Evohome for new installations?

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  • Jabes
    Automated Home Sr Member
    • Aug 2017
    • 68

    Evohome for new installations?

    What is support like for the evohome platform now? Is it still worth using on a new installation?
    I am moving house in January and in my new home I think I'll need a multi-zone heating system, and I'm not sure if there are any good options but from what I get the impression that Honeywell aren't appear to be investing in evohome any more?

    Any advice gratefully received

    Best wishes
    James
  • Dan_Robinson
    Automated Home Ninja
    • Jun 2012
    • 347

    #2
    What makes you say that?
    Kind Regards - Dan Robinson (Jennings Heating Ltd)

    Comment

    • Jabes
      Automated Home Sr Member
      • Aug 2017
      • 68

      #3
      Originally posted by Dan_Robinson View Post
      What makes you say that?
      Perhaps I've got the wrong impression! If that's the case, great - reading forums on long standing issues, promised updates not arriving - maybe this is old/out of date information?

      Comment

      • Dan_Robinson
        Automated Home Ninja
        • Jun 2012
        • 347

        #4
        That's the problem with relying on forums for corporate information. Honeywell don't tend to let information out until the last minute anyway.
        Kind Regards - Dan Robinson (Jennings Heating Ltd)

        Comment

        • DBMandrake
          Automated Home Legend
          • Sep 2014
          • 2361

          #5
          Whatever is in development doesn't count until it is released.

          I've had Evohome Wifi for nearly 2 years now, in that time we've had two, yes two firmware updates for the controller, only one of which introduced tangible user facing feature changes - displaying HR92 local override on the controller, and a button to clear the fault log book without rebooting the controller, both relatively minor features which to be honest should have been there from day one.

          The second update added support for another EU language as the only disclosed feature, and no doubt both updates incorporated some undisclosed bug fixes, but since they're undocumented, we don't know what they might be...

          Since the Wifi model was released with the promise of future over the air software update support and some people replaced their older non-wifi model specifically due to that promise of over the air updates (I didn't, the wifi model was my first evohome product) that's a little disappointing to say the least.

          Meanwhile other systems like Tado V3 (which a work colleague has, and has shown me) has received more software updates both to the hardware and iPhone app in the last couple of months than Evohome has had in the last 2 years, and to be honest I'm a little envious of some of the features, especially of the iPhone app.

          Am I happy with my Evohome as it currently stands ? For the most part yes. It does what it says on the tin, and at the time I bought it it was arguably the best system available.

          Am I disappointed that more effort hasn't been made to think outside of the box (such as radical UI redesigns and feature set improvements) and to show a real commitment to push the platform forward and keep ahead of the competition ? Yes.

          Would I buy Evohome if I was buying a new house today and decided to leave my existing system with the old house and start over ? I'm not sure. I think I would definitely check out the competition first before making any decision. Things have changed in the market in the last two years and Evohome is no longer the only horse in the race.
          Last edited by DBMandrake; 30 August 2017, 09:43 AM.

          Comment

          • Alan C
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Apr 2017
            • 10

            #6
            My heating is a 12 year old oil combi-boiler. A tank of oil usually lasts about 10 months. I installed Evohome for the heating side in February of this year, with the heating allowed to operate anytime it wants. So far, my current tank of oil has lasted 17 months. Would I use Evohome again? Yes. I would however like to see an indication on the controller to show which zone was calling for heat.

            Regards,

            Alan.

            Comment

            • DBMandrake
              Automated Home Legend
              • Sep 2014
              • 2361

              #7
              Originally posted by Alan C View Post
              I would however like to see an indication on the controller to show which zone was calling for heat.
              I think we would all like that feature. I live in hope that we will get it one day as it must be the most requested feature and surely isn't difficult to implement. The controller has all the information, it just has to display it.

              BTW Tado V3 not only shows you heat demand for individual zones, (as an icon showing no, 1, 2 or 3 licks of flame) it even shows it on the iPhone app...that was one of the features I was jealous of when my workmate was showing it off...

              Comment

              • paulockenden
                Automated Home Legend
                • Apr 2015
                • 1719

                #8
                Originally posted by Alan C View Post
                I would however like to see an indication on the controller to show which zone was calling for heat.
                Definitely the most requested feature.

                It's not a binary on/off thing, though. I like the way Dan used sliders to show this in Domoticz, but there's plenty of other way to represent it. A simple pac-man style circle would suffice.

