Thermostat recomendation

[SGKent]

Thermostat recomendation - Update - Bought NEST

we have a carrier forced air heat/ac system that was put in around 2003 or so. Works fine but the thermostat is starting to drift so that it is no longer accurate. It is about 25 years old so it has served its purpose. I think it is a Honeywell CT2800. 5 day 2 day programmable. The heater has a 2 speed motor on heat - kicks on for I think 9 minutes at low and if that does not bring the heat to the desired level it goes to high on the fan and burners. That is all controlled in the heater itself and it works fine with the Honeywell we have now. Other than temp drift there is nothing wrong with it.

I've spent the morning looking at thermostats. We don't need one that has the ability to call us and report that we saved one therm this month. I work in a 25 building and everyday have to wait while people aren't ready to get off the elevator because they are texting or making adjustments to the cat's feeding schedule from their smart phones. Would anyone like to make a recommendation of a good solid east to read and pleasant to the eye thermostat for this application that doesn't look like it was designed to attract pre-schoolers at play time?

Thanks - Steve

 

[Marctrees]

Do you use any of the programming timer functions, like day/eve differences, "vacation" or whatever??

Or is a just basic Tstat take care of your needs? Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Is there any possibility it got somehow reprogrammed and is "drifting" to somekinda like Energy saving mode or anything?

Also, I spose you know theres a battery, may not have effect on your problem. Marc

 

[SGKent]

the battery usually shows lo-bat when it is low. This is more like it is 67 in the house and it is showing 70 or 71. Or it might be showing 68 and it is 74 in the house. This thermostat has been there since I think 1992 or 1993. It was always stable before within a degree or two of thermometers in the house. The plastic is old and discoloring too now.

The choices are M-F and Sat & Sun / temp and time of day 4 settings. Usage and reset usage. Just a basic eco thermostat. Nothing that is Wi-Fi, cat-5, or programmable otherwise beyond the choices above. I am not sure we would benefit from anything that sophisticated. We still use flip phones. I work with technology and frankly from what I am seeing, the technology is becoming more of a risk than anyone imagines. Everyone I work with has had their bank or credit cards stolen once or twice. I have no desire to have someone hack my thermostat and turn it to full on while we are gone. We have pets that stay in the house sometimes and can't risk someone hacking in.

 

[tyme2par4]

I would just go with a new Honeywell RTH6350. That's what I had in my previous house. They're simple and easy to program.
Now that I've used the thermostats in my new house, I may be switching them to Honeywells as well.

 

[SGKent]

I would just go with a new Honeywell RTH6350. That's what I had in my previous house. They're simple and easy to program.
Now that I've used the thermostats in my new house, I may be switching them to Honeywells as well.

Looks like what we basically want. Only question is how accurate - half the reviews at HD say it is off by up to 8 degrees right out of the box new. 1 or 2 is fine but 8 is a bit much. What was your experience?

 

[R.Anderson]

I would also question how people are getting the "real" temperature and how accurate the thermometer they use. Are they allowing enough time for it to measure and display measured temperature? Are they installing the thermostat correctly? How many people are installing em where outside temperatures are affecting it?
Just saying it's not just the thermostats' fault every time.

If you want a accurate reading make sure you get thermostat you can calibrate. If you want to go a little further get a calibration kit.

A basic thermostat will not be programmable. So if the rth6350 is basically what you want, what do you really want?

 

[PT Doc]

Do you have electronic air cleaners, humidifier, ERV system? Do you want humidity info or outside temps?

 

[Marctrees]

I think back to the days of the Honeywell ?T87?.

W sub base if you needed cooling also.

Good times, no problems.

Nice bimetal spring, mercury switch.

Worked just fine till people needed "Apps" to wipe their waste repositor. Marc

 

[tyme2par4]

Looks like what we basically want. Only question is how accurate - half the reviews at HD say it is off by up to 8 degrees right out of the box new. 1 or 2 is fine but 8 is a bit much. What was your experience?

They always seemed to be dead on when I used them. I had a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer on the counter about 15ft from the thermostat. They were always within 1 degree of each other.

 

[SGKent]

Do you have electronic air cleaners, humidifier, ERV system? Do you want humidity info or outside temps?

No. There are too many gadgets in my life now and I work in IT so am overwhelmed at the end of the day with changes. Just want to set it a couple times a year and be able to easily change the temp if we are cold or hot, boiled a bunch of water in the house etc/. and the humidity is way up. We live near Sacramento and don't have the dry winters like many of you have when it is cold.

