Multiple Smart Thermostat one for each room - essential ?

DeePallavi

Hello, i have recently bought and installed the tado heating system (starter kit) - it contained a smart thermostat that i installed in one room (passage) and multiple smart radiator valves which i installed in other rooms (living and bedroom)
Please note that the radiator in the room where the smart thermostat is placed does not have a thermostatic valve, it is also where the original thermostat was wired.
And i do not have an extension kit attached to my boiler - it wasnt required as per the installation instruction

Problem:
I have now ordered two more smart thermostat to control my living room and my bed room.
My question is, do i need those two extra smart thermostats ?
What would the smart thermostat do that the TRV can’t ?
Would it serve any purpose as my smart radiators can call for heat for these two rooms?

samd

@DeePallavi Hello. There are two configurations for tado viz. All tado devices can call for heat OR the smart thermostat needs to be calling for heat to allow the TRVs to get heat. Only Support can switch your system to the one you require.

The role of the smart thermostat to to turn the boiler on or off and it receives that 'message' from the trvs or from itself.

Just the single smart thermostat is all you need for multiple TRVs.

samd

@DeePallavi If you can easily cancel your order for the smart thermostats, I would say experiment with just the TRVs measuring their own temperature. I have found that for some of my rooms, the TRV does well enough on its own but, in my lounge, for example, I have a 2nd smart thermostat measuring temperature for two radiators with TRV because I need the improved accuracy which the smart thermostat gives.

DeePallavi

@samd - thank you very much for this explanation. I was reading that the TRV’s are so close to the radiator that they could be finishing the call for heat much sooner and the room at large remains cold.

Also the TrVs can only adjust temperature by a whole 1 degree - unlike the smart thermostat which can adjust by .1 increment.

Do you think that finishing the call for heat is a potential problem ?

DeePallavi

@samd - i really appreciate you taking out time to answer this. Its been very helpful.

Thanks again - have a good one.

[Deleted User]

Hello @DeePallavi,

In fact, having an additional Smart Thermostat in a room where Smart Radiator Thermostats are placed makes it possible to measure a temperature more representative of the room. However, you can do the test with only the Smart Radiator Thermostat and add a Smart Thermostat later if you feel that the temperature reading is not representative. 

Best regards,

Marie

DeePallavi

Thank you for your response @_Marie -

if i decide to do keep the additional smart thermostat and place it in the living room where i currently only have a smart radiator valve, would the smart thermostat start calling for heat be default when there is a need ? or do I need to contact Tado customer service to change my set up in a way that the additional smart thermostat calls for heat instead of the smart radiator valve in that room.

Look forward to your response

DeePallavi

@samd - i spoke to Tado customer service on chat messenger and decided to keep one of the two smart thermostats, much like your set up. i did that based on the parameter that my living room is large when combined with the open plan kitchen.

Also the customer service technician explained that customers would no longer need to reach out to them to make one of the devices the lead device that would then measure and instruct to call for heat (to the smart radiator). all of this can be done via the app, i can even update the settings etc to change the lead device. this facility is new apparently.

Just thought of updating this thread for the benefit of anyone else who might have a similar problem like mine.

My new set up, smart radiator and a smart thermostat in the living room, with all the configuration done via step by step instructions during the installation, with the possibility of lead device to be changed in future all in the app.

samd

@DeePallavi Wow that's great feedback - thanks a bunch.

[Deleted User]

To change the device that takes the temperature measurement, simply go to your tado° app, then Settings > Rooms > The room where the 2 devices are located > Measuring Device > Change

Best regards,

Marie

samd

@_Marie Indeed so but we were talking about changing between all tado devices having primacy AND the configuration in which the smart thermostat has to be calling before anything else can get heat.

As far as I know this can still only be arranged through support.

jjmccrae

I'd be really interested in your experince @DeePallavi with the TRVs.

I moved into a new build October last year, and installed two Tado Smart Thermostat (one: living room, second: master bedroom) they replaced existing thermostats - and these radiators do not have any values on them - apparently that's a thing with new heating systems.

I can control upstair and downstairs separately - but would love to control individual rooms in those areas - but hearing mixed reviews that I can't because there's no value on the living room/master bedroom.