Link out redundant wall thermostat at wiring centre

Hi, I am replacing the current thermostat with a Hive 2 wireless one. I gather that it's not good practise to link this out at the wall at the current thermostat so I'd like to do this at the wiring centre if it's an easy job. I have a mid position valve so therefore a Y plan system. Here is a link to a picture of the wiring centre: Wiring centre

I gather that the yellow wire from the thermostat is connected to terminal 8 with the white wire of the mid position valve.

First identify the 3 core & earth cable that connects to the thermostat.

Disconnect the 3 wires (and earth) and put a link wire between where the red and the yellow cores were.

Your wiring centre may not be exactly like that and indeed it could be wired completely differently, which is why it's important to identify which is really the cable from the thermostat.

Photograph and label everything BEFORE you make any changes so you can always put it back as it was before.
 

Thanks Dave, so it sounds like I need to loop the red and yellow wires at the wall thermostat and then do a continuity test at the wiring centre to establish the correct wires. Once finished I assume I can just cap off all the wires at the wall thermostat.

Jay79 said:

Thanks Dave, so it sounds like I need to loop the red and yellow wires at the wall thermostat and then do a continuity test at the wiring centre to establish the correct wires. Once finished I assume I can just cap off all the wires at the wall thermostat.

Click to expand...

Better still would be do the continuity check WITH THE POWER OFF with the thermostat still in place, and confirm it opens and closes as you turn the thermostat up and down. Then disconnect the red yellow and blue of that 3 core cable, and link out where the red and yellow used to go to. Then the thermostat end will be dead and can be disconnected.
 

Great thanks

ProDave said:

Better still would be do the continuity check WITH THE POWER OFF with the thermostat still in place, and confirm it opens and closes as you turn the thermostat up and down. Then disconnect the red yellow and blue of that 3 core cable, and link out where the red and yellow used to go to. Then the thermostat end will be dead and can be disconnected.
 

Hi Dave, do you know if the solid core wire from Maplin will be good for the link wire in the wiring centre?  http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-solid-core-wire-1-06mm-red-10m-bl92a 

Click to expand...

Hi Dave, do you know if the solid core wire from Maplin will be good for the link wire in the wiring centre? http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-solid-core-wire-1-06mm-red-10m-bl92a

not wanting to state the obvious, but you will have a bit spare wire once you remove the existing stat wiring...

alternatively, just bypass it in the stat by putting the L & SL in the same terminals...

Andy™ said:

not wanting to state the obvious, but you will have a bit spare wire once you remove the existing stat wiring...

alternatively, just bypass it in the stat by putting the L & SL in the same terminals...

Click to expand...

Yes I suppose I didn't really want to touch the existing wires at the stat just incase it ever needs to be used again. I'm planning on taking the old wired stat off the wall and fixing the wireless hive 2 thermostat in the same place.

Being very cyinical (and old?) I have to ask, just what are you going to achieve by replacing a fully functional wired thermostat, with a posh (and very expensive) wireless thermostat, other than a set of batteries to replace from time to time?

Nobody has yet actually told me what these seemingly very expensive and very complicated hive things actually achieves that is so wonderful that people will pay vast sums of money to have one.

And this is a genuine question.
 

G

ProDave said:

Being very cyinical (and old?) I have to ask, just what are you going to achieve by replacing a fully functional wired thermostat, with a posh (and very expensive) wireless thermostat, other than a set of batteries to replace from time to time?

Nobody has yet actually told me what these seemingly very expensive and very complicated hive things actually achieves that is so wonderful that people will pay vast sums of money to have one.

And this is a genuine question.
 

Click to expand...

Good question, I have wireless shower controls and it is a real pain to have to keep changing the batteries!  The main reason is to be able to control the heating/hot water via my phone, whereever I am.

Jay79 said:

G

Good question, I have wireless shower controls and it is a real pain to have to keep changing the batteries!  The main reason is to be able to control the heating/hot water via my phone, whereever I am.

Click to expand...

I can do that. Quick call to wife, "Fill the bath up and turn the heating up dear, I'll be home in 20 mins". Job done. 

bluetobits said:

I can do that. Quick call to wife, "Fill the bath up and turn the heating up dear, I'll be home in 20 mins". Job done. 

Click to expand...

Ha ha I wish I could control my wife from my smart phone

Two of the biggest waste of space gimmicks in the world....

1/ Wireless when wireless is NOT needed and wired if far far far far far far more reliable in the long run..

2/ Remote control of the heating...

