evohome range checking

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  • Jabes
    Automated Home Sr Member
    • Aug 2017
    • 68

    evohome range checking

    Doing some range checking today/this morning. What actually needs to be in range? Is it the furthest device to the furthest device?
    Or everything to the central controller?
    Or valves to the BDR91?
  • DBMandrake
    Automated Home Legend
    • Sep 2014
    • 2361

    #2
    Everything talks to the central controller. So it is range from all the individual devices back to the controller that matters, hence a central(ish) location for the controller is preferred if some of the distances are long.

    Comment

    • Jabes
      Automated Home Sr Member
      • Aug 2017
      • 68

      #3
      My installer came round with a HCW 80 and HC60NG combo, an we placed the HC60NG where the controller would most obviously go. We got between 1 and 3 'flashes' at each location where we would have the valves so I think that means we would be ok for coverage...?

      Best wishes
      James

      Comment

      • HenGus
        Automated Home Legend
        • May 2014
        • 1001

        #4
        I would love to say 'yes'; however, my experience is that loss of HR92 comms faults do occur irrespective of distance and the strength of signal. I suspect that this is down to occasional interference.

        Comment

        • DBMandrake
          Automated Home Legend
          • Sep 2014
          • 2361

          #5
          1 is marginal, I wouldn't be happy with that. 3 is OK.

          Comment

          • Jabes
            Automated Home Sr Member
            • Aug 2017
            • 68

            #6
            Originally posted by DBMandrake View Post
            1 is marginal, I wouldn't be happy with that. 3 is OK.
            I'm pretty conflicted now as to what to do! A good 4-5 radiators at various positions (out of 27) are in the '1' range.

            The online tutorial suggests you can range check with a genuine controller and a radiator valve - I guess that would be more accurate? Would that tell me anything I don't know?

            I asked at theevohomeshop whether I could order all the kit I needed and return after a test with the evohome controller and a single valve but they weren't keen on being a "try before you buy" service - so I'm a bit at a loss on how to demonstrate that it will work properly.

            Worried of Canterbury :-)

            Comment

            • rotor
              Automated Home Guru
              • Aug 2015
              • 124

              #7
              You can't put the controller somewhere more central?

              Comment

              • paulockenden
                Automated Home Legend
                • Apr 2015
                • 1719

                #8
                Also, bear in mind that when you're down to a signal level of one just moving the controller by a few inches or rotating its orientation slightly can have an effect on reception.

                P.

                Comment

                • Jabes
                  Automated Home Sr Member
                  • Aug 2017
                  • 68

                  #9
                  With the test equipment I mentioned we were going from pretty much the centre of the house - the 1 flash radiators were in each direction.

                  I’m trying to get a sense of whether 1 is - it will work but chew through batteries, through to it is marginal whether it will work. Will I learn anything more if I get a controller and hr92 and use that for the checking?

                  As the evohome does need rewiring I really want to be sure before I commit as unlike some other solutions it is not just a quick swap of the programmer!
                  Last edited by Jabes; 29 March 2018, 10:18 AM.

                  Comment

                  • Jabes
                    Automated Home Sr Member
                    • Aug 2017
                    • 68

                    #10
                    From additional reading that I've done, it looks like the testing with an evohome controller and hr92 is two way and you can see a status on each side. Does this always report the same?

                    Seems to me that I should get a controller and a single hr92 and test more thoroughly with doors open and closed etc. Will test mode report any comms failures in the log?
                    Will any '1' signal strength areas just retry comms or are they pretty much a no-no? (see my question above). If there's a retry on what interval would this happen?

                    Comment

                    • paulockenden
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Apr 2015
                      • 1719

                      #11
                      With 27 radiators you might be better off splitting the system into two, with two controllers (unfortunately you can’t run them on different frequencies, so you'll still see collisions from all that kit).

                      Comment

                      • Jabes
                        Automated Home Sr Member
                        • Aug 2017
                        • 68

                        #12
                        Originally posted by paulockenden View Post
                        With 27 radiators you might be better off splitting the system into two, with two controllers (unfortunately you can’t run them on different frequencies, so you'll still see collisions from all that kit).
                        Hopefully I don't need to resort to that; I'd probably give Wiser a go (as it has extenders) first.

                        Best wishes
                        James

                        Comment

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

                          #13
                          You have 27 radiators, how many controllable zones are you dividing that into, bearing in mind an Evohome controller can only handle 12 zones plus one hot water zone?

                          We have a small guest house (made out of Manx stone), and ended up with two controllers to cover eighteen controllable zones. We haven't exactly followed Honeywell's advice, as our two boiler relays are too close, and the two controllers sit next to each other on a shelf. We occasionally have a comms fail to a zone, but it isn't a regular occurrence, so the comms seem fairly good. I believe we could have bound both controllers to the same boiler relay, but earlier software versions didn't identify which zone was calling for heat, so it helped deciding where a heat call was coming from when the system was new.

                          Regards,

                          Alan.

                          Comment

                          • Jabes
                            Automated Home Sr Member
                            • Aug 2017
                            • 68

                            #14
                            The 12 zones are actually fine given multi-room zone support. Before doing the controller tests I'm really trying to understand the impact of the '1' we saw in the earlier testing with the thermostat. This way when I order the kit I can do an appropriate amount of pre-testing and decide whether to go ahead or return what I can...

                            Comment

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