Boiler switching via wifi signal

[Bogart]

Hopefully this is the right forum for my quandry. My heating/hot water boiler is in an outbuilding some 20m from the main house. Currently the boiler gets the signal to switch on via an underground cable. Now this is the problem it is just a
piece of T&E buried about a foot below the surface, not an ideal arrangement. I had intended digging it up in spring and replacing with SWA. Then I thought could I not control it wirelessly? So what I need is some gizmo that can covert a 240v live signal, currently going via the T&E to a rf signal with the reverse gizmo in the boiler house. Any suggestions?
The boiler house is covered by the house wifi signal fine.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Mains link that should do what you require

aslong as you have power in there

 

[Bogart]

Had never seen that. Not cheap but certainly less than digging up a trench and laying SWA.
There is a supply in the outbuilding so no problem there. Thanks

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Had never seen that. Not cheap but certainly less than digging up a trench and laying SWA.
There is a supply in the outbuilding so no problem there. Thanks

it’s one of them niche items

 

[Bogart]

Exactly but a neccessary one in my case. Just treated myself to one as a New Year present to myself!

Happy New Year for 2020

 

[SJB060685]

MAINSLINK 5KM WIRELESS MAINS TO MAINS 230VAC LINK

MAINSLINK is a plug and play solution to replace a switched live cable. When 230Vac “LIVE” is input to the transmitter; the receiver provides a 230Vac “LIVE” switched output at its screw terminals. When a cable run is awkward or expensive to achieve, the MAINSLINK can be used, saving time and...

www.rfsolutions.co.uk

 

[Chuck]

Then I thought could I not control it wirelessly?

If you do go down this route, I suggest you buy two senders and two receivers. Keep the spares in a drawer ready for when connectivity problems occur.

 

[Bogart]

If you do go down this route, I suggest you buy two senders and two receivers. Keep the spares in a drawer ready for when connectivity problems occur.

And can I ask what experience you make that suggestion about these units?

 

[Brambles]

Mainslink are fine - very good for remote boiler / UFH control. The problems ( that I have encountered) are when people overload them. I have never had (installed) one that has failed.

 

[Chuck]

And can I ask what experience you make that suggestion about these units?

It's just an insurance policy, not specific to any particular unit. I've found that when wireless systems stop working diagnosing faults, particularly intermittent ones, is difficult unless you do it by substitution. The supplier recommended by SJB060685 currently has a 4-week delivery time. That's longer than I'd want to be without a working heating system.

 

[Bogart]

Mainslink are fine - very good for remote boiler / UFH control. The problems ( that I have encountered) are when people overload them. I have never had (installed) one that has failed.

How would one overload a unit such as this?
[automerge]1577885605[/automerge]

It's just an insurance policy, not specific to any particular unit. I've found that when wireless systems stop working diagnosing faults, particularly intermittent ones, is difficult unless you do it by substitution. The supplier recommended by SJB060685 currently has a 4-week delivery time. That's longer than I'd want to be without a working heating system.

Four weeks from the manufacturer.
I have mine on next day delivery from a supplier and cheaper🙂
I intend to leave the T&E in situ i

 

[Brambles]

They are rated at just over 4amps - the connection block sizing is a good clue - but I have seen them connected to switch 10amps plus!

 

[eagleeye]

If you do decide to go for one of these and your boiler has pump over run then you'll need the "Mainslink Pro" as it sends and receives both ways. Normal mainslink will only transmit one way

 

[Brambles]

Eagle Eye

if you are looking for pump overrun capability Mains Switch RF is half the price of Mains Link and was the trigger for Mains Link to introduce the pro option - sadly they got the pricing wrong!

 

[Bogart]

I might be mistaken but how does this unit fit my needs? I need 2 seperate, ie MainslinkPro, signals. One to swich boiler on and off and another for the pump overun.

 

[SJB060685]

You need mains switch rf mate

 

[Brambles]

Mains Switch RF will deliver pump overrun. It scans for a signal, then initially powers through a super capacitor ( if that is the correct terminology).

More often used for HVAC rather than domestic, but will still do the job.

There are other systems around, that can do the same job that also take a single RF channel, but then split into a bank of timed relays - in essence to give sequential multichannel capability.

 

[doitmyself]

I might be mistaken but how does this unit fit my needs? I need 2 seperate, ie MainslinkPro, signals. One to swich boiler on and off and another for the pump overun.

Where is the pump located? Where does it get its supply from? (If the boiler has pump overrun, the pump is normaly supplied from the boiler.)

 

[SJB060685]

Where is the pump located? Where does it get its supply from? (If the boiler has pump overrun, the pump is normaly supplied from the boiler.)

If it's an external pump then that's probably not the case

 

[Bogart]

Pump is in airing cupboard next to control panel. Boiler is in outhouse some 20m away. Boiler has pump over run capability but not used as a few years ago, before I moved in, it replaced a really old boiler without overun and nobody gave it a thought.

 

[doitmyself]

If it's an external pump then that's probably not the case

But the pump still needs to be connected to the boiler so the overurn is controlled (time or temperature.

Pump is in airing cupboard next to control panel. Boiler is in outhouse some 20m away. Boiler has pump over run capability but not used as a few years ago, before I moved in, it replaced a really old boiler without overun and nobody gave it a thought.

The existing cable could be used to power the pump and provide the required overrun..

 

[SJB060685]

But the pump still needs to be connected to the boiler so the overurn is controlled (time or temperature.


The existing cable could be used to power the pump and provide the required overrun..

Yes. The pump should be controlled through the boiler. If he follows wiring diagram of mainslink rf then pump feed can come out of boiler into Lout which will switch Lin in other receiver. Alternatively you could link boiler Lin and Lout but this would be a constant live to pump and not timed