Wireless room thermostat

[6Tricia]

I currently have a Heatmiser hardwired thermostat which is situated in my dining room - a room I seldom use and therefore don't need to heat. I've put up with it for all the years I've lived here, but technology has moved on and I'm sure there must be something wireless that would control the temperature in my living room to a nice 20C without me constantly having to change the Heatmiser setting - or turn it off when the sun floods the south facing patio windows in my living room! The thermostat is programmed to 15C from 11pm- 8am, then 20C till 10am and 19C until 11pm. Unfortunately, the dining room faces north so I have to switch the thermostat off if the sun is shining to prevent it heating the cold dining room.

I've googled a bit, but as I'm not very technically minded, don't really know how a wireless thermostat works. Is it something I could install myself? I'm elderly and live alone and it's so difficult to find someone do small jobs!

Hope I've explained the problem clearly enough!

Many thanks in advance for any plain-worded advice!

Tricia

[kiloran]

I'm no expert in these matters, but don't let anyone persuade you to get a Vaillant VRT-392.

Mine works extremely well, but you would need the brain of Einstein to understand how to use it (especially when you change the batteries and it defaults to german!)

--kiloran

[RececaDron]

A commonly-installed 1-day programmable wireless thermostat is the Honeywell CM921; if you want different programs (on-off times & temperatures) on different days of the week, rather than the same program settings on every day, then there's a 7-day variant (CM927).

You'll need a sparky to install the receiver at the boiler end, which is unlikely to take them very long to do. Simple job.

The wireless thermostat (transmitter) can be placed anywhere you like within reason (within a decent range).

[fisher]

I have a Drayton Wireless thermostat and it works very well for us.

[tsr2]

I'm no expert in these matters, but don't let anyone persuade you to get a Vaillant VRT-392.

Mine works extremely well, but you would need the brain of Einstein to understand how to use it (especially when you change the batteries and it defaults to german!)

I second that. We found our Vaillant wireless thermostat very hard to use. We changed to a Hive earlier this year, which is surprisingly easy to use and suits us very well, but isn't a cheap option. A couple of people we know have Honeywell thermostats and seem very happy with then.

[staffordian]

To the OP, ReceraDron mentioned it in connection with the Honeywell wireless thermostat, but it is worth mentioning that whichever you choose, it is unlikely that it will be a DIY job as it does need an electrical connection at the boiler, to receive the signal from the wireless unit.

[Dod101]

I actually wonder why people get so uptight about this sort of thing. If I am cold, I turn on the heating or go out for a walk. If I am too warm, I switch off the heating. I have a thermostat in the hall set at about 20c and thermostats on individual radiators which keeps the temperature down where I do not need heat.

I also have a woodburner which goes on about 4 pm and keeps the place warm for the next 12 hours or so.

Dod

[PrincessB]

A couple of people we know have Honeywell thermostats and seem very happy with then.

Add me to the list. They just work.

I've googled a bit, but as I'm not very technically minded, don't really know how a wireless thermostat works.

It's a bit like a cordless phone (not a mobile) the device with the base that plugs into your phone socket and a cordless handset which you can roam about the house with.

In this case, you have a box which plugs into your central heating timer - Essentially taking over from the wires you've got from the room you don't use. You'll also have another small box, the thermostat which you put on the wall in your chosen room.

You won't need anything complex as you've already got the timings on your central heating set up, all you need is a way to tell the heating when to turn on and off which the most basic wireless unit will do for you.

You will need someone to do the intallation for you. I'm not sure if you'd need a plumber as the job consists of removing the link to the old thermostat and replacing it with the base unit of the wireless system (which will need to be wired into the mains) more of an electrican's job. It is not a job I would be happy to do myself but I doubt it would take much more than an hour to install.

My sender unit, which you place in the room you wish, appears to be a Honeywell DT92E

https://heatingcontrols.honeywellhome.c ... ols/DT92E/

Unlike you, I have mine in the coldest room in the house and rely on thermostatic radiator valves (on the radiators) to regulate the temperature in other rooms. Your requirements are different, but be aware that when the heating is turned off in your warmer zone, the central heating will turn off, so you might well find the bedrooms and bathroom get a bit chilly on a sunny winter day as they will get no heat.

