RE: Re: Controllable Radiator Actuators

["Neil Ball" <neilball@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As some list members know I work for smartkontrols (I run the business in
Scotland), so I'll try and avoid any sales patter ;-)
=20
Budget price for design, manufacture, supply and commission (excludes
physical installation) ballpark =A31,000 per zone of control. Therefore a
1=
0
zone system for the average 3/4 bed house would be =A310k. Main reasons for
the expense are (in no particular order)
it is a bespoke designed system using the latest best practice within the
hvac/controls/energy efficiency industries, is extremely flexible -
multipl=
e
boilers, multiple systems, upto 200+ zones, integrates heating and cooling,
covers swimming pool systems and "green" systems like solar water
heating,
geothermal heat pumps etc, is UK manufactured in low volume, and requires
specialist commissioning, non of which come cheap. There are some modest
installations out there, but most are in high end homes. Although the
benefits of the control strategies can work wonders in modest systems -
heating bills upto 30% lower, improved comfort & control etc, it won't
come
close to giving a sensible payback in pure energy terms.
=20
While smartkontrols remains the at the very top of the market in terms of
features, benefit & costs, there are a number of other manufacturers
that
offer some of the main features - take a look at European InstaBus (EIB)
from Siemens and ABB, or Hometronic from Honeywell. None are DIY jobs, you
have to buy the system deign and commissioning as part of the package, but
if you are looking for some of the more complicated strategies to be
properly implemented then this is the only sensible way to guarantee the
system performs as it should.
=20
Neil B.
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Noble [mailto:yahoo-groups@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 16:12
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Re: Controllable Radiator Actuators


solentelectricalservices wrote:

>
> smartkontrols rad valves will only work with smart as they are 2 wire
> devices using lonworks. They are however extremely good although very
> expensive.=20

...

> I rate smartkontrols as I install it but clients are
> few and far between due to its high price BUT!=20


How high is high? I'm about to replace the boiler with a new condensing=20
one (and possible swap the cylinder for a heatbank), update the CH/HW=20
controls and plumbing, put a new rad in the lounge, and a bunch of TRVs=20
on the radiators that don't currently have one.

Roughly how much (ball park) would it cost to put in smartkontrols with=20
the rad valves instead of a normal programmer and TRVs? (3 bed/1 bath=20
house with 9 rads)

Jim