Hive....Good Bad Indifferent

[Rob Foster]

We seem to be getting plenty of hive problems, connectivity being one but
control problems are a big issue. Just conducting a random round up of views.
Mini domestic bms is just around the corner and hive might just put the public off a proper system
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Harvest Fields]

I like hive. I have had a few customers that have needed the WiFi booster though.

 

[Riley]

For what they are theyre good my argument is really with the building regs enforcing such silly things as boiler plus. Granted a new boiler is not a cheap venture but it doesn’t need to be as expensive as some of these controls make it. I realise they’re all about energy initiatives and the like however I don’t see a problem with fitting a bog standard simple room stat for an eighty year-old grandmother who is never going to know how to use the functionality without being told that I am breaking building regs. A little common sense should prevail. I also get sick of losing jobs to people that are not installing to building regs and can undercut me

 

[Tea-Break]

Hi Rob,
Re: Hive.
I fitted one to my own system (S plan), touch wood- it’s been great.
However, currently only using it as a wireless control not via router/internet.
Had it a little over a year and would recommend them.

 

[mubesjnr]

Absolute con....Anything related to the well known large gas company is a con.
Customer of mine had the alternative (product name describes the thatched like woven cup of twigs a bird lives in) and when they moved there new house they wanted to use their existing product that they took along with them. Only to find the new house had Hive already installed. In order for my customer to use this system via the hub and router, he would have needed to sign up to a well known gas companies contract in order to get a PIN to activate the smart facility of the Hive device.
It was removed and the competitors (bird house) was attached and wired in instead. NO CONTRACT NEEDED.
In addition, other manufacturers offer this same type of control functionality at a more competitive price. I've recently used Heatimiser controls and found them to very user friendly and simpler to install. Of course, if the customer is hell bent on connecting every device in the home to the internet, then either Hive or bird's house competitor is your way forward.

 

[Jerry]

I prefer Nest
Last time I installed a Hive, it required a base unit to be plugged into the router etc.
I think there were a few more steps that need to be done with the Hive than are compared to the Nest and.... time/money/faff etc
Also, I believe the Hive doesnt 'learn' but i may be wrong and/or out of date.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I prefer Nest
Last time I installed a Hive, it required a base unit to be plugged into the router etc.
I think there were a few more steps that need to be done with the Hive than are compared to the Nest and.. time/money/faff etc
Also, I believe the Hive doesnt 'learn' but i may be wrong and/or out of date.

You are correct. It doesn’t learn, but it is compatible with almost all boilers as it is technically an on off stat. Nest is useless unless wired into open therm.

 

[Mastermixlee]

I've installed well over a hundred hive stats and use it myself.
It's good but not as open as I'd have liked in terms of interoperability with other "smart" tech. I've had to use workarounds with mine to get the behaviours I wanted. It's possible to integrate weather compensation etc if you're extremely tech savvy. . However it still only operates as an on/off stat so no modulating of burner like opentherm enabled stats do.

Provided they're installed in correct location (not right next to cylinder etc which can cause signal issues) then generally they are OK. They communicate on a network that is called zigbee rather than WiFi hence the hub. It creates its own mesh network.

I personally think the bulbs etc are not all that but then again I see individual "smart" bulbs as anything but smart anyway....as if someone turns the manual light switch off then they won't work anyway. So for lighting etc I'd go towards a hard wired solution instead which uses modules (qubino, fibaro, control, etc) in combination with retractive switches for manual Control.

Little off topic with the last bit but the hive kit is generally an entry point for most into what's labelled smart home tech.

 

[Jerry]

You are correct. It doesn’t learn, but it is compatible with almost all boilers as it is technically an on off stat. Nest is useless unless wired into open therm.

Why is is useless without opentherm? It still learns but loses ability to modulater the boiler? So, still on/off but better than Hive? Not being defensive, just want to learn!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Why is is useless without opentherm? It still learns but loses ability to modulater the boiler? So, still on/off but better than Hive? Not being defensive, just want to learn!

Because open therm make it what it is. No open therm then it is no different to Hive.

 

[Jerry]

Because open therm make it what it is. No open therm then it is no different to Hive.

I thought it 'learned'. things like what temp you like, how long to heat the house, when you are usually home etc

 

[Harvest Fields]

I thought it 'learned'. things like what temp you like, how long to heat the house, when you are usually home etc

It does but needs to be open therm to get the benefits.