Advice The Home Improvement/Automation Thread

[gee]

Heeeey, the big one will control a HRV. Schweet.

Guess I'll do full blown ecobee in the kitchen where the HRV panel is, and lites elsewhere.

gf is headed to the house today for a plumbing inspection, gonna get her to nab the model # of the ductless so I can look at wiring it in. Thanks.

 

[Domon]

also, phone cord? What year is it.

 

[gee]

also, phone cord? What year is it.

I'm guessing telephone cable is cheap (hell, there's probably a surplus of it) and has enough wires for the application.

 

[Domon]

I'm guessing telephone cable is cheap (hell, there's probably a surplus of it) and has enough wires for the application.

its also antique just run cat5e like a normal person.

 

[gee]

its also antique just run cat5e like a normal person.

nah, I'm gonna pull it out and replace it with 14/3. Never know when I might need to power a really smart thermostat that'll melt any ordinary 24V/C wire pair.

 

[Domon]

Hmm. Nest E versus ecobee 3 lite.

We're not using alexa or siri in the house, we just have a google home mini in the kitchen, and both of us have android phones. So being locked into the nest ecosystem isn't really a huge issue.

The province will reimburse us $100/thermostat for up to 5 of the things, which is the number of heating zones we have. So if one of those thermostats goes on for $149 CAD or something on black friday, I'm gonna buy a pile of the things.

Shame that we can't tie the ductless heat pump into the system easily.

black friday sale at 139 USD for the lite

Wi-Fi smart thermostat | ecobee

Save energy and control the temperature at home from anywhere. Connect to SmartSensor for enhanced comfort.

shop.ecobee.com

 

[fly]

Still can't get the ecobee to work with my HVAC.

 

[Valve1138]

Still can't get the ecobee to work with my HVAC.

wassup? Another bad unit? Maybe it’s your HVAC control board.

 

[fly]

wassup? Another bad unit? Maybe it’s your HVAC control board.

It might be? Seems really odd, and support has been great - but has given up on me.

* My dumb tstat works fine.
* My Nest will only work with the C wire disconnected.
* None of my three Ecobees have been able to turn on the fan (but can turn on the compressor).

 

[gee]

* My Nest will only work with the C wire disconnected.

This is a clue. I'm guessing you're wiring might not be what you think it is, or might be miswired at the HVAC end.

Take a pic of the other end of the wiring, make sure your colors and wire letters match.

 

[fly]

This is a clue. I'm guessing you're wiring might not be what you think it is, or might be miswired at the HVAC end.

Take a pic of the other end of the wiring, make sure your colors and wire letters match.

I've done that, but will double check. But without a C wire, my dumb tstat wouldn't work.

 

[Valve1138]

I've done that, but will double check. But without a C wire, my dumb tstat wouldn't work.

How much would a new control board be I wonder?

It’s either that or the wire is fucked up somehow.

 

[Valve1138]

You could try connecting the Ecobee up right next to the unit with a new, shorter wire just to see what happens.

 

[Mr. Argumentor]

You could try connecting the Ecobee up right next to the unit with a new, shorter wire just to see what happens.

Decent idea

 

[Jehannum]

I've done that, but will double check. But without a C wire, my dumb tstat wouldn't work.

You could just allow the power company to control your stupid AC like you've agreed to instead of hacking it so that you get the benefit but not the drawback, too.

 

[fly]

You could just allow the power company to control your stupid AC like you've agreed to instead of hacking it so that you get the benefit but not the drawback, too.

They don't control it at all.

 

[gee]

So yeah, post a picture of each end of the thermostat wire - where it goes into your HVAC system, and where it goes into your thermostat.

 

[Jehannum]

They don't control it at all.

That's not what you've said in the past. Did you disenroll from the program?

 

[Domon]

You could try connecting the Ecobee up right next to the unit with a new, shorter wire just to see what happens.

yeah, this is the way to troubleshoot. Go straight to the AC unit and check the wiring right at the unit. It usually inside the blower motor housing.

 

[Domon]

its possible your dumb thermostat had an intermediary box that makes the wiring all fucky. Mine did