What would you like to see in evohome? (have your say)

[jvallis]

Here's my wish list for evohome. Basically evolve from 1990's central heating (OpenTherm is 22 years old!) and move into 21st century domestic HVAC and integrate some capabilities between various Honeywell tentacles.

1) More than 12 zones.

2) Slave zones with different temps.
- For example, an ensuite bathroom should have the same schedule as the bedroom, but a different temperature.

3) Humidity Sensor in HR92
- See below for more comments on humidity support

4) Humidity Sensor in DTS92
- See below for more comments on humidity support

5) evohome-integrated (de)humidifiers
- Honeywell makes some of the best (de)humidifiers in the US

6) evohome-integrated fans

7) Per Zone Charting
7a) Outside temp vs Zone temp
7b) Outside humidity vs Zone humidity
7c) Heating demand in Zone
7d) Zone preheat duration
7e) Open Window detected

8) Whole House Charting
8a) Outside temp
8b) Flow temp
8c) Return temp
8d) Boiler demand temp
8e) Gas cost

9) Smart Plug device with electric usage reporting
- Handle things like electric heaters, electric blankets or a coffee machine to a schedule, or a fan, (de)humidifier to a zone to help ventilation/humidity

10) Oil Tank Sensor
- Just a simple gauge which when configured with tank capacity will allow consumption monitoring

11) Smart Meter 'Consumer Access Device'
- Solar power Generation, Electric and Gas consumption monitoring and Demand Response handling.
- Honeywell Elster is another tentacle of Honeywell.

12) Immersion Heater relay (ie a high-current BDR91)
- When DHW circuit doesn't work, or electricity < gas (e.g. during Solar Power generation / time of use tariff)
- can also be used for electric UFH if there's a temp sensor and a safety circuit

13) Air conditioning (and by extension, a Heat Pump) bridge
- Cooling matters increasingly in the UK as do heat pumps (air, ground or water source), but cooling is vital to continental Europe, plus solar powered air conditioning? Yes please.

14) Modbus bridge
- If it had more zone support, there's no reason evohome can't help be part of a whole-building HVAC command and control system. May also double up as Air-con bridge?

15) A proper API. Replicate the per-device messages that the HGI80 produces but via the API.
- It's nearly 2019.

16) More than 6 schedules per day (should be unlimited/to nearest 15-20 minute 'block')
- Stop putting arbitrary limitations. Limit to physical limits, e.g. RAM, storage or network devices!

17) 'Full' optimisation. Optimise both Start and Stop.

18) evohome-integrated Smoke, Heat and CO alarms. If they detect anything shut off everything!

Notes on Humidity Support

The biggest effect evohome has is not normally when installing it an efficient building, but quite the opposite: when installing it in a building with terrible heat characteristics. The dramatic difference that evohome makes to say a medieval Cotswold cottage is an astounding night-and-day experience, that I've seen friends who use half a tank of oil less in a year. In a new build it's 'oh I saved a few pence' - so please stop designing to an ideal set up! How often have you seen people say how previously the house felt cold or the house had hot and cold spots and after evohome no longer?

Old buildings don't just suffer from bad or no insulation, but they suffer from very high humidity, and can be pretty miserable dungeon-like places to be (think of a dark and dank stone castle). This in turn has an effect on the 'feels like' temperature (humidex) which is calculated from both humidity and temperature. A zone at 20C in a well insulated, dry house feels dramatically different to a zone also at 20C in a damp house. evohome is totally oblivious to 'feels like' temperature because it has no humidity sensors.

Therefore, can we have the DTS92 and HR92 revamped and add a humidity sensor to both, with the software controlling temperatures and humidity together. In addition, for existing set ups, a simple whole house humidity sensor would be useful to protect existing investments. Also, while the EU generally use air conditioners for dehumidification, compared to dedicated de/humidifiers like the US use, they both matter enormously to comfort and well being.

There are many other side-effects from being able to control humidity (e.g. reduce mildew, protect wood, dry out plaster), and while humidifiers and dehumidifiers aren't big here as they are in the US, guess what, Honeywell makes the best (de)humidifiers, so enable them to be evohome-controlled and purchased in the EU market, as well as doing humidification control via the all-essential air con bridge.

[paulockenden]

Good list!

I fear the ears are deaf. I don't think the Honeywell guys frequent this place very much these days?

