joth

Looks like the MH-Z19 is popular with Home Assistant users. £20 from amazon or half that from AliExpress https://www.open-homeautomation.com/2016/08/24/monitor-co2-levels-in-your-house/ https://esphome.io/components/sensor/mhz19.html

Fairly content free update from Thread on it here: https://www.threadgroup.org/news-events/blog/ID/222/IP-Drives-IoT-Convergence-for-Thread-and-Project-Connected-Home-over-IP#.XfqvW5P7R24 still seems like "early days". Separately, it seems this is a collaborative approach developing between Homekit, Thread/Weave and Zigbee, none of which (as protocol architectures at least) are strongly tied to cloud dependent topology or surveillance capitalism business models, so my cautious optimism for it has increased a few notches.

Big news for cloud connected smart homes built around smart speaker voice assistants. But it's not clear what their stance will be around local connection only, non-cloud connected (or cloud-optional) devices, which IMHO is where the biggest problems lie for long lasting adoption of home automation. Thread (Nests protocol), WiFi and Bluetooth are also mentioned so not obvious that this is ZigBee winning (although zwave left out in the cold)

Fascinating alternative to the Tuya/Sonoff cloud centric closed platforms. I'd been meaning to try reflashing a couple of those devices with tasmota or ESPhome to try out, but for whatever reason they try and lock them down to make that difficult which is a put off for long term availability of devices. I couldn't understand why no one was specifically going after the enthusiast market with a locally connected and reflashable device at a non premium price, Shelly might just be filling that gap. First observation is their developer page is light on info on exactly which devices do or don't support reflashing (e.g. what about the smart bulbs?) and what can be flashed onto it - Mongoose OS only, or others too?

I've been told 10m although I know folks on here have done (considerably?) longer. Also an important question is how much of the run is outside the thermal envelope - I understand split system will be better for situations where the pipe doesn't immediately come into the heated space.

Split systems bring a bit more of the noisy machinery inside the house, and perhaps have a bit more ongoing maintenance to think about so I'd only do split if there's a specific need for it - e.g. long pipe run from external unit to cylinder. That said, like for like they will always be a bit more efficient in operation so in a high heat load situation they might pay to go for.

That Daikin is a split system, but Grant only appears to make monobloc pumps. Which are you after? I'd try and decide that first, then choose manufacturer. Are you interested in one that supports cooling as well as heating? The Daikin split systems do have it as an option, don't know about Grant.

Qualifications do exist e.g.: https://bpec.org.uk/qualification/domestic-ventilation-systems/ (this is what our supplier/installer references on their certifications page) AFAIK they're not recognized/required by any professional or statute body.

Don't get me started. Our last house was attacked rather brutally during the couple years we let it out while living overseas. But.... ignoring the mandatory PoS router that needed a daily reboot .... the internet speed was pretty reasonable really. Half the price for double the speed we were used to getting in silicon valley. Hence my idea to have the cable installed but not connected, mostly to give options for future price comparison shopping (and if I want, dual redundant wired network link e.g. if working from home more in future). At least for this bit, in the PDF I linked they have plan VMTD0047 for pre-wiring a house: they provide all the cable, and leave coiled behind euro module wall plates of our choice (ready for termination on subscription activation), and a single penetration needed from the external wall box to connect to an internal hub / distribution box (ITB) I'm just rather incredulous whetehr anyone ever succeeded having them install this to any reasonable standard, and that didn't subsequently require 20 new holes made on eventual commissioning.

1/ Has anyone installed Virgin Media as part of their build, and done so via the "developer services" rather than a consumer install? In particular I'd like to pre-wire the house for cable (including the main cable in from the street into the house, and through the house to A/V cupboard and a couple TV-side outlets), but without having to sign up for a package as a customer. In principle, I'd be fine activating say a 1-month contract to get this done, however last time I spoke to them the consumer activation team were utterly useless about having any conversation about how they would put the cable up the front garden or through the wall until after I'd given them my money and committed to a date for them to come around and do the install. (No opportunity to discuss trenches or anything else). Their property developers site, esp the guidebook, seems pretty comprehensive, but all aimed for estate developers not the lone self-builder, let alone renovator like me. So interested what route others took? 2/ I assume the external wall box is mandatory? No way to bring it in through ducting under the floor slab and up in the middle of the building, like water main? Trying to figure out how to minimize external wall mess, and reduce number of penetrations through the cavity wall, but looks like Virgin and OpenReach (like the DNO) are all pretty keen on these external wall boxes now. 3/ Are they doing anything in particular to future proof for fiber? They supply duct - is the idea fiber could be pulled through it in future? (I guess this is the answer to #2: external boxes are more future proofed) FWIW our Openreach cable is already underground (always has been) so current thought is to just leave that untouched. Unfortunately it does come in right by the front door, so any new external box that winds up being added will be in a fairly ugly location.

Your HP does not need to do both space and DHW for RHI eligibility. Not sure if that's what you were implying here. no, not exactly what I meant. (I knew at the time it was ambiguous wording but at the time couldn't think of any clearer way to say it). What I mean is: if you have a ASHP that is say set to 35°C for heating and 70°C for DHW then the DHW temp would invalidate it for claiming any RHI payments at all. There's no option for saying "please only consider the heating output, and ignore the DHW part". That is what I was being told by this installer, anyway. There's so much misinformation and confusion out there already, I don't put a whole lot of weight behind this one specific view point. and I feel a little ashamed I may be perpetuating another myth here -- just wanted to test the water (no pun intended) and see if anyone else had heard of this before writing it off Thanks - that's a useful reference. I guess, like cooling, it could be that the model is compliant, so long as it is setup a particular way. And.. there's very stopping a technically capable user from re-configuring it after the MCS install was signed off..... [apart from the fear of making an annual declaration]. All in all I'm really inclined to make my choices I'm not getting RHI anyway. Mostly just curious as to the position to try and guess how it might impact of uptake of them.

