Give users access to the advanced configuration parameters
As most of us here will be aware, Tado has several advanced controls and configuration options that support are able to use to configure your devices when you contact them (cycle periods, minimum on/off times etc). Sadly these advanced options are hidden from users and the only way to access them is through support which can take a long time, and sometimes they won't configure things the way you ask them to.
It would be far better for users and Tado support capacity if we had access to these parameters in the app. They could be hidden behind a warning message about changing them if you don't know what you're doing or hidden in some other part of the app that only those in the know and active on the forums would learn about.
But as someone who wants to experiment with different configurations, and as someone who has many issues with highly illogical behaviour from Tado thermostats - being able to change these myself would be infinitely better than having to go to support each time I want to change a simple parameter.
Comments
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I understand the suggestion. We try to balance user friendliness for both novices and more advanced users. To not overwhelm the former, while not patronising the latter.
The warning message would be a hard requirement, but other than that I'm curious what others think of this suggestion.
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I think it could be useful with a suitably strongly worded warning. Perhaps this could be in the installers app, rather than the main customer app.
As a starter, it would be useful to understand what parameters the support team are able to amend
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It would be awesome. I'm beginning to use Tado and have to email them constantly. Even enabling option to change zone controller on one of the thermostats required help from support. If not the community I would probably consider it's not possible and returned the system...1
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I agree, there are also interesting functions for the sole management of the heads, such as:
-calibration without having to disassemble the head and batteries
-adjustment of the piston force (in case of excessive water pressure the head is not able to close the valve)These are the ones that come to mind immediately, the first in particular can be useful more frequently
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I would like to see this.
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@Rob I think there should just be a "guru mode" (call it whatever) in the app. One clicks on that, advanced settings are exposed. Feel free to provide whatever warnings your UX people suggest, i.e. "wow, are you sure? there is an imminent danger of nuclear apocalypse if you tick this checkbox" [hopefully no such thing :)]
Personally I'd just like two features
- Make "Zone Controller" part of the room schedule.
- Provide a simple checkbox / knob (both under schedule and manual set) where in addition to TEMP I can control the valve position. The use case is to allow water flow even if target temperature is exceeded and heat command is turned off. A variation of this ask has come up frequently as "summer maintenance"
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I would gladly see possibility to:
- adjust cycling time,
- allowing to leave boiler or ufh pump active for certain time after stopping heating,
- ability to change thermostat behaviour (high/ low inertia) to better control ufh
- ability to limit certain thermostats call for heat to 1/2/3 waves min/max
- set histeresis for hot water control1 -
Agreed, I would like Advanced Options. I would be happy to agree to any warnings.
I would like to see:
- A "Night Mode" for bedroom TRVs to adjust the number of activations during certain hours (fewer incremental changes that interrupts light sleepers like me).
- The choice of fully "open" or "closed" for TRVs when in Summer, or "off" mode. Better still an auto mode option that cycles the valves once a month.
- The ability to turn off any IQ modes or any tie-ins with the weather. (Manual Mode?)
- A toggle-able "Set Up" Mode for clear 6LoWPAN signal strength, (between hub and TRVs and Wireless Thermostats, useful to get the position of the hub sorted).
- A toggle to add battery life % for the TRVs and Wireless Thermostats similar to that used on an iPhone.
There's going to be a myriad of other useful settings, but they are my top 5.
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Just to be clear - this suggestion is about exposing parameters that already exist and are simply hidden from us as users. It's not about adding additional advanced functionality - this would be for a separate suggestion. The reason for this is to keep it focused and easier/quicker to implement, otherwise it'll just descend into the weeds about all the things we want and that have to be made. We don't necessarily know what all the hidden parameters are but I assume there are quite a few and the suggestion would be to expose all of them, or at least most of them if there a few that are genuinely not to be messed with or not applicable to the end user experience.
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I totally agree about this suggestion!0
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And just a case in point of why I think this request is so important: One of my Tado thermostats is insane and keeps short cycling the boiler for like 1 minute before a proper cycle. I went to support to get the parameters tweaked by asking for the minimum on time to be set to 5-10 minutes. It took 8 days to get the parameters tweaked - differently to how I asked and right now my thermostat is even more insane and is short cycling my boiler 3 times as much as before and there's nothing I can do about it. It could be further days before this is even back to what it was before depending on when support come back to me again meanwhile the wear and tear on my boiler is through the roof. That's nothing against support, it's a busy time being the cold season but the point is if I had access to these parameters myself I could fix this in minutes and not have to suffer as my heating refuses to function in a remotely sensible fashion. Not only that but I'm taking support time away from customers who actually need it. It's currently a lose/lose for everyone involved.
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I agree with the suggestion to allow more access to advanced configuration. Especially if there is a get out of Jail free card option of resetting to the default parameters.
Like all products of this type they will always get used in a different scenario to a 3 bedroom house with 7 radiators.
In my case I’m using to control a diesel boiler, this is a dumb device that can be easily broken by misuse, and short cycling is the worst culprit. Tado configured my thermostat for a pellet stove boiler and it is still short cycling.
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Yes please!
I can't really tell how annoying this is when you have the TRVs installed on older valves and pins are not opening the valve even on the lowest heating demand.
1 or 2 years ago I had a conversation with an support representative and he just told me (twice!) that everything is working fine. Not even suggested that they could change the values how the pin reacts.
Having also the possibility to set any "cool down" time, where valves are staying open for some time after the boiler is not heating, but the water pump is still operating (in my case about 3 minutes) would be great also.
As I understood correctly these are existent options that are not shown to the public for any reason. Which is a shame.1 -
There is an (advanced) setting to allow valves to stay open after boiler has turned off? Can support enable it?0
