I would describe the Vaillant app as pretty reasonable-good.  You can change set temperature (which actually shifts the WC curve), change the wc curve itself (which is in the installer menu on the controller), switch heating/dhw/cooling on and off or to timed, set up a weekly schedule, set holiday mode, monitor all of the above, do a DHW boost.  You can also monitor and download energy and temperature stats.  You can see real time water pressure, power consumption OAT and IAT.

I dont use it much, occasionally I look at OAT when we are away, from time to time I monitor/download the energy stats.  The reason for this is that, having set up weather compensation and balanced the rads, the only real change we make to controls is to switch from pure WC, which we run for the vast majority of the season, to a temperature sensor limit mode at either end of the season, and to switch it off during the summer months.  Other than that we only very rarely touch the controls, because there is no need to.

Other than at the very ends of the season 'room influence' doesn't help for our house, unlike @judith.  What would help is humidity influence - ie the heat pump to increase the temperature a bit when its damp indoors.  This is a human factor, it feels colder when its damp!  Sadly, although the heat pump does measure and the app does report, humidity it doesn't react to it

From study of manuals only I would say that the Vaillant controller ('sensocomfort'), as distinct from the app, is one of the better ones in terms of UI and useful features.

I do also use HA for monitoring, because the graphs are nice and easier to 'get at'.  I don't use HA for heat pump control.  The interface to HA relies on the same cloud API as the app, no additional hardware needed.

@jamespa 

Thank you, will need to take a closer look, as I am looking for programmable thermostat type of control. 

It also seems that the Vaillant ebus can be extended with an ESP32 device and HA integrations (similar to modbus for other pumps). This would be a local setup using simple hardware. A few relevant posts on HA around here! This eBUS Adapter Stick C6 seems get power from USB-C and directly taps the eBus? 

Chrome translate does miracles...

I think you are right about the ebus stick.

It's certainly possible to change at least some of the exposed vaillant parameters through the ha integration I use (requiring no hardware).  I just don't bother because, for me, it isn't necessary.  This does however rely on vaillants API and the cloud whereas an ebus implementation wouldn't.

I have the Bosch ConnectKey with a 5800i and find it more or less ok. The hardest part of the whole operation was getting the internal unit to connect to my home wifi, because it didn't seem to pick up the signal well. However, I can confirm that the app now allows me to monitor and control the system from anywhere in the connected world, which is nice for switching it on while still away on holiday.

There are limitations on app functionality compared with the front-panel display. For example, nowhere in the app does it tell me what the various hot water modes mean in terms of temperature (e.g. Eco+) - this is only accessible from the front panel. There are also discrepancies - the hot water mode is shown as OFF although, actually, it's Auto, but in an off state.

Like the OP, I use the app to download hourly data for geeky stuff, trying to optimize the cost of the input energy as I'm on an Octopus EV tariff with cheap overnight rates. Could possibly do with a wider dataset, including for example compressor power, but it is what it is.

My main gripe is that the so-called help system is nothing of the sort. It's just a link to a Bosch website page (mostly product advertising) from where I can go to general FAQs. It's easier to do an online search for such things as error codes. Still, at least the Bosch app is way better than the VW app when I got my ID.3!

@slartibartfast It is enough to give you a pain in the diodes all down your right side innit? I sometimes think that an app is designed by well meaning programmers and then someone else does their darnedest to remove any useful function or provision of useful information as this will ‘streamline’ the app!😉 The Daikin ‘Onecta’ app falls into a similar category I feel. Regards, Toodles.

What app?

By default my Samsung has no connectivity so there is no remote (app-based) control.

That said, one can add an optional wireless module for around £150 and use the Samsung SmartThings app for basic control and monitoring.

It would be nice to be able to remotely turn the heating/DHW on the day before we get home when we've been away, and sometimes it would be nice to be able to see what it's doing without getting up off the sofa, but probably not to the tune of £150.

@old_scientist Are you aware of the remote control via Havenwise, (I use them for my Samsung Gen 7 ASHP). I understand that their current subscription is £7 pm after a free trial.  See also Dwellsee, for remote access to data of what's going on.

LG ThermaV:

It speaks Modbus, so it can be hooked up to Home Assistant with a cheap USB-RS485 dongle, local, no cloud.

Besides all the reporting data (temperatures, flow rate, power, etc) you get these controls:

Mode (heat, cool, auto)

Turn it on/off

Enable DHW

Target DHW water temp

Enable Silent mode

Control mode (air temp, flow temp, return temp)

Set target temp and shift weather compensation curve: this depends on the above setting, if set to flow temp control it can set the flow temp and shifts the compensation curve ; if set to air temperature control it sets the thermostat.

...and that's about it, so there's pretty much everything needed to control it. Makes no sense to include a scheduler or other fancy stuff since HA has that included already.

Reported temperatures have 0.1°C resolution. However, target temperatures only have 1°C resolution.

It also has an optional wifi module for cloud/app which I did not order.

Posted by: @broadsman

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@old_scientist Are you aware of the remote control via Havenwise, (I use them for my Samsung Gen 7 ASHP). I understand that their current subscription is £7 pm after a free trial.  See also Dwellsee, for remote access to data of what's going on.

Yes, I know there are connectivity options, but none are part of a standard install and all come at additional cost. 

Posted by: @steelbadger

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@judith Being able to adjust the weather compensation and room influence through the app sounds like a nice feature. We have to go into the installer level menu on the indoor unit to access that stuff. We do have the ability to alter the room influence factor when in there, though. It can be set as high as a 5x multiple of the room temperature deviation (so if the room temp is off by a degree, the flow temp changes by 1-5, depending on the number set). Is there any similar option for Vaillant?

Another Vaillant user here. For the sake of correctness, the Vaillant app does not allow you change the room influence mode (inactive/active/expanded). That can only be set on the installer menus on the Sensocomfort control panel. The app does give access to change the WC curve settings.

Posted by: @martinrobinson

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Another Vaillant user here. For the sake of correctness, the Vaillant app does not allow you change the room influence mode (inactive/active/expanded). That can only be set on the installer menus on the Sensocomfort control panel. The app does give access to change the WC curve settings.

As a Vaillant owner also I find the latter curious.  You can change the WC curve in the app, but on the Sensocomfort its in the installer menu.  Clearly they are conflicted as to whether ordinary mortals should be able to change the WC settings!  Its not a problem, but it is strange.