Hive · Receivers and hubs
Hive Dual Channel Receiver Installation in London
Updated
Hive's dual channel receiver is for boilers with a separate hot water cylinder. It has one channel for heating and one for hot water, both switching at mains voltage, and replaces a two-channel programmer. A vetted JACK pro fits it at the programmer or wiring centre, sets it for your system and tests both channels, for a fixed price before you book.
In short
Yes. A JACK pro in London fits Hive's dual channel receiver (SLR2) in place of a two-channel programmer on S-plan, Y-plan and gravity-fed systems with a vented cylinder, wired through the existing wiring centre, then tests heating and hot water separately. Any change to the controls on an unvented (pressurised) cylinder needs a G3-qualified installer.
Get matched
Start a JACK request
Native app
Start the request here, then add extra photos or videos from the JACK app if the pro needs more detail.
Dual Channel Receiver: key facts
- For
- Conventional and system boilers with a hot water tank or cylinder Source: Hive Thermostat Professional Installation Guide, 2025 (PDF)
- Hive model codes
- SLR2 family (SLR2b, SLR2c, SLR2d) Source: Hive compliance and declarations of conformity
- Switching
- Mains voltage outputs only, for heating on/off and hot water on/off Source: Hive support: what voltage does a Hive receiver operate on? (archived July 2025)
- Systems
- S-plan (typically two 2-port valves), Y-plan (typically one 3-port valve), gravity-fed and part-pumped Source: Hive Thermostat Professional Installation Guide, 2025 (PDF)
- Gravity-fed mode
- Set by holding the hot water button for 10 seconds; the status light flashes blue. Fully pumped is the default Source: Hive Thermostat Professional Installation Guide, 2025 (PDF)
- Size and weight
- 90 × 90 × 36.8 mm, 166 g Source: Hive Thermostat product page and FAQ (hivehome.com)
Model details come from Hive's UK product pages, user guides and installation guides. Hive can change a design or what comes in the box, so check your own kit and send a photo of it with your request. Last checked 31 October 2026.
How the Dual Channel Receiver is powered and mounted
On a cylinder system the boiler, pump, valves and cylinder thermostat usually meet at a wiring centre: a junction box near the cylinder where every wire lands. Hive's guide says an existing room thermostat may need to be bypassed or linked out and that the best place to do it is at the wiring centre. A pro who knows S-plan and Y-plan wiring does that and leaves the valve and cylinder wiring as it was.
Gravity-fed and part-pumped systems work differently: the hot water channel fires the boiler, and the heating channel opens a valve or runs a pump. The receiver has a gravity-fed mode for that, set during installation.
Unvented cylinders, the pressurised kind with a high-limit thermostat and safety valves, are a separate case. The cylinder's own thermostat, cut-out and valve are safety devices, and changes to them need a G3-qualified installer, so the pro leaves them untouched.
What the pro checks first
- Whether the system is S-plan, Y-plan or gravity-fed
- Whether the cylinder is vented or unvented
- How the wiring centre is laid out, photographed before anything is moved
What the pro does on the Dual Channel Receiver
- Controls isolated; wiring centre opened and the existing wiring photographed
- Two-channel programmer removed and the dual channel receiver wired in its place
- Old room thermostat linked out at the wiring centre where Hive's guide says to
- Fully pumped or gravity-fed mode set to match your system
- Heating and hot water each tested: right valve opens, boiler fires, both stop
Before you book: what to send
- A photo of the programmer, the cylinder and any label on the cylinder
- A photo of the wiring centre and valves if you can see them
- Whether the cylinder is vented (a cold water tank in the loft) or unvented (pressurised)
How Hive installation is priced
A vetted pro prices your job from photos of the boiler, your existing controls and the Hive kit, and the JACK app shows you that fixed price before you book.
Full pricing guide for Hive installationFrequently asked questions
Do I have an S-plan or a Y-plan system?
Hive's guide puts it simply: S-plan typically has two two-port valves, one for heating and one for hot water; Y-plan typically has a single three-port valve. A photo of the valves near your cylinder is enough for the pro to tell.
Can Hive set my hot water temperature?
No. Hive switches hot water on and off, on a schedule or with a boost, but the temperature is set on the cylinder's own thermostat.
How much does Hive Dual Channel Receiver installation cost in London?
It is a fixed price for your Dual Channel Receiver, worked out by a vetted pro from the model, a photo of where it is going and what power is there now, and shown in the JACK app before you book. Other devices can go on the same booking for one price. If you would rather pay for time, hourly hire for smart home is typically £45–£95 per hour as a guide.
Often booked together
Thermostat installation
The current Hive Thermostat with the dial: receiver wired in, boiler tested, thermostat placed and paired.
Multizone Kit installation
An extra Hive thermostat and receiver for an existing zone: wired, paired and labelled.
Single Channel Receiver installation
The combi-boiler receiver (SLR1): fitted, replaced or moved on the existing wiring.
More Hive receivers and hubs
Hive receiver and hub installation
Single channel, dual channel and OpenTherm receivers, and the Hive Hub that runs the app.
OpenTherm Receiver installation
The OTR1 receiver: relay mode on existing wiring, and when OpenTherm needs a Gas Safe engineer.
Hub installation
The Hive Hub (Nano 3): placed for range, connected, and paired with every Hive device.
All Hive installation guides
Hive Thermostat, Mini, receiver, hub and radiator valves fitted in London by vetted pros who work at the wall, not inside the boiler. Fixed price first.
Related services in London
Sources
The device facts and rules on this page come from these pages, checked on 31 October 2026.
- Hive Thermostat Professional Installation Guide, 2025 (PDF)
- Hive compliance and declarations of conformity
- Hive support: what voltage does a Hive receiver operate on? (archived July 2025)
- Hive Thermostat user guide, May 2026 (PDF)
- HSE L56: Safety in the installation and use of gas systems and appliances (code of practice)
- Gas Safe Register: who can legally work on a gas appliance (factsheet)
Jack All Trades (JACK) is an independent London service. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by Hive, Centrica or British Gas. Hive product names are used only to describe the devices JACK pros install, and prices are set by JACK pros, not by Hive. JACK pros do not work inside boilers or claim Gas Safe registration.
Get your Hive heating fitted
Send photos of your boiler, your current controls and your Hive kit in the JACK app, see a fixed price from a vetted local pro, and pick a time that suits you.
Get a fixed price in the app