"smart" plumbing question.

[bigegg]

Just having a brainstorming session, for the moment...

I have a 6 radiator system in my house: plumbed in parallel, AFAIK.

*IF* I decided that I wanted to add them to my "smart home" system, could I just add solenoid valves (suitably rated for temperature) into the feed pipe?

Presumably, if have to ensure there was a mechanism to ensure there was always an open path to/from the pump in the event all the valves were closed? (Eg, one of the radiators NOT automated).

£20 or £30 each for a solenoid is *much* cheaper than smart TRVs

 

[Dev]

I have a wifi relay wired in parallel with my heating controls which turns on the boiler and/or circulating pump for hot water or radiators. The original controls are unchanged. Easy, relatively non invasive and means i can turn the heating on from bed if it seems to cold to get up

The setup i have is documented on here somewhere. I looked at smart TRVs but too expensive and complicated for me,

£20 or £30 each for a solenoid is *much* cheaper than smart TRVs£20 or £30 each for a solenoid is *much* cheaper than smart TRVs

eh, is it? Zigbee TRVs can be got for that, or less.

 

[the snooper]

Just having a brainstorming session, for the moment...

I have a 6 radiator system in my house: plumbed in parallel, AFAIK.

*IF* I decided that I wanted to add them to my "smart home" system, could I just add solenoid valves (suitably rated for temperature) into the feed pipe?

Presumably, if have to ensure there was a mechanism to ensure there was always an open path to/from the pump in the event all the valves were closed? (Eg, one of the radiators NOT automated).

£20 or £30 each for a solenoid is *much* cheaper than smart TRVs

I don't see why you couldn't do that after all a valve that cuts off a specific radiator could be in any form, as for your un-automated valve that would usually be in your hallway where the thermostat is

 

[bigegg]

It's become a little moot:
I can get 6x zigbee TRVs for £155 delivered from AliExpress, all ready to connect straight to my smart home system - and no "plumbing" to do.

By the time I've bought solenoid valves, power supplies, and microcontrollers for them, it'd be £200+, so I'm going for the ready made solution

 

[carbon]

Just having a brainstorming session, for the moment...

I have a 6 radiator system in my house: plumbed in parallel, AFAIK.

*IF* I decided that I wanted to add them to my "smart home" system, could I just add solenoid valves (suitably rated for temperature) into the feed pipe?

Presumably, if have to ensure there was a mechanism to ensure there was always an open path to/from the pump in the event all the valves were closed? (Eg, one of the radiators NOT automated).

£20 or £30 each for a solenoid is *much* cheaper than smart TRVs

I have something similar using a motorised zone valve. The valve is switched with a sonoff basic and can isolate the upstairs heating if required.

 

[the snooper]

It's become a little moot:
I can get 6x zigbee TRVs for £155 delivered from AliExpress, all ready to connect straight to my smart home system - and no "plumbing" to do.

By the time I've bought solenoid valves, power supplies, and microcontrollers for them, it'd be £200+, so I'm going for the ready made solution

Makes sense

 

[bigegg]

I have a wifi relay wired in parallel with my heating controls which turns on the boiler and/or circulating pump for hot water or radiators. The original controls are unchanged. Easy, relatively non invasive and means i can turn the heating on from bed if it seems to cold to get up

The setup i have is documented on here somewhere. I looked at smart TRVs but too expensive and complicated for me,

I've got an ESP32 connected to a relay in place of the old thermostat, plus a few heat sensors - one in each room, basically.
Home Assistant turns the heating system on/off to get each room to a "comfortable" temperature eg, 20°C overnight in mums bedroom, 27°C in living room through day.

What I'm looking for, basically, is a way to make sure the room(s) I am in - usually the spare room/office, or my bedroom, are a better temperature for me (ie, 8°C overnight, 18°C through day)

eh, is it? Zigbee TRVs can be got for that, or less.

So I've discovered. I discounted them last time I looked because I wanted more control than just a phone app. I have now discovered zigbee2mqtt control...

 

[Dev]

ooooh the zigbee

 

[bigegg]

ooooh the zigbee

View attachment 326816

 

[gaz1]

the smart side is not to play into a cash or im posh scene

the only reference you need is a smart on off for your boiler and your trvs set to what you want in that room temp

if you cant be bothered seting your trvs to the right temp thats your fault when it only takes minutes to set them the same setup is within the smart side from the controller the only difference is the cost to be posh

 

[bigegg]

the smart side is not to play into a cash or im posh scene

the only reference you need is a smart on off for your boiler and your trvs set to what you want in that room temp

if you cant be bothered seting your trvs to the right temp thats your fault when it only takes minutes to set them the same setup is within the smart side from the controller the only difference is the cost to be posh

Bit judgemental.


It's ok saying "set them to what you want", but mum wants them much higher than me: and they're not readily accessible.

 

[carbon]

I've got an ESP32 connected to a relay in place of the old thermostat, plus a few heat sensors - one in each room, basically.

With HA you can achieve what you are after many different ways. It’s possible to use a sonoff or Shelly to control a boiler and just have a temp sensor in each room without the need for a conventional thermostat. If you flash a sonoff basic with tasmota it’s then possible to add temp sensor to that even though it’s not supported from the manufacturer. Lots of options both diy and ready made solutions.

 

[Dev]

I guess the difference is you want to be able to demand heat to specific rooms only, so TRVs or something else to close all but the desired radiator.

 

[bigegg]

With HA you can achieve what you are after many different ways. It’s possible to use a sonoff or Shelly to control a boiler and just have a temp sensor in each room without the need for a conventional thermostat. If you flash a sonoff basic with tasmota it’s then possible to add temp sensor to that even though it’s not supported from the manufacturer. Lots of options both diy and ready made solutions.

I already have all that: I want individual control of temperature in each room.

At the moment I've got an electric fan heater - on a esphome'd sonoff basic to boost heat in the living room, so I can keep the rest of the house tolerable.
And I've turned the radiator off in my bedroom.

 

[bigegg]

I guess the difference is you want to be able to demand heat to specific rooms only, so TRVs or something else to close all but the desired radiator.

Exactly.

But "I don't do plumbing".
In fact I'd go as far as to say I f-!ing hate it - It's always in the wettest, dirtiest areas and it usually smells nasty.

Another reason to go the TRV route.

 

[carbon]

Make sure the current of the heater doesn’t exceed the current rating of the sonoff. Think the basic’s are rated at 10amp max

 

[bigegg]

Make sure the current of the heater doesn’t exceed the current rating of the sonoff. Think the basic’s are rated at 10amp max

It's 2250W (2x 1000w + 250w fan), so sneaks under the limit at 9.8A.

It's temporary - if it burns out, I'll replace it with the 16A version.