I would also question how people are getting the "real" temperature and how accurate the thermometer they use. Are they allowing enough time for it to measure and display measured temperature? Are they installing the thermostat correctly? How many people are installing em where outside temperatures are affecting it?
Just saying it's not just the thermostats' fault every time.

If you want a accurate reading make sure you get thermostat you can calibrate. If you want to go a little further get a calibration kit.

A basic thermostat will not be programmable. So if the rth6350 is basically what you want, what do you really want?

What you suggested meets the need other than I was a little concerned about accuracy. I understand that some folks put a thermostat in sunlight etc and wonder why it is off. I'd buy another Honeywell CT3300A if they made them. I think we also put a CT3300 in my dad's house before he and mom passed. They worked well and cut money spent. I don't have a need to control my life from a smart phone so what you suggested is fine. I'll probably go up to HD later today or tomorrow and look at one.

 

[75gmck25]

I've been using a Honeywell RTH6350D for the last four years without any issues.

I have a rather unusual configuration where the heat side controls my Buderus gas boiler and the cooling side controls my separate Carrier forced air A/C. I just flip the thermostat between heat and cool and it controls whichever system is needed. The boiler is 4 years old and the A/C is about 3 1/2 years old.

Bruce

 

[SGKent]

I've been using a Honeywell RTH6350D for the last four years without any issues.

I have a rather unusual configuration where the heat side controls my Buderus gas boiler and the cooling side controls my separate Carrier forced air A/C. I just flip the thermostat between heat and cool and it controls whichever system is needed. The boiler is 4 years old and the A/C is about 3 1/2 years old.

Bruce

one complaint of some of the newer units is they cycle too much with only 1 F difference before they come on. Do you see that with yours?

 

[DC73]

I like this simple programmable Wi-Fi model by Honeywell:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywel...mable-Thermostat-Free-App-RTH6580WF/203556922

I wasn't sure I wanted Wi-Fi but it was easy to connect and now I'm hooked. I can change the thermostat from anywhere in the house. I really like being able to turn the AC completely off when I leave for extended periods and then turn it back on remotely before I begin the trip home.

I also like the "hold until" feature which lets me temporarily override the programming without having to remember to undo my changes.

I find this model to be very accurate. I used one in my last house, swapped out for this model in my current house and picked up another one for the workshop HVAC system I just finished installing. All in all, I'm very satisfied and highly recommend this model.

DC

 

[SGKent]

Re: Thermostat recomendation - Update - Bought NEST

Ok - I broke down and bought a NEST but have not unpacked it yet. Also chatted with NEST and they yes it will work but added a caveat they weren't 100% sure kinda thing. Maybe someone who has been thru this same scenario might comment.

The existing system is 4-wire. To work right I need to add a common. That is easily done. Now the hard part -

The system is a forced-air two-stage gas heater and one-stage AC. All Carrier about 11 years old as I recall. The heater currently uses the onboard controller that calls up stage two heat and a higher fan speed after about 10 minutes of being on. The AC only operates at one speed and the fan at high. Currently when there is a heat call it starts low. From the HEATER manual if I remove a certain jumper then a thermostat can control the two-stages. I believe, but am not sure, that if I remove the specified jumper and connect an additional wire for stage two heat (W2) and the existing wire W1 still to W1 then the NEST will control both the stage two burner AND the stage two fan speed. I do not want to risk having the stage two burner on and the low fan speed. Currently that logic is in the HVAC board I believe. Can anyone confirm I am correct in that using a new wire for COMM and a new W2 wire along with the other 4 properly connected will control the heater better than the HVAC system can control it?

Carrier Heater 58CTX series
Carrier AC 38TRA series

 

[75gmck25]

"one complaint of some of the newer units is they cycle too much with only 1 F difference before they come on. Do you see that with yours?"
I have not noticed that type of problem with my Honeywell RTH6350D.

On the heat side I have cast iron radiators, so the heat swings are very slow. However, I have been very surprised how well it works to bring the radiators up to temp at the right time, since I set it down to 64 degrees at night and it reaches 70 in the morning at the time I set on the thermostat. I don't if the heating contractor made an adjustment during installation of the new boiler, or the thermostat worked that way out of the box.

