Heating/CH NO terminal is constantly "on"
Hi everyone,
I'm having to resort to posting here as the customer service team have seemingly stopped responding to my live-chat messages. They've "seen" my last one where I asked for someone to respond after 24 hours of waiting, but another 24 hours later it looks like they've decided to ignore it. I can understand being busy or needing to investigate, BUT COMMUNICATE THAT TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. IT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE 101.
Anyway, here's my problem:
I purchased Tado last weekend and wired it up myself according to the instructions. I'm not an electrician but I have an electronics qualification so it was easy enough to follow. Since installing, I noticed that the heating was on 100% of the time, regardless of what the Wireless Receiver or app are saying. The app can be switched off and on, the heating light on the receiver goes off and on, and the relay can be heard clicking. Despite this, the heating stays on 100% of the time. If I disconnect the CH NO terminal, the heating does not come on. I had to keep turning the boiler off as the house was getting hotter than the Sahara.
The customer service team advised me to reconnect my old wired thermostat. I did this, and the problem is still the same, apart from now I can essentially turn the old wired thermostat up and down and the heating will stop or turn on as the wired thermostat is opening and closing the circuit. Pointless really, as it defeats the purpose of having the tado system. It's the whole reason that the bridging blocks are included in the kit.
It's quite clear that the CH NO terminal in the wireless receiver is stuck providing a "live" signal to the boiler, despite the lights going off and on, the app saying off/on, and the relay clicking. Funnily enough, the hot water control is perfect and works as intended. I tried connecting that wire to the CH NC terminal but the heating just doesn't come on at all so have switched back to the instructed wiring.
Does anyone know how to fix this? I've sent my findings to the customer service team and have had no response in 48 hours. I'm hugely HUGELY disappointed. I really love what the products are trying to achieve and just want to enjoy using mine considering I spent quite a bit of money on it.
Thanks in advance.
Comments
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From your description it does sound like the CH NO terminal may be stuck on. Would you be able to confirm this by also using a multimeter assuming, of course, that you feel safe to do so.
If your testing confirms that it is stuck it may be that the relay contacts are not opening despite the clicking noises. Sometimes relay contacts can temporarily 'weld' themselves shut due to arcing - although I would be very surprised if the switching current of your boiler would be sufficiently high enough to cause this.
Sometimes a quick 'tap' can physically dislodge such stuck contacts although if this proved to be the cause of your problems I would be concerned about the long term reliability.
I would hope that, armed with additional proof Tado's technical staff would respond to you in a more effective manner.
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Update:
Tado support responded to me about 30 minutes after I posted this. Unsure if it's a coincidence or not haha
They advised me to re-bridge the old wired thermostat and do a check of the functionality again.
Boiler running. Turned the heating "on" on the app, relay clicked, light came on, waited 5 minutes. Turned the heating "off" on app, relay clicked, light went off, waited 5 minutes. Heating still on.
Because it was still running, as per their instructions, they've advised me to remove the cable from the CH NO terminal, and wire it to the P1 (Parking) terminal. The heating does not come on at all now.
I'm now waiting for a response from Tado Support again, but I'm hoping that the P1 terminal can be programmed to behave as if it's the CH NO terminal through some sort of system update. The fact that it is marked as a "parking" terminal suggests that is it's purpose. EDIT - I've just had a google and apparently the Parking ones aren't attached to anything at all and are just safe places to punt live wires while not in use, so not sure what the point was.
@JohnWH thanks for your suggestion - I may have to resort to some "percussive maintenance" on the CH NO terminal.
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Update 2
So after receiving no further response after a couple of hours, I took the advice of @JohnWH and chose to batter my wireless receiver.
I disconnected all wiring, took the wireless receiver off the wall, and gave the CH/NO terminal a few short, sharp taps with the end of a screwdriver. Not too forceful, but a decent whack. Wired it all back up again and it's working as intended.
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I'm delighted to hear that you've got things working. It does seem to suggest that the relay contacts had stuck in the closed position. Hopefully with regular use and the fact that the switching 'load' on the relay should be extremely low (= no power arc'ing) the contacts will now continue to work reliably for you.
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I’ve just installed a new Tado system and have got exactly the same problem. If the wireless receiver is powered up the central heating is on.
I’ve removed the CH-NO, HW-NC and HW-NO wires and confirmed with a mains tester that the CH terminals do not change when I turn the heating on using the test button. With heating both on and off CH-NC is not live and CH-NO is live. The hot water terminals are fine. If the hot water is off HW-NC is live and if the hot water is on HW-NO is live.
I’ll try the tapping solution at some point but I’ve just finished putting the old controller back so that we can use our central heating and I’ve had enough for now.
Maybe I should just send it back and get a replacement. However, with two people having the same fault within two days of each other I’m wondering if there is a faulty batch of receivers. @GregorG did you buy yours from CostCo?
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@RogerBamforth apologies for the delayed response! I got mine from Screwfix. I have seen quite a few people with the same issue. Did giving it a whack work?
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@GregorG Yes, it seems to have done although this is just hooking up mains power to the unit and testing it. I haven't got round to re-installing it yet, so I don't know if it is really fixed.
