Any Hive Heating experts

[TitanTim]

Apologies Tim - I misinformed you last night. I checked the paperwork after reading the post above and it was after replacing the part in the photo attached which fixed my Hive/boiler problem (similar to what you are experiencing). Hopefully this helps.

No problem and thank you for clarifying

I swapped over the Hive thermostat for a new one earlier and hasn't made any difference which I thought it wouldn't so the boiler wouldn't fire up when turning the heating on. I reset the hot water schedules and boiler came on at 5pm and heated the water up ok.

I'll ask the gas engineer to look at the actuator head first off

Tim.

 

[TitanTim]

It will be the actuator head, there's a micro switch which switches on the boiler and if its not making wont bring it on. The hive ( or any thermostat ) only operates the valve and the signal to the fire the boiler comes from the switch in the valve.

Many thanks, I'm hoping thats all it will be

Tim.

 

[Silverzedtom]

Heating engineer here

MJJamieson is right it will be the 3 port. The valve has probably stuck over the summer when heating demand hasn't been there and it's keeping the micro switch open.

Make sure they change the complete valve and not just the head. whilst you can un-stick them by taking the head off and using a spanner to free up the valve it will only re occur. A lot of plumbers will just change the head as it avoids draining down.

Also make sure they re fill the system using inhibitor to protect rads and boiler.

 

[Silverzedtom]

It's a good idea to run the heating a couple of times a month during the summer even if it's only for ten minutes just to keep things ticking over

 

[TitanTim]

Heating engineer here

MJJamieson is right it will be the 3 port. The valve has probably stuck over the summer when heating demand hasn't been there and it's keeping the micro switch open.

Make sure they change the complete valve and not just the head. whilst you can un-stick them by taking the head off and using a spanner to free up the valve it will only re occur. A lot of plumbers will just change the head as it avoids draining down.

Also make sure they re fill the system using inhibitor to protect rads and boiler.

Thanks ever so much tom, starting to feel a little more reasured now, good tip about running the heating occasionally through the summer, I do actually do this usually 1st of each month so long as its not a boiling hot day just to keep it ticking over and its been fine, it was all working fine a few days ago. I'm relieved the boiler is still firing up ok for the hot water as don't fancy changing it just yet as its located in the middle of the house and doesn't have a condensing pipe which might be a pain when the time comes as theres no real alternative boiler location.

Tim.

 

[Silverzedtom]

Sounds like the boilers fine

When the time eventually comes for a new boiler the condense won't be a problem. A condense pump can go under the boiler with a small 10mm hose that can pick up a waste somewhere. There will most likely be a vent going up through the attic, or could be fished down a boxing from the loft or even under boards to a waste pipe.

 

[TitanTim]

Sounds like the boilers fine

When the time eventually comes for a new boiler the condense won't be a problem. A condense pump can go under the boiler with a small 10mm hose that can pick up a waste somewhere. There will most likely be a vent going up through the attic, or could be fished down a boxing from the loft or even under boards to a waste pipe.

Thanks again tom, the boiler is a Glow Worm and is 16 years old, only thing thats needed replacement is the fan up to now. When I had it serviced last Feb the gas engineer said don't change it as the older boilers of this era tend to go wrong less often as they don't have the more complicated pcb boards, don't know how true that is. I've been told about a pump for the condensate so probably won't be as bad as I'm thinking.



Tim.

 

[ronk]

I might be missing the point of these remote controlled systems - but what's wrong with setting a timer and thermostat ?
How would I benifit if I installed a system - Im genuinely interested but would like to think I would feel better or save.

 

[craig3.2]

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

Hope you get it sorted ok,op

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.

Yes,the Nest smoke/c.o detector combined unit is rather fun,and good,if overpriced for what it is.
First one I fitted of these was in my mates house down south,when rewiring it......Nest were none too helpfully at first as they wanted their approved installer to fit it all....now you can buy them at various wholesalers.
Nice kit though

 

[craig3.2]

I might be missing the point of these remote controlled systems - but what's wrong with setting a timer and thermostat ?
How would I benifit if I installed a system - Im genuinely interested but would like to think I would feel better or save.

It's all about controlling it from a laptop or mobile.
And they are rather fancy and nice looking,but not cheap.
£100 for a Nest smoke/c.o unit,plus wiring and install costs.

Downside is they rely on good internet ,etc which isn't always the case.......and they can be hacked,so in theory, some computer whizz could take control of your heating,etc,haha

 

[srhutch]

I might be missing the point of these remote controlled systems - but what's wrong with setting a timer and thermostat ?
How would I benifit if I installed a system - Im genuinely interested but would like to think I would feel better or save.

