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Any Hive Heating experts

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TitanTim
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by TitanTim » Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:21 pm

Are there any heating experts in tonight? :)

I've had Hive for around two and half years now and generally its been OK and rairly reliable, however at times it seems to throw a bit of a wobbly like this evening, its done the same around 5 or 6 times since I had it installed back in 2015.

Scenario is I went to put the heating on this evening at 8pm using the Mobile App and the boiler would't fire up. On the hot water side the schedule is set for 5pm so I felt the feeder pipe into the hot water tank and it was warm and the boiler casing itself was still warm so it must have fired up at 5pm as normal. Anyways I've spend the past hour resetting everything, boiler, taking batteries out of the thermostat and reinstalling and resetting internet and still no joy with the boiler. I then run the hot water off enough so I could do a hot water boost. As soon as do this the boiler fires up and I then I can fire the heating side up at the same time. The radiators are all now getting hot. As said its probably done this around half a dozen times and each time I've left it over night and done a hot water boost and everything then is fine and the heating works fine from then on. Anyone know much about Hive and why it does this every so often. Its a bit annoying as I never know if the boiler has conked out or whether its a problem with Hive.

On a seperate note, the Hive thermostat is not mains powered but runs off 4 AA batteries. Suddenly over the past 2 months the batteries needed replacing every 3 weeks and the annoying thing is if the batteries fail the boiler won't kick in and the first you know is no hot water. I contacted Hive on their Facebook page and to be fair they were pretty good and asked me to install some new batteries and they would monitor battery life. At the same time I e-mailed Hive customer support and they sent me a new thermostat unit straight away, I haven't swapped the thermostats over as yet.

Does anyone have any thoughts on why at times the boiler just won't start up unless I run hot water off and do a hot water boost? Generally it will right itself and then will be fine on the heating side for months and then same thing happens.

Thanks,

Tim.
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by Twin Turbo » Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:39 pm

Is there another power source you can use, as I have nest and power is via USB?

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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by Ducklakeview » Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:41 pm

We have Hive. I found that if it's too close to the router, and my LightwaveRF hub, then the connection between the thermostat, hub and boiler control is lost..

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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by Wrs » Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:55 pm

I experienced similar with Hive and it was a valve or switch (on our Megaflo setup) which was 'sticking' and prevented the boiler from firing up.
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TitanTim
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by TitanTim » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:00 pm

Thanks for the replies, no the Hive thermostat is battery only, theres no other power sources.

Just been having a play with it and the heating only seems to work now when the hot water is on all the time, as soon as I switch the hot water off the boiler shuts off even though the boiler should carry on running if I set the room temperature higher than actual. I wonder if something has gone awol on the boilers circuit board :? As soon as I switch the hot water back on the boiler fires up and will continue heating the radiators.

Tim.
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by markplant » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:05 pm

If you boost the heating does it make the green led on the box that connects to the boiler come on, if it is it would suggest the signal is at least getting that far and as you say could be a boiler issue
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TitanTim
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by TitanTim » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:20 pm

markplant wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:05 pm If you boost the heating does it make the green led on the box that connects to the boiler come on, if it is it would suggest the signal is at least getting that far and as you say could be a boiler issue
Thanks Mark, yes it does either heating boost or just switching heating side on the green light comes on and you can hear the electrics click. If I switch hot water on boiler fires up and heating comes on but won't stay on if I cancel hot water :cry:

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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by TitanTim » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:28 pm

Wrs wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:55 pm I experienced similar with Hive and it was a valve or switch (on our Megaflo setup) which was 'sticking' and prevented the boiler from firing up.
Many thanks, hopefully it might be that, I've booked an engineer to come out have a nose.

Tim.
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by Wrs » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:35 pm

No worries. I have attached a photo of the part in question for you (at the bottom of the hot water tank). If it's not set to auto give it a wiggle?
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by Havard » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:54 pm

That is just a standard two port valve. Actuators can be prone to sticking. You may find that your boiler fires but then trips out on overheat as it has no where to go if the valve remains shut.

Give the lever a wiggle as you can force it open.

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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by craig3.2 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:17 pm

As havardsays,just a standard 2port zone valve.....move the lever over,and it can be locked in the on position.
If the valve sticks it can be freed up by gentle tapping sometimes,or just lock it on permanently,see if that fixes it.
If so,get a new 2port valve fitted :thumbsup:
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by craig3.2 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:19 pm

Personally,Hive has known to start eating batteries if signal is an issue.
I favour Nest,as ,in my experience,have been less problematic.
Only fitted few of each,mind,but Both are generally ok.

The Next Smoke/C.o detectors are also rather nice,on a side note :D

Hope you get it sorted ok,op :thumbsup:
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by TitanTim » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:24 pm

Thanks guys, are you talking about the 3 way diverter valve? mine sits by the pump by the hot water tank, I've just had a look at it and if I switch the hot water on then the lever shifts to W and if I then switch heating on it moves to H but then if I switch the water off the boiler stops. With both hot water and heating on it sits at M. The diverter valve looks to be working and whirs away but then even though the lever moves doesn't mean the valve is actually working. I can't see that its the boiler as its working fine.

Theres another lever on the side but I daren't force them as they are very stiff.

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TitanTim
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by TitanTim » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:30 pm

craig3.2 wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:19 pm Personally,Hive has known to start eating batteries if signal is an issue.
I favour Nest,as ,in my experience,have been less problematic.
Only fitted few of each,mind,but Both are generally ok.

The Next Smoke/C.o detectors are also rather nice,on a side note :D

Hope you get it sorted ok,op :thumbsup:
Thanks Craig, I've got a replacement Hive Thermostat so I might swap them over tomorrow. I was wandering if it was the themostat that had gone faulty but as said I'm hoping its the diverter valve. I'm with British Gas Homecare so it will be a free fix anyways :)

I do have the Nest smoke detector and thats been great especially when it talks to you :)

Tim.
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Any Hive Heating experts

Post by ranski » Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:21 am

check out the Hive Heating Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1713606452286060/
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