(if you are not in the house.. why do you want to fart around with adjusting the heat?) 

A basic timer & thermostat can easily keep the house above a minimum temperature while you are out to take the chill off...

any half decent heating system can soon bring rads up to temperature if you just flick the thermostat up a notch..

It takes me all of 2 seconds to move the thermostat as I go out if I want the house to be a bit warmer...

99.999999% of people have very predicable work patterns for the majority of the year..

they know what time they go out to work and they know what time they get back..

My wife finishes work @ 16:00 and is home between 16:15 & 16:30....

Its not rocket science to work out when we need water & heat to come on!

and i'd rather use my data allowance on my phone for far more useful things than turning on the hot water....

(notwithstanding those without a hot tank just a combi that heats as you need it anyway)

Plagiarising the words of Mr P-Dave....

Nobody has yet actually told me what these seemingly very expensive and very complicated hive things actually achieves that is so wonderful that people will pay vast sums of money to have one.

What's the point???

I understand your point of view, I guess I like new tech a bit too much! I have heard that people end up saving on energy bills using hive however, you can really fine tune things on the app, we will see...

Jay79 said:

I guess I like new tech a bit too much! 

Click to expand...

The exact sort of people that the hive sales people are aiming for....

Have you worked out what your actual energy costs are per unit...

and how much you have to get back to cover the cost of your hive..

I guess that in a fair amount of homes the reality is actually that the heating is OFF till they get home..

SO savings are greater as you are NOT turning power ON while you are out!

very very clever marketing gimmick IMHO.

SPECIAL LOCATION said:

What's the point???

Click to expand...

The point is, they are meant for all of the people not fitting into your box.

Mine is perfect for me, random work patterns, working away for long periods etc means there is little to no point on having the heating on when I am not there. Because of this my house is not warm in a few minutes, usually anything from a few hours to a few days to get it something like decent and keep it that way.

Being able to turn it on before I get there is very handy, I have done this for years with homebrew solutions with various wireless devices and internet connected things and alarm triggers but the most recent smart stat has been the easiest, although I only really fitted it as a test to see what they were like before recommending them to customers.

So just because you don't want one doesn;t mean they are useless and/or rubbish. One big downside of this forum is the average age of members is beyond retirement age so anything modern is instantly condemned.

Lurch said:

. Because of this my house is not warm in a few minutes, usually anything from a few hours to a few days to get it something like decent and keep it that way.

.........

. One big downside of this forum is the average age of members is beyond retirement age so anything modern is instantly condemned.

Click to expand...

I would suggest getting your whole heating system a bit more modern and up to date if its taking hours our days to get warm.....

(probably need better insulation to?)

Multiple zones and thermostatic radiator valves have been an easy option for years and years with no need for a smart phone...

For ages now we have had 4 zone system...

1) Downstairs   2) Upsatirs  3) Water  4) Towel rads x3 

Each with own thermostat   + thermostatic valves on radiators

Every zone programmed individually..

If starting from cold with a decent boiler and pump soon its brings zone up to heat...

10 .. 15min max  (not hours or days)

{just to add this is an old property where original external walls do NOT have cavities than could have been insulated. but the two extensions do have cavity walls though}   

Also been gradually working round the whole house increasing insulation in loft void and floors between downstairs and upstairs..

Decent zoning and insulation far more important and cost effective than trying to heat a whole house while you are not there via a single zone.

Downside of the internet is that some people think without a hi-tec app any other options are irrelevant.

p.s.

You may be a forum member beyond retirement age....

but I am not.

:Salute Guinness

Personally, my solution is the new house I am building is so well insulated and air tight (with mvhr ventilation) that the heating requirements will be so low, I will heep it heated 24/7 and not have to worry about whether it's hot ot cold, or worry about heating bills.
 

SPECIAL LOCATION said:

I would suggest getting your whole heating system a bit more modern and up to date if its taking hours our days to get warm.....

(probably need better insulation to?)

Click to expand...

Yes, I will knock down my large & inefficient Victorian property and build a new energy efficient property instead.

Try turning your heating off for a week and when the property is at <10 degrees see how warm it is after 10 minutes.

My house isn't your house, my lifestyle isn't your lifestyle. As I said, just because a smart heating controls are not your cup of tea doesn't mean they don't work for other people.

Lurch said:

Yes, I will knock down my large & inefficient Victorian property and build a new energy efficient property instead.

Click to expand...

If we are ever going to properly tackle climate change and energy usage, then sadly that is what must happen to probably 50% of the UK's housing stock.