SMART thermostats mixed underfloor radiators for ashp

[thedoomguy6312]

Hi all,

Would value your input.

I have recently replaced a boiler with an airsource heat pump. The heat pump feeds ground floor and 1st floor underfloor circuits as well as radiators on 1st floor and second floor. Rooms with underfloor have thermostats (but they are not smart). The radiators just have a manual TRV. The thermostats control the "valves" at the manifold are unipipe/unicore brand.

Ideally, I would like room by room control. So I was thinking of getting wired smart thermostats as well as some smart TRVs. Below is what I was thinking. Not every room needs to be smart, but I was thinking at least 3.

Amazon product
Amazon product
Many thanks for your advice /help

 

[Deleted member 120897]

I wouldn’t use kit unheard of. Perhaps Drayton Wiser, Tado or Heatmiser?

 

[thedoomguy6312]

I wouldn’t use kit unheard of. Perhaps Drayton Wiser, Tado or Heatmiser?

Thanks, but generally, is this approach sound?
ALso, I see a lot of different types of thermostats and on this forum, discussions about neutral wires or not. Ideally, I would like not to have to have batteries. The thermostats are all hard wired in so that would be mu preference. is there a type specific thermostat?

 

[gmartine]

Room by Room control or floor by floor control? Is it zoned? You have four floors so hard wiring it up might be fairly destructive unless you are completely renovating the place. Intelligent stats will let you know when the batteries run low and they tend to be very low powered and not require changing out very frequently so it isn't an option I'd persue unless you were at the start of a build or renovation.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

This is very bad for a heat pump in terms of cost and efficiency shouldn’t have micro zoning

Best to remove the heads on the manifold and go off the heat pump room stat / set back temperature set

 

[thedoomguy6312]

Room by Room control or floor by floor control? Is it zoned? You have four floors so hard wiring it up might be fairly destructive unless you are completely renovating the place. Intelligent stats will let you know when the batteries run low and they tend to be very low powered and not require changing out very frequently so it isn't an option I'd persue unless you were at the start of a build or renovation.

Thanks Gmartine,

I know there is controversy about room by room zoning. But at the moment, I work from home so I am mostly at home in a room with a PC, which heats up the room almost by itself. The rest of the house is empty. Ideally, at night, i would like to aim for a setback temperature but ramp up in the morning for waking up time in the bedrooms. in terms of wiring, all the thermostats are all wired in anyway, so I am hoping for a like for like replacement. At the very leats, I am hoping ofr a thermostat that is more sensitive as the ones I have now respond to +-5 deg befor ethey do anything.

 

[gmartine]

It isn't contraversial, it just isn't what the system was optimally designed for. As Shaun said, you lose a great deal of efficiency when you start micro zoning. If you want to heat one room that barely needs heating in a four floor house get a little 4p per hour oil wall heater. Keep the system off until you want it on fully.

 

[thedoomguy6312]

Thanks Gmartine,

I know there is controversy about room by room zoning. But at the moment, I work from home so I am mostly at home in a room with a PC, which heats up the room almost by itself. The rest of the house is empty. Ideally, at night, i would like to aim for a setback temperature but ramp up in the morning for waking up time in the bedrooms. in terms of wiring, all the thermostats are all wired in anyway, so I am hoping for a like for like replacement. At the very leats, I am hoping ofr a thermostat that is more sensitive as the ones I have now respond to +-5 deg befor ethey do anything.

Also, my wife likes a "toasty" floor, so I was hoping at least in the morning, in the kitchen to have a higher temp

This is very bad for a heat pump in terms of cost and efficiency shouldn’t have micro zoning

Best to remove the heads on the manifold and go off the heat pump room stat / set back temperature set

It isn't contraversial, it just isn't what the system was optimally designed for. As Shaun said, you lose a great deal of efficiency when you start micro zoning. If you want to heat one room that barely needs heating in a four floor house get a little 4p per hour oil wall heater. Keep the system off until you want it on fully.

Ok, that gave me a lot to think about. so essentially, turn up existing thermostats to roughly what the pump is set as and just let it run. How abou the pump running times, do I just leave it on all the time. It has a program function, should I just ignore that?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Basically on a heat pump you want the room temp set to 21 and a night / set back 18-19 depending on what you feel is correct for yours

As for toasty floor that’s gone on a heat pump unless your using an electric boost which costs a fair bit of cash eg electric immersion tbh the heat pump should be set up for around 35-40 dc flow temp else you start to lower your cop eg efficiency