New system for heating control & more (Honeywell, smartthings ?)

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  • Smacombe
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Nov 2012
    • 13

    New system for heating control & more (Honeywell, smartthings ?)

    I have just moved home and business. Im looking to design a good heating control arrangement with the capability to integrate a broader range of home automation.

    We have 2 boilers (both oil) and 20 rads in a bungalow. The two systems will be merged to run on one boiler and Im looking for a smart system I used the conrad system previously but have a pretty clean slate here

    Later plans are likely to include door access control, auto gates for business end, security light control, AV integration and maybe more.

    I appreciate this is a bit vague , but Im open to ideas !

    Currently Honeywell / Samsung is under investigation !
  • paulockenden
    Automated Home Legend
    • Apr 2015
    • 1719

    #2
    My advice would be to NOT try to do everything in one HA system. Evohome, for example, is great at heating but won't open your garage door. Other systems have bolt-on TRVs, but they won't provide the same degree of comfort as Evohome. So I'd suggest using best of breed for everything, and then bringing them all together into a single interface using something like Domoticz (or maybe SmartThings and Smarttiles).

    Comment

    • G4RHL
      Automated Home Legend
      • Jan 2015
      • 1580

      #3
      Originally posted by paulockenden View Post
      My advice would be to NOT try to do everything in one HA system. Evohome, for example, is great at heating but won't open your garage door. Other systems have bolt-on TRVs, but they won't provide the same degree of comfort as Evohome. So I'd suggest using best of breed for everything, and then bringing them all together into a single interface using something like Domoticz (or maybe SmartThings and Smarttiles).
      I concur but am waiting for SmartThings to integrate me.

      Comment

      • Smacombe
        Automated Home Jr Member
        • Nov 2012
        • 13

        #4
        I was perhaps unclear. Thats the reason for smartthings ! Honeywell for heating and then go from there, using smart things like a portal ... like one ring to rule them all )apologies to JRR Tolkein!

        Comment

        • Smacombe
          Automated Home Jr Member
          • Nov 2012
          • 13

          #5
          Well the heating engineer is here and work has commenced.

          Comment

          • Pbrain
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Feb 2016
            • 24

            #6
            Smartthings will enhance Evohome (it tells you which zones are calling for heat, for starters) and will fill some of the gaps in the current honeywell software/UI

            Comment

            • Smacombe
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Nov 2012
              • 13

              #7
              Is it yet possible to link the two systems ? I dont seem to see any options, and Id like to start the way I mean to go on.

              Comment

              • Mavis
                Automated Home Ninja
                • Oct 2014
                • 322

                #8
                Originally posted by Smacombe View Post
                Is it yet possible to link the two systems ? I dont seem to see any options, and Id like to start the way I mean to go on.
                Do you mean Evo and SmartThings? If so then it is still being beta tested (myself an Pbrain are beta testing it.)

                Comment

                • Pbrain
                  Automated Home Jr Member
                  • Feb 2016
                  • 24

                  #9
                  Mavis, is yours working this eve? I'm getting errors on my ST, and ST control.wont work.

                  Comment

                  • Mavis
                    Automated Home Ninja
                    • Oct 2014
                    • 322

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Pbrain View Post
                    Mavis, is yours working this eve? I'm getting errors on my ST, and ST control.wont work.
                    No, just spotted when I replied to the above thread that the logs for my thermostats stopped at around 6.30am (all other logs are ok) and the actual temps shown will be from the same time. I have sent them an email just now.

                    Comment

                    • Pbrain
                      Automated Home Jr Member
                      • Feb 2016
                      • 24

                      #11
                      Yeah I emailed support yesterday too, no response yet. Let me know if you hear back, because it's still broken and I'm reluctant to remove everything and try re-adding at this stage cos I have a lot of 'stuff' set up already which wil be lost.
                      Also, Aaron hasn't yet relied on the ST forums either.....

                      I'm impatient!

                      Comment

                      • Smacombe
                        Automated Home Jr Member
                        • Nov 2012
                        • 13

                        #12
                        Mavis - Thankyou re #8.

                        re #10 I assume this means that its not likely to leave beta all that soon

                        Comment

                        • Pbrain
                          Automated Home Jr Member
                          • Feb 2016
                          • 24

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Smacombe View Post
                          Mavis - Thankyou re #8.

                          re #10 I assume this means that its not likely to leave beta all that soon
                          I wouldn't assume that. Actually mine is back up and running after I removed everything and reconnected.Something I was reluctant to do as it's a pain in the A removing all rules and apps before you can delete Evohome, but as support hadn't replied, I thought I had no other option.

                          Comment

                          • Karam
                            Automated Home Legend
                            • Mar 2005
                            • 863

                            #14
                            Originally posted by paulockenden View Post
                            My advice would be to NOT try to do everything in one HA system. Evohome, for example, is great at heating but won't open your garage door. Other systems have bolt-on TRVs, but they won't provide the same degree of comfort as Evohome. So I'd suggest using best of breed for everything, and then bringing them all together into a single interface using something like Domoticz (or maybe SmartThings and Smarttiles).
                            I disagree. You might not think surprising considering who I am, however my comment is based on the suggested premise of throwing in the integration aspect after the hardware. My opinion and experience is that most people underestimate grossly how difficult it is to actually integrate many different functions in a comprehensively automated structure let alone the minutae of different and increasing user requirements when they begin to experience this. I can also understand fully well the other arguement about not putting all your eggs in one basket but its down to how well and how comprehensively you want your automation to work, how far you want to go. If you just want a better than thermostat heating system then I'd say go for a dedicated one like Honeywell's or others of similar ilk. Go for a fully zoned structure because that is often more important than just crudely turning heating down (or worse - off) when everyone is out of the house. Automation is more important than control because after the initial thrill most people will likely not be bothered (nor want) to be continuously on top of the controls. The more you move towards automation and larger scope of this the more you will begin to notice 'mistakes'. Heating systems are very forgiving in this respect but even the likes of Nest have had more than one publically admitted embarassment - and that's just with a single heating controller. If you try and automate lighting (and I mean automate) its a different kettle of fish and so it is for other more dynamic features. Information gathering, singular interfaces, ease of set up of hundreds of interactions and so on, it all begins to add up

                            Comment

                            • Smacombe
                              Automated Home Jr Member
                              • Nov 2012
                              • 13

                              #15
                              Is there any news on this ? It still seems to be "Coming soon"

                              The Evohome system is good regardless. Im pleased.

                              Comment

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