WiFi Enabled Timeclock (Google Assistant Compatible)

bk

irishfire wrote: »

To answer your question I can add environmental sensors and presence sensing to totally automate it if I wanted and allow it to automatically bypass geofencing, or I can let it use Google's weather data, I have the choice.

environmental sensors - Errr... so you mean a thermostat? :rolleyes:

irishfire wrote: »

As for different settings the whole point of me not having gotten involved in smart systems when I started automating my home was that I have a single zone system like I said and I was not going fitting electronic TRVs at the time as I intend to refurbish the entire system in the future.

Non of which would have stopped you from getting a smart thermostat today and expanding it in future when you refurbished your heating.

Most of the modern smart thermostats that we recommend here can easily be expanded with multi-zone support, hot water control, smart TRV's, etc. in future if you changed things around.

And as I mentioned as a person with a single zone home, a smart thermostat has been very beneficial and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

In particular it is a no brainer for the OP of this thread, who would go from a very basic system with just a timeclock, to a modern smart wireless system that includes a thermostat that adjusts the heating to match their living room (or wherever he placed the wireless thermostat).

Stoner

irishfire wrote:

To answer your question I can add environmental sensors and presence sensing to totally automate it if I wanted and allow it to automatically bypass geofencing, or I can let it use Google's weather data, I have the choice. As for different settings the whole point of me not having gotten involved in smart systems when I started automating my home was that I have a single zone system like I said and I was not going fitting electronic TRVs at the time as I intend to refurbish the entire system in the future.

My TRVs on a single system work quite well.

One of the rads won't turn off fully, but the rest are fine. I've a rad in my son's room turning on to suit his bedtime etc

They work

irishfire

bk wrote:

environmental sensors - Errr... so you mean a thermostat?

No I mean a sensor, no direct control of the heating.

Stoner wrote:

My TRVs on a single system work quite well.

They are very good, I like the evohome kit in particular. If you read my post I said I'm refitting in the near future so it's not worth the cost of fitting to replace them in a year or 2. If you are in a position that you have a modern single zone system then yes, an ideal solution and actually the best zoning you can ask for if you fit all rads.

ted1

irishfire wrote: »

As for different settings the whole point of me not having gotten involved in smart systems when I started automating my home was that I have a single zone system like I said and I was not going fitting electronic TRVs at the time as I intend to refurbish the entire system in the future.

im guessing you don’t work doesn’t expand to residential.

It’s recommended that the temperature at night be set to 14.5 to 16 degrees as this helps with sleep.

During the day you can set it to 20-23

This is what I meant by different settings. Nothing to do with zoning

I never said smart systems were the only way. They are the most cost effective.

130 euro for a Nest. V 1000+ euro to zone a system

bk

irishfire wrote: »

No I mean a sensor, no direct control of the heating.

So lets get this straight what do you mean by "sensor"?

What type of sensors specifically? In your post above you mention "environmental sensors and presence sensing"

Well presence sensing is motion sensors, otherwise known at PIR's, which BTW are actually thermostats, they work by measuring Infrared radiation from a body and how it defers from the rest of the room. I've multiple motion sensors (Philips Hue, Xiaomi and SmartThings) and they all report the temperature from each sensor in each room.

So either way you now have one or multiple wireless thermostats inside the home, linked to your timeclock, so why in gods name would you not use it to help control your heating?

And what is these mysterious "environmental sensors"? The only one I could think of is a thermostat. It is laughable that you would add all sorts of features and "senors" to your timeclock, but wouldn't add like a 50 cent thermostat!

You started off with just adding wifi to a timelock. But then you started talking about adding geofencing to it and presence sensors and the ability to monitor outdoor temperature and even some sort of mysterious "environmental sensors".

Well guess what, you just built a smart thermostat! That is literally the list of features on my Netatmo Smart Thermostat and most of the other Thermostats we talk about here have.

irishfire wrote: »

They are very good, I like the evohome kit in particular. If you read my post I said I'm refitting in the near future so it's not worth the cost of fitting to replace them in a year or 2. If you are in a position that you have a modern single zone system then yes, an ideal solution and actually the best zoning you can ask for if you fit all rads.

Which is exactly what we are all saying. Buy a Tado smart thermostat now, enjoy the benefits of it now and in two years time, when you replace your rads with fittings capable of taking TRV's, then buy Tado Smart TRV's and connect them to the Tado Termostat that you would already own.

Non of us are saying that multi-zone is a bad idea, it is potentially a great idea for many if not most homes. Just that smart thermostats are also a great idea for pretty much everyone, including those with single zoned homes and can actually allow you to multi-zone a home not already set up for it.

ted1

Environmental sensors would also take in humidity aswell as temperature just like smart thermostat. Maybe even CO

But does it turn off the boiler if it senses CO like a smart system

bk

ted1 wrote: »

Environmental sensors would also take in humidity aswell as temperature just like smart thermostat. Maybe even CO

But does it turn off the boiler if it senses CO like a smart system

Yep, that seems to be missing from this conversation, it isn't just about saving energy/money (which of course is important). But also convenience, comfort and safety (great feature of the Nest).

Even if my smart thermostat didn't make energy savings, it still has made my life far easier, more convenient and comfortable. Which after all, is what a lot of this HA and IoT stuff is about.

Of course smart thermostats certainly aren't the be all and end all of heating. Making sure your home is highly insulated, multi-zoning, energy efficient boiler or alternative (heat pumps, etc.), underfloor heating, HRV, etc. all can make for even greater benefits.

But you can't get those for free or very low cost from your gas company. They costs thousands if not tens of thousands and thus require careful planning and thought and investment (and grants).

For most, a Smart Thermostat is a cheap and easy first step, that definitely brings many benefits.

ted1

So you have gone from a smart switch to also having environmental and motion sensors..,

Frank Ryan Jr

On the back of this - a similar question for those that have retro-fitted.

I have a heat only gas boiler. No zoning.
All I want to do is be able to turn it on and off via Google Home Assistant.
What is the best option?
I'm seriously considering the Netatmo Smart Thermostat as it works with Assistant and pretty much does what I need it to do. Any thoughts?

bk

Frank Ryan Jr wrote: »

I'm seriously considering the Netatmo Smart Thermostat as it works with Assistant and pretty much does what I need it to do. Any thoughts?

That is what I have. Works well and I'm very happy with it.

The high horse brigade

bk wrote: »

That is what I have. Works well and I'm very happy with it.

Same here, very happy with it in fact am considering adding a Netatmo weather station