Evotouch zoning query, plus alternatives

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  • RichardH
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Jan 2013
    • 22

    Evotouch zoning query, plus alternatives

    Like most around here, I'm searching for the "ideal" system to control our heating. We're currently having a fairly major house rebuild/refurb after a fire, so now's the time to do it.

    I'm considering Heatmiser (12v network system), Honeywell Evotouch and also the Conrad FS20 system. Alos hoping that Lightwave will bring out their solution soon.

    If I go Heatmiser then I need to decide soon, as the wiring will need to be put in place.

    The Evotouch looks to be the most user friendly option. I had calculated that I would probably need around 10 zones. However, it occured to me that in fact a zone really just needs to be an area that needs heating at a particular time of the day/night, and therefore I could bind (say) all the bedroom radiator valves to a single zone, and then presumably the valves will signal whether or not they need hot water. Is that right? The only downside to that is (I assume) that I can only have a single temperature and time profile set for all bedrooms. However, if that becomes a pain, then I can at a later stage add another Evotouch controller to up the zones.... or am I misunderstanding?

    Are these wireless radiator valves OK to fit in the "traditional" UK position down by the skirting? I've seen a lot of photos of them with a pipe running up to the top of the rad and the valve fitted there instead. Obviously if I were to go for the FS20 system then that's not a problem as the stat will be elsewhere.

    One other thing has bothered/puzzled me, too. Are these wireless radiator valves OK to operate in an en suite/bathroom? Or how about if I went down the Heatmiser route and had 230v wax actuators on the rads.... that way I could always have those installed outside of the bathroom though as an in line valve so that wouldn't be such an issue.
  • SteveP
    Automated Home Guru
    • Dec 2012
    • 190

    #2
    Originally posted by RichardH View Post
    Like most around here, I'm searching for the "ideal" system to control our heating. We're currently having a fairly major house rebuild/refurb after a fire, so now's the time to do it.

    I'm considering Heatmiser (12v network system), Honeywell Evotouch and also the Conrad FS20 system. Alos hoping that Lightwave will bring out their solution soon.

    If I go Heatmiser then I need to decide soon, as the wiring will need to be put in place.

    The Evotouch looks to be the most user friendly option. I had calculated that I would probably need around 10 zones. However, it occured to me that in fact a zone really just needs to be an area that needs heating at a particular time of the day/night, and therefore I could bind (say) all the bedroom radiator valves to a single zone, and then presumably the valves will signal whether or not they need hot water. Is that right? The only downside to that is (I assume) that I can only have a single temperature and time profile set for all bedrooms. However, if that becomes a pain, then I can at a later stage add another Evotouch controller to up the zones.... or am I misunderstanding?

    Are these wireless radiator valves OK to fit in the "traditional" UK position down by the skirting? I've seen a lot of photos of them with a pipe running up to the top of the rad and the valve fitted there instead. Obviously if I were to go for the FS20 system then that's not a problem as the stat will be elsewhere.

