Heat Genius

[DavidH]

Johannes,

Many thanks. It is only through expert advice from people like yourself and Kevin that I have been able to work out what might suit me - without you most of us would be lost!
I look forward to trying Heat Genius when I win the pools!
David

[Hot]

Heat Genius – Controlling Your Central Heating From Your TV

Johannes,

Many thanks. It is only through expert advice from people like yourself and Kevin that I have been able to work out what might suit me - without you most of us would be lost!
I look forward to trying Heat Genius when I win the pools!
David

David H.

I am glad I could be of assistance to you and I am sure Kevin feels the same. Have you read my new Feature - Review on Heat Genius – Controlling Your Central Heating From Your TV?

Any feedback from you is appreciated.

Johannes

[curry-kid]

Hi

I am wondering how much noise the Heat Genius motorised TRV controllers make.

I have a Pegler-Terrier i-temp i30 which is a more basic motorised TRV controller than the Heat Genius type. I find the noise it makes verging on intolerable. I put it in the bedroom to test whether we could live with such a device. When we are watching telly etc it is fine, but when it is lights out time to sleep, it does seem very loud. It doesn't bother the Mrs, but I do find it distracting at times - just dropping off and then it motors into action.

I'm sure noise is very subjective, but what do you guys think of the noise from the Heat Genius model ?


On the subject of the Pegler unit, I was planning on using some more of these in conjunction with a Heat Genius system. Perhaps use them in the hall, landing and bathrooms to reduce overheating and save money - and they only cost about 20 quid each. I know they can't call for heat, but I guess the zones that do call for the boiler will mean the CH will be on fairly regularly but for short bursts.

Cheers
Chris

[JohnnyP]

Do you need heating on when you're in bed? My system goes off at 11pm and doesn't come back 'til 6am. (And I'm in a draughty Victorian pile in NW Scotland.) That will solve your noisy actuator worries.

[curry-kid]

Hi Johnny,

Left to myself I probably would turn the heating off during the night, but you know what ladies are like ;-)

I was just wondering what people who have the Heat Genius motorised TRV controllers think about the noise.

Cheers
Chris

[Hot]

Heat Genius motorised TRV controllers noise

Hi Johnny,

Left to myself I probably would turn the heating off during the night, but you know what ladies are like ;-)

I was just wondering what people who have the Heat Genius motorised TRV controllers think about the noise.

Cheers
Chris

Curry-Kid

I am one of the early adopters of Heat Genius and I have their full system controlling my eight radiators in my Home.
Heat Genius motorised TRV controllers are smooth and nearly noiseless. I think it depends on what type of radiator valves and radiators you have if the noise is dampened or amplified. I am using Danfoss radiator valve bodies and their are as smooth as most other makes that I have come across. The heat Genius motorised TRV controller itself does not generate more noise that a digital camera makes when you zoom in or out.

The newest Heat Genius motorised TRV controller makes less noise than their first product. I have experience of both as I upgraded my first ones to the new ones and there is a slight difference. The new ones are quicker and more silent.

I hope this is of help to you.

[Snaxmuppet]

I am looking at installing a smart CH controller and I too have blown hot and cold (aaahm ) on Heat Genius. I have just moved into a new house (new for me... built 1989). The CH has a new boiler but no room stat... all heat control is via TRVs. There is a simple 2-period timer and that is it. The boiler is new (3 years). I have contacted HG and they say I can install HG but as I don't have a room stat so the HG controller must be connected direct to the boiler.

What is the implication of this?

I want to eventually integrate the CH into a more general Home Automation set up so would you say that the fact it is Z-Wave based is probably good from that perspective?

Unfortunately all the current TRVs are not compatible with HG and so will need replacing so I was thinking we might just replace those in the main rooms and start with that and replace others when we want to incorporate those rooms into the automation.

Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

[EasyLife]

HG with other z-wave controllers

I like the look of the Heat Genius system, but I already have a z-wave network, running undera Vera 3 contoller. Can the 2 co-exist?

I understand that the HG doesn't talk to Vera, but I need to know if they can operate successfully, at the same time.

Many thanks

[Snaxmuppet]

I have HG set up and running and I have a Vera Edge which I am about to set up this weekend. I should be able to tell you next week

It is just two z-wave networks so I can't see a reason why they shouldn't. The z-wave frequency will be busy and that may cause a few delays as messages clash but I don't suppose it will stop them working or cause any major problems.

I'll post again next week when I have more news

[TimJWatts]

They are not exactly noisy - a small "whirr". Unless you are a very light sleeper, they would not wake most people.

[EasyLife]

I have HG set up and running and I have a Vera Edge which I am about to set up this weekend. I should be able to tell you next week

It is just two z-wave networks so I can't see a reason why they shouldn't. The z-wave frequency will be busy and that may cause a few delays as messages clash but I don't suppose it will stop them working or cause any major problems.

