Want to install Tado wireless with Hot Water and keep the Drayton controls as backup option… advice?

Grinsalot

Have got the Tado wireless with Hot Water… and will want to install that and have it as the main controller… but on my travels researching smart heating controls one of the Plumbing Retailers said it’s worth getting them wired up in such a way that they don’t replace the existing controls… so if the old internet goes down… which it does on occasions out in the sticks… so at least then you can revert back to the old Drayton panel in our case… so are there wiring instructions available or additional items required?
Or is this something you can request if you make use of the professional install option?

GrilledCheese2

Losing the internet cloud will certainly have an adverse effect on how Tado operates. Potentially waking up in the morning to a cold house because the CH schedule was unable to run. Depending on your system an Electrician can probably wire up Tado and Drayton controllers in parallel, but not sure it will be of much benefit to you.

If you are at home you can continue to operate CH and HW using buttons on the wireless receiver and thermostat. If you also have smart TRVs it gets a bit more complicated because you will have to switch on/off each TRV individually. Can be tiresome if you have 10 TRVs.

If you are away from home you obviously won't be able operate the heating through Tado, but also you won't be able to switch control over to the Drayton controller.

wateroakley

Losing the internet is not too much of an issue: use the wireless receiver buttons and manually twiddle the TRV knobs. However, if your daughters lovely partner has enabled the TRV child locks, she has to remove the TRV head and batteries. Leave the batteries out for a minute or so before reassembling and refitting the TRV. It’s a bit of a pain when she gets back to a cold home, Mr B’s branded internet has gone off-line, the grandchildren are ready to be fed, and there are 10 TRVs to fiddle with.

I had given some thought about rewiring a timer/controller or override switch in parallel. It should work, but (so far) seems a bit of a faff for belt and braces to override their Tado control settings with a Worcester combi boiler.