
    Simple setup buy a SONOFF TH 16.. the SONOFF can be connected to home wifi network and you can view the temp of tank on the app. Have it done in my own home works ��.

    Really? :D:)


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    #12
    Deagol
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭Deagol


    2011 wrote: »
    Really? :D:)

    I actually have a myEnergi Eddi now installed as part of my solar system. I added the relay board and a couple of PT1000 RTDs and I can see temperatures on the myenergi app now. But thanks to all who replied. Cheers!


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    #13
    bucky08
    Registered Users Posts: 153 ✭✭bucky08


    Haha never read ur reply until now great minds and all that.....


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    #14
    Stoner
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 10,952 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    I seemed to miss 2011s reply too.

    He's always in the corner:)

    Yes for 20 euro the sonoff TH16 is about as cost effective as you can go if your current ratings allow it

    I remember someone using one th16 with the probe attached to measure the temperature and another to switch the power somewhen else as the app let's the inputs on one unit to switch another, all very smart and simple if it suits your needs.


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