Heat Genius
Hi all,
I've just seen the article on the frontpage about 'Heat Genius' http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/hardw...th-z-wave.html
I'm currently waiting for Honeywell's new EvoHome but Heat Genius seems to do all that and already has an API written and looks to be Z-Wave support!!
Where did these guys come from? I haven't heard of it until just now- seems like it may be too good.
What's your thoughts?
It does sound like an interesting option, but I wonder how well tested the system is. There is more information on their website: https://heatgenius.net/
The TRV's look a lot like the Danfoss Living Connect Z Z-Wave Radiator Thermostat: http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/carbo...m-danfoss.html.
I think they are those Danfoss TRVs.
Maybe I'm missing the point, but what's the benefit of this system over say a Z-Wave controller like a MiCasaVerde Vera with the same Danfoss TRVs and Secure Thermostat / Boiler Receiver?
Also, the Danfoss TRVs don't report the local room temperature back to the controller as far as I'm aware, so they're not a good choice if you like to log / graph that sort of data. But it looks like the PIR being used is one of the new Philio units, which do have temperature reporting in them.
Other than the software on the HeatGenius controller being specific to heating control, I'm not sure why you'd go for something like this that's based on Z-Wave but limited to just heating?
martyn.wendon, that's a good point. It seems that it's basically a Z-Wave controller and isn't really doing anything different- other than perhaps a dedicated mobile app for heating. It's obviously using the Z-Wave protocol.
It is definitely Z-Wave based. I guess the advantage of this system over a full z_wave system is simplicity, if all you want is heating control. Their scheduling capabilities and mobile phone apps look pretty good and user friendly. I have been in touch with them and they have been very quick and helpful with information on their system.
Yep, it is Z-wave.
Have asked the company A LOT of questions about this.
As a dedicated system you would hope it was more stable.
I am considering installing it in a student rental property where currently the heating is left on 24/7.
It concerns me slightly as it is the only system that currently takes into account room occupancy and is relatively untested.
Homeplugs need to be placed around the house as repeaters - which a tenant may decide to remove!
Also the TRV and motion sensor are battery driven - tenants like batteries! :-) (perhaps I need better tenants!).
But it learns and predicts heating needs. My gut instinct is it will work to some extent but z-wave is somewhat unreliable in my experience.
A tenant won't forgive me if their heating hasn't come on because some z-wave node didn't communicate.
I want one of you guys to buy it for your own home and 'test' it for me!!! :-)
Salus have brought out a new automated heating control system out as well.
http://www.salus-tech.com/products/thermostat/it500bm/
Presence detection / room occupancy is a bit of a holy grail when it comes to HA - many of us have tried and failed over the years to get this working with any success! Typically it's trivial to track motion in / out of a room, the difficulty is when people sit down and watch TV for example - no motion doesn't mean that there's nobody there!Originally Posted by poci-master
Most of these solutions end up being battery driven to make for easy self-install and retro-fitting - I'd hate to have to run cables to every radiator / thermostat point! With a decent Z-Wave controller you can get notifications of low or removed batteries :-)
I'm interested to know why you've found Z-Wave to be unreliable? In my experience a well set-up Z-Wave system with it's mesh networking is about as reliable as it gets when compared to similar technologies / systems.
Their panel looks very nice, but unfortunately, it is a "whole house" solution, rather than zoned.
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