This article focuses on multiple zones on the heat pump controller. If you want to understand how Havenwise works with multiple zones as result of 3rd party thermostats, read more here instead.
Different types of zoning pre-Havenwise
Few heat pump installations are fully zonal. A true zonal system can send different flow temperatures to different zones at the same time. This requires a mixer and logic to control it, which is rare.
Most zonal systems are simply on/off. Either zone can call for heat, then the heat pump decides how much heat is generated. If both zones call for heat at once, they receive an identical flow temperature.
Our general guidance when using Havenwise is to use 1 zone as the main zone, and the other zones as a "temperature limiter". This means setting the room setpoint of the 2nd / 3rd zone to a high maximum comfortable limit. This minimises your bill by running the heat pump as cheaply as possible, while guaranteeing you remain comfortable.
Keep in mind that heat pumps are not the same as boilers. It nearly always costs more to heat part of your home at a time, instead of the whole home!
Vaillant heat pump: how Havenwise works with multiple zones
Havenwise aims to operate the system as a single zone for maximum efficiency and lowest heating costs. In practice that means Havenwise optimises the operation of the heat pump based on the temperature in Zone 1.
As a user:
You set your requirements in the Havenwise app for Zone 1, your "main zone".
You set your desired room temperature for the other zones in the Vaillant app or on the Vaillant controller.
The zones will heat up and cool down simultaneously by default, which is optimal for efficiency (therefore running cost) and lifetime of the heat pump. Zones 2, 3, etc. will heat up with Zone 1, as long as the room temperature in those zones is below the desired room temperature for those zones.
For users that are interested in the technical details:
Zone 2 (and other zones) will receive the same flow temperature commands and flow temperature as Zone 1. This is the same as the existing Vaillant behaviour for most systems, as they cannot send different flow temperatures to different zones at the same time without mixers.
Havenwise sends a desired room temperature to Zone 1, but not to other zones. That is why you can set the desired temperature for Zone 2 independently from Havenwise via the sensoCOMFORT in Zone 2 or the myVaillant app.
Mitsubishi heat pump: how Havenwise works with multiple zones
Havenwise aims to operate the system as a single zone for maximum efficiency and lowest heating costs. In practice that means Havenwise optimises the operation of the heat pump based on the temperature in Zone 1.
As a user:
You set your requirements in the Havenwise app for Zone 1, your "main zone".
You set your desired room temperature for Zone 2 in the Melcloud app or on the Mitsubishi controller / thermostat.
The zones will heat up and cool down simultaneously by default, which is optimal for efficiency (therefore running cost) and lifetime of the heat pump. Zone 2 will heat up with Zone 1, as long as the room temperature in Zone 2 is below the set temperature for Zone 2.
For users that are interested in the technical details:
Zone 2 will receive the same flow temperature commands and flow temperature as Zone 1. This is the same as the existing behaviour for most systems, as they cannot send different flow temperatures to different zones at the same time without mixers.
Havenwise sends a desired room temperature to Zone 1 (29.5°C), but not to other zones. That is why you can set the desired temperature for Zone 2 independently from Havenwise via the Melcloud app or on the Mitsubishi controller / thermostat.