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Im on my 3rd extender in six years with this issue. I've now desoldered and kept the working relay from the board to swap in the next time it fails. Bag o'shite they are. :-)
Guilty party at: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001797453469.html
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Not a problem i've personally experienced but this defect has been reported on the forum before; i wonder if there's a faulty batch of receivers?
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@JohnWH i had the same issue, smacked it on the sideboard - started turning on and off. I love these issues.1
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Have had exactly this problem with a new install over the last few days. After reading this, took the handle end of a screwdriver, a few solid taps left to right and back again, le voilà.
I'm going to ask Tado to send me a new controller unit under warranty.0 -
Had exactly this issue with an install this w’end (March ‘23). It annoyed me for ages, then a quick Google later and I found this thread… The ‘whacking’ fix worked perfectly, and CH NO terminal is now turning off perfectly. Weird issue though…
Has anyone got Tado to swap/replace the offending item, or has the fix worked indefinitely?0 -
I have the same problem but the screwdriver tapping does not work. Do i need to change the entire thermostat?0
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@Freer555 @TenInchTony @Charliegn52 @GregorG @RogerBamforth
I have just installed my Tado X wireless receiver (I suspect you all had other versions?) and had the same issue. Can I ask whether you ended up having recurring issues? Did you get your receiver changed? Or did you give up on Tado
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@Treskelion1959
Thanks, useful to know. I really wanted this to work as tado has the best app IMO but of course this is a deal-breaker. Disappointing to hear you've had the same issue on two receivers. I have temporarily fixed it by knocking the CH NO terminal with a screwdriver head as on this forum. My concern is if I go away for a period of time and the boiler is just constantly firing if it recurs. I've bought a Honeywell to try instead as not keen on Nest / Hive as I hear of more problems.
If it's a stuck relay this is a hardware issue and I can't see that being corrected any time soon.
Did support send you a replacement or did you have to exchange it yourself from where you purchased?0 -
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I got the T6R-HW as I don't need the multiple zones with evohome but I haven't set it up yet. The app has very limited features for Honeywell so I'm reluctant to use it.
My ideal would be tado to work but I've seen on the forum people having this same issues months or years down the line.
Have you only had one dodgy Tado X receiver or two? And are tado support replacing yours? I'm still waiting to hear back from them0 -
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Had this with my Extension Kit shortly after installation in 2019. Unfortunately, with that device there are no CH or HW indicators to help with troubleshooting but after checking with an electrical indicator screwdriver at the wiring centre, I established that the relay must be stuck and resolved it with a couple of taps on the casing
Since then the device has worked as expected except for it having a bit of an issue a few weeks ago when it appeared to go into an unknown state then went offline. Power cycling resolved the issue
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Thank you that's helpful! Tado have responded they're replacing my receiver so hopefully won't have this trouble again. I've checked all the competitors and none of them meet my needs so I'm hoping this works (otherwise I'll accept I can't live the smart thermostat life just yet!)0
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Any luck with your replacement? Support have agreed my receiver needs replacing and awaiting their approval to send one. I've had this issue for the third time today where the relay got stuck and had to tap the CH NO terminal again0
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I received the replacement today, fitted it and immediately same problem! Can't say I'm surprised. Hard tap on the receiver and it fixed it. Ive taken it straight off again and have changed my system, it's a shame.
Tado isn't for me, although I'm surprised if there are people out there with tado X who aren't having this issue given my experience.1 -
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Hello @Treskelion1959 and @tadouser224
Sorry to hear that your Tado X receiver had a fault that could be fixed with a gentle tap. Possibly a microrelay stuck? I've copied @Emcee to bring this up with Tado management.
FYI, Our previous brand of heating controls (on a brand-new heating system) we replaced three programmers that were undoubtedly frozen micro-relays, and a faulty zone controller valve motor head. That was £500 of failed kit, supposedly under warranty, and an indeterminate amount of ££ for wasted gas. Can't say the same from our experience of Tado.
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Thanks for escalating. Yes it seems to be the CH NO relay that gets stuck. I think 2 is enough to try and realise that it's not just a faulty receiver but a manufacturing problem. I'm glad to hear you haven't had that problem, but given I have had it with two receivers I can't trust a third won't do the same, especially for example whilst I'm away on holiday and leave the boiler on constantly.
Will happily come back once it's fixed although I'm sure will be hard to know if and when it is.1 -
@tadouser224 Please ping me next week with commentary. I'll try to revert to you when there is anyting useful to say.
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@wateroakley many thanks! When you say commentary I assume you mean my experience with the new receiver or tado support again over the week?
I've decided however to remove my tado devices and am returning them. Given the replacement receiver from Tado did the same thing within minutes I had to take it off. 2 in a row along with this thread shows it's a more widespread manufacturing issue rather than just a one off faulty receiver I received. I guess I've had the experience with tado that you had with another brand with the stuck relays so it's time to change.
Hopefully it gets addressed so other users like @Treskelion1959 will benefit.
Thanks to the community and tado support for trying to help along the way0