Bruce

 

[R.Anderson]

Re: Thermostat recomendation - Update - Bought NEST

Ok - I broke down and bought a NEST but have not unpacked it yet. Also chatted with NEST and they yes it will work but added a caveat they weren't 100% sure kinda thing. Maybe someone who has been thru this same scenario might comment.

The existing system is 4-wire. To work right I need to add a common. That is easily done. Now the hard part -

The system is a forced-air two-stage gas heater and one-stage AC. All Carrier about 11 years old as I recall. The heater currently uses the onboard controller that calls up stage two heat and a higher fan speed after about 10 minutes of being on. The AC only operates at one speed and the fan at high. Currently when there is a heat call it starts low. From the HEATER manual if I remove a certain jumper then a thermostat can control the two-stages. I believe, but am not sure, that if I remove the specified jumper and connect an additional wire for stage two heat (W2) and the existing wire W1 still to W1 then the NEST will control both the stage two burner AND the stage two fan speed. I do not want to risk having the stage two burner on and the low fan speed. Currently that logic is in the HVAC board I believe. Can anyone confirm I am correct in that using a new wire for COMM and a new W2 wire along with the other 4 properly connected will control the heater better than the HVAC system can control it?

Carrier Heater 58CTX series
Carrier AC 38TRA series

I can confirm that what you described will work, but better I do not know.

 

[SGKent]

we took the NEST back after discussing it with some HVAC techs, about security which has been a concern. Instead I went with a White-Rodgers unit that has a 5-1-1 programmable and no Wi-Fi. IT also has a C wire so the batteries last longer, a filter run monitor and the ability to set the thermometer up or down. It also has a variable temperature spread run time so one can choose 1F or 1.5 F. I set it to the recommended amount and it comes on when it is 1 degree higher and stays on for about 2 degrees - one either side of the setting. White Rodger 1F80-361 . My HVAC contractor recommended it as they have that model at home and it has been flawless for years.

 

[uncletater]

we took the NEST back after discussing it with some HVAC techs, about security which has been a concern. Instead I went with a White-Rodgers unit that has a 5-1-1 programmable and no Wi-Fi. IT also has a C wire so the batteries last longer, a filter run monitor and the ability to set the thermometer up or down. It also has a variable temperature spread run time so one can choose 1F or 1.5 F. I set it to the recommended amount and it comes on when it is 1 degree higher and stays on for about 2 degrees - one either side of the setting. White Rodger 1F80-361 . My HVAC contractor recommended it as they have that model at home and it has been flawless for years.

Can you explain how a nest will have anything to do with security.
We have a nest and it is fantastic.

 

[tyme2par4]

Can you explain how a nest will have anything to do with security.
We have a nest and it is fantastic.

It's internet connected, and thus could potentially be hacked.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2015/03/06/nest-thermostat-hack-home-network/#5e387ac95cb0

 

[uncletater]

It's internet connected, and thus could potentially be hacked.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2015/03/06/nest-thermostat-hack-home-network/#5e387ac95cb0

"For this hack to happen, the attacker has to first get physical access to the device. That drastically reduces the likelihood of this hack ever taking place in the real world–but TrapX speculates that this scenario might take place if someone buys a used Nest off of Craigslist or eBay."

"It’s also worth noting that infecting a computer or smartphone would be a lot more effective means of launching an attack on a home network. But as we continue to introduce more internet-connected devices into our lives, securing these devices will become more of a pressing concern."


So should we stop using cell phones as well. I really do buy that a thermostat is a security issue. Maybe we should all live in concrete houses with steel doors and no windows to be safe.

 

[Trey T]

I installed two Nest 3rd gen beginning of last summer and I highly recommend it. It's a lot easier than the last three fancy Honeywell programmable t-stat I had. Basically, you install it and you just forget about it. It does its own thing and just save you on energy bill; sure the previous t-stat save me on energy based on the specific programming but the Nest is JUST-STUPID SMART.

 

[Matsgarage]

Re: Thermostat recomendation - Update - Bought NEST

You could also check out the ecobee thermostat. It's a direct competitor to the nest.

Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I think back to the days of the Honeywell ?T87?.

W sub base if you needed cooling also.

Good times, no problems.

Nice bimetal spring, mercury switch.

Worked just fine till people needed "Apps" to wipe their waste repositor. Marc

You can still get a yoyo.

Tommy