                And I think displaying this (with an optional switch-off?) would be a huge benefit for Evohome, because it would constantly remind the user that this isn't a simple on/off thermostat system.

                Comment

                • DBMandrake
                  Automated Home Legend
                  • Sep 2014
                  • 2361

                  #9
                  Originally posted by paulockenden View Post
                  Definitely the most requested feature.

                  It's not a binary on/off thing, though. I like the way Dan used sliders to show this in Domoticz, but there's plenty of other way to represent it. A simple pac-man style circle would suffice.
                  The full blown slider in Domoticz is good for us nerds but more than the average user needs to know. I like the approach Tado took where there is a 3 pronged flame icon (from memory, it's a while since I saw it) which is absent if there is zero heat demand from the zone, or 1, 2 or 3 segments for low, medium and high (full) demand - that's all you really need.
                  And I think displaying this (with an optional switch-off?) would be a huge benefit for Evohome, because it would constantly remind the user that this isn't a simple on/off thermostat system.
                  I've lost track of the number of times I've had these two conversations, to the point where I feel like it's groundhog day:

                  Her - "Why is the heating on when its roasting outside ?" (the control panel shows zones set at 20/21 degrees etc with measured temperatures higher than this but the radiators are all cold) Me - "It's not, because the rooms are already above the set temperatures - go touch the cold radiators if you don't believe me"

                  or

                  Her - "Why isn't this radiator set to come on in the morning, it's cold so this shirt won't be dry" Me - "it is set to 20 degrees but the room was already warmer than that so it doesn't need to heat up the radiator - turn it up a bit higher if you need to dry a shirt".

                  A heat demand indicator beside each zone would avoid a lot of these "discussions"....
                  Last edited by DBMandrake; 30 August 2017, 11:30 AM.

                  Comment

                  • paulockenden
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Apr 2015
                    • 1719

                    #10
                    Originally posted by DBMandrake View Post
                    a 3 pronged flame icon (from memory, it's a while since I saw it) which is absent if there is zero heat demand from the zone, or 1, 2 or 3 segments for low, medium and high (full) demand - that's all you really need.
                    Maybe.
                    Off / Heating up / Keeping warm.

                    But I don't think a simple circle icon (especially if the 'heat' segment is red) would be difficult to understand. Even for people like 'her'. ;-)

                    Comment

                    • G4RHL
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Jan 2015
                      • 1580

                      #11
                      Would I buy again? Definitely, and recommend it. I installed it December 2014 and no regrets. Initially quirks but some of those were due to constant playing with it and if you set it up and let it alone it does the job. I hear the odd radiator TRV adjust which I suppose is comforting for I know the system is talking to itself but yes, I would like to know in my app which radiator has called for heat. I’d rather have it in the app than on the panel but both ought to be possible already. One day Evohome may appear in Apple HomeKit!

                      Comment

                      • paulockenden
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Apr 2015
                        • 1719

                        #12
                        Originally posted by G4RHL View Post
                        One day Evohome may appear in Apple HomeKit!
                        I think that would require a new controller, as Homekit needs a special chip. At least, that used to be the case - perhaps things are more relaxed now.

                        Comment

                        • G4RHL
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Jan 2015
                          • 1580

                          #13
                          I think it is still the case. LightwaveRF are bringing out a new Hub in order to be HomeKit compliant.

                          We need the facility of one app does all. HomeKit appears to be heading that way, others try to but fail. Having diffferent apps for heating, lights and devices is silly. Also, we understand it and we like to play but can our partners? What happens as we reach our dotage? One app would help many cope better. My wife does not understand the set up, does not want to understand the setup, but happy that it works and she can press a button. I have had to leave notes for my family in case I peg it first!! To have to switch your iPhone and use 4 different apps for controls is plain silly. But it’s what we have at present.

                          Comment

                          • paulockenden
                            Automated Home Legend
                            • Apr 2015
                            • 1719

                            #14
                            But iOS has less than a third of Android's market share, so it would be a lot of work for a minority audience.

                            Comment

                            • The EVOHOME Shop
                              Site Sponsor
                              • Dec 2014
                              • 483

                              #15
                              Originally posted by paulockenden View Post
                              I think that would require a new controller, as Homekit needs a special chip. At least, that used to be the case - perhaps things are more relaxed now.
                              According to top brake the chip is no longer required...

                              Comment

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