Honeywell Home Smart Radiator Thermostat Valve/HR 27 ECO ETRV/Programmable Thermostatic Radiator Valve/Digital Intelligent Central Heating Controller/White

I purchased this TRV for a difficult bedroom in an old farmhouse that would always be too cold, too hot or with too much condensation. I had actually replaced the whole-home TRVs, including the Valve Stems either side of the radiator 2 years prior.With a normal analogue TRV, which works much like an old mercury thermometer, the pin valve slowly rises as the room loses heat, opening the flow of water. The problem with this radiator was that it is the first in the circuit, making it difficult to balance. It is also the one that collects the most air and requires a yearly bleeding. As a result, as the pin rises, it gurgles and makes blobbering noises that disturb the sleeping resident (me!) and tends to get Roasty Hot.Not so with this Honeywell TRV! The valve is motorised and can be either fully open, or fully closed (balancing the valve on the other side is now simply and easy). The time settings allow it to be switched Off overnight, for a nice cool bedroom, but on during the day, in sync with the boiler system. Obviously this TRV can’t make a ‘call for heat’ to the boiler, so won’t ’turn it on’ if the heating is Off, but frankly, that’s all I needed for this use case. No app, no whole house smart system, WiFi/zigbee hub and vendor lock in. Just a Smart Enough TRV.Yes the set up is a little complicated and I can see how the less technological might struggle, but it’s Not That Complicated. A Simple search for ‘HR27 instructions’ will get you more detailed information. Another reviewer left a handy cheat sheet for the secret menu (holding menu button for 5 seconds) to set the ‘valve stroke’ etc (also handy to set to show the actual room temperature as measured by the device, which will help you get your temperature settings just right). Do the setup and configuration holding it in your hand, make sure to select ‘unmount’ to fully wind in the mechanism, and screw it on. Done.Cool room at night, warm in the mornings, and just right for bedtime.

Device works well, but programming interface is very unintuitive, instructions supplied and on the web are very unhelpful

The supplied user instructions have obviously never been tested to see if people can follow them. By people, I mean that, say, twelve year olds should be able to follow them, not PhDs. However, once learned it will only take ten to fifteen minutes to set up each one.Here are some notes I made for myself.INTRODUCTIONThe thermostat turns the radiator on and off:1. For periods of the day2. When on, at one of three specified temperaturesIt is useful for rooms that are not needed when the heating for the rest of the property is on. For example, rooms that will not usually be used until the evening and can remain unheated until then.BUTTONS(this refers to HR27)It’s got five buttons, which I will refer to as:1. Menu (grid symbol) – offers options2. Select (O) to select and save changes to a parameter3. Up - increase parameter4. Down – lower it5. Mode (leaf) – set it to run automatically or manually, or take it off the radiatorINSTALLATIONThe basic installation is:1. Power up by opening battery cover and pulling off the yellow tab2. Set the language to English (This is parameter 1, option 2. The full list3. Set the time and date4. Adjust rotation - even if vertical it is useful as you will look at it from one side or the other.5. When it says MOUNT (or UNMOUNT) I assume it means it’s safe to fit it as the valve will be open and you won't press against it (not explained anywhere). I found removing the old thermostat and fitting the HR27 simple and easy.6. Press Mode to cycle the valve (no idea what this does, but listening to it grind away, it seems to adjust the physical connection onto the valve. Again, not explained anywhere)SET UPThe set up is:7. Program the time and temp schedule.a. Navigate to the Set Temps using Menu and Selectb. Keep the Mon to Sunday setting, or change it for more sophisticated scehdulesc. Adjust the High, Medium and Low temp settings (in 0.5 degree steps - eg 20.5)d. Navigate with the menu and select buttons to get to the Programsf. Then program the periods in sequence:i. Select takes you to the next periodii. Menu takes you back to the previous periodiii. Each period has a start and endiv. The following period has the same start as the previous endv. You can have four periods per dayvi. Select the temp, one of high, medium or low (each as previously set). The selection is helpfully illustrated by tiny 'sun, dot and moon' symbols (meaning high, med, low respectively).v. Save using SelectRUN8. Now use Mode to set it to automatic to run the program.Mode can also be used to set it to economy (a low setting), manual (high setting) or MOUNT / UNMOUNT to safely remove or put it back on the valve - quite useful if you want to program without doing Yoga.PARAMETER SETTINGSThere are 13 parameters such as language, rotation and most usefully, ROOM TEMP (as noted by another reviewer). Room temp means the device shows the actual air temp and not the current set point. It can be set by pressing Menu for five seconds, navigating to parameter 8, setting it to 1 (from 0) and saving it using Select. Parameter 12 can be used to calibrate the room temp (apparently, I didn't try it)The full list of parameters is on support.resideo.com - search for HR27 for this and other helpful downloads.I hope that when the batteries go flat I don't have to learn to program it again! But that's why I wrote these notes for myself. Or if I buy another, which I may very well do as it is fundamentally a good product - let down by poor documentation.

This programmable radiator is an excellent and well designed, cost effective solution to zoning your central heating without resorting to apps, controlers such as "hive" or alexa type smart speakers.The bad part is the instruction manual is unfathomable. What comes with it tells you nothing about how to programme it. Most of the page is taken up with multiple language options. The good bit is that that there is a link to video instructions on how to programme and use the TRV. Great idea but that doesn't work.I mean that you can watch the videos but they are nearly impossible to follow. In an attempt to be multi language, there is no narrative, just elevator music. The presenter is obviously familiar with the product so pushes buttons quickly and silently. Blink and you miss what he did. As my wife said, its a bit like someone teaching you to solve the Rubrics cube by silently doing it in front of you, as fast as possible with no explanation of the method.I see that Amazon offer discounted "refurbished " controlers. These are really returns......which I fully understand as the instructions are abysmal, the product is great.Honeywell, please take note: Make an English soundtrack to your video and pause it between actions to let people follow what is happening.