HouseHeat system

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  • MikeM
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Mar 2008
    • 36

    #91
    HousetechSolutions ??

    Martyn, my thanks to you once again.

    My trial system works nicely and seems to maintain a very even temperature within the room. There is also a satisfying motor whirring noise as the valve operates !

    Like "autolog" I am (was) going to buy some more kit from Conrad but noticed that in your (English) datasheets there is reference to a company called www.housetechsolutions.co.uk (who happen to be about 2 miles away from where I live in Gloucestershire)

    Who are these people and does anyone know whether they can supply kit directly ? Anything to do with heating-intelligence whose website is 'empty' since before Xmas ?

    Comment

    • MikeM
      Automated Home Jr Member
      • Mar 2008
      • 36

      #92
      Housetech International - An answer to my own question

      Just been poking around the Housetech-solutions website and found this page:



      It appears that this company is the UK representation for (Danish) HouseHeat and that another of their UK company registrations is HouseIntelligence which is confusingly just a bit like Heating-Intelligence !

      Seems like every man and his dog sell this stuff - which I must admit is remarkably good !

      Next (rhetorical) question - will I be able to understand FHM software as I really want to now get central PC control ? I am an electronics engineer (PICs and stuff) by trade but not a PC software guy ?

      Any other options for Windows PC software anyone ?

      Comment

      • martynwendon
        Automated Home Sr Member
        • Feb 2009
        • 57

        #93
        One issue , I haven't resolved is how to manage the kitchen kickspace (floor mounted) heater.
        I can think of a couple of ways to do this:

        1) If you don't want to integrate the kickspace heater into the HouseHeat system, then I'd simply get a normal wired thermostat with 2 switched outputs (or a single output via a relay with 2 switched outputs). Wire this into the on/off of the kickspace heater and also in parallel with the HouseHeat Boiler Relay to your boiler.

        2) Is you do want to integrate the kickspace heater into the HouseHeat system (I would if it were me) then I'd insert a TRV in the flow pipe to it and control the flow with an FHT80B / Actuator pair. Then I'd put a flow switch (such as http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/mo...cpc/265321.xml) in the flow pipe after the TRV to control the heater on/off fan. In theory the Actuator / TRV will control the heat flow (and talk to the HouseHeat Boiler Relay) and the flow switch will power the fan on/off as needed.

        Cheers,

        Martyn
        My Blog

        Comment

        • martynwendon
          Automated Home Sr Member
          • Feb 2009
          • 57

          #94
          Next (rhetorical) question - will I be able to understand FHM software as I really want to now get central PC control ? I am an electronics engineer (PICs and stuff) by trade but not a PC software guy ?
          If you can work with PICs (assembler? or higher level?) then FHEM should be a doddle.

          There's some info on the FHEM web site about setting it up, post back here if you need help!

          In fairness, if all you want is basic PC control then the windows software supplied with the PC interface is probably adequate - but it's limited if you want something more sophisticated like a web interface or integration into other HA systems like HomeSeer, HouseBot or xAP Floorplan.


          Cheers,

          Martyn
          My Blog

          Comment

          • MikeM
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Mar 2008
            • 36

            #95
            Autolog - Just been speaking to David Mylam (Househeat UK office) & www.housetechsolutions.co.uk and he sent me some datasheets etc. Included in the data was the following:

            HouseHeat EL-radiator set
            Thermostat set for electrical radiators or cooling device
            One Room thermostat
            One unit to the socket
            Article number HH45107

            This appears to be a device that could control an electrical fan ?

            Comment

            • autolog
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Dec 2009
              • 24

              #96
              Originally posted by martynwendon View Post
              ... 2) Is you do want to integrate the kickspace heater into the HouseHeat system (I would if it were me) then I'd insert a TRV in the flow pipe to it and control the flow with an FHT80B / Actuator pair. Then I'd put a flow switch (such as http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/mo...cpc/265321.xml) in the flow pipe after the TRV to control the heater on/off fan. In theory the Actuator / TRV will control the heat flow (and talk to the HouseHeat Boiler Relay) and the flow switch will power the fan on/off as needed.
              Thanks for the suggestion - I think I will go with Option2 - more work but a better integrated system

              Comment

              • autolog
                Automated Home Jr Member
                • Dec 2009
                • 24

                #97
                Originally posted by MikeM View Post
                Autolog - Just been speaking to David Mylam (Househeat UK office) & www.housetechsolutions.co.uk and he sent me some datasheets etc. Included in the data was the following:

                HouseHeat EL-radiator set
                Thermostat set for electrical radiators or cooling device
                One Room thermostat
                One unit to the socket
                Article number HH45107

                This appears to be a device that could control an electrical fan ?
                Thanks for the info
                Looking on their site I couldn't find any reference to this. Is it part of the FS20 system and therefore integrated with it?

                Comment

                • MikeM
                  Automated Home Jr Member
                  • Mar 2008
                  • 36

                  #98
                  It was included in a price list that he sent to me but I have not seen it elsewhere ! Perhaps you should call him on 01367 860770. I understand that Housetech Solutions are the UK office for Househeat

                  He explained that they were re-vamping their UK web site and that it would contain more information shortly (which is a good thing !).

                  Comment

                  • MikeM
                    Automated Home Jr Member
                    • Mar 2008
                    • 36

                    #99
                    Househeat Windows PC Software

                    From what I have gathered on this forum the Househeat PC software is not altogether wonderful ? Before I buy a FHZ1300 (or embark on alternatives - FHEM) I would like to at least look at what the Househeat stuff does.

                    Is there any site where I can download (an English version) copy ? I downloaded FHZ1300 PC Software_V2_0 from the Conrad website but alas it is in German !!!

