I'm new to the forum, so first of all 'hi', and I'll say right at the outset that although I've done the odd bit of minor plumbing and electrical maintenance, I'm not an expert by any means. Couldn't tell from the info on the website whether I should even be posting if not in the trade, but as I've used a very similar electrical forum where Joe Public is welcome, I thought I'd give it a go. I'm looking for a bit of advice on heating controls.
A bit of background first... I have a Vaillant EcoTec Plus 415 heat only / open vent boiler which seems reasonably efficient, but I think it's let down by the programmer, a Potterton EP2002. I do find it easier to use than the Drayton programmer in my old house, but this one has a major flaw. Despite being able to switch central heating and hot water on and off independently using the 'Advance' button, the digital timer only allows a programme to be set for both HW and CH - there's no way of timing them independently.
So if I have the heating on all evening, it's constantly topping up the hot water too (unless I remember to switch it off manually), when really it'd be enough for our needs to heat one tankful at say 5pm, and that would last us the rest of the night. Same thing in the morning - I have to set the heating to come on early and go off before I take a shower, or else it would just top up the hot water tank while I'm showering, even though I don't need any more hot water. I'd prefer to have the heating stay on, but without needing to go downstairs and turn off the darned hot water before I have a shower.
Does anyone have any idea how much energy and money is likely to be wasted this way (we have a standard hot water tank and rarely use a whole tankful of hot water between cycles), and whether it's worth spending a bit to get a decent programmer with proper independent CH & HW
I've no idea how long that would take to pay for itself - parts and labour, or whether I shouldn't even worry about it. I had also thought about whether I'd be able to change the programmer myself, but not sure how complicated the wiring is / how likely a straight swap would be. Although I'm not unaccustomed to a bit of minor electrical work, I'm a bit apprehensive about dismantling the current thing to check the wiring, so maybe best to leave it to a pro.
Maybe another option is to go the whole hog and have ‘smart’ controls fitted, like Nest/Hive/Tado or whatever. Another issue is that I don’t like the idea of heating the whole darn house when we’re only using a couple of rooms at a time (maybe I should be writing this on MoneySavingExpert ;-) - the house is a 4 bed detached with bathroom and en-suite so zone control would be good. Currently we have a normal (not particularly accurate) analogue thermostat in the entrance hall and a mixture of TRVs and ordinary valves on the radiators. Any views on these newfangled smart heating controls, and whether it's worth taking the plunge or holding off until prices drop?
Thanks,
Chas
A bit of background first... I have a Vaillant EcoTec Plus 415 heat only / open vent boiler which seems reasonably efficient, but I think it's let down by the programmer, a Potterton EP2002. I do find it easier to use than the Drayton programmer in my old house, but this one has a major flaw. Despite being able to switch central heating and hot water on and off independently using the 'Advance' button, the digital timer only allows a programme to be set for both HW and CH - there's no way of timing them independently.
So if I have the heating on all evening, it's constantly topping up the hot water too (unless I remember to switch it off manually), when really it'd be enough for our needs to heat one tankful at say 5pm, and that would last us the rest of the night. Same thing in the morning - I have to set the heating to come on early and go off before I take a shower, or else it would just top up the hot water tank while I'm showering, even though I don't need any more hot water. I'd prefer to have the heating stay on, but without needing to go downstairs and turn off the darned hot water before I have a shower.
Does anyone have any idea how much energy and money is likely to be wasted this way (we have a standard hot water tank and rarely use a whole tankful of hot water between cycles), and whether it's worth spending a bit to get a decent programmer with proper independent CH & HW
I've no idea how long that would take to pay for itself - parts and labour, or whether I shouldn't even worry about it. I had also thought about whether I'd be able to change the programmer myself, but not sure how complicated the wiring is / how likely a straight swap would be. Although I'm not unaccustomed to a bit of minor electrical work, I'm a bit apprehensive about dismantling the current thing to check the wiring, so maybe best to leave it to a pro.
Maybe another option is to go the whole hog and have ‘smart’ controls fitted, like Nest/Hive/Tado or whatever. Another issue is that I don’t like the idea of heating the whole darn house when we’re only using a couple of rooms at a time (maybe I should be writing this on MoneySavingExpert ;-) - the house is a 4 bed detached with bathroom and en-suite so zone control would be good. Currently we have a normal (not particularly accurate) analogue thermostat in the entrance hall and a mixture of TRVs and ordinary valves on the radiators. Any views on these newfangled smart heating controls, and whether it's worth taking the plunge or holding off until prices drop?
Thanks,
Chas
