Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:28 pm
Busta999 offline
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Location: Wales UK

Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

I am looking at managing the heating under Indigo.

First step is to add a boiler controller. I am looking at the Z-Wave Secure Boiler Receiver HRT on Vesternet.

It is not in the listed supported Indigo devices.

I could not find a boiler controller on the supported list.

Anyone got ideas/recommendations for a boiler controller that Indigo can manage for a gas fired Combi boiler?

Thanks

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:14 pm
autolog offline
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Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

I use a Z-Wave Secure Boiler Receiver HRT to control my boiler.

It is supported by Indigo. :)

The only issue is that you have to keep it awake every hour otherwise it thinks it has lost contact with the network and goes into failsafe mode.

I implemented it by replacing the main thermostat connection with a connection to Z-Wave Secure Boiler Receiver HRT so that I (or more accurately my Stella-Z plugin) can decide when the boiler / radiator pump should be turned on and off.

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 6:19 pm
mclass offline
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

Whilst not exactly what you're trying to achieve (I think), I have successfully used a fibaro in-wall switch, mounted in an enclosure to control a gas fire from a Remote Zwave thermostat.
On two other projects, I have interfaced Ecobee thermostats to Baxi gas boilers that required control at 240 volts. In each of these I placed a 240 volt interposing relay in a weatherproof enclosure alongside the externally mounted boiler.
I'm unsure what it is you are actually attempting to achieve, but I suspect that the Fibaro (or other) ZWave switch module may be the simplest low cost solution. There may even be room in the boiler control section to accommodate the module?
If you'd like further details of the Ecobee/Baxi interface, let me know.

mclass


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Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:50 am
benip offline
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Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

I've got a NEST thermostat with Chameleon's plugin. The physical thermostat and smartphone app are very WAG friendly, but can be overridden etc within Indigo. I'm also starting to experiment with Popp TRV's with great success.

Incidentally, Autolog, I've been trying to get to grips with your Stella-Z plugin but I'm not sure it's compatible with the NEST. As I understand it, it must have a heat controller configured - if I choose the NEST it seems to have a habit of trying to turn off the NEST against its will. It would be nice to have an option to just control the TRVs. I need the NEST to stay on according to its schedule as the towel rails/bathroom rads don't have TRVs.

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:06 am
autolog offline
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Joined: Sep 10, 2013
Location: West Sussex, UK [GMT aka UTC]

Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

benip wrote:
... Incidentally, Autolog, I've been trying to get to grips with your Stella-Z plugin but I'm not sure it's compatible with the NEST. As I understand it, it must have a heat controller configured - if I choose the NEST it seems to have a habit of trying to turn off the NEST against its will. It would be nice to have an option to just control the TRVs. I need the NEST to stay on according to its schedule as the towel rails/bathroom rads don't have TRVs.

The work-around for this is:
  1. Define a virtual device (maybe that has actions to set a variable to True and False).
  2. Configure the plugin to Bypass Heat Source Controller type validation via the plugin config dialogue.
  3. Assign the virtual device as your boiler controller in each of your Stella-Z devices.
This will keep it independent of the Nest. :)

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:22 am
benip offline
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Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

Thanks Jon, that's brilliant - obvious now you say it, too!

Posted on
Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:14 am
Busta999 offline
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Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

mclass wrote:
Whilst not exactly what you're trying to achieve (I think), I have successfully used a fibaro in-wall switch, mounted in an enclosure to control a gas fire from a Remote Zwave thermostat.
On two other projects, I have interfaced Ecobee thermostats to Baxi gas boilers that required control at 240 volts. In each of these I placed a 240 volt interposing relay in a weatherproof enclosure alongside the externally mounted boiler.
I'm unsure what it is you are actually attempting to achieve, but I suspect that the Fibaro (or other) ZWave switch module may be the simplest low cost solution. There may even be room in the boiler control section to accommodate the module?
If you'd like further details of the Ecobee/Baxi interface, let me know.

mclass


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Autolog was able to give me a good breakdown.

I have several hoops to jump through before I start adding zwave TRVs.
But the zwave boiler controller seems a really good start.
I will probably hold out for the Eurotronic Spirit zwave Plus TRVs, they look like they will be much more responsive to direct control from Indigo by using FLiRS.


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Posted on
Wed Sep 20, 2017 3:56 am
trevorsmith offline
Posts: 86
Joined: Oct 08, 2016

Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

Busta999 wrote:
I am looking at managing the heating under Indigo.

First step is to add a boiler controller. I am looking at the Z-Wave Secure Boiler Receiver HRT on Vesternet.

It is not in the listed supported Indigo devices.

I could not find a boiler controller on the supported list.

Anyone got ideas/recommendations for a boiler controller that Indigo can manage for a gas fired Combi boiler?

Thanks


That's what I use with my Worcester Bosch combi boiler. Works just fine.

Posted on
Wed Sep 20, 2017 4:48 am
Busta999 offline
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Location: Wales UK

Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

I plan to drive the Boiler switch from Indigo.

i.e. If Lounge or Kitchen is below 20C or master Bedroom is below 19C turn on boiler.

If Lounge or Kitchen is above 21C or Master Bedroom is above 20C turn heating Off

Or more sophisticated

If Time is between 6:00am and 8:30 AND If Lounge or Kitchen is below 20C or master Bedroom is below 19C turn on boiler.

If Time is between 8:30am and 6:30PM AND If Lounge, Sunroom or Kitchen are under 20C turn on heating..


Others for early evening and overnight.

Does that sound reasonable/Doable.

Mike

Posted on
Wed Sep 20, 2017 9:07 am
trevorsmith offline
Posts: 86
Joined: Oct 08, 2016

Re: Z-Wave Boiler Receiver - Recommendations?

Yes. That's exactly what I am doing. On our boiler I just had to set it central heating to permanently "ON" rather than timed.

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