                    Perhaps there is a setting in the install package where I can select English ?

                    Comment

                    • MikeM
                      Automated Home Jr Member
                      • Mar 2008
                      • 36

                      eq-3.de

                      Whilst trawling the internet for English language Homeheat software I came across the following website:



                      I surmise that they are THE actual manufacturers of the 'HomeHeat' system as they offer to 'brand' their products with your company name. Which may explain the Conrad and ELV connection in Germany ?

                      I found the following link to their own USB stick software which was in English



                      It runs from an exe file (no install) and appears to to be what I need.

                      Not yet posessing an FHZ1300 I cannot determine whether it will work with it or whether it is for some other product of theirs ?

                      However on their site is:

                      FHZ 1300 PC (with KS 300 reception) + software to control FS20 and HMS 100 components +s the FHT 80b

                      Product ref.: eQ-652-22

                      Along with a multitude of other really neat compatible RF products !!

                      I just have a feeling that the Danish HomeHeat company do not manufacture the product ? In my recent conversation with their UK Sales office I sensed some vagueness as to 'who was who'.

                      Comment

                      • MikeM
                        Automated Home Jr Member
                        • Mar 2008
                        • 36

                        My Xmas Dreams Come True

                        In order to see if my investment in new boiler and modern home heating controls are 'worth it' I have been building a Gas Consumption Logger with RF link (un-finished as yet !!!).

                        Poking around the EQ-3 site I found :



                        Wow ! Just what I wanted for Xmas - but didn't get !

                        Comment

                        • martynwendon
                          Automated Home Sr Member
                          • Feb 2009
                          • 57

                          Originally posted by MikeM View Post
                          In order to see if my investment in new boiler and modern home heating controls are 'worth it' I have been building a Gas Consumption Logger with RF link (un-finished as yet !!!)
                          That makes two of us!

                          What Gas Meter do you have? Does it have a handy pulse output, or are you reading digits?

                          Since I already have an RFXCOM RF infrastructure, I went down the route of purchasing their RFXMeter and RFXPulse modules to count electricity, gas and water.

                          I guess it would have been cheaper to roll my own using PICs / Arduinos that I have here in abundance but I wanted something plug and play and my to-do list is already long enough without adding more projects to it!


                          Martyn
                          My Blog

                          Comment

                          • sooty7
                            Automated Home Jr Member
                            • Oct 2007
                            • 20

                            Originally posted by MikeM View Post
                            In order to see if my investment in new boiler and modern home heating controls are 'worth it' I have been building a Gas Consumption Logger with RF link (un-finished as yet !!!).

                            Poking around the EQ-3 site I found :



                            Wow ! Just what I wanted for Xmas - but didn't get !
                            I did a similar excersise just before last winter. I replaced a 15 year old conventional gas boiler with an all singing all dancing gas combi and Hometronic with 14 HR80 valves.

                            I already had gas, power and water monitoring via Homeseer & RFXCOM so it was pretty easy to compare new with old. I also compare gas consumption against outside & inside temperatures.

                            Now the bad news: To recover the cost of the boiler and the HR80 valves (just over £2000) would take a very long time from savings in gas consumption.

                            I did monitor this using actual gas consumed rather than the cost and I recon to be saving about 10% over the old boiler and standard TRV's.

                            On the plus side, I suppose it is helping the environment a little, so it must be worth it.

                            Paul..

                            Comment

                            • martynwendon
                              Automated Home Sr Member
                              • Feb 2009
                              • 57

                              Originally posted by David Mylam
                              Hello

                              I have been looking with interest on the forum. I am part owner of HouseTech Solutions LTD. TEL 01367 860770. House Intelligence was owned by us but purely a web company. We have now moved all to the UK as it was impractical trading from abroad and most people wanted to deal with a UK based company.

                              Our web site is currently being updated and will be running again from about 10th Jan. We will be able to take credit card payments from this time. We hold plenty of stock in the UK. We can take payments before but will have to be via the banking system.

                              As for products there has been a good deal of problems with PC connect and we are not going to stock this. It has in our opinion a limited market. Boiler connect on the other hand is a popular seller as are our window sensors.

                              If you quote Automated Home on an email to me then we have decided as from Jan 1st will match prices you see from any companies selling our product. Our product does exactly the same as Conrads but does not have Conrad written on it it is plain with no writing on the front.

                              I hope this helps to clarify the points raised a little.

                              David Mylam dm@housetechsolutions.co.uk
                              Hi David,

                              Thanks for the information, I've been using the HouseHeat kit for quite some time now and have ordered many times from the old house-intelligense web site, but more recently from Conrad as the prices were better.

                              I've a mixture of plain, Conrad and ELV kit at the moment.

                              Interesting that you say you've had reports of issues with the PC Connect (FHZ1300), I've not had any issues with mine, although I don't use the software that came with it.

                              Cheers,

                              Martyn
                              My Blog

                              Comment

                              • martynwendon
                                Automated Home Sr Member
                                • Feb 2009
                                • 57

                                Originally posted by sooty7 View Post
                                I already had gas, power and water monitoring via Homeseer & RFXCOM so it was pretty easy to compare new with old.
                                Hi Paul,

                                Can I ask how you achieved water and gas monitoring?

                                Electricity was easy here as the meter had a convenient pulse output LED. Gas is proving more challenging but I think I can get a count off one of the digits on the meter. I've been struggling with water though - I did get a pulse unit from the meter manufacturer to fit to it, but so far haven't been able to read any pulses from it


                                Cheers,

                                Martyn
                                My Blog

                                Comment

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