Nest or Hive?

PVO_Dave

Buying a house in the next couple of months (depending on how long the solicitors drag it out for). I'd like to get either Nest or Hive installed once in. The reviews of the latest versions basically say there isn't much in it.  

Any first hand experience of either / both?

Dave. 

fretmeister

I have Hive. I like it.

exocet

I'm not sure that either are the answer. They both appear to offer a nice looking user interface that is accessible via the 'net, but I really can't think of many occasions when I've needed to do that.

If you want to lower your running costs then it's a simple case of insulating your home and running your boiler in condensing mode which typically means modulating the flow temp down to 56 degrees or less. I don't believe that either Nest or Hive do this, so you are reliant upon the boiler manufacturers controls.

Modulating your flow temp requires a Modulating boiler (most new ones are) in addition to an external weather compensator (higher external temp = lower flow temp).

octatonic

I tried to install any of them Nest/Hive/Worcester Wave but they are all low voltage and do not integrate with multi-zoned systems.

We have 3 zones with individual thermostats so it wouldn't fly.

Skipped

The Engineer that serviced my boiler was pushing this. The conversation went like this:


Skipped: Yes. I understood the description perfectly. But.....What is it for?

Engineer:  Well.....when you get home, your house will be warm.

Skipped:  But....when I get home, the house is still warm because of......Insulation. (points at Triple Glazed windows).

Engineer: I use it one hour before the end of a 12 hour shift.

Skipped:  If you are working 12 hours shifts maybe it should be me giving you advice.

Iamnobody

I'm interested in a smart thermostat and was asking this last year.

It's been displaced further down on my to do list by other priorities though.

Still by the time I get round to it the technology might have improved even more.

One thing to look out for is if any of the energy companies offer one as an incentive to switch to their tariff.

I haven't seen one recently but they were a couple of years ago. Obviously you pay for it still (probably not the cheapest a tariff) but it might suit you to obtain one that way.

EDIT:

Found this although I've never heard of that particular thermostat before and have no idea if the tariff is competitive and you are tied in for 3 years.


https://www.first-utility.com/cosy

spark240

they do have a good point, for example, we work fairly regular hours, so at the moment our heating comes on about an hour before we get home, but it will come on at full whack. With better control we could have the temp ramp up slowly which in turn will save energy. You have the same thing at bedtime, you could lower the temp over a period before you tuck in, again, energy saved.

chrispy108

I got a Valiant vSmart installed with my boiler, and I like it.

It doesn't do the "automatically working out if you're in or not" thing the Nest claims to, but programming the thermostat from the iPhone app is way easier and offers more options (extra tempetratures, time slots etc) compared to a normal push button one.

It also connects to a weather service so it doesn't turn the boiler on in the morning if it's going to be a really warm day etc and it learns how quickly your house warms up/cools down, so it shouldn't spend loads of energy warming up too early.

exocet

spark240;970718" said:

they do have a good point, for example, we work fairly regular hours, so at the moment our heating comes hion about an hour before we get home, but it will come on at full whack.



With better control we could have the temp ramp up slowly which in turn will save energy.



You have the same thing at bedtime, you could lower the temp over a period before you tuck in, again, energy saved.

Whilst you are correct in so far as running longer at a lower temp / ramping up rather than fullblast does save money, the only way to do this efficiently at the moment is via the boiler manufacturers own controls. There are no open standards as far as I am aware that allow 3rd party controllers (Hive / Nest) to control the boiler flow temp. They typically just set the target room temperature.

I guess they give flexibility / allow you to change the settings remotely when your work patterns change but for most people, running their boilers in condensing mode for longer will save money (that and insulating your house).

GuitarMonkey

Make sure you have a manual override

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/15/bug-nest-thermostat-turns-heating-off-for-some

thumpingrug

I put an offer in on a house in September.  Still waiting to move.  Every solicitor is the chain of 3 seems to have fucked something up causing a delay.  We are all currently waiting on Price Charles solicitors to sign off an some thing.  Was originally supposed to be in mid Jan, which became early Feb which is now, perhaps by the end of Feb.  Good luck on your couple of months.  

grungebob

I have hive, it works well and let's me up the temp if I'm feeling the cold that day so it's nice and warm when I get in.

I have a temp compensation stay fitted to boiler as well as this and it's saved me quite a lot of money over the past two years.

lloyd

Hive has a really annoying song in the adverts so I would avoid on that basis.

jamiexsilver

The nest is by far the easiest programmer to use, I even sold one to my mum who a bit of a technophobe but she can work it with out phoning me. I'll be putting one in my house once the hall way is decorated.

Iamnobody

Getting towards that time of year when it's time to put the heating on so who's gone smart since this was last discussed?

I noticed hive now do their installations over 12 months 0% so you can get the basics for £20 a month.

I like the security idea of the electrical control as well - operating lights/wall sockets from your phone if you are away or home late to give the illusion someone is in the house.

I don't really need the sensors as we have an alarm. For me unless the sensors are integrated into some sort of camera it's a bit pointless...

Jez6345789

I may be totally wrong here or not heard correctly and I own neither but the may be some long term advantage as Nest.

is based on Thread an Internet of things standard backed by big tech names. Friends of mine have a startup developing Thread based devices for your home.

So down the road you may get access to the tumble drier That's Thread aware. So you home can be fully connected and controlled.

someone can correct me on the tech but that's my broad understandin

ennspek

I've been looking at these as well. None the wiser really!

PVO_Dave

I went for Nest in the end. Very slick, looks great too. No idea on savings or anything as I installed it just before we turned the heating off before summer. 

Love the interface and app though, am looking to replace our smoke alarms with the Nest ones soon too Maybe the new outdoor camera when that is available in the UK.   

roundthebend

I believe that there is a government initiative that means all energy companies must give a free smart meter to their customers in the immediate future. Indeed, many people are getting them already. Better to hold off buying one until you find out if you get a decent one.

roundthebend

https://www.smartenergygb.org/en

Iamnobody

Good info @roundthebend but smart thermostats and smart meters are different. The meters just send you readings directly to the suppliers and negate you (or the meter readers soon to be redundant) from having to manually do it.

The thermostats allow automation and control from an app have inbuilt learning and location capabilities - i.e. we will know when you leave the house and turn off, be aware you are near home and switch on in advance. I think they also have temp gauges to override on unusually warm days etc.