7 Day Programmable Thermostats

[exalted512]

Got our latest elec bill and def. going to invest in one of these now. Opinions on what you like and what you dont? Brands, etc?

Thanks,
-Cody

[woodhead 2]

I have a Honeywell. Pretty easy to program, set it and forget it. Works good.

[obieone]

+1 to Honeywell.
You DON'T need the $200 one., just to save you some money. I've got the 'Focus Pro 6000'.

[Knucklehead]

I have a Trane unit....now if I can just get the Wife and kids to leave it alone..... :)

[bobman1235]

Yeah just a simple HOneywell will be fine. I've seen people with the uber-fancy ones and they always just end up being an unnecessary hassle.

[thsmith]

+1 to Honeywell.
You DON'T need the $200 one., just to save you some money. I've got the 'Focus Pro 6000'.

The 6000 was a consumereports recommended in 2007.

Not sure what my honeywell is but I like it and easy operate. Mine has backup batteries so you can program it on the couch;)

[exalted512]

I really want one I can program wirelessly through my android phone.
-Cody

[exalted512]

just kidding:D:D

[exalted512]

Truthfully, I've been holding out for woot.com to have one...haha. But I guess they're not going to...or at least wait until I buy one first...just seemed like something they might sell.

Anyway, I think this is the one I might go with...seems like a good price too.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200512464406&rvr_id=138957571327&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=%3F*S%3F&GUID=f45089e012a0a02652f16ac1ff5ec58a&itemid=200512464406&ff4=263602_263622#ht_546wt_911
-Cody

[anonymouse]

I have one and it really depends on your family usage patterns. We find that its always defeated because our patterns in the house are too unpredictable. We have a Honeywell 7 day mid range one. IIRC it was about $100 at Lowe's and I found the same one on eBay for $50.

Besides the thermostat, check your ductwork insulation, and ensure that during the summer, most of the air is being channeled to the highest floor.

[Serendipity]

Have you looked into Control 4?

www.control4.com

I saw their demo at CES and was impressed...

[Serendipity]

This is also a good unit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Honeywell-Prestige-HD-YTHX9321R5003-Thermostat-Kit-/320578332445?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa3f5271d

We have an older top of the line Honeywell 7 day programmable unit and it's very impressive.

[exalted512]

Have you looked into Control 4?

www.control4.com

I saw their demo at CES and was impressed...


This is also a good unit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Honeywell-Prestige-HD-YTHX9321R5003-Thermostat-Kit-/320578332445?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa3f5271d

We have an older top of the line Honeywell 7 day programmable unit and it's very impressive.

Little out of my price range! I'm hoping to keep this sub $100
-Cody

[Serendipity]

How about this one?

Honeywell RTH8500D

[jimmydep]

I'm a plumbing and heating contractor and the Honeywell is what I use in my house and recommend to my customers....this is the one I use..

http://www.pexsupply.com/Honeywell-TH8110U1003-VisionPro-Thermostat-1-Heat-1-Cool-3909000-p

[exalted512]

How about this one?

Honeywell RTH8500D

dont really know what the difference is between that one and the other i was looking at besides price and it has a vacation mode that i would find handy once a year...but not worth the price difference.
-Cody

[disneyjoe7]

Honeywell 6000 pro Love it, and recommend it.

[messiah]

Just get a programmable, honeywell or otherwise you will love it.

[Gadabout]

I have a Robertshaw RS 3210 - well below the $100 mark

http://www.prothermostats.com/product.php?product=172267

Owners Manual - http://www.ntsupply.com/files/products/RS3210Manuala.pdf

One of the features I wasn't expecting to use was the energy monitor. It lets you determine the amount of time that Heater or AC has run. I used it for getting the most out of the program schedule. I tried a couple variations till I got the one that ran the least amount of time.

Scott

[brettw22]

Have you looked into Control 4?

www.control4.com

I saw their demo at CES and was impressed...


Little out of my price range! I'm hoping to keep this sub $100
-CodyI stayed at Aria Resort last week in Vegas and their whole room is automated.....LOVED IT......except that there is a lag between the controller and what happens.........but was definitely badass.......

[indyhawg]

I have a Honeywell. Like others have said, it is easy to set up. I haven't had any problems with mine.

[Ricardo]

Lots of sub $100 options.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_tref_p_brandtextbin_1?rh=n%3A2054378011%2Cp _brandtextbin%3AHoneywell%2Ck%3Aprogrammable+therm ostat&keywords=programmable+thermostat&ie=UTF8&qid=1284372600&rnid=339804011

[exalted512]

Well, I got the one I linked to from ebay. I put in a 'best offer' at $69.50, plus the $7.50 for shipping, so $77 OTD. Saved about $30 compared to home depot if you count tax.

If my offer didnt get accepted, I was probably just going to get the one that Serendepity linked to as it wasnt a lot more than the step down if i just did buy it now.

I was just in vegas in july, we stayed in the Bellagio. I wasnt too impressed actually. Truthfully, I enjoyed my stay at the luxor more as far as the 'hotel experience' goes. Just sucked because it was so far down on the strip.
-Cody

[nadams]

I think I paid $20 or $30 for the Honeywell I got from Home Depot. You can't program each day individually, so it has 2 programs, one for weekdays and one for weekends. Controls heat and cool, though I only have heat. Pretty basic, but it works. It allows for 4 different setpoints throughout the day.

Just about time to start firing the furnace up again :(. My program is usually this during the weekdays:

7am - 75* (don't like cold showers)
9am - 62*
5pm - 72*
11pm - 55 (or 60)

Keep in mind, this system also doesn't feed my bedroom. I use electric space heaters up there.

[obieone]

If you have a gas or electric heat set-up, it'll be a pretty straight forward install.
IF you have a heat-pump, it'll require some trial and error. Basically, depending on how your heat pumps reversing valve works, you'll have designate in the set-up/ wire designation.
Hopefully the original installers gave you a 'common' wire;)

[Serendipity]

If you have a gas or electric heat set-up, it'll be a pretty straight forward install.
IF you have a heat-pump, it'll require some trial and error. Basically, depending on how your heat pumps reversing valve works, you'll have designate in the set-up/ wire designation.
Hopefully the original installers gave you a 'common' wire;)

+1

Some 24V systems don't have the "common" wire, and in the case of mine, the wires weren't labeled and all the same worn-out cloth color so you couldn't differentiate which was which. Luckily, through some trial and error, I got it to work.

The Honeywell RTH series requires a "common" wire, AFAIK.

[nadams]

Mine was only a two-wire setup. This does mean that I can't run the fan independent of the thermostat. The electronics in the furnace control when the fan does and doesn't run (it lets the exchanger heat up before kicking on the fan, and then lets it run for a little after the burners shut off).

But then, my furnace is from the 70's.

[Serendipity]

Mine was only a two-wire setup. This does mean that I can't run the fan independent of the thermostat. The electronics in the furnace control when the fan does and doesn't run (it lets the exchanger heat up before kicking on the fan, and then lets it run for a little after the burners shut off).

But then, my furnace is from the 70's.

A lot of older systems are like that. My heating system is from the late 40's, built right after the War, but the boiler is new(er). Even then, it's still the same setup as yours as due to the wiring, I can only choose from ON or OFF.