It may only be small but the Homely Temperature Node is an absolutely vital element of the Homely controller.
This unassuming piece of kit, with an equally unassuming name, is how Homely learns about your home. To help you get the very most from your heat pump, Homely needs to know the space it is operating in. The job of the temperature node is to gather this intelligence, and get that crucial information back to the Homely Hub.
What does it do?
What type of information is it gathering? Well, Homely needs to understand about how well your home retains heat. So, the node is key to monitoring the in-home temperature levels at different times as Homely builds an understanding of how much energy is needed to get your home to a certain temperature, and how long it then takes to cool back down again. If your home is great at retaining heat then Homely knows how long or frequently your heat pump needs to come on.
The node can also monitor more than just temperature as it also reports on light intensity. The amount of sunlight that is entering a room can make a difference to the home’s heating needs. The node measures the light intensity and feeds back that data to the Homely Hub.
It’s easy to forget but vitally important
The node itself is wireless and connects to your Homely Hub via your Wi-Fi network. It’s also battery operated so there aren’t any cables to hide away. In fact, it’s easy to forget it’s there. However, there is one key thing that it can’t do for itself and, instead, does require some user assistance. It needs to be put in the right place.
Where does it need to be placed?
Where should you put your temperature node? Ideally, choose the most used room in your home. Avoid anywhere near a window that is frequently opened or by a large, heat generating electrical device (like a large TV) as both can create misleading results. Aim for around head height and endeavour to keep it out of the reach of young children.
Now you know a little bit more about the temperature node, what it does, and how you can help it do what it needs, to make your home as cosy, comfortable and energy efficient as possible.
