RE: Underfloor heating and HA control?

["Nigel Giddings" <nigel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Paul,

Sounds like you will be a busy boy...

I have a wet UFH system in the new build with 14 Zones plus a DHW Loop
and Towel Radiator circuit. This adds up to a nice round 16 (at least in
computer terms).

My UFH was supplied by Chelmer heating www.chelmerheating.co.uk not sure
they are the cheapest but they are knowledgeable, provide good design
drawings and are willing to understand your system.

It is possible to fit UFH in wooden floors using spreader plates but you
are probably better discussing this with Chelmer initially.

MY control system is Homebrew using a VIOM and homeseer, hence the 16
O/Ps. I will also be using a midon design one 1 wire temperature board
with DS1820s and the mcsTemperature plugin for Homeseer.

http://photos.corbenic.co.uk/dcp02093jpg.html

This has not been commissioned so cannot comment on performance just yet
but the Midon 1 Wire interface and mcsTemperature plug-in is working
very well.

http://photos.corbenic.co.uk/temperaturejpg.html

I have a couple of wants for the system that will be developed as the
system is commissioned. Learning the characteristics of each room to
enable the system to predict how to heat depending on current and
forecast weather and usage, I have the possibility of measuring room air
temperature and slab temperature. Integration with house status,
occupied, unoccupied, away. Monitoring room windows and doors to stop
trying to heat a room if an external door or window is open. Working
with the MVHR system and possibly a heat bank to preheat incoming air.
Operation of DHW loop depending on occupancy, time of day and motion
detection. Operation of Towel radiators for best effect.

I think the heating system in a house offers some of the best
opportunities for home automation to improve comfort and operating cost.
I am lucky in that the system has many points to plug into, many zones,
many temperature collection points and external influence detection
(weather actual and forecast, occupancy, personal requirements).

Hopefully somethings for you to follow up.

One thing I am building into the system is a set of changeover switches
that can be mechanically operated so that the heating reverts to
operation by three electromechanical thermostats (one on each floor)
should the 'complicated' system fail in some way. I have had a similar
setup in my 'cottage' (a wooden shack we live in during the build) with
3 zone valves, and a few DS1820s operating for 5 years and never had to
operate the switches except for planned maintenance...

Good luck

Nigel
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Gale [mailto:groups@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 19 October 2006 08:39
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Underfloor heating and HA control?

I'm going to be putting a wet under floor heating system into my loft
conversion. The floor will be a timber and real wood flooring. My
architect says this is possible and there are systems available to do
this (rather than embedding in concrete).

Obviously! I want to be able to control this and feed it into my HA
system. I currently use Smartfit connected to Comfort - but this is only
a single zone solution.

While we're doing this, we may also be doing a fair bit of work to the
house heating system and may even be replacing the boiler. This would be
a good opportunity to finally create a proper zoned system - I'd ideally
like to be able to control the temp in a number of zones around the
house - if not in every room individually.

So - any ideas or recommendations for:

a)	Type/manufacturer of the UFH
b)	Type and manufacturer of the control system
(automatable/with status control)
c)	Type of system to fit in the existing rooms?

Having Comfort, HomeVision Pro, HomeSeer and a xAP network, how might I
integrate this heating system? I'll also be getting CBus if that makes
any difference?

Thanks,

Paul.





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