    One other thing has bothered/puzzled me, too. Are these wireless radiator valves OK to operate in an en suite/bathroom? Or how about if I went down the Heatmiser route and had 230v wax actuators on the rads.... that way I could always have those installed outside of the bathroom though as an in line valve so that wouldn't be such an issue.
    Hi
    I am not a heating specialist but like you had been looking for some time for the ideal heating setup as having tried trvs and optimised heating controllers I was still left with north facing rooms that were cold or rooms being heated that were unused. I have recently installed the evohome and can say that it resolves all of my issues.
    As you have not had any replies so far from those more knowledgeable than me I hope the following may be of use:
    1) Zones are controlled areas and you can have multiple radiator valves (HR80) per zone. The zone is the thing that you set the temperature for and times. You can have multiple time settings with a different temperature for each time period per zone.
    2) Yes you can bind all bedroom valves to one zone and I have a mix of 3 valves per zone, 2 valves per zone and single valves per zone
    3) Each zone requires one valve to be set up as a sensor. This feeds the temperature back to the controller. There are two ways to use this as the evohome has 3 levels of setup available. Level 1 is the basic user settings (time and temp), level 2 is binding valves to zones etc. level 3 is binding valves to zones with the option to decide how the sensor valve will control the zone. You can either have the one sensor valve dictate the temperature and optimisation rules that all valves will respond to, or, set each valve to independently control itself to the set temp regardless of the sensor temperature. This for me works better in one situation as I have 2 bedrooms in one zone one north facing and one south facing. Allowing each valve to control itself means that the two rooms respond more accurately than when I initially had the sensor valve control both (I hadn’t found the level 3 settings at that point as they are not in the user manuals supplied as I think they are installer specific but I found by accident on evohome site)
    4) When a zone (or valve in a zone if independently controlling themselves) requires heat it switches the boiler on via the BDR91 wireless relay box.
    5) I believe that you can add a another controller if you wish to add more than the 8 zones
    6) I do have then fitted in the traditional skirting board position. One or two are quite tight against the skirting board but if the trv fitted then you should be ok.
    7) The radiator valves operate on 3volts (2 x 1.5volt AA batteries). They are IP30 protection so no protection from water ingress however I have them fitted in the two bathrooms on towel radiators at the bottom. And providing they are not sprayed with water they should be ok. Running at 3volts there is no electrical shock issue.
    8) In the bathroom/ensuite due to the rads being towel radiators it does cover the sensors. I therefore fitted the DT92 wall sensor in the ensuite and bound that as the temperature sensor for the zone (one ensuite and one bathroom). The DT92 measure the temp in the ensuite and controls the valves via the controller. You can also adjust the temp on the DT92 which is convenient. Again the DT92 is 3 volt operated so no problem in a bathroom.
    System is running very nicely and behaves now the way I would expect it to.
    Optimisation is the best I have had so far of some 4 different systems tried over the years as each zone optimises itself which makes far more sense than one central sensor attempting to optimise a whole house. Optimisation was blisteringly fast to settle in only taking a few days.
    I again point out I am not a heating engineer and I set the system up from research and manual reading and comments on this web site.
    Apologies if the way I have believe some of the functions operate is incorrect and corrected by others more experienced.
    Regards

    Comment

    • RichardH
      Automated Home Jr Member
      • Jan 2013
      • 22

      #3
      Steve, that's really helpful. I think the Evohome system is the way to go, as it has the most user friendly appeal - and so is more likely to be understood and used by all members of the household. The Heatmiser system would be good, but the wiring required is all a bit OTT really - so as long as I've decided on the Evohome I can let the house rebuild continue without worrying about any wiring. Then if the Lightwave stuff comes out I can see whether that offers any plusses over the Evohome gear.

      One thing - how do you find the valve noise when opening or closing?

      Comment

      • SteveP
        Automated Home Guru
        • Dec 2012
        • 190

        #4
        Originally posted by RichardH View Post
        Steve, that's really helpful. I think the Evohome system is the way to go, as it has the most user friendly appeal - and so is more likely to be understood and used by all members of the household. The Heatmiser system would be good, but the wiring required is all a bit OTT really - so as long as I've decided on the Evohome I can let the house rebuild continue without worrying about any wiring. Then if the Lightwave stuff comes out I can see whether that offers any plusses over the Evohome gear.

        One thing - how do you find the valve noise when opening or closing?
        Richard- glad I was able to help. Re the motors, you do notice them sometimes particularly in the bedroom if very quite. However, they only whir for a few seconds and my wife who is very sensitive to noise has not once complained about them. I only sometimes notice them as I am listening out for them to make sure all is working fine. None of the other members of the family have ever mentioned them. The main noise is when the valve first opens, after that it shuts or opens in small increments so the noise is limited.

        Comment

        • TomPlumb
          Automated Home Lurker
          • Feb 2013
          • 5

          #5
          Is it the same setup as this evohome zoning pack? I've installed a few of these and never noticed them making a sound - maybe they get noisier after a while. I't certainly annoy me if I could hear them whirring away while I was trying to sleep!

          Comment

          • RichardH
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Jan 2013
            • 22

            #6
            I should add an update - have gone with Evohome, but as the build work is ongoing I have just bought a controller and a single 4 pack of stats to show the plumber and be amused at his furrowed brow - but at least we can make sure we get valves fitted that will accept the HR80s straight off, and the wiring will be done for the relay when the time comes.

