Are 3 Zones possible???

Morbster

I have just moved house where i had the extension kit wireless stat and x2 TRV's.

My current house has an upstairs controlled by a thermostat and downstairs on a separate circuit controlled by a thermostat, and also hot water on another circuit. Tado are telling me that 3 zones cant be controlled, but I have read that it can be by using hard wired stats and then connecting them to the one circuit in the extension kit. This would leave each stat to control the mechanical motor to activate heating to each zone. Is this the case?

Wozzer

I did an install for a friend using 2 zones and the hardwired stats but I had to phone Tado support to enable the relays in the thermostat to make it work. So, in theory what you want to do should be be easy unless there’s a software limitation at their end.

Lampy

Hi Morbster,

I've just joined the forum to let you know that controlling a 3 channel system is possible as we've just done it! You'll need an electrician (as it can be a bit complex) and it'll of course depend on the exact heating system. I went through the same thing with Tado support, who said it wasn't possible, however the problem is I think there is some slight misinformation from the Tado side and because you can't actually speak to a person on the phone, there can be extra elements of confusion!

We also had problems because the thermostats we were replacing do not exist in the Tado database - there really needs to be an option for "Other" or "qualified electrician installing" or similar so the you can actually proceed! I ended up choosing a random one from the list and then had to get Tado to do a bit of config their end (presumably to change a mode or something) as initially it was just staying open.

We also ended up wiring the Tado system in parallel to our existing programmer (an ESI 3 channel) and setting our existing programmer to be permanently "OFF" - this means that if Tado completely falls over, we're still able to get heat and hot water if required at a push. We have a standard S-Plan system with 3 zone valves - hot water, downstairs and upstairs.

What we have used:

1 x Wireless starter kit (this includes the wireless receiver that also allows hot water)

1 x Add-on smart thermostat

The wireless starter kit is wired to control hot water and the downstairs zone valve and the smart thermostat is set up to control the upstairs zone valve. When setting up the system, you should get the option to add the second thermostat as a zone controller, but if you don't get this option you may need to get Tado support to set this up for you. (Because our thermostat didn't exist in their database, I had to contact Tado support to this up for me).

Now - this is where there is a slight bit of misinformation from Tado's point of view. When I contacted Tado, they said the reason that a 3 channel setup wouldn't work, when used with TRV's, is that the TRV's can only "Talk" to one part of the system (IE the wireless receiver or the smart thermostat), but that only one Tado device could "fire" the boiler. So if all connected up, you may end up with both devices (the receiver and the thermostat) being able to open their respective zone valves, but only the wireless receiver (for example) would be asking the boiler to turn on. This isn't true - and this is where you'll definitely need an electrician!

Quite a low of the zone valves over here in the UK (especially in new build properties) are wired to the wiring centre in such a way that the zone valve actually sends the command to the boiler. So in our case, all we needed to do was open the relevant zone valve (HW, downstairs or upstairs) as this is then what passes the signal across to the boiler to say "hello I need heat". The wiring centre we've got actually joins all the "heat calls" for the zone valves up and then there's a single wire going off to the boiler.

When it's set up, you then set the two devices (wireless receiver and the add on wired smart thermostat) to be "Zone Controllers". Then when you set up the TRV's, in the config for them you just point them to the relevant "zone controller". Then, whenever a TRV calls for heat, it sends a message to the relevant zone controller which opens the valve, sparks the boiler and voila!

So the short answer is - yes it is highly likely possible, despite what Tado say "off the shelf" and may require a bit of config from them and in some cases. However, you'll need an electrician to come round and wire it in and potentially do some re-wiring in the wiring centre.

I hope the above helps in some way!

conorgahan

Hi @Lampy,

It sounds like you have done exactly what I am trying to do, the only difference being our 3 channel programmers (mine is a Horstmann ChannelPlus H37XL Series 2).

I currently have the wired thermostat working to control the CH on the upstairs zone but had to set the zone on the programmer to be permanently on to get it to work.

I haven't yet been able to figure out the wiring changes necessary to get the Tado wireless receiver installed as Tado says that it is not compatible.

My wiring centre also joins all of the zone valves into a single connection back to the boiler, I'm wondering if you would be willing to share a photo of the wiring changes you made to get it all working with the Tado receiver as it might make things easier for an electrician or maybe even allow me to do it myself.

Thanks in advance!

Morbster

Hi all, I have managed to wire the 3 zones on successfully despite tado stating that it can’t be done. I have hard wired the upstairs and the downstairs zones to the tado room stat. They still require batteries as the hard wiring doesn’t provide power. I have them swapped the existing controller for the extension kit. I wired both zones onto one heating zone, and the hot water tank into the hot water connection of the extension kit . It works perfectly because all the thermostat does in each zone is tell the individual controllers that they need heat and it’s sends a signal to the controller which then switches the boiler on.
In short it can be done and ot works very well the only thing that doesn’t work properly are the individual trv’s I have in the room. They work to turn the rad off when it’s too hot but if the upstairs zone is off and the bedroom
Is cold the try can’t switch the boiler on

Md_1962

Hi all, I have just replaced our current 3 channel heating system, Hot water and 2 zones, with the Tado V3+. I connected the Hot water and then coupled both existing zones to the other one. The 2 zones now as one is fine, because all 10 rads have TRV's fitted, and therefore each room is handled independently.

System is only in about a week, and so far it's working spectacular. Great control over the heat, each room that's activated calls for heat as required. The kit came with a wireless Temperature Sensor, but so far haven't installed it, didn't have a purpose for it yet.

GooseGK

Hi @Lampy ,

Can I check something on your comment above?

So I understand your wiring as it sounds the same as mine; if the heating zone valve is open it’ll also tell the boiler to fire (which can be proven by manually opening the valve). I have two valves creating a separate downstairs and upstairs heating zones (plus a third valve for hot water but this question is about the heating zones).

So to confirm, you have: one wireless starter kit (presumably V3+?) controlling hot water and the downstairs heating zone, then one wired add on thermostat controlling the upstairs heating zone. You then have Smart Radiator Valves on both circuits, which are linked to their respective thermostat; downstairs SRV(s) linked to the wireless thermostat and upstairs SRV(s) linked to the wired thermostat. So say if no heat is required downstairs from the wireless thermostat or an SRV (therefore downstairs heating zone valve is closed), but an upstairs SRV calls for heat, then this will trigger through the wired thermostat and open the upstairs heating valve (and in turn fire the boiler because of the before mentioned wiring)?

I previously had two heating zones and a hot water zone, since changing to tado I’ve lost my second heating zone and had to wire both valves together (similar as described by @Md_1962 above), but I don’t want to spend £50 on an SRV for every radiator in the house as I’d need a dozen! I’ve already got four SRVs but don’t like how when the SRV calls for heat, everything else heats up as well and I can only ‘reduce’ the heat in the three other rooms with SRVs. The smart thermostat is then struggling to get up to temperature and running the boiler pretty much constantly, I’m not going to save any money at this rate as tado claim!

Thanks a lot!

majik9911

Hi @Lampy

I think I have the same set up and issues as you had. When you say 'wiring centre' I assume you mean the grey box which is close to the valves and triggers them when needed.

You wouldn't by any chance have a photo of what the electrician did inside there to separate the zones/valves so I can show my own sparky what needs to be done?

(or alternatively, @conorgahan - did you manage to get it sorted too and if so, could you share a photo?)

Thank in advance to both!