Evohome controller dropped

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  • Goose
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Jan 2021
    • 7

    Evohome controller dropped

    Hi guy

    My misses hit the controller off the wall mount yesterday and smashed the screen, so no touch control is available, it did loose connectivity for a while but it’s back up and running now.

    Can I buy a controller on its own?

    How would I go about changing just the controller?

    Also I have the app and now control the heating through this. Can my girlfriend download the app and also use it to control the heating when she wants? Does she have to use my log it details so I would be logged in on 2 devices with the same account

    Also does anyone know if the controller is getting an update soon? It so old and dated now, it would be nice to seen a bit of a change, so I’m not sure if I can just run it from the app if this is gonna happen soon
  • DBMandrake
    Automated Home Legend
    • Sep 2014
    • 2361

    #2
    Yes you can buy a controller on its own and replace your broken one.

    Unfortunately there is no built in way to back up your configuration and restore it to the new one.

    So you will need to write down all your schedules and custom settings, clear all the bindings on your HR92's, BDR91's etc and go through the setup process from scratch on the new controller to create the zones, bind devices and configure your schedules.

    (Yes you can use 3rd party tools to back up and restore schedules in theory but since you'd still have to do all the bindings manually it's not really worth the effort)

    After that you would need to delete the old controller from your account and add the new one for remote control. A bit of a hassle but not a huge deal, and if you set up the system yourself in the first place you'll know what to do.

    Yes the controller is getting long in the tooth - the WiFi version has been out since 2015 with no sign of a new one on the horizon.

    Yes you can have two phones logged into the same account with the Evohome app - me and my girlfriend both have it on our phones.

    Comment

    • Goose
      Automated Home Lurker
      • Jan 2021
      • 7

      #3
      Thanks for the reply! Really appreciate it!

      Do you know if I can run the system ok ish without the controller fully operational? Im just thinking if something drops out I could be in a world of hurt if I don’t get one ready but I could essentially run it from the app unit it decides to fully die on me?

      Comment

      • bruce_miranda
        Automated Home Legend
        • Jul 2014
        • 2307

        #4
        No, the system needs the controller to work. All the schedules etc are actually stored on the controller, the app merely has a copy that is synced with the controller, which is the master.
        This is actually one of the biggest benefits of Evohome i.e. the fact that the system can keep working without needing an Internet connection.

        Comment

        • bruce_miranda
          Automated Home Legend
          • Jul 2014
          • 2307

          #5
          If the controller is working, even with the smashed touch screen. Your system should still be functional, just that the UI has been taken away. You can use the app to manage some aspects of the UI, but you will still need the controller powered up. You could look for a used controller on ebay and just swap the screen. All Honeywell devices are incredibly each to disassemble. This will save you from having to rebind or back up anything.

          Comment

          • Goose
            Automated Home Lurker
            • Jan 2021
            • 7

            #6
            Yes the controller is working, just without the touch screen. All zones are operational and hot water is working fine and I can use the app to adjust when needed. Just the touchscreen is broken. I might try the screen swap first and see how that goes?!

            Comment

            • Goose
              Automated Home Lurker
              • Jan 2021
              • 7

              #7
              Does anyone know if a screen from an older model will fit a newer controller? I have a mate with an old one ATC928. And I have a newer one I bought a year ago, I’ll have to find the serial but I assume it’s a newer model

              Comment

              • Goose
                Automated Home Lurker
                • Jan 2021
                • 7

                #8
                Also if I try to change the display and and up breaking the origjnal, will there be anyway to run the heating without this controller operational?

                Comment

                • DBMandrake
                  Automated Home Legend
                  • Sep 2014
                  • 2361

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Goose View Post
                  Does anyone know if a screen from an older model will fit a newer controller? I have a mate with an old one ATC928. And I have a newer one I bought a year ago, I’ll have to find the serial but I assume it’s a newer model
                  I doubt anyone here would know the answer to that - my guess would be no. The hardware between the two models is very different.
                  Originally posted by Goose View Post
                  Also if I try to change the display and and up breaking the origjnal, will there be anyway to run the heating without this controller operational?
                  Not really.

                  All control is routed through the controller - all devices talk directly to the controller and not to each other.

                  If you have a wall thermostat like a DTS92E or Y87RF then in a emergency "whoops I completely broke my controller" scenario you could bind the wall thermostat directly to the BDR91 for the heating zone valve and it would act like a traditional single thermostat system.

                  However you would have no schedules, only the temperature in that one room would call for heat, (same as a traditional one zone thermostat though!) and all the HR92's would have to be adjusted manually and would have no schedule, just like manual TRV's. (They are able to regulate temperature to the set temperature without the controller)

                  Another emergency workaround would be to bypass the wiring for the BD91 so the boiler is always on - in this case each HR92 will continue to maintain their manually set temperatures. Not ideal though - only good for keeping your home from freezing while you get a new controller sorted. Short term you can also just press the button on the BDR91 to turn the boiler on - normally the controller will override this within 20 minutes however if the controller is dead I think that it would stay on. (Not completely sure though - when the BDR91 goes into flashing red light error mode after an hour of lost comms it might go off again - haven't tried it before!)

                  Neither of these gives you hot water control back though.

                  Don't break your controller
                  Last edited by DBMandrake; 2 February 2021, 10:17 AM.

                  Comment

                  • Goose
                    Automated Home Lurker
                    • Jan 2021
                    • 7

                    #10
                    Cheers mate, I’ve put the controller in a more safe place for the time being, I’ll get buying a new one ASAP, misses just knocked the thing off the wall putting her coat on! My fault for installing it in the hallway mind you!
                    It’s a bit annoying that a cracked screen is now going to cost £200 just because the app can’t do all the things the controller can. I love the way evohome controls the house but it’s so flawed in many ways.

                    Comment

                    • DBMandrake
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 2361

                      #11
                      Mine is in the hallway on a wall stand and it has nearly been knocked off a few times as well. It's far too loose on the stand in my opinion, compared to the table stand which is a snug fit - I'm thinking of putting something like some thin self adhesive felt on parts of the stand to pad out the gap a little bit and give it a bit of grip/friction when sliding to reduce the chance of it slipping off when bumped. Haven't got around to it yet though.

                      Why the table top stand is a nice snug fit and the wall stand is very loose is anyone's guess. Designed by different teams probably!
                      Last edited by DBMandrake; 2 February 2021, 10:40 AM.

                      Comment

                      • bruce_miranda
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Jul 2014
                        • 2307

                        #12
                        The T87RF can have schedules and app control too, via the RFG100.

                        Comment

                        • bruce_miranda
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Jul 2014
                          • 2307

                          #13
                          Infact the V2 table and wall stand was absolutely nice and snug. The V3 wall stand with its fancy magnets etc, is worse than the V2. Goes to show, newer is not necessarily better.

                          Comment

                          • DBMandrake
                            Automated Home Legend
                            • Sep 2014
                            • 2361

                            #14
                            I doubt the OP has an RFG100 though if they have the WiFi controller.

                            Originally posted by bruce_miranda View Post
                            Infact the V2 table and wall stand was absolutely nice and snug. The V3 wall stand with its fancy magnets etc, is worse than the V2. Goes to show, newer is not necessarily better.
                            Magnets ? What magnets ?

                            Mine is very loose and slides upwards with no resistance at all apart from the weight of the controller

                            Comment

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