HTH

B.

[6Tricia]

My thanks for the responses, particularly to PrincessB for the detailed explanation. I think I'll go for the Honeywell CMT727 (without programming a service date alert). That seems to be the only difference to the CMT927 which is almost double the price! I've spoken to my local heating company (who fitted my current combi-boiler) about the installation, but unfortunately they are very busy right now so I'm asking around my neighbours for recommendations for other local plumbers/electricians in the hope I'll find someone less busy!

I like the idea of having the wireless thermostat in front of me on the coffee table rather than fixed to the wall as I'm a bit restricted in my mobility. Much easier for me to change the temperature settings!

Tricia

[AF62]

I fitted a Honywell CMT927 to my house and used it for about 15 years (I had to replace it once due to the receiver failing) replacing an old fashioned thermostat in the hall and moving the sensor to the living room.

It was an excellent piece of kit, dramatically reducing heating bills and at the same time delivering a much more comfortable temperature.

Mine was fitted to the wall as I found I rarely needed to change it, as the six temperature settings each day fitted with my schedule and the Optimum Start feature worked so well. The Optimum Start ensures the temperature is achieved by the set time and not that the thermostat turns on the heating at that time. For example if set to 8c overnight and 20c for 8am it doesn't turn on at 8am it ensures it is 20c at 8am by considering the background temperature to judge when to turn on.

The other very good features are -
- Holiday mode - tell it how long you are going to be away for and it will turn the heating down for that period, but it goes back to the schedule at the end of that time, so if you set it right the house will still be toasty for when you get home.
- Day off mode - if you are working tell it how many days off are coming up, for example over a bank holiday, and it turns those days to a Sunday setting and not the weekday setting they would normally be.
- Party mode - tell it do do something different for the a number of hours. This can be either keep the heating on if you are staying up late or turn it down if you are going out for a few hours, and then it goes back to the normal schedule.

So why did I replace it? I bought a Hive as I wanted to control it over the internet (and as I sold the CMT927 for the same as I paid for the Hive it was a nil cost change).

In some ways the Hive is better - I can control the heating from anywhere, even turning the heating on from my phone whilst lying in bed! You can change the settings remotely if plans change. You can link it to other Hive services such as door sensors, so it turns the heating on if you arrive home early (and turn the lights on).

However in some ways it is not - It doesn't have the Day off or Party mode designed in, although these can be recreated through services such as IFTTT.

Lastly do check the prices of the CMT927 as there is a vast difference they are sold for, but you should be able to get one for about £70 plus fitting.

[production100]

I too use the CM927 and am very pleased with it. In my case I have it as a handheld unit, normally on a table and occasionally I move around with it when I am working in a particular room and want different temperatures to normal in that room.

It is rock steady, by which I mean that it reaches temperature on time and keeps it there.

In fact I have two of them, one for upstairs and one for downstairs and control both separately.

One particular feature that I like is that if I am feeling the cold I can click it up in half degree steps knowing that it will reset to normal at the next switching time. It is surprising what difference an increase of half a degree makes.

Chris

[6Tricia]

Thank you AF62 and Production 100! Very informative and helps a lot. I've been googling prices and the cheapest I've found is on eBay at £100 for the CMT927 (Listings go as high as £179!!) and £68 for the CMT727 model. Where did you get the £70 price from AF62?

I can afford the more expensive model, but if the 727 model does the same job I can't see the point in wasting money! Is the higher priced one worth the extra outlay? I want to get one or the other ordered so that it can be installed as soon as I find someone to fit it.

Tricia

[AF62]

I've been googling prices and the cheapest I've found is on eBay at £100 for the CMT927 (Listings go as high as £179!!) and £68 for the CMT727 model. Where did you get the £70 price from AF62?

Apologies, Google failed me and had included the CM727 in its list of CM927 results and I wasn't paying attention.

I can afford the more expensive model, but if the 727 model does the same job I can't see the point in wasting money! Is the higher priced one worth the extra outlay? I want to get one or the other ordered so that it can be installed as soon as I find someone to fit it.