[Behold81]

Here's my wish list for evohome. Basically evolve from 1990's central heating (OpenTherm is 22 years old!) and move into 21st century domestic HVAC and integrate some capabilities between various Honeywell tentacles.

1) More than 12 zones.

2) Slave zones with different temps.
- For example, an ensuite bathroom should have the same schedule as the bedroom, but a different temperature.

3) Humidity Sensor in HR92
- See below for more comments on humidity support

4) Humidity Sensor in DTS92
- See below for more comments on humidity support

5) evohome-integrated (de)humidifiers
- Honeywell makes some of the best (de)humidifiers in the US

6) evohome-integrated fans

7) Per Zone Charting
7a) Outside temp vs Zone temp
7b) Outside humidity vs Zone humidity
7c) Heating demand in Zone
7d) Zone preheat duration
7e) Open Window detected

8) Whole House Charting
8a) Outside temp
8b) Flow temp
8c) Return temp
8d) Boiler demand temp
8e) Gas cost

9) Smart Plug device with electric usage reporting
- Handle things like electric heaters, electric blankets or a coffee machine to a schedule, or a fan, (de)humidifier to a zone to help ventilation/humidity

10) Oil Tank Sensor
- Just a simple gauge which when configured with tank capacity will allow consumption monitoring

11) Smart Meter 'Consumer Access Device'
- Solar power Generation, Electric and Gas consumption monitoring and Demand Response handling.
- Honeywell Elster is another tentacle of Honeywell.

12) Immersion Heater relay (ie a high-current BDR91)
- When DHW circuit doesn't work, or electricity < gas (e.g. during Solar Power generation / time of use tariff)
- can also be used for electric UFH if there's a temp sensor and a safety circuit

13) Air conditioning (and by extension, a Heat Pump) bridge
- Cooling matters increasingly in the UK as do heat pumps (air, ground or water source), but cooling is vital to continental Europe, plus solar powered air conditioning? Yes please.

14) Modbus bridge
- If it had more zone support, there's no reason evohome can't help be part of a whole-building HVAC command and control system. May also double up as Air-con bridge?

15) A proper API. Replicate the per-device messages that the HGI80 produces but via the API.
- It's nearly 2019.

16) More than 6 schedules per day (should be unlimited/to nearest 15-20 minute 'block')
- Stop putting arbitrary limitations. Limit to physical limits, e.g. RAM, storage or network devices!

17) 'Full' optimisation. Optimise both Start and Stop.

18) evohome-integrated Smoke, Heat and CO alarms. If they detect anything shut off everything!

Notes on Humidity Support

The biggest effect evohome has is not normally when installing it an efficient building, but quite the opposite: when installing it in a building with terrible heat characteristics. The dramatic difference that evohome makes to say a medieval Cotswold cottage is an astounding night-and-day experience, that I've seen friends who use half a tank of oil less in a year. In a new build it's 'oh I saved a few pence' - so please stop designing to an ideal set up! How often have you seen people say how previously the house felt cold or the house had hot and cold spots and after evohome no longer?

Old buildings don't just suffer from bad or no insulation, but they suffer from very high humidity, and can be pretty miserable dungeon-like places to be (think of a dark and dank stone castle). This in turn has an effect on the 'feels like' temperature (humidex) which is calculated from both humidity and temperature. A zone at 20C in a well insulated, dry house feels dramatically different to a zone also at 20C in a damp house. evohome is totally oblivious to 'feels like' temperature because it has no humidity sensors.

Therefore, can we have the DTS92 and HR92 revamped and add a humidity sensor to both, with the software controlling temperatures and humidity together. In addition, for existing set ups, a simple whole house humidity sensor would be useful to protect existing investments. Also, while the EU generally use air conditioners for dehumidification, compared to dedicated de/humidifiers like the US use, they both matter enormously to comfort and well being.

There are many other side-effects from being able to control humidity (e.g. reduce mildew, protect wood, dry out plaster), and while humidifiers and dehumidifiers aren't big here as they are in the US, guess what, Honeywell makes the best (de)humidifiers, so enable them to be evohome-controlled and purchased in the EU market, as well as doing humidification control via the all-essential air con bridge.

Only thing missing is thermal store. you captured the rest of the heating market.

Immersion switch would be easy enough. Salius already do one and allow rebranding. Its fully zwave capable and just works. To be honest most relays exist. they just need integration in to a hub.