Greater flexibility over normal controls.

Boost heating for one hour (don’t have to remember to turn it off again)
Settings not lost when there is a power cut
Multiple schedules per day
Link to other devices like smart bulbs. Porch light for example that comes on and off as per set schedule.

I bought mine for its function, not its looks though.

 

[TitanTim]

Hi Ron, as said above, I only went for the Hive as my old timer was a Randall from the early 80s and a nightmare to set with the fiddly pegs and a 90s thermostat. I do find with Hive I'm using less heating purely as you can override your schedules away from home for example you won't be arriving home when you thought you would be etc so no need to have heating on unexpectedly.

It cost me £150 all in for supply and fit by British Gas as I have home care contract with them, I think it's normally 200 or so. Its normally 90 mins fit time but took the fitter 5 hours as my wiring was slightly confusing and not colour coded but he managed OK.

The Nest smoke and monoxide detector is good as it can actually detect different types of smoke particles so if you burn your toast it won't sound off. It will also send you alerts if away from home that the house is on fire :?

Tim.

 

[TitanTim]

Heating engineer here

Make sure they change the complete valve and not just the head. whilst you can un-stick them by taking the head off and using a spanner to free up the valve it will only re occur. A lot of plumbers will just change the head as it avoids draining down.

Luckily when I had a new tank fitted the other year the plumber had the foresight to add some extra shut off valves to save draining the system down, useful for when I had the pump changed last year.



You can tell I have too much time this morning

Tim.

 

[TitanTim]

Thanks to all the knowledgeable folks all up and running now. The old diverter was only 2 years old so that didn't last long. The microswitch had failed.

Tim.

 

[markplant]

At least it's all sorted now

 

[TitanTim]

At least it's all sorted now

Thanks Mark.

Tim.

 

[ronk]

Other than controlling the odd light remotely I don't think i will be changing to an internet based system. I have a digi controller with three cycles and a weekly / weekend choice to control heating and hot water .
If we are away it's all off and if away thro the winter it's on 27 / 7 set to to minimum.

I like my tech toys but can't see what benefits I could get from the system - I think I would be switching on or off just because I could .

 

[MJJamieson]

The Nest thermostats are really good, you tell it when you want what temperature and learns how long your house takes to heat and knows the outside temperature so can calculate the heat up time, its got a feature where it uses your phone as a locator and switches the heating off when you leave, has sensors to calculate solar gain and has saved me a fortune in gas, can be linked to smoke alarms to turn off your boiler if there's a fire. OK there's the initial outlay but will pay for itself eventually.

 

[TitanTim]

The Nest thermostats are really good, you tell it when you want what temperature and learns how long your house takes to heat and knows the outside temperature so can calculate the heat up time, its got a feature where it uses your phone as a locator and switches the heating off when you leave, has sensors to calculate solar gain and has saved me a fortune in gas, can be linked to smoke alarms to turn off your boiler if there's a fire. OK there's the initial outlay but will pay for itself eventually.

I'm kinda wishing I'd gone with Nest now 2 years back, I only really went with Hive as I got the discount being a British Gas customer. I find the Hive stuff a bit lacking compared to others like Nest. I was looking forward to the Hive Cam but when released a real let down in what it offered, no cloud storage etc and expensive for what it doesn't do.

Tim.

 

[TonyP]

Other than controlling the odd light remotely I don't think i will be changing to an internet based system. I have a digi controller with three cycles and a weekly / weekend choice to control heating and hot water .
If we are away it's all off and if away thro the winter it's on 27 / 7 set to to minimum.

I like my tech toys but can't see what benefits I could get from the system - I think I would be switching on or off just because I could .

Geofencing, switches the heating off when you leave & back on as you enter.
Linked to the weather (based on internet temps), so if it 'detects' a cold snap it alters the heating (or the opposite for a hot period, this is the UK so not relevant of course )

Frost protection, if you are away it can bring the heating on to a low level, even if manually off.

Open window detection, if the stat detects a sudden drop in temp it assumes that a window has been opened & shuts the heating off.

Graphical chart, showing solar (sun) energy & when the heating has been called for.

Linked in with IFTTT so can send alerts when heating or off (if you need that sort of thing) & gives a bit more control than the native app.

Linked in with Amazon Echo, so can turn the heating up/down/off using that.

We shut our heating off last year whilst away, but I gave the heating a 3 hour (configurable) boost before we left the airport on our way home, I could see from the graph when we were waiting in the passport queue that the house was going to be roasty-toasty for when we got in.

All of the above based upon the Tado central heating controller, an alternative choice to Hive/Nest etc.