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[Shackeng]

I fitted 5 Honeywell Rondostats 5 years ago and have been very pleased. I had to get them from Germany as they were not available over here, and were 30 euros each. However there are a lot more on the market now eg: http://www.conrad.com/ce/en/product/561601/, and are a very useful way to save energy, and still seem to be cheaper in Germany. It is impossible to say how much I have saved, but if you are upgrading your valves or radiators, it is well worth considering.

PS I posted about them on a DIY forum, and had plumbers contact me for information, as they could not get here either!

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, I've got 4 of them around the house. Nice way to avoid heating rooms that are not in use at certain times of the day. I'd really like a setup where the valves are wireless and you can manage them centrally, though, which is why I'm keeping an eye on this project:

http://www.earth.org.uk/open-source-programmable-thermostatic-radiator-valve.html

[Shackeng]

Yep, I've got 4 of them around the house. Nice way to avoid heating rooms that are not in use at certain times of the day. I'd really like a setup where the valves are wireless and you can manage them centrally, though, which is why I'm keeping an eye on this project:

http://www.earth.org.uk/open-source-programmable-thermostatic-radiator-valve.html

Yep, wireless would be good, but mine have options for daily differences, and 2 separate periods. They work well for us in conjunction with our efficient Viessmann boiler.

I also have 4Kw of PV panels and am about to fit a system to use excess Kw to heat water, as these systems have now come down in price due competition. 

[I_want_an_Omega]

Yep, I've got 4 of them around the house. Nice way to avoid heating rooms that are not in use at certain times of the day. I'd really like a setup where the valves are wireless and you can manage them centrally, though, which is why I'm keeping an eye on this project:

http://www.earth.org.uk/open-source-programmable-thermostatic-radiator-valve.html

Yep, wireless would be good, but mine have options for daily differences, and 2 separate periods. They work well for us in conjunction with our efficient Viessmann boiler.

I also have 4Kw of PV panels and am about to fit a system to use excess Kw to heat water, as these systems have now come down in price due competition. 

 . I've done that, built a project based on an Arduino processor running some open source code. Measures the exported power and then "adjusts" the amount dumped into the immersion heater. Make sure you have a long immersion heater. Ours was only 11" long so the benefit wasn't much - but have now upgraded to a 30" one. Don't expect any support on here though - they think that anyone with PV is a "retard". 

Hat, coat, exit ............

[Marks DTM Calib]

We dont think that at all. 

Its just the reality is that PV is a pointless technology which should not receive funding from the working man/woman to subsidise it. 

[biggriffin]

Everybody who i know,that has fitted solar on the roof are saying its been a better return on there money than any thing else,and lectriky bill has been lower, seems a win win to me.
 i just cant afford it, would if i could sod what the luddites think

[Shackeng]

We dont think that at all. 

Its just the reality is that PV is a pointless technology which should not receive funding from the working man/woman to subsidise it. 

By the way Mark, what aspect is your roof facing? And you forgot to say HARD working

[albitz]

Everybody who i know,that has fitted solar on the roof are saying its been a better return on there money than any thing else,and lectriky bill has been lower, seems a win win to me.
 i just cant afford it, would if i could sod what the luddites think

They get  good return due to the reasons Mark mentioned above.If they weren't subsidised by every taxpayer,they would be completely financially unviable.The subsidies are reducing,and will in all likelyhood disappear over time as the so called green sector of the economy falls apart,due to being not much more than smoke & mirrors.

[Marks DTM Calib]

We dont think that at all. 

Its just the reality is that PV is a pointless technology which should not receive funding from the working man/woman to subsidise it. 

By the way Mark, what aspect is your roof facing? And you forgot to say HARD working

I have a south aspect roof (and a north and East)

But its not going up there as its yet another technology that is damaging to the environment (with PV cells taking more energy to amke than they ever produce).

Only viable due to the stupidly large infeed rates.

That and unless you buy outright, you effectively end up having to sub let your roof to a company for 10+years

[Shackeng]

We dont think that at all. 

Its just the reality is that PV is a pointless technology which should not receive funding from the working man/woman to subsidise it. 

By the way Mark, what aspect is your roof facing? And you forgot to say HARD working

I have a south aspect roof (and a north and East)

But its not going up there as its yet another technology that is damaging to the environment (with PV cells taking more energy to amke than they ever produce).

Only viable due to the stupidly large infeed rates.

That and unless you buy outright, you effectively end up having to sub let your roof to a company for 10+years

In that case I admire and respect your principled stand. Unfortunately, as a pensioner, I cannot afford to take such a stand, and I welcome any legal opportunity to increase my income.

[aaronjb]

Yep, I've got 4 of them around the house. Nice way to avoid heating rooms that are not in use at certain times of the day. I'd really like a setup where the valves are wireless and you can manage them centrally, though, which is why I'm keeping an eye on this project:

http://www.earth.org.uk/open-source-programmable-thermostatic-radiator-valve.html

Very cool, I'd be all over something like that for our house, especially with poor insulation and relatively low room occupancy..