Our timer/thermosat clock has packed up. Ive changed the batteries, but the clock doesn’t tick, the signal is sent to the receiver on the boiler so I know its just the clock.
I’ve looked up the cost to replace the stat/clock and its £120+ which is really annoying as its just the clock.
Anyway Looking at the options for replacement.
Its currently a Grasslin/Famoso 601RF and the receiver is an Alpha (alpha boiler), so its a small unit. All the options have quite a large receiver which wont fit in the gap in the boiler control panel.
Do I just get another unit, I saw the Horstman HRFS-1 for £55 in B&Q but this would need to be fixed via self tappers to the boiler panel as the wiring in the control is very short…. In fact all the others weer the same, way too big.
Is it possible to just get a programmer and pair it to the existing receiver, they all use the same RF.
Or do I look to get a Hive etc smart unit. Is there any real benefit.

You can just buy the transmitter in most cases. Just make sure it’s the same frequency band as the old, sometimes newer models are not the same!

If not it’s a new transmitter and receiver and you can buy any brand you like cheap or not. The only thing that might make your life difficult is if the wiring configuration is different/diff terminal identification and you don’t know how to wire it accordingly! In this situation buy a receiver with the same wiring configuration as the old! Manufacturers provide schematics and obviously you can check your old one.

Danfoss are no nonsense and good. If you are going cheap you could try a Salus RT500RF, 32 quid on Amazon for a programmer and receiver! It’s dirt cheap because of high customer dissatisfaction/difficulties. Much of which stems from using them with the default frequency setting (it can be changed), which nearly always suffers from interference and the fact the 5 time periods require a temperature as well as a time, which has caused many home-owners deep distress verging on nervous breakdown.

You can of course get a GSM one if you want to control it from your phone, it will cost though.

Change it for one of these:Programmable stat.
Rebranded Honeywell, easy to use and set up.

Good excuse to update to a Nest/Hive or similar.
I think my Nest is great.

While we have the heating engineers’ attention, are there are particular types of junction boxes that you use to connect up the wiring from complicated 3 or 4 valve systems?

You can buy 2 gang boxes with a row of connectors blocks already fitted inside, or, just buy a 2 gang box and blank plate, and fit a row of connectors inside yourself at half the price.The ready made ones do have cable clamps, so may be worthwhile if you cannot secure the cables outside the box.
Connector box

my boiler packed up and i need a new one. the trouble to get quotes is unbelieveable. been three weeks without heating 🙁

Dam Jedi could have swapped skills, like to ride better happy to fit boiler but the pre Christmas rush has started and I’m full till the new year.

Mine’s gone on the blink too, doesn’t turn off unless you turn the thermostat right down on the boiler. So could be the programmer, or the thermostat, or the boiler! Can anyone recommend a heating engineer in Nottingham/East midlands to have a look at it?

its freezing in my house, i couldnt wait til new year 🙁

I certainly can’t recommend the chap who’s just replaced my combi. Lots of issues and reported to Gas Safe today to get inspected and have some reassurance

@sobriety

I’m based in Burton Joyce drop me an email from my profile. Done work for other forumites in Nottingham if you need recommendations