Alexa

[Pondrew]

The one thing I don't allow Alexa to control is the heating, same for switching her camera lens off as don't fancy her watching me and what I get upto on the sofa

You'll have to be quiet then, cos she's always listening

 

[pvr]

Yes, but if you don't need the house heated at that time for whatever reason, it is still heating the house for no purpose. There is more control with an app based timer that can work remotely.

All you have to do in that case is change it before you go out. It takes approx 1-3 hours to heat a house by 5 deg c so you would still need to pre-empt your arrival in any case (and remember).

Surprising as it is impossible to do it manually, you would have to go in every room to switch the radiator off at 6 am to only heat a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Then later in the day do the reverse and open up lounge etc and close off bedrooms. Hence the savings I see

Your normal TRVs on every radiator (except at least one, usually bathroom or hallway) have temperature sensing elements (hence the name thermostatic radiator valves). The vast majority have a scale of 0-5 (with a snowflake between 0 and 1). Zero is off, snowflake is approx 5 deg c, 1 is approx 18 deg c and 5 is approximately 27 deg C, the rest are increments of these.
A well balanced system with TRVs, a suitably timed programmer and reasonably set wall thermostat will do everything you need. The ONLY advantage of app based controls is that you can change them without physically moving from room to room and twisting a knob. If you have a routine (which most do), you surely would not normally need to touch them.

That is the exact issue, you do need to touch them as otherwise your living room is 20 degrees at 6 am and we don’t go in there until day 7 pm. That is 13 hours of heating a room which you don’t want.

We had a balanced setup years ago, but with different people getting up at different times, the whole house (managed by a central thermostat in the hall) was heated unnecessary. I am surprised you seem to not get that point especially as you seem to be working in that area.

 

[Pondrew]

That is the exact issue, you do need to touch them as otherwise your living room is 20 degrees at 6 am and we don’t go in there until day 7 pm. That is 13 hours of heating a room which you don’t want.

We had a balanced setup years ago, but with different people getting up at different times, the whole house (managed by a central thermostat in the hall) was heated unnecessary. I am surprised you seem to not get that point especially as you seem to be working in that area.

I get it and if it works better for you, then happy days.
More than anything I'm playing Devil's advocate. I like a good debate as you are aware. I get a bit excited after a few sherbets too

 

[ronk]

Why use Alexa when most (I guess here) use Google as a search engine- I’m not criticising by any means, just curious.

I only use mine to ask if it’s going to rain tomorrow, or if some actor is still alive etc!

 

[Argyll Andy]

[ref]ronk[/ref],

I only use mine to ask if it’s going to rain tomorrow

Surprised you need to ask that in the NE, I’d have thought like us YES would be the default answer!

And yes it is currently pissing it down as I’m getting ready to head off for a forum run :thumbsdown:

 

[Scubaregs]

Once your timer is set, it's set. If your plans change you are heating an empty house which may well be up to temperature long before your return.
Simply put, an app giving you remote control is always going to be a better solution and give you far more control.

 

[TitanTim]

Why use Alexa when most (I guess here) use Google as a search engine- I’m not criticising by any means, just curious.

I only use mine to ask if it’s going to rain tomorrow, or if some actor is still alive etc!

No idea Ron, I just bought an Amazon Echo dot years ago whilst in Tesco one day and thought that might be useful. It is handy for Amazon orders as it tells your order status etc. I've then just upgraded over the years to the larger echo show with the larger screen. No preference really over Google which I use more in the car for setting sat nav etc. Think they're all pretty much of a muchness

Tim.

 

[Stevo1987]

You can set routines in Alexa. I have lights coming on and going off at certain times of the day as I see fit. There are lots of uses depends how imaginative you are. It's sort of a hobby for me but I am a IT techie bloke.

 

[pvr]

That is the exact issue, you do need to touch them as otherwise your living room is 20 degrees at 6 am and we don’t go in there until day 7 pm. That is 13 hours of heating a room which you don’t want.

We had a balanced setup years ago, but with different people getting up at different times, the whole house (managed by a central thermostat in the hall) was heated unnecessary. I am surprised you seem to not get that point especially as you seem to be working in that area.

I get it and if it works better for you, then happy days.
More than anything I'm playing Devil's advocate. I like a good debate as you are aware. I get a bit excited after a few sherbets too

I was actually interested in finding out what someone in the field thinks. We have the same "problem" in our gate and garage control automation part of the business. The "oldie" installers only want to use remote controls and at a stretch a GSM controller but don't want to have anything to do with the internet and automation (GPS control, voice control, variable timers etc), whilst the more recent entries in the installation markets (and the consumers) all want smart control of their equipment (not to mention the cost savings / security aspect of not having to have dozens of remote controls). Selling world wide, we see different behaviours in different markets as well.

 

[Pondrew]

I was actually interested in finding out what someone in the field thinks. We have the same "problem" in our gate and garage control automation part of the business. The "oldie" installers only want to use remote controls and at a stretch a GSM controller but don't want to have anything to do with the internet and automation (GPS control, voice control, variable timers etc), whilst the more recent entries in the installation markets (and the consumers) all want smart control of their equipment (not to mention the cost savings / security aspect of not having to have dozens of remote controls). Selling world wide, we see different behaviours in different markets as well.

Human nature maybe? Stick with what you know; people generally don't like change. I am the same to a large degree. My attitude has always been to try and keep things as simple as they can be. Also if it ain't broke why try and fix it? Not the best attitude for 'progress' perhaps!

 

[pvr]

It is funny when you do get a less progressive company that is "forced" in buying our products by their customers and have to fit them, and suddenly it isn't so bad after all as they also get maintenance contracts and service charges whilst they are at it.

Nice way in for the installation companies and for the customers they can suddenly do with their 30 year old gates what they never believed would be possible. Win/Win