Deadband/Differential WiFi Thermostat

[tearapin]

I am looking for input as to a good Wifi controlled thermostat to install. It must have a deadband adjustment though. Many Home Depot stocked ones do not offer deadband and the furnace/ac cycle in an effort to try to maintain .5 degrees. That's Crazy.

I have gas forced air heat and AC. Anyone have a recommendation?

As a side note I was surprised most of the popular thermos do not have deadband. Nest, etc.

 

[P0234]

The now unsupported Radio Thermostat/3M Filtrete units have up to 3 degrees of deadband and set point down to almost freezing. They no longer work with the mobile app but continue to work with local hubs like Home Assistant. You can find them on eBay for around $30

 

[fitter30]

2° dead band stat set at 70° will come back on at 68°
60° is the lowest setpoint temp most manufacturers recommend because the furnace will condensed flue gas till space heats up rust burners and heat exchanger.

 

[P0234]

2° dead band stat set at 70° will come back on at 68°
60° is the lowest setpoint temp most manufacturers recommend because the furnace will condensed flue gas till space heats up rust burners and heat exchanger.

I'm not sure my heat pump has flue gas, if it does we are in bigger trouble. Until then, I'd rather keep my garage, literally just above freezing to keep the pipes from bursting.

 

[BrandonV]

I know LUX still makes a lot of thermostats with a deadband setting.

 

[rlitman]

I can't say I've seen a thermostat without adjustable hysteresis (not truly deadband). In digital thermostats, it may be buried deep behind weird button combinations, but it is always there. My Ecobee has an adjustable range from 2F through 3.2F

 

[BrandonV]

I can't say I've seen a thermostat without adjustable hysteresis (not truly deadband). In digital thermostats, it may be buried deep behind weird button combinations, but it is always there. My Ecobee has an adjustable range from 2F through 3.2F

I had a Honeywell installed. Zero option to set the swing anywhere.

Horrible.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

The Emerson Sensi has an adjustable deadband, although IIRC it’s not called that. I think it’s called sensitivity, or something like that.

Edited to add: It’s called “Cycle Rate,” accessible only via the app> https://sensi.copeland.com/en-us/support/cycle-rate

 

[rlitman]

I had a Honeywell installed. Zero option to set the swing anywhere.

Horrible.

I had Honeywell digital 5-1-1 and 7-day programmable thermostats, and while the setting isn't shown in any menu or the quick-setup card, it IS buried deep in the booklet in some hard to access programming mode, near where you enter the heat source for adaptive "intelligent" recovery. From what I understand, the WiFi versions that followed used the same programs.

My biggest problem with the Honeywell thermostats (pre-WiFi), was that they would learn your systems recovery rate and attempt to work with that learned rate to time your morning warmup, but you'd experience a very cold house for a while following a severe overnight temperature drop. Thermostats that are aware of the outdoor temperature and weather predictions can maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature, and my Ecobee uses weather data to do just that.

 

[BrandonV]

I had Honeywell digital 5-1-1 and 7-day programmable thermostats, and while the setting isn't shown in any menu or the quick-setup card, it IS buried deep in the booklet in some hard to access programming mode, near where you enter the heat source for adaptive "intelligent" recovery. From what I understand, the WiFi versions that followed used the same programs.

My biggest problem with the Honeywell thermostats (pre-WiFi), was that they would learn your systems recovery rate and attempt to work with that learned rate to time your morning warmup, but you'd experience a very cold house for a while following a severe overnight temperature drop. Thermostats that are aware of the outdoor temperature and weather predictions can maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature, and my Ecobee uses weather data to do just that.

Do you know what that setting is called? I've looked at the installer guide which is what you are referring to and I didn't see anything I could set expect for the CPH.

Thanks.

 

[gleman]

I just checked my Ecobee 3 and it has that setting. It's called thresholds in the advanced menu.

 

[rlitman]

Do you know what that setting is called? I've looked at the installer guide which is what you are referring to and I didn't see anything I could set expect for the CPH.

Thanks.

