How To Install A Smart Thermostat | Ask This Old House

[@max-zl1vm]

I cannot convey how helpful this video was. I always wondered why my smart thermostat had no fan control, now it makes sense: the fan wire has been repurposed for the common wire.

[@peterjanis2455]

I was pretty impressed with the way this was handled. I wouldn't have thought Ross would think on his toes in the way he did by eliminating the fan wire. Not sure I would have thought of that either. Really good easy fix, eliminating cutting drywall, drilling holes, rewiring, or even doing the dedicated transformer for the common (another PITA) well done

[@bingo45373]

This has nothing to do with this episode but I have learned so much from Tom Richard Rodgers’s and norm I pray that you keep this going for a long time because even when we are all gone at least our children will still learn you guys have put a lot knowledge out there best schooling I’ve ever ever had

[@JetLagRecords]

This Old House, This is perfect! I subscribed right away!

[@byronwatkins2565]

Actually, "OL" is over limit. The meter's applied voltage reached its limit trying to cause current to flow through the circuit. I would have tried to use the old wire to pull new wire down the wall. If there were no snags, that would have been the best repair. If there were snags, you could always pull the wire back and use your Plan B.

[@jstrick85]

I installed smart thermostats and I’m so glad I repainted instead of using those huge wall plates. Looks so much cleaner.

[@danhamilton9225]

They love the giant faceplates on TOH. 😂

[@durangodave]

i would have atleast attempted to find the splice. Put a tone on the wire and follow the sound until it stops, that is your splice. It even could be in an access panel or behind a connection plate.

[@kevinbywater]

He mentioned another thermostat upstairs. I would bet the splice would be there. At least they should have checked.

[@1wadup]

Keyboard warrior here, but.. I would at least look for that splice AT THE FACEPLATE. Wire could have been just short when they replaced the previous thermostat. It looked like there was plenty of plaster covering that wire, and my bet is opening that hole another 2-4” (new faceplate would cover) you would find your splice.

[@donc-m4900]

Yes and 2nd would be the power source. Someone had to splice it, unless they replastered the wall afterwards

[@bboi]

Yep, 99% sure the splice is behind the thermostat.

[@bngr_bngr]

The slice was down after they made the house. Maybe there was another thermometer on the second floor.

[@donc-m4900]

@@bngr_bngr there is a second thermostat.

[@GalacticTradingPost]

I hate electrical. It's so hard to deal with wiring and it's one of those trades that will instantly kill you if you forget to turn off the power

[@deadslideio7195]

What happens to the fan now

[@andyallen1772]

In this scenario, use honeywell thermostat which provide a c-wire adapter. You can control all fuctions only with 4-wires.

[@mattclifton6516]

There's only 3 wires available at the thermostat so this wouldn't work. The Ecobee Thermostats have a PEK unit to "make" a common connection but again, you must have 4 wires available for this to work.

[@rosstret]

And the PEK does not work with dual transformer systems.

[@midwestengimaker8443]

FYI, the “OL” on the meter is short for “Overload”, not “Open Loop”. It is considered overload because the resistance it is measuring is higher than its max limit.

[@danhamilton9225]

The terms overload and over-limit mean the same thing. 😅

[@agoldstein97]

I was surprised the heating system was not checked for the splice before sacrificing the fan connection.

[@dtemp132]

Would it have been possible to see if there was a way to make a common wire with the heat unit? That cable had extra wires too, and if there's a 24V transformer, there's a hot and neutral tap.

[@richd514]

Probably not.. usually the RH leg will just close W

[@ratfish1978]

What gauge is the control wiring?

[@ratfish1978]

Ahhhh.....heard him say 18 gauge

[@HarmonsHarbor]

He’s a candidate for spray foam. The 140 degree air handler and utility bill will thank him.

[@nickthompson7369]

Another perfect attic 😂

[@xRadio2006x]

i was thinking the same thing, like, whoa, that attice is super clean!

[@rosstret]

We only pick homes with clean attics and proper access 😂

[@luckyocto]

Not a speck of dust

[@danhamilton9225]

​@rosstret we knew it! too funny.

[@danhamilton9225]

At no point did I feel like either of these gentlemen were at risk of falling through the ceiling, which just doesn't seem realistic. 🤔 😂

[@gtarider477]

lol I got into trouble on a job for putting that big ugly back plate on. They do sell converters from a 3wire to a 4 wire or just use nest it does not need the common wire

[@jasonziegler3085]

After owning 2 nests and an ecobee I'd like to say an upgrade would be to install a reliable and inexpensive thermostat not connected to the internet

[@scotttovey]

I've always been suspicious of a thermostat connected to the internet. A couple years ago, I seen a report on the internet that 2000 customers of an electric company, had all their thermostats locked with no ability to get AC going in temps of 100+. If I was in that situation, I would have gone down to the local box store and purchased an dumb thermostat that doesn't know how to do anything other than it's job.

