Internet control of Viessmann boiler

[Nick Price]

I have a Viessman Paromat-Simplex boiler with Viessmann Trimatik Confortrol controller (www.advancedradiant.com/htmldocs/controls.com). Both are around eight years old. Would anyone know if it is possible to control (off/on/temp/water etc) this system remotely via the Internet?

Thanks and regards

Nick

[expat paul]

Hi,

You'll have to ask Viessmann Fr or De.

 I asked the same question to Viessmann UK (my technical English is better than my French) for our soon to be fitted new boiler here in France, and they don't know as its not an option in UK.

[Le Plombier]

I don't believe Viessmann offer such an option

Other manufacturers do, for example De Deitrich but you are paying a considerable sum of money for the benefit of this facility

Better to leave the boiler on frost protection and pay the neighbour a few bob to pop in and turn the heating on ready for your visits

Le Plombier

 

[bmt]

[quote user="Nick Price"]... if it is possible to control (off/on/temp/water etc) this system remotely via the Internet?[/quote]

In principle, it should be possible to integrate a home automation solution to give you control of the heating (and most other electric appliances) as you want.

Have a Google for "x10 home automation" to get you started. ;-)

[BIG MAC]

Look also for BMS (Building Management Systems) domestic versions are starting to become slightly more common.

You could devise your own I guess but I am not clever enough.

[Gluestick]

You would have to overcome two separate problems: first, the integration to your existing boiler control circuit.

To achieve this, realistically, you would need the fullest details of both the circuits and the necessary logic; e.g. TTL Interface.

Second, you would need a core IP (Internet Protocol) interface between your UK PC: these are becoming more common as increasing systems (such as remote CCTV via IP) are rolled out.

At the French (Boiler) end, of course, you would also need an IP interface and really, some form of "On All The Time" Internet connection, plus a further PC which was permanently up, or a dedicated IP box to handle the ADSL/ISDN connection and translation.

Probably more realistic to use a telephone link, where you dial in and both "Interrogate" the boiler and "Instruct" - e.g. enable-disenable and raise/lower the temperature.

Far cheaper for telemetry by PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) than by IP.

Some ideas here.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Remote+Control+By+Telephone&meta=

 

[bmt]

[quote user="Gluestick"]

You would have to overcome two separate problems: first, the integration to your existing boiler control circuit.

To achieve this, realistically, you would need the fullest details of both the circuits and the necessary logic; e.g. TTL Interface.

Second, you would need a core IP (Internet Protocol) interface between your UK PC: these are becoming more common as increasing systems (such as remote CCTV via IP) are rolled out.[/quote]

Telemetric control of the room thermostat circuit would be trivial for the boiler interface.

X10 and its successors already have the communication capabilities for almost any local or remote automation, with manual intervention available -- no need to re-invent the wheel.

The only overhead is an always available telephone connection.  Internet (i.e., broadband) and a PC or similar at the boiler location would be ideal for greatest flexibility, but not essential.  A dial-in interface is available for X10.

[Gluestick]

But X10 is one incarnation of use of power transmission lines for signalling.

Which won't work between the UK and France. Such applications tend to work best when they are local and thus on the same phase and side of the step-down tranformer: tried them; often they won't work across a road!

And what practical suggestions do you have for integration at the boiler end? Bearing in mind Viesmann boilers use a dedicated and fully integrated system controller?

 

[bmt]

[quote user="Gluestick"][X10] won't work between the UK and France.

Such applications tend to work best when they are local and thus on the

same phase and side of the step-down tranformer: tried them; often they

won't work across a road![/quote]

I'm not sure if you're being deliberately obtuse, tangentially humorous or just patronising.

Of course they won't work across the road -- for the reasons given in

the same sentence and that the decay rate is high.  Overall, a good

thing, unless you want your neighbour to be able to control your

equipment directly.  There are, however, several interfaces to X10, via telephone or Internet, to allow global remote control.

[quote user="Gluestick"]And what practical suggestions do you have for integration at the

boiler end? Bearing in mind Viesmann boilers use a dedicated and fully

integrated system controller?[/quote]

Fair comment, but I'd be surprised if the Trimatik unit, being of an earlier control series, isn't hackable (for want of a better word).  At some point, a pair of contacts will close to Call For Heat.

Incidentally, for current Viessmann units, research in the Viessmann documentation produced this:

[quote]All Vitotec heating systems are suitable for integration in communication systems.

...

Vitocom

100 is designed for attractively priced remote monitoring of detached

or semi-detached homes, as well as buildings which are not permanently

occupied. With the new commissioning module, Vitocom 100 can also be

configured directly by PC via the internet without registering via

Vitodata.[/quote]

Which seems pretty comprehensive.  There are other

remote (off-site) control options, too.  I doubt that Viessmann's

definition of 'reasonably priced' coincides with mine, but there you

are.

[Gluestick]

This was discussed, partially here;

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1177204/ShowPost.aspx

The point is that in all probability, the OP lacks the technical expertise to cobble together the necessary interface kit.

Plus, critically, most integrated CH controllers use either Micro-Controllers or Micro-Processors and without a complete circuit diagram and logic schematic it is pretty difficult to know where and how one interrupts the extant circuit.

Additionally, Viessman boilers and controls are noted for their excellent and advanced engineering and control systems.

However, perhaps with your apparent knowledge and skills, you can whip down to the OP's place one day and sort it for him for a modest fee!

Why not offer?

 

[bmt]

I agree absolutely with your assessment.  Made worse by Viessmann's closed proprietary system, too -- vendor lock-in by another name.  If my registration was already in place, I would indeed be in a position to offer help, subject to the OP's location.  Mea culpa.

Only slightly off the original topic and largely rhetorical, but introduced in this thread and the one reference above, has anyone asked Viessmann's technical support why the off-site control isn't available in the UK, when it is widely referenced on their UK website?  Or is it just a convenient parking place for English language doumentation (unlikely -- the docs are all tagged 'GB')?

[Gluestick]

Agree totally about vendor lock in: as systems become ever more complex, denial of connectivity data precludes third party vendors from supplying their OEM markets!

Perhaps they have all slavishly followed Microsoft's example!

Having worked on certain theoretical aspects of home systems integration - which is the logical way forward - discrete manufacturers and industries insisting on setting their own arcane standards and comms protocols makes achievement of a fully integrated design impossible. Why on earth have discrete timers and controllers for each and every kitchen device, for example?

It has often seemed to me, that the UK is treated as a sort of technocological backwater by mainstream continental manufacturers: perhaps it was because of the very nature of the slow de-monopolisation of the PTT and opening up systems to competitive exploitation and the wholly restrictive nature of the 1986 Telecommunications Act.

France was and is far in advance with the roll out of Minitel, for example, which is still in use today: whereas Prestel is a forgotten white elephant!