            Comment

            • a62vw
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Mar 2012
              • 15

              #7
              Hi Richard,

              Nice to see your positive post about evohome. I'm heating engineer & a fan of it, despite a few teething troubles setting up my first customer system with 2 x evohome controllers & hot water control on a home purely heated by air source heat pump and additional solar thermal heating of hot water. It's a good system, a few little niggles from an installers pov. I'm not yet familiar with the other systems you mentioned, although I have just been viewing the Lightwave site with interest.

              So I'd be interested in an update - how did your plumber get on? Is his brow still furrowed?!

              Vaughn
              I work for Resideo. However, any views expressed are mine and not those my employer.

              Comment

              • RichardH
                Automated Home Jr Member
                • Jan 2013
                • 22

                #8
                Still waiting to get to the right stage in the build, so we're no further forward yet.

                I see you mention running two controllers - did you have to buy the controller pack with relay? I contacted Honeywell to ask if the controller was available just "as is" for adding extra zones, and they said not (which is very irritating if so...)

                Comment

                • a62vw
                  Automated Home Jr Member
                  • Mar 2012
                  • 15

                  #9
                  I worked with the very helpful guys at Sensible Heat who are down my way. We spec'ed the whole house system and they supplied the complete list of components. But yes, I know what you mean - you can't buy the CS92A Wireless Cylinder Thermostat separate through the normal channels, only as part of a Sundial RF2 kit 3 or 4.
                  The other issue is that it's only really suitable for a normal copper vented cylinder. If you want to use it on an unvented cylinder you have a problem!
                  Last edited by a62vw; 21 March 2013, 12:09 PM. Reason: added final sentence
                  I work for Resideo. However, any views expressed are mine and not those my employer.

                  Comment

                  • RichardH
                    Automated Home Jr Member
                    • Jan 2013
                    • 22

                    #10
                    Well.... an update (at last!)

                    As to the plumber and his furrowed brow, I just let him set the system up as per usual with Honeywell compatible TRVs (used some Siemens ones that were cheap at Screwfix), and set the controller up as a "normal" controller - i.e. no bound devices, just using it as a programmer. That way we got the heating system tested and I then went round and added the HR80s once he was done and dusted.

                    I have managed to get it set up OK in the main, but have a couple of queries...

                    I had fun and games getting the bindings between some of the HR80s and the controller, but a couple of factory resets and some swearing seemed to do the trick.

                    I have one of the bedroom zones displaying the measured temperature on the main controller, but it is also saying "binding not complete" - what gives?

                    Also, the window function doesn't seem to be doing what I expected - when the kitchen door is left open, I was expecting the rads to get shut off, but it doesn't seem to work.

                    Thoughts?
                    Last edited by RichardH; 22 September 2013, 10:56 AM.

                    Comment

                    • RichardH
                      Automated Home Jr Member
                      • Jan 2013
                      • 22

                      #11
                      Well, the not quite binding thing is sorted - I went through the motions of rebinding the HR80s, but they didn't show "synch" so I stopped the controller running the binding signal and for some reason it all fell into place. Ho hum!

                      Comment

                      • Newtozoning
                        Automated Home Lurker
                        • Sep 2013
                        • 7

                        #12
                        Richard, did you end up getting 2 Evohome Theromstat packs? Am just wondering how you set up more then the 8 zones? What did you do for the hot water control?

                        Comment

                        • RichardH
                          Automated Home Jr Member
                          • Jan 2013
                          • 22

                          #13
                          No, I decided I could manage with 8 zones - I went for the following:

                          Kitchen (2 rads)
                          Dining room + hall as 1 zone - 2 rads
                          Living room - 2 rads
                          Cellar (which is a home office) - 1 rad
                          Bedroom 1 - 2 rads
                          Bedroom 2 - 1 rad
                          Bedroom 3 - 1 rad

                          If we decide we need the bathroom controlled separately, I will join bedrooms 2 & 3 into one zone or something.

                          The bathroom and en suite just get heat whenever a zone calls for heat, which seems to be working OK so far.

                          As for hot water control, I just got a ST9100C timer control and had that wired in to the system separately. OK, it means we have two controllers, but that's no hardship.

                          Comment

                          • Newtozoning
                            Automated Home Lurker
                            • Sep 2013
                            • 7

                            #14
                            Thanks for that!

                            Comment

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