ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Anyone got the electrified/automatic versions?


Just got the power to ours hooked up this weekend. Open and close fine, rain sensor so they automatically close, can set times for them to open etc....BUT...


....there appears to be no temperature control feature? WTF?

By that I mean, if the room reaches a set temperature they open automatically. The sole reason for me having electric skylights was so they could do this, yet scanning the manual, the tarty iPhone style remote control and Velux's website there appears to be no mention of it.

Is this a massive oversight or what? I mean whats the point of a timer...I don't want to open them every Friday morning if its -5 degrees, now do I?

Maybe I presumed too much of them, but If I had known this I'd have just had the manual ones and a pole.

The old conservatory had temperature sensing automatic roof vents, all mechanical using liquid-filled hydraulic rams that worked a bit like a thermostat on a car (room gets hot, liquid expands, window opens). They were great, unless it rained...so I thought electric rain-sensing version were ideal...apart from they don't sense temperature....bloody useless waste of money.

I'll give Velux tech support a ring/moan tomorrow, but thought I'd ask here just in case anyone knows what part I'm missing - assuming its possible (probably another "extra" ).

fat-thomas

iTrader: (4)

I live around the corner from their HQ.
no idea in the answer but a pointless fact.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Well, if they fob me off I'll employ you to throw brick through their window on my behalf

fat-thomas

iTrader: (4)

they have a very strange building to, its actually got velux skylights in it.
i bet they close when it rains too

PaulC72

just use the old method, if it's warm press the button to open it, if it's cold do the reverse stop being so lazy... I mean do you have automatic opening windows?

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

If it doesn't come with this built-in, you might find a way to hack their system together with a central heating thermostat, and do it that way.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I did It got hot, they opened automatically.

Temperature used to go above 40 degrees in the summer, so having them open automatically when I'm out at work and stuff helped alot (unless it rained ), so when I came back it was relatively comfortable.

Now It seems these have been replaced with ones that just work on a timer. A bit shyte, no, actually its worse than that...its expensive shyte.

Not about being lazy, its about making a room useable in a situations where it would be unbearable. Like I have the heating turn on via a semi-intelligent thermostat...set and forget (automatically does summer/winter/weekends/holidays etc). The heating doesn't solely work on a timer, so why should the skylights?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I suspect this maybe the case. Not good as the plastering's been done now

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

That's what they do...what you have found.

And if you think THEY are expensive, try installing manual windows with electric kits as an aftermarket.

And don't even get me started on electrical shutters at over £300 a pop. For the smaller windows.

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

My Dad has got electric velux skylights in the attic rooms and kitchen. No timer control on them I don't think, just rain sensors and a remote to open and shut them.

taylor85

iTrader: (5)

i would be worried about security if they were temperature controlled,

Im a architect , never seen a temperature control one personally or had the need for one yet

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Security isn't an issue as it a 5metre drop (vaulted ceiling), and if they really wanted to get in there there's a glass door and a bi-fold patio to break through instead, hence that room is sealed off from the rest of the house with a solid internal door that has a 3 point lock.

Prepare to be amazed...here's a company that been making temeprature controlled roof vent openers for donkeys and what was fitted to the old conservatory: -

http://www.baylissautovents.co.uk/

They worked a treat. As long as it doesn't rain.....


Anyhoo, turns out I need another controller box that'll allow a thrid party thermostat to be fitted...another £100 plus the stat. And to find somewhere to hide it, and chase in cables for power and stat. Also makes the tarty touch screen remotes totally pointless unless they are to be used as a override.

This is 2014 not 1934, simple automation like this should be second nature in the modern home. Or is it my old engineering qualifications in control systems creeping up on me?

Would I be asking to much if it had Wifi connectivity so they could be controlled via a smart phone app.....Like my Tivo for instance...and the heating (once its fitted)
:

JackClark

I don't think Velux would rush into wifi windows, can you imagine the **** storm when someone finds an exploit, and they would.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Its a point but its already available for heating, alarms (take a look at the Securitas app ), CCTV, Lighting, Tivo. Not to forget online banking apps.

taylor85

iTrader: (5)

Yeah I been looking into these today we have rain sensors on ours in the office and on remote control , we got our bi folds on remote into the car park for some reason but I think it could be made simple with a thermostat and motor / relay

JackClark

Security companies and banks will have security as a high priority. I know heating controls are flawed, set one up last week that stored the wifi password in plain text, retrievable by connecting a USB cable and had default user pass should you be on the wireless, also in the text file.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

I would have thought you would face insurance issues with windows which open on their own whether time of day or temperature related.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

As I said...5metre drop from the skylight and the room is secure with a solid door and three point lock...demanded by the insurer, because at the time it used to be a conservatory so was considered as a extremely vulnerable point of access.

Anyway, for those paranoid that Tom Cruise will come abseiling down from great heights to nick the coffee maker, again its easily solved if a bit of out-of-box thinking was done at Velux: Just integrate a disable interlock or auto-close feature that'll take a 12v switched or pulsed input via a programmable output on the alarm system (most good/professional alarms from the past two decades have at least one programmable output terminal).