Summer EvoHome set-up: how do you do when you don't need heating for a few months?

[emmeesse68]

you can unpower the evohome controller and it won't lose the binding. when you power it up it will re-sync with its paired devices. all you will need to do is set date/time

Oh OK, this is good!

The HR92 wont use any 'power on the motor' when not driving open or closed; the motor is not powered to keep the valve in closed position - it is a worm drive
cycling the valves every 2 weeks stops the TRV seizing

Agreed, but the TRV coil will stay squashed all the time, and this could be a (minor) issue. Something more important, in my opinion, is about removing batteries from something you won't notice it's not working all summer long, if batteries get completely flat... a leaking battery could damage a HR92 (or a DT92 I think) if it goes unnoticed for several days. That's why it should be better t take batteries out of any appliance you're not going to use for a while...

if there is no call for heat from the controller the boiler relay (BDR or R8810) will not fire the boiler.

uhm, I think I read something about a "Failsafe Mode" setting that would activate a boiler relay whn the controller is not reachable... I found it in a DT92E manual, and in the installer menu of my Evohome, so I assume I should deactivate it, otherwise my R8810 would set for a 20% power when losing RF connection to the controller...

advice is to leave everything active and powered

In the end, I think I will take this advice and just let my EvoHome alone... It will consume a little electricity but will as well report any possible issue (say, a power loss) when I'm away, thanks to the CC website alerting...

Thanks!

[G4RHL]

Not sure we need to be concerned about the seasons. Just leave the system on and adjust the temperatures to suit. Use the custom menus etc. To me that is one of the objects of the system.

[Rameses]

System is designed with the whole year in mind. Our advice is to leave batteries in. The power draw is nominal. You will get an alert if there is power issue on the device, more than enough time to react.

The valves cycle (even when 'off') to maintain integrity of mechanism and comms.

Hate to sound like a broken record- but the IFTTT recipe is 'perfect' for those who want to link 'summer' with their system. But as others have said - as the system measures room by room temps comfort is an all year round possible requirement.

[jonstatt]

Not sure we need to be concerned about the seasons. Just leave the system on and adjust the temperatures to suit. Use the custom menus etc. To me that is one of the objects of the system.

I know this is a month old post but wanted to resurrect this. This is true only if you keep your room doors closed all the time which of course is a EVOHOME strong recommendation, but something that many people don't like as it creates a segmented home, and often reduces light in hallways. In a town house there is a significant disparity between ground floor and top floor. The heating is quite likely to come on to heat up the ground floor even in early summer....but some of this heat escapes and goes to the top floor. The trouble is a modern UK home will have plenty of lagging in the loft. This means that heat then gets stuck on the top floor where the bedrooms are making it too hot at night, even with a window open if the night is a warmer one. Therefore it is better to tolerate a cooler kitchen to have a better bedroom temperature at night. This isn't the case in winter where that heat that does escape just helps contribute to warming up the top floor to the desired temperature. So in an idealistic viewpoint what you say is true....but only if you follow the rules In my case it is simply better to disable the heating in the warmer seasons.

[G4RHL]

Much depends on your settings. There is little point my switching my heating off (unless going away) for it does not come on unless there is a temperature drop and I would want it on then. Rising heat overheating bedrooms I never find an issue (my house is relatively modern), what is an issue is hot days making hot bedrooms and hot nights. On those days or nights the heating is not coming on to contribute to it. I have just returned from being away 4 days. I monitored the heat from afar, it being left in the off position. The house only dropped to 17c upstairs and down.