Reco for thermostat

[oconnellc]

I'm getting a new furnace installed today and the guy installing the furnace says that he can't install the jumper for my C4 thermostat on the new furnace, because there isn't any 'traditional' control panel for him to install it on.  I don't know if that is true or not.  Anyone have any idea if that is true for a newer furnace.  My problem is that I don't have wires run to provide power to the thermostat, so I had no choice but to use the 'power stealer'.  So, if I can't use the C4 thermostat, does anyone have any thoughts on something that would integrate *WELL* with C4?  The wife has a high bar for the usability factor (if I have to explain it, it probably doesn't pass).  I liked that I could just use the hand-held remote to adjust the temp with the C4, so that sort of integration would be a requirement.

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

Chris

[Cyknight]

If I interpret his meaning correctly, it's probably a proprietary "thermostat" that is more a controller than a thermostat (some Carrier units for instance use these.

If so no 3rd party Thermostat would work, though you may luck out and there might be a driver to integrate them.

[oconnellc]

It is a Carrier, good guess.  However, the guy installing it mentioned third party thermostats and asking what sort of things I wanted my thermostat to do, so I'm guessing there are options.  I guess I'll have to ask him what my options are and then see if any of them have C4 drivers.

 

Thanks.

[Cyknight]

Yeah suspected Carrier - I've been doing this for awhile I'll go one step further and guess it's an Infinity?

 

If it's not one of the "communication" units, there is no specific jumper to be installed, indeed the only 'jumper' you ever install is one for Rh and Rc if it's heating only - this is normal for ANY thermostat to do, though some do it automatically internally (Nest for example).

The problem often is that to do the same with 3rd party units you'd need lots of wires.

 

Now many furnaces do not operate well using the 'powerstealing' method, so that's perhaps what he is referring to, and if there is no extra wire for the C/COM connection that might be a problem.

Then again almost any 'smart' thermostat can't do without a COM these days. Battery drain is just too high.

 

There's a couple of threads on here about the carrier units with info - in short if it's Infinity there is a SAM module you can get that can be tied to automation systems - free driver in the standard C4 database for it.

 

If you have a wire connected to "G" right now, it's always an option to use that wire and have the furnace just control the Fan on/of (it usually does anyway, you just lose the ability to turn the fan ON without Heat/AC being called as well). Additionally a separate relay could be installed as well and controlled via programming should you really desire the function.

 

Or drop the local t-stat completely, use existing wires for a remote temperature sensor and do the rest at the furnace so wires aren't an issue.

 

Something to consider.

[oconnellc]

C4 Guru,

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  Problem solved.  The guy who originally ran the wiring buried the common in the plaster (I don't know, 50 years ago maybe).  I started digging and pulled it out of the muck.  So, we don't need to 'steal' any power and we're good to go.

 

Thanks,

Chris