RE: multi-zone central heating

["Neil Ball" <neilball@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

No offence taken Chris, you're dead right about the market for SK, it's
never going to be mass market :(

The comms protocol is open & published - been Lon based that's no great
surprise.

The actual control strategies are another issue I'm afraid - that's where a
lot of time, effort & development goes and gives us the edge over the
traditional BMS companies who leave control strategy programming to their
field service engineers. What that means is you either get code written by
engineers who fully understand the engineering and mechanical services but
who cannot really program or get well written code by programmers who don't
know complex plant & controls - finding someone who can do both is the
majo=
r
challenge for this industry as they are like gold dust!! And just in case
I'm upsetting any field service engineers or BMS programmers I also include
myself in the above statements as I was an engineer trying (and failing) to
write well structured code for a number of BMS companies. That's why I took
the opportunity to join smartkontrols where the hardware is already
pre-programmed with the required strategies so I don't have to balls it up
writing it from scratch!

Neil B.

-----Original Message-----
From: christopher purves [mailto:CHRIS_PURVES@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 14:15
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] multi-zone central heating



I wasn't having a go :)

I think SmartKontrols product is rather nice - I just imagine its a tad=20
expensive for most people on this list **AND** you don't get the fun of=20
making it work(after spending weeks trying to get it to work). Perhaps
SK=20
could do a Redhat and produce an opensource version :)

C





----Original Message Follows----
From: "Neil Ball" <neilball@xxxxxxx>
Reply-To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] multi-zone central heating
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 14:04:36 -0000


The costs is cheaper than SK, but all you're buying the basic hardware and
need to develop & implement all of the software strategies yourself
including all of the testing etc. - not as easy as it sounds unless you
hav=
e
both the mechanical engineering knowledge and programming expertise! The SK
system is more like buying a new BMW rather than simply buying in a kit car
& building it yourself without the construction details! Then again I
would
say that as I work for smartkontrols!! ;-)

Neil B.

christopher purves wrote:
> When I say network it is LonWorks 2-wire network - they seem to have 
>
all  > kinds of boxes / pci cards for control although as its industrial
it=
s
> not  > maplin prices.  They have a starter kit for around =A31000
which  =
>
contains a  > card, software and a few devices. Again much cheaper than
smart  > controls.  >  >  > Chris  >  > ----Original
Message Follows----  >
From: Simon Ryley <simon.ryley@xxxxxxx>  > Reply-To:
ukha_d@xxxxxxx  > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx  > Subject: Re:
[ukha_d] multi-zone central heating  > Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 13:15:25
+000=
0
>  >  > Does anyone know of a central heating programmer /
controller with =
a
> network interface?  Something I can stick on the LAN, then alter the 
>
settings for via PC or another device?  >  > TIA  >  > Simon 
>  >
christopher purves wrote:  >  >  > This one has a network
interafce :)  >  =
>
>  > http://europe.hbc.honeywell.com/products/pdf/en0b0235-ge51r0802.pdf
>  >
>  > ----Original Message Follows----
>  > From: Kevin Hawkins <lists@xxxxxxx>
>  > Reply-To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>  > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>  > Subject: Re: [ukha_d] multi-zone central heating
>  > Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 04:13:33 +0000
>  >
>  >
>  > Does anyone know of a reasonable cost 'proportional' valve in
this  >
> format (attach to radiator)  - one where say 0-10V will provide  > 
linea=
r
> control from closed to open ? Or failing that where a  >  timed
application  > of a voltage will open a valve a certain degree  > 
and it
will stay there.  >  > Kevin  >  > Neil Ball wrote:  >  >
 > >These type of
actuators are commonly found on underfloor heating  >  >  manifolds. 
>
>They do take a while to open & close which is not a  >  problem
with UFH
due  > to  > >it's relatively slow thermal  >  response.
Biggest benefit is
ease of wiring  > and  > >low cost  >  compared to motor-based
actuators. I=
f
you are thinking of using  >  >  >them on radiator TRV valve
bodies just
make sure you get the right  >  torque > >rating as too high a
closing forc=
e
will damage the soft  >  valve seats very  > >quickly and stop the
valve
from shutting off.  >  > >  > >Neil B.  >
>-----Original Message-----  >
>From: William  >  Sadler [mailto:ukhad@xxxxxxx]  > >Sent:
Thursday=
,
January  >  20, 2005 17:43  > >To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx  >
>Subject: Re:
>  [ukha_d] multi-zone central heating  > >  > >  > > 
> >On the same  >
theme, has any body used these: Thermo-Hydraulic  > >Actuators?  >
>  >  >
><http://www.danfoss-randall.co.uk/Site/downloads/VDSAP112.pdf>
>  >  > >
>Which from the online page can be used to replace thermostatic  > 
>
>radiator valve heads and controlled electrically with 230 or 24  > 
>
>volts.  > >  > >William.  > >  > >  > > 
> >  > >  >  >  >  >  >  >  >