I'd have to dig up the book, and I apologize, because that's not happening any time soon. I do recall that the installer guide was quite incomplete, and there was a bigger book. Perhaps you could call their tech support line (I know they used to have one)?

 

[P0234]

I just checked my Ecobee 3 and it has that setting. It's called thresholds in the advanced menu.

If you are talking about the Heat/Cool Min Delta, that is not the deadband the OP is referring to. That's the temerature it delta it uses to switch between heating and cooling modes.

 

[rlitman]

If you are talking about the Heat/Cool Min Delta, that is not the deadband the OP is referring to. That's the temerature it delta it uses to switch between heating and cooling modes.

Actually, it is a real "dead band", but just isn't what the OP thinks it is.

Help Centre

support.ecobee.com

Heat/Cool Minimum Delta:​

Also known as the "dead band", this is the minimum temperature difference between the desired Heat and Cool set points in Auto mode. You will not be able to adjust the temperature range in Auto mode below this value. This is set to 5⁰F/2.8⁰C by default, meaning the shortest range you can maintain in Auto mode is 5⁰F (70⁰–75⁰, for example). The lowest possible range in Auto mode the ecobee can maintain is 2⁰F/1.1⁰C. This setting prevents your equipment from short cycling.

But the hysteresis settings we're talking about are (note that Ecobee allows you to have different settings for heating and cooling):

Heat Differential Temperature:​

(This threshold will only be configurable if your thermostat is set to Manually for Configure Staging)
Also known as the "swing" temperature, this is the minimum temperature differential the ecobee observes before engaging heat. This is set to 0.5⁰F/0.3⁰C by default. This setting will wait for the temperature in your home to drop by this value (0.5⁰F/0.3⁰C in the default scenario) below your set point before engaging your heat. For example, if your Heat set point is 72⁰F, the ecobee will wait until the temperature in your home drops below 71.5⁰F before engaging your heat. This setting prevents your equipment from short cycling and helps to conserve energy.

NOTE: During "Away" periods or Custom Comfort Settings set to "I'm Usually Away", an additional 1°F/0.6°C degree differential will be added to your set temperature when deciding to call for heating.

Cool Differential Temp:​

(This threshold will only be configurable if your thermostat is set to Manually for Configure Staging)

Also known as the "swing" temperature, this is the minimum temperature differential the ecobee observes before engaging cooling. This is set to 0.5⁰F/0.3⁰C by default. This setting will wait for the temperature in your home to rise by this value (0.5⁰F/0.3⁰C in the default scenario) above your set point before engaging your air conditioning. For example, if your Cool set point is 72⁰F, the ecobee will engage your air conditioning when the temperature in your home reaches above 72.5⁰F. This setting prevents your equipment from short cycling and helps to conserve energy.

NOTE: During "Away" periods or Custom Comfort Settings set to "I'm Usually Away", an additional 1°F/0.6°C degree differential will be added to your set temperature when deciding to call for heating.

 

[gleman]

Sorry, that was the wrong pic.



I knew what op was getting at. The settings are still under thresholds.

 

[tearapin]

I wound up going with a GE Cync. Does the job and has the differential I was looking for. They call it thresholds as mentioned above.

 

[Carolhill]

I have a breeze BC107 thermostat and it can adjust the deadband to your needs.If you need it you can contact them through their website
https://www.breezecontrols.com/programmable-room-thermostat.html

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Gosh....now you guys have gotten me thinking I need to replace t-stats in my house. I bought state-of-the-art units, but that was over 15 years ago.

Question: Is there any modern thermostat that will still allow the furnace to function if the battery goes dead? (I think I know the answer to this question).

Q2...with all of this wi-fi connected technology, do you receive sufficient warning of low batteries that this is not an issue?

 

[jlv03]

Anything WiFi is going to need a constant source of power (C or common wire on the thermostat must be connected). The "learning" thermostats (EcoBee, Nest Learning) have a rechargeable lithium battery. I'm sure they will alert when the battery goes low, but that should only happen when the air handler doesn't have power (and then what good would a thermostat do anyway?).