I'll post again next week when I have more news

Thanks, I'd be interested in your findings.

[wrs]

Old thread, new user!

There is a simple 2-period timer and that is it. The boiler is new (3 years). I have contacted HG and they say I can install HG but as I don't have a room stat so the HG controller must be connected direct to the boiler.

What is the implication of this?

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but it's the most informative I've found so far!

We are soon to be moving into a new house [so well insulated] with a timer and room stat in each of two zones. The zones don't correspond with the way we'd use the rooms so in the short term I was planning to disconnect the zone valves with both in the open position, turn the room stats to max so that heat is always being called for, and control the room temperatures with the TRVs

This will keep the pump running, but the boiler will only fire when the return temperature falls below a certain point. So it works, but not ideal.

In the long term [as soon as possible, in reality!] I want to go to a smart set-up.

I've looked at evohome, which has a lot going for it - in particular its WiFi thermostat which also has full-function setup and control without having to use the app.
Unfortunately, it doesn't have the basic functions of 'add extra hour /2, /3' that even the most basic electronic controller has; nor the ability to 'advance' to the next time period, as even the old electro-mechanical controllers had. We use these a lot in our current house, as we might stay up later than usual, or get up earlier, and need to make a temporary alteration.
It does however have the advantage that individual eTRVs can call for heat without needing the expense of a separate thermostst [caveat being that 'stat needed if TRV behind curtains etc].

It looks as though the Genius can do these [albeit from an app]. Is this correct? If so, I could get a cheap android tablet to keep somewhere handy as a local controller.

I also need confirmation that if the website goes down, or my internet connection is lost, the a) the local kit will carry on as previously scheduled and b) ideally, they can be adjusted via the app over the local area network in the house.

In terms of genius hardware, I'd initially set up the heating [hot water is fine on a timer] so that the mainly-used rooms are programmed via genius, with eTRVs, and the others just have their dumb TRVs turned down to frost setting. The zone valves both to be locked open.

I would then have the eTRVs grouped into three virtual zones, which would be set up for our typical usage - ie one used mainly during the day, the second in the evening, and the third [for the kitchen] for most of the day [between getting up and going to bed!].

This would, I think, need one wired controller to wire into the boiler circuit, a few plugs, one thermostat/sensor for each room in the controlled zones, and one eTRV for each of the radiators in those rooms, together with a genius hub to control them all. The wired controller's output would just connect to the existing wiring centre in place of the current timer's output [terminal 10 for stsndard S-plan set-up]..

Does this sound like a sensible approach? If so, I could later expand the number of controlled rooms by adding further eTRVs and mini-sensors to them.

Any suggestions/corrections would be most welcome!

William

[mamoulian]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but it's the most informative I've found so far!

I've looked at evohome, which has a lot going for it - in particular its WiFi thermostat which also has full-function setup and control without having to use the app.
Unfortunately, it doesn't have the basic functions of 'add extra hour /2, /3'

I've scripted that up with IFTTT. We can say 'heat the kitchen for 1 hour' to Google Home, use IFTTT widget buttons on Android homescreens, or repurposed Amazon Dash buttons to boost each room. The first two are easy and the third requires a bit more geekery :-) The boost button can query the current temp and +1 degree to it.

[wrs]

I've scripted that up with IFTTT. We can say 'heat the kitchen for 1 hour' to Google Home, use IFTTT widget buttons on Android homescreens, or repurposed Amazon Dash buttons to boost each room. The first two are easy and the third requires a bit more geekery :-) The boost button can query the current temp and +1 degree to it.

Thanks, mamoulian. That's interesting. Just to confirm, it's with evohome rather than genius products? Presumably this would only work over the internet, requiring the evohome site to be up and running?

I've done a bit of programming, but have never looked at IFTTT. How easy would it be to write the script for buttons that add 1 or more extra hours, or advance to next phase of the schedule?

This may solve the problem, as the wiring of he evohome kit looks quite straightforward.

William

[mamoulian]

Thanks, mamoulian. That's interesting. Just to confirm, it's with evohome rather than genius products? Presumably this would only work over the internet, requiring the evohome site to be up and running?

I've done a bit of programming, but have never looked at IFTTT. How easy would it be to write the script for buttons that add 1 or more extra hours, or advance to next phase of the schedule?

This may solve the problem, as the wiring of he evohome kit looks quite straightforward.

William

Yes with Evohome.

Yes all schedule-related comms go via the internet. If the internet goes down you can only use the controller screen or manually turn the knob on the TRV. Unless you want to investigate the USB method: https://www.domoticz.com/wiki/Evohom..._equivalent.29

IFTTT is super easy for setting temps for duratiions, just click about and fill in a few values. I don't think 'advance to next phase of schedule' can be done though.