[mtmcgavock]

I think whilst some of the above points are very valid, some are just not suited to this device and of more towards a Home Automation system. At the end of the day Evohome is designed to control a water fired heating system. Start adding other things into the mix and really I think you're into Home Automation. The panel is designed for consumers, not advanced users. I have customers which literally set and forget knowing that it just works and that's all they need it to do.

However, here are the things I'd like to see -

1) Software Hot Water Priority - an option in the settings to allow this. Could be so easily done. I've wired mine up for this, however with some simple programming it could be so easy to just enable without wiring.
2) Boost Button for All Zones - A simple button that boosts all zones to a set temperature (That you could select in settings like Away and select applied zones) for 1,2 or 3 hours. I know this is achievable on quick actions, however it'd be nice to have a preset button like on the HW. Leaving the quick action for another one.
3) More Zones - 12 isn't enough.
4) Low battery email/App notification for devices.
5) Some form of logging for Zones - E.g. Time spent on, warm up times, min and max temperatures etc. (Covered on post above)
6) See which zone is demanding heat on the main screen with a flame icon on the zone.
7) Better support for OT (Coming back to Point 1 too)
8) Feature to Backup the full system to your online account - Or at least a Schedule Back up. Should you have to reset you can restore schedules.
9) Show when a remote sensor is being used on the System summary.
10) Summer Mode - In effect where you can have summer mode (So a set back temp of say 16oc) and apply it to selected zones. In summer we still want our Towel Rails on so 'Heating Off' doesn't work for us.
11) Alerts for when a zone isn't heating - For instance, very very occasionally our boiler will lock out. It'd be nice to get a notification to know that zones aren't getting heated - Would be particularly useful if you were away and your boiler failed or if a HR92 failed.
12) Fix for the low battery issue on Main panel when removed from power - forcing the recharge every few months can be annoying.

[JamboV6]

Good list!

I fear the ears are deaf. I don't think the Honeywell guys frequent this place very much these days?

Rameses? Any input would be greatly appreciated

[klm346]

I've only had the evohome for a week, but here is my initial wish list:

1) A 'delayed start' override option which will allow you to set up specific timed overrides up to 1 week in advance, without having to change the weekly schedule & then have to remember to change it back.
2) Similar to the above, if setting up an immediate override, have 'quick options' (e.g. for 1 hr, 2hrs or 3hrs), rather than having to scroll to select the end time, which defaults to the next switchpoint & is often the next day. Also, the ability to select which zones this override should apply to.
3) In the currently available 'quick options', in the 'heating off' option I would like the ability to select which zones this applies to. It should default to all, but then give the option to unselect individual zones.
4) The ability to see on the app & controller that the current target temperature was selected locally on the HR92, as you can see on the controller which temperatures have been set via the app.
5) The ability to cancel local HR92 overrides on the app & controller. Although at first you appear to be able to do this, with around a minute the app & controller are showing the override again.

[DBMandrake]

5) The ability to cancel local HR92 overrides on the app & controller. Although at first you appear to be able to do this, with around a minute the app & controller are showing the override again.

This is not correct.

Overrides made on HR92's can be cancelled at the controller and app. I do this all the time. If this is not working for you there is a problem with your system.

Note: due to the way the system communication works, if you set an override at an HR92 and then try to cancel it within a short time of 4 minutes or less it may not be cancelled. I suspect when you're testing this you're trying to immediately cancel the override from the controller - which won't work.

[klm346]

This is not correct.

Overrides made on HR92's can be cancelled at the controller and app. I do this all the time. If this is not working for you there is a problem with your system.

Note: due to the way the system communication works, if you set an override at an HR92 and then try to cancel it within a short time of 4 minutes or less it may not be cancelled. I suspect when you're testing this you're trying to immediately cancel the override from the controller - which won't work.

Thanks DBMandrake... You're right, I was testing it immediately... I've now tested it with a 10 min wait & it does work :-)

[imanning]

[QUOTE=roydonaldson;20314]1. Geo-fencing. Ability to have EvoHome app on multiple phones detect everyone has left the house and set it to Economy mode. Then detect people are returning and turn Economy mode off. Similar to functionality in Tado.

Have a look at IFTTT. (Google it). This allows you to establish geo-fencing and other similar user cases.

[imanning]

1. Display if heat is being demanded and if a zone is being heated on the screen saver page. It is a drag going to the System Summary page and in addition this page does not report correctly for UFH zones.