I love the enthusiasm here, but it does start to feel like a case of "if it was that easy, everyone would already be doing it." ? Besides anything else, to get meaningful energy transferred you would need a lot of reflection. This can cause all sorts of new problems from dazzling airline pilots to starting forest fires, and who knows what else. Not to mention, very expensive to purchase and install and complex to control that many movable mirrors. That said, at commercial scale it seems it can work - to melt salt for energy storage rather than directly onto PV panels, as the focal point of the mirrors creates temperatures way higher than a PV panel would like. They're quite stunning to look at. I drove past one in the Mojave desert in 2016, which was first time I heard of the idea -- seeing the beam of intense ionizing light going into the sky over the horizon in the middle of the day, right on the Nevada border, we naturally assumed aliens were landing. (OK not actually ionizing light, but in the shimmer of the desert it looked like the air was melting as the dazzling beams cut through it. It was painful to look at the focal point)

Yup this is what velux told me too when I requested quotes back in May: no Passivhaus windows in stock or ETA possible due to a component no longer being available So now also looking at Fakro, might refresh quotes in new year just to be sure before we order.

Does this apply to an existing doc that is renovated with 100% rewire? I've heard conflicting views on it for sockets & light switches, but thought I might as well comply there anyway. But this one maybe trickier (especially for "consumer unit" that is 4 rows tall and contains all the home automation gear too) so interested if I'm bound to it. (I tried to read the doc but couldn't decipher the answer)

If the neighbour is already moved in, I'd guess it's the time, not the money, involved. He may have placed the original order months ago, lost in admin forever, and now looking down the long end of another N months until eventually connected. If it was me on the receiving end of that delay and if it was available, an offer for use of my neighbour's wifi in the interim would go a very long way to removing the frustration.

Interesting. Was that valliant installer? Not sure how sensible it is having the backup heater in the monobloc, outside the thermal envelope. Would be interesting to find out what other tricks are planned for the box.

The whole transaction has to be under £30k for that though?

Yes, also know as a Property Charge. There's a guide here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notices-restrictions-and-the-protection-of-third-party-interests-in-the-register If you have a mortgage or loan secured against a a property, or a CCJ against it, these are lodged as charges against the deeds with the land registry. (my wife runs accounts for a conveyancer and had to deal with a property with 8(!!!) separate charges on it thisnweek, a record in a year there) Several other guides out there. Search for "agreed Vs unilateral charges" to get an idea http://www.land-registry-documents.co.uk/information/charges-register/ https://www.tsplegal.com/solicitor-articles/what-is-a-legal-charge/

I had assumed I'd try and split loads in this way too (like you, future proofing in case the battery system I eventually get supports it) but I've gone off it for a number of jumbled thoughts - automatic change over switches are extremely expensive and sensitive electronics would still need their own UPS anyway - I really can't figure a sensible policy for what circuit to use where. Should bedroom sockets be backup or not? I'm very likely to be annoyed whichever I decided. - if running 2 grades, it'd be nice to have nonessential devices on a contactor so they all just turn off when I'm not at home (remove vampire loads), bit that adds another dimension of requirements and makes it even more likely I'd be annoyed at getting it wrong. - all high load devices are occasional use manually controlled devices anyway. So I can just as easily just not use them. It's not that hard to remember not to mow the lawn during a power cut - manual change over switch, I can just cut out high load circuits manually (or even put them on a contactor) at same time - power cuts in the middle of a town are very rare and not worth over thinking anyway All that said, I see Tesla powerwall now does have the option of backed up circuit, so maybe it is something I should think about again. Having the upstairs CU on the backed up circuit maybe easiest, as that will feed MVHR, lighting, AV&HA&security, and could easily do the fridge/freezer too. Related, would it be appropriate to have a spare core in the SWA from meter distribution board to each CU, so each location could easily have access to both supplies? Initial it would be unused, but could easily be commissioned later. This very neatly avoids having to think much about it at all, AFAICT

Latest RHI myth or little known fact: heatpumps are limited to max 65°C to be eligible for RHI payments. Limit applies to heating and DHW Was told this by a certified installer, but I can't find any reference for it. If it's in the MCS rather than RHI guidelines, it would also impact ability to install them under permitted development. If true, it would be a significant impact on take up of these higher temp heat pumps, or using sunamp PCM58 with a heatpump. Interested if anyone else has ever heard of this?

I didn't know this was available as a retrofit film. Something like this? https://intelligentglass.net/products/self-adhesive-switchable-smart-film/ Any approximate idea on pricing, and what spec cable needed? I'm losing track of all the possibly needed spare wires I might drop into into the window reveals!

A bit cheeky request, but as you have their attention (and, a twitter account), do you fancy tweeting them again to ask if the UK [MCS certified] model will support cooling mode too? :-) EDIT to add: their existing R410A based aroTHERM does support cooling, but only mentioned as an aside in the installation manual, so I'm guessing the R290 will be similar.

I'm no heat pump expert, but, my understanding is over a short period you are correct (avoid short cycling), but over the long period you do want it to turn off as much as possible during each day If it keeps stopping and starting every minute it will not reach maximum efficiency. And it should be set to the lowest water temperature that works. But beyond those constraints, you want it to turn off for as many hours as possible each day to save power overall , if this makes sense? Congratulations on this. How did you go about buying it from Italy? On internet, and what price? Thank you and welcome!

Sorry just realized I probably linked the wrong filter, it's the Scale Control cartridge that is used on the boiler tank (I believe. They have blooming many!). The Scale Control cartridge is an ion exchange softener according to https://glacierwatersystems.com/product/quooker-scale-control/ And here