best smart thermostat ?
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MrRalphMan
Getting the hang of it
- Jan 20, 2016
- 309
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I use Tado and love it.
I do only have a basic heating setup, but works really well for the water and central heating.
I do only have a basic heating setup, but works really well for the water and central heating.
nayr
IPCT Contributor
Ive got one of these: Trane TZEMT400BB3NX N N SL Home Energy Management Thermostat with Nexia Home Intelligence, White (Z-Wave) - Programmable Household Thermostats - Amazon.com
used with my Z-Wave Home Automation system..
used with my Z-Wave Home Automation system..
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I use this one(z-wave):
RCS Z-Wave Communicating Thermostat (001-01773) - Programmable Household Thermostats - Amazon.com
that I got at about half price. It's been pretty reliable when used from Elk M1.
It is not, however, a smart thermo in the sense that it does not have any built in programming, just two setpoints. All the "intelligence" comes from the controller. On the positive side it does not rely on cloud connection.
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tangent
IPCT Contributor
- May 12, 2016
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I'm sad they seem to have killed the models with buttons. This is the touchscreen replacement: TRANE Thermostat, Z-Wave, Works with Amazon Alexa - - Amazon.com
Honeywell also makes a good zwave thermostat. I'm NOT fond of RCS's products, I find the basic temp measurement and hysteresis lacking.
"smart" thermostats fall into 2 categories:
1. thermostats that support basic protocols like zwave, insteon, zigbee
these are solid performers and integrate with other devices and controllers but don't have some of the features you might like out of the box. The things you can do with your home automation system are more powerful.
2. thermostats that connect to the internet
These depend on your connection to the internet they generally lack a local API... cloud or bust. If your internet goes down or the company goes under you lose a lot of functionality. Sometimes you can get rebates on these from your power company, with programs that share data with the power company or allow the poco to override your thermostat. Read privacy policy / terms carefully, you're thermostat might be selling info about you to advertisers. I have mixed feelings about this category, but the Ecobee 3 is probably my favorite in this category. If you want something simple that works out of the box without other automation gear I'd get the Ecobee 3.
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I am pretty sure (read somewhere) that RCS is an OEM for some Tranes. I used to have a Trane that had issues with providing instant status (temp changes) which I wanted to monitor. The RCS TZ45 replacement has been flawless in this respect. Maybe it's just my bad/good luck with those two. But, you are probably right wrt temp sensor. I noticed that one of my rcs thermos has it's temperature jumping uo/down by a degree within 1 minute. The other one does not do that. Perhaps, air flow affects the jumpy one.
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wantafastz28
Getting comfortable
2 ecobees for me.... they already paid for themselves in one summer compared to the ones that came with the house.
tangent
IPCT Contributor
- May 12, 2016
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I think you're right, I vaguely recall reading similar info (or it may have been whoever actually makes RCS). The trane models I've seen behave more reliably than the RCS ones. The software is a bit different.
It's pretty maddening to see a thermostat that struggles to measure temperature. The ritetemp touchscreens are pretty bad in this regard. Kind of like smart phones that can't reliably place a phone call with intelligible audio.
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Two Ecobees here also, plus four extra room sensors (for a total of six room sensors). They do a great job of sensing when nobody is around and going into Away mode, which has saved a ton of money over the last 1.5 years.
I also like the "Follow Me" feature, where it will run the HVAC until the avenge temp of the occupied rooms hit your set point, not when the temperature of the hallway where the thermostat is mounted hits the set point.
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zero-degrees
Known around here
- Aug 15, 2015
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Ecobee plus 5 sensors for 6 monitoring spots over 4000sq ft. As noted above - the follow me feature is amazing taking the average temp of all sensors to balance the temp throughout the house. We specifically didn't spend the extra $4,000 in duel zone heating/cooling in our new house when we built last year because of the great success of the Ecobee in our last house. Add the detailed reports and customizable settings I love it. Not to mention if you have an older house you will prob qualify for a rebate from your local energy provider if you upgrade to it.
Jack B Nimble
Pulling my weight
I am not understanding how this would save me money...in fact the way follow me works Id think it would cost me more.
For example, if its 100 deg out and I am in my living room with large ceilings and souhern windows, by the time it cooledl that room to a comfortable level he whole rest of the house Im not in would be at a much lower temp than I need it.
In reverse, to heat that room to a comfortable level since he heat rises the other rooms would be too hot.
It seems like it would only work properly if you DID have multi zoned HVAC so it only ran the unit for the areas you are in and not the whole house.
tangent
IPCT Contributor
- May 12, 2016
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depends on how you use it. the dashboards help you visualize things and make smart adjustments to your settings.
some of the settings could increase usage, but on the whole there are more things to counterbalance that. Your AC is generally more efficient when it runs longer rather than short cycling.
wantafastz28
Getting comfortable
I haven't had much luck with the follow me, the scheduling and away modes have been very useful.
Right now I'm in the living room, and the sensor says unoccupied... same issue with the bedroom sensor. Still a million times better then the last thermostats though.
hmjgriffon
Known around here
Is it possible to get one of these that will just plug in where the current thermostat goes? I noticed I can just pop mine off the wall, I'm not sure if it's like a standard socket or what.
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MrRalphMan
Getting the hang of it
- Jan 20, 2016
- 309
- 72
The Tado is a direct replacement for the Thermostat and I have the optional Extension box and that was a direct replacement for my timer unit.
This is in the UK, so not sure about anywhere else.
Works great, but yes you are dependent on an Internet Connection.
A lot will depend on what kind of HVAC system you currently have, and how it's wired. Both the Ecobee and Nest websites should have some decent installation information you can look at before purchasing. In my last two houses, it was as simply as unscrewing the wires hooked up to the old one and putting them on the new one.
zero-degrees
Known around here
- Aug 15, 2015
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In your example it wouldn't - their is no solution for this scenario unless you have dual zone heating cooling with this room on its own zone. However, in a house with 10' ceilings on the first floor and standard 8' ceilings on the second with a two story living room it performs perfectly fine.
In your scenario if the thermostat in that house was in the main living area the entire house would be frozen or boiling because that thermostat would never be accurate. Further more if the thermostat is located in another smaller room in the summer the large room will be hot no matter what on a single zone system...
Your scenario is simply an example/attempt to show a downside to a very useful successful product. I stand by my statement that I believe this product and additions sensors are a great value.
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