According to this PDF - https://www.directheatingsupplies.co.uk ... ochure.pdf the differences between the 927 and 727 are -
- 727 has four temperature settings per day and the 927 has six
- 727 does not have Party mode
- 727 does not have Day off mode
- 727 does have Service reminder which the 927 does not

For a working family the 927 is probably better, for someone who is retired the 727 is probably sufficient.

[6Tricia]

Thanks once again AF62!

I called the supplier of the £68 CMT727 offer. No stock and don't have date for new stock - naturally tried to sell me the 927, but at £131 I declined and as the next nearest price elsewhere for the 727 was £85 I decided to go for the 927. Have just ordered on eBay for £100 incl. delivery. Now I just need someone to install it!

Tricia

[MiketheBoilerman]

Ok, I flippin' hate those Honeywell clever thermostats. I fitted a Nest in my leetle house a year or two back just for professional reasons (as I encountered customers with them and needed to appear well informed <mirage> ) but.... I find myself ever more impressed with my Nest even though I didn't want to be. Huh.

Well worth the money in my personal opinion. Particularly the way it notices when I've gone out and turns the heating down. On the downside when I spend hours sitting stationary on the komputa posting rubbish on internet forums it incorrectly decides to turn the heating OFF and I slowly freeze without noticing.....

Brrrrr

I'd post a link but it won't let me. Goggle "nest thermostat" for more info.

[production100]

Have just ordered on eBay for £100 incl. delivery. Now I just need someone to install it!

Just a thought - there are two parts to the 927, the box that goes on the wall near the boiler and interfaces the boiler with the wireless link, and the control unit which you use to set timings, temperature etc. Some Ebay sellers just sell the control unit, presumably as a spare for the system.

You probably realise this already, but just to check that the Ebay seller is selling you both parts...

Chris

[6Tricia]

Thermostat arrived today, production 100 - factory sealed, so methinks I got a bargain . It will be installed on Friday.

Tricia

[melonfool]

I actually wonder why people get so uptight about this sort of thing. If I am cold, I turn on the heating or go out for a walk. If I am too warm, I switch off the heating. I have a thermostat in the hall set at about 20c and thermostats on individual radiators which keeps the temperature down where I do not need heat.

I also have a woodburner which goes on about 4 pm and keeps the place warm for the next 12 hours or so.

Dod

I guess some of us get 'uptight' about it because we have jobs and are out at work, so we can't light woodburners at 4pm (if we even had them, not all houses do), ready for when it gets proper cold by 7pm. Some of us get home from work nearer 8pm, some of us want to walk into a house that is already at least not freezing cold when we only have two and half hours of evening left til bedtime and in that time we have to make our supper, sort the laundry, watch a quick TV programme, have a shower, get clothes and bag ready for the next day, catch up on correspondence and probably also reply to our boss's late emails, etc.

I dunno - maybe not all of us have the option of just 'going for a walk' to warm up?

Maybe some people live a different style of life to you? Maybe?

I am very happy with the Salus csearle fitted for me last year anyway.

Mel

[fisher]

I actually wonder why people get so uptight about this sort of thing. If I am cold, I turn on the heating or go out for a walk. If I am too warm, I switch off the heating. I have a thermostat in the hall set at about 20c and thermostats on individual radiators which keeps the temperature down where I do not need heat.

I also have a woodburner which goes on about 4 pm and keeps the place warm for the next 12 hours or so.

Dod

I guess some of us get 'uptight' about it because we have jobs and are out at work, so we can't light woodburners at 4pm (if we even had them, not all houses do), ready for when it gets proper cold by 7pm. Some of us get home from work nearer 8pm, some of us want to walk into a house that is already at least not freezing cold when we only have two and half hours of evening left til bedtime and in that time we have to make our supper, sort the laundry, watch a quick TV programme, have a shower, get clothes and bag ready for the next day, catch up on correspondence and probably also reply to our boss's late emails, etc.

I dunno - maybe not all of us have the option of just 'going for a walk' to warm up?

Maybe some people live a different style of life to you? Maybe?

I am very happy with the Salus csearle fitted for me last year anyway.

Mel

Well said. Some people find it hard to empathise with others.

[6Tricia]

As the OP I thought of replying in much the same way to that post but decided that it sounded like someone being so smug and curmudgeonly I wouldn't waste my time, so thanks Mel - I couldn't have expressed myself as well as you did though!

Tricia