Can I use the wireless temperature sensor without any smart radiator in the room?

jjppso

Expanding the details:
I live in a very old house with one wired central thermostat, in the ground floor, in the living room which has 3 old radiators which use old valves. On the same ground floor I have underfloor heating in the kitchen, which does not have a separated thermostat and also has old valves.

My idea is to install a smart thermostat kit in the living room and then add a wireless temperature sensor in the kitchen, so that at least I can set each room independendly.

I know that adding the smart radiator thermostat will make a better job, but in the short term and short budget, would my setup work with only the smart thermostat kit in one room and only the wireless temperature sensor in the the other work, without any smart radiator thermostat installed at all, in any room?

Thanks in advance,

Jean

policywonk

It isn't that simple. Questions:
1. Is the heating pumped through a motorised zone valve anywhere in the house? Asking because wired thermostats are usually linked to a motorised valve, not just to the boiler.
2. Is the heat flowing through the UFH moderated by a water flow temperature valve on the manifold?
3. Is hot water gravity controlled or pumped?

To answer your Tado specific questions need answers to the ones above.
That aside, if you are seeking to improve comfort levels, lower CH costs, it is always worth replacing radiator valves with TRVs on the flow side.

jjppso

Thank you policywonk, here's the additional information:

1. Is the heating pumped through a motorised zone valve anywhere in the house? Asking because wired thermostats are usually linked to a motorised valve, not just to the boiler.

It has an eletric pump attached to the manifold


2. Is the heat flowing through the UFH moderated by a water flow temperature valve on the manifold?

Yes

3. Is hot water gravity controlled or pumped?

Pumped

policywonk

HI. According to your description, your house seems to have the following:

• One boiler
• 2 x Central Heating pumps (one which just focuses on the underfoor heating in the kitchen, another which handles the rest of the house's central heating as well as the heating for the hot water cylinder
• Either 2 or 3 motorised valves. It is important to locate them - and clarify what they are.

The need to clarify what valves you have is important for this reason:

• A Tado system (whether it is using wireless or wired thermostats) is actually triggered wirelessly by Tado thermostats (even its wired thermostats).
• The Wired Thermostats are deployed in your environment when your heating system needs to also switch a zone valve.

If you check carefully, you will find that your central thermostat is problably wired to a motorised zone valve and is used to inform the boiler and the pump that it is time to turn on.

Similarly your hot water tank's thermostat is wired to a valve (it may be the same one) which also calls for heat when needed, triggering the pump and boiler.

The unknown element here is the underfloor heating. It seems to have a dedicated pump (as it should) but that pump is usually triggered by something locally.

This is a picture of a three port motorised valve - notice the T shape

This is a picture of a two port motorised valve.

You are likely to have

• 1 x 3 port valve and 1 x two port valve
• or you may have 3 x two port vavles.
• It is important to recognise them and count them.

All of the heating energy delivered by the boiler, is routed via these valves, to serve:

• either your central heating needs,
• or the hot water cylinder heating needs,
• or both at the same time.

Now if you have a three port valve which does all of that in one go, then you have a Y plan for heating. The alternative is, 2 x two port valves doing this job, and if so, you have an S plan. This is important.

Just after that, or maybe a the manifold in the under floor heating system you are likely to have another valve, which is directly linked to the pump supporting that manifold.

• Do you know what switches the Underfloor heating pump on your UFH manifold on or off?
• Is there a thermostat in the kitchen which does that, seperate to the central thermostat?
• Or does that UFH pump always get turned on when the central heating is turned on, whether or not the kitchen actually needs it? If thats the case your kitchen is wasting energy and a change needs to be made.

The reason why am asking these questions is that, if you want to benefit from a Tado system being installed, it is important to trace the controls carefully. From what you've described, there seems to be a need for at least the following:

1. An extension kit
2. An internet bridge
3. ONE or TWO wired SMART Thermostats.
4. An electrician who knows how to get this all working - unless you are absolutely happy handling your own wiring.

By clarifying whats in place, we can perhaps help.