[@GalacticTradingPost]

i just want an LED screen that I can see when the light are off. If I block the google thermostat's access to the internet through my router, will it still work?

[@scotttovey]

@@GalacticTradingPost That is the question to ask for any IOT (Internet Of Things) device. I was looking at purchasing a device that plugged into the network router and then you plug your external hard drive into it. Instant network drive. As I researched it, it turned out that the only way you could administer the device, was to log into the companies website. The administration user interface was not on the device itself. For those that purchased the device, should the company go out of business, the device can no longer be administered and is relegated to being the latest electronic device paper weight. Needless to say, I didn't purchase the device.

[@firemarshal1bill]

The nice thing with ecobee is that it doesn't need the Internet or app to work. It's Apple home kit compatible which allows you to control it even if your Internet goes out

[@kenmore01]

What about heater control? They have a fancy new thermostat and no control over the heat

[@dtemp132]

This isn't true, it does control the heat. It connects the two wires going to the heat unit which turns it on.

[@jamesklaatu9359]

Does smart mean some else can restrict my power use remotely?

[@peterjanis2455]

Yes. If its a heat wave often times the local municipality can essentially hack into your house and turn down the AC

[@John_Locke_108]

My Nest ran for years without a C wire. And then all of a sudden it stopped working unless I charge it for twelve hours every day. But only with the Ac. Runs fine all winter no problem. No idea what the issue is but it's annoying.

[@rosstret]

It needs a “call” to steal power from the 24 VAC hot (red wire), so all summer long it is not getting 24 VAC if powered from the heating system. So eventually the battery dies. Adding a common wire would solve this!

[@John_Locke_108]

@@rosstret But why did it work fine for over 6 years? That's the thing that puzzles me.

[@rosstret]

@@John_Locke_108yea that is weird a bit working for 6 years. Did anything change? And did you verify the transformer is still working?

[@John_Locke_108]

@@rosstret No idea what a transformer is. Issue started two years ago when I installed a Nest E in the basement connected only to the furnace. So I bought a new Nest for the upstairs figuring the battery had failed in the old one. That one worked for an entire summer before the issue occurred again last summer. Also got rid of the Nest E and replaced it with the old Nest which works fine for heat.

[@zacke1434]

There was a 4wire connector called a Power Extender Kit (PEK) that came in the box and was on the table to the right. Why not just use that and keep all functionality of the stat?

[@rosstret]

PEK does not work with dual transformer systems! Meaning heating and cooling have separate power supplies.

[@kchiem]

Nest thermostats don't need a C. They basically have a battery and charge up when they run the fan, which happens something like 10-15 mins every hour.

[@machzel08]

The old ones don’t. Starting with 2nd gen Nest E they all need a C wire even with batteries.

[@generallyhelpfulsoftware646]

That’s an ecobee. It has remote temperature sensors. Why not mount it on the wall of the floor above and run a new wire. You use your phone to control it anyway, it could be anywhere in the house. I have 5 of them in my house and I physically touch one, maybe twice a month. The thermostat itself doesn’t have to provide temperature data.

[@ro63rto]

Attic big as most peoples apartments.

[@BlueSosa-q5g]

🤔

[@desaint4952]

not sure why you didn't use add add a wire adapter to convert a 4 wire into a 5 wire some smart thermostats even include the adapter

[@mattfojtik7130]

How do those work? Some kind of wireless transmitter? Or does it encode the signals on the wires and decode them on the other side?

[@bboi]

Yeah Ecobee includes the adapter. But they only had 3 wires going back to the attic not 4.

[@rosstret]

You cannot use the PEK (power extender kit) with dual transformer systems!

[@yes3443]

Me no understanding

[@jrgmty7685]

10 years in the future. How to uninstall a smart thermostat without getting R rested

[@BamBamBigelow..]

Yea, we are complicating a thermostat! We did it, Boys!

[@lucashenry9734]

Yeah I can't wait for the power company to control the temperature in my house like they're already doing in some states

[@lucashenry9734]

Eat the bugs

[@donc-m4900]

Just throw another log on the fire.

[@bvilleD]

That's if you opt for their program to save some money. Otherwise smart thermostats is only controlled by the owner

[@lucashenry9734]

@@bvilleD until it's a condition for your electric hookup

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

How to properly install a smart thermostat: Step 1 Don't

[@pt4958]

😭😭😂😂

[@skyemac8]

It’s smart not to $pend money on such a useless device. How many years to get back value on so called savings.

[@ronevans3663]

It’s getting to the common man wont be able to hook up anything electric anything with vehicle anything to do with power anymore is getting so advanced . And complicated.

[@decry1979]

First

[@chiefdtx]

second

[@natehicks8939]

Oh, but Ross forgets (probably doesn’t have a clue), we could use a Honeywell EIM (equipment interface module), and only need two wires or if one of those wires is damaged, we could go with a wireless signal.