Must Watch Before Choosing a Smart Thermostat!
July 5, 2021
Consumer Advice
A small difference in selection could make a huge difference when choosing a smart thermostat. This is the no 1 thing to be looking for before making your selection of smart stat. Tado vs nest smart thermostat vs hive thermostat.
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22 comments on “Must Watch Before Choosing a Smart Thermostat!”
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Heating Sensei
July 5, 2021
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Hello Guys, Thank you for demistifing heating controls between intelligent and gimiky.
My system is eleven years old with an Remeha ISENSE controller (Open Therm). The system is a Remeha Avanti 39C with weathercompensation too. The isense has many user options of control. In fact at the time it was I consider the most advanced control for the Rehemha. What do you think.
Yes that was and still is a great control. ahead of its time.
Hello guys thank you for posting this insight into heating system thermostats.
I have a valiant eco TEC plus 824 boiler (under 10 years old) with a Alcatel thermostat wireless controller.
The house is semi-detached downstairs one open space living room & kitchen
, upstairs 2 bedrooms plus box room & bathroom.
I assume to have better control over each space I’ll need to change the valves on the radiators in each room & get a compatible thermostat control, is that right?
Hi Colin. You'll find if you upgrade to the weather compensation Vaillant offer, and balance your system this will be enough most likely. We only suggest room by room control in very rare conditions.
Hello
I have noticed Drayton wiser has an OpenTherm controller as well, however information on how it heats (aggressive or gentle) and if there are known issues with the system. What do you think?
Hi Guys, Found your vid whilst researching for a smart thermostat for a new home where a new radiator system is being installed.
I was keen on Tado after watching the vid 1. because it works with modulating and 2. because I can utilise smart radiators valves. I then noted the updating comment you made but not sure if I understand it correctly. "Please note that tado has dropped its bus control in the UK since making this video!"
Are you saying Tado now only do on/off control so I won't get the efficiency or do you mean I need to adapt bus language from EMS to opentherm? If so how would I go about that?
I have a Worcester Greenstar 25i Combination Boiler
We mean all modulation is removed. You're better off getting a Worcester control like Wave.
Thanks for this useful information, I whish that I had found it about 3 years ago before I had a new Green Star I fitted. Your review indicates it's not very good compared to Viessman on modulation. Is it not worth having a smart control fitted then? If it is still worth it should I go for a Worcester controller or other? 4 bed 60's pretty well insulated home. Many thanks
Hi Jim, go for Worcester's own controller that allows weather compensation. Make sure that you use a Heat Geek: https://www.heatgeek.com/find-a-heat-geek/
Thanks for the video - we are really struggling to know what to do we have a detached 7 bed house which is about 20m long the boiler being at one end and the current only wired dial thermostat at the other in a double height sunroom. We have pressurised hot water tank on a recirculating system. We have just taken out an old blown air gas boiler that did the original central core as we are doing a renovation and putting NuHeat ufh in most of downstairs but will still have some rooms on radiators plus all the upstairs. We were looking at Tado but they have basically said not compatible with our house size and boiler location.
It is a 32kw Potterton Condensing Promax System 32 HE Plus boiler installed approx 2008 with a very simple timer Honeywell on off clock and the single dial thermostat. We are in north west England.
Any suggestions of where we should start with smarter thermostat/heating control? Thanks
Hi, that boiler does not accept modulating control so it doesn't matter what you use.
Hi Heat Geek,
Great videos and info, wish I’d found this sooner.
We have just had installed a new system comprising a 35kwh Worcester 8000 life system boiler, with a tempest high gain cylinder for fast heat up times.
We have an upstairs CH circuit all radiators, and downstairs 1 large open plan area with a wet UFH system split into 2 zones (70sqm) and 2 other rooms with radiators
The property is a 4 bed 1970’s detached house, with upgraded insulation in most walls, floors, loft etc.
What heating and HW control should we be considering to run the 2 Zone UFH, the radiator circuit and HW.
Should we have 2 thermostats 1 downstairs and 1 upstairs?
Was looking at a Nest, but have been recommended the wireless Neo Hun and Neo Airs?
Many thanks
Hi. No don't use a 3rd party, use Worcester's own controls and try to get one with weather compensation. It's a shame such a big boiler was fit, as it won't be as efficient as it could be at all.
Make sure you use a Heat Geek https://www.heatgeek.com/find-a-heat-geek/
Massive thanks in advance, brilliant that you are providing this advice!
Hi, Thank you. Good to know we are helping!
Hi, we just bought a large 5-bed house with a Vaillant ecotec plus 937. What smart controls would you recommend?
We would recommend either the Vaillant Vrc700 controller or the Vaillant sensoCOMFORT.
I have a Valliant ecoTEC plus 824 with an old Honeywell thermostat which appears to just be an on/off thermostat as our 2 bed flat gets very hot regardless of the temp setting. What smart controller do you recommend? Tado is is subsidised by our power company, but your responses to comments indicate that these 3rd party controllers won’t be able to communicate with my boiler to give true modulating control. Can you please recommend a smart controller?
Vaillant's own controls are awesome! Use them!
Wow, I am so glad I came across this video.
We are about to buy our boiler and thermostat for our 5 bedroom house. What would be the best modulating boiler and corresponding thermostat in your opinion?
The Viessmann 200-W with in-built weather compensation, it has an app built in and gives the absolute best control without the need for an external controller.