We need to install a wifi stat at the cabin and was wondering what people are having good luck with.
I would like something that is easy to install, set-up and use.
The nest seems spendy at $250, I may be leaning towards the honeywell.
Anything else I should be looking for or at?
We have two Honeywell tstats. They both work well. I would recommend. Had both of my professionally installed.
I have a Nest and wouldn’t get it again, it’s features are too finicky. The Ecobee is a Nest equivalent. The remote room sensor might be nice for a cabin if it doesn’t heat very evenly. For something simple you might be able to get the Honeywell ones fromXcel for $50.
The one reason I do stick with Nest is because I also have Nest fire/CO detectors and having it all in one app is kind of nice even though the detectors are not something you ever really interact with. If they weren’t in an app I regularly check I would probably never notice a problem with them though, I like seeing that they are still showing up whenever I open the app to use the thermostat.
We have a Honeywell WiFi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat that we got from Menards and it works nicely. I never thought we’d have such a thing in our house… to be able to adjust the thermostat from anywhere we are… but it’s been really handy! I think Mendards is having an 11% off right now too.
Check your power company, they are giving away free wi/fi units so they can power nap your air in the summer.
We have the Emerson Sensi wifi stat and it has worked great. Step by step installation instructions available within the app and online were easy to follow. We purchased it for $130 and got a $30 rebate bringing total cost down to $100. I see right now HD is selling the thermostat and wall plate bundle for $99 and a rebate from your power company would bring it down even further. One thing to keep in mind about this one is that it’s sensitive to half a degree (even on the slowest setting) which is more sensitive than what we were used to. Also has A/C protection which supposedly prevents equipment damage when A/C turns off and on rapidly.
I’ve got a nest system with cameras, carbon monoxide/smoke detector and thermostat. It’s been flawless and very easy to use. Nice to be able to get instant notifications if something isn’t working correctly.
I like my ecobee and second the recommendation to check with your utility (Xcel) for discounts or rebates.
Have a Honeywell as well. Installed it myself and have been happy with it for 2+ years.
I put a Honeywell in at my parent’s place last year. It’s nice because you can either control it directly on a Honeywell website or with their app, or you can connect it to an existing smart home system. Since they already have the Iris smart home system, I hooked it up to that app so they can control everything in one place.
Word of warning. All the wi-fi thermostats require a constant power wire because they are essentially “on” 24/7 so they use more power and can’t just run on batteries as the old ones did.
Sooooo, installation is easy as long as you have that constant power wire available. If it’s an older house and there are no extra wires available, then it gets complicated.
Grouse
Grouse, this is not the case at least with the wi-fi thermostat we installed. The stat we have allows you to run it on the power wire if you have it OR batteries. Since our house doesn’t have the power wire I run it on batteries. Installed it a little over a year ago and still on the original batteries. I think certain wi-fi stats like the Nest do require the power wire.
I put a Honeywell in at my parent’s place last year. It’s nice because you can either control it directly on a Honeywell website or with their app, or you can connect it to an existing smart home system. Since they already have the Iris smart home system, I hooked it up to that app so they can control everything in one place.
Word of warning. All the wi-fi thermostats require a constant power wire because they are essentially “on” 24/7 so they use more power and can’t just run on batteries as the old ones did.
Sooooo, installation is easy as long as you have that constant power wire available. If it’s an older house and there are no extra wires available, then it gets complicated.
Grouse
Grouse, this is not the case at least with the wi-fi thermostat we installed. The stat we have allows you to run it on the power wire if you have it OR batteries. Since our house doesn’t have the power wire I run it on batteries. Installed it a little over a year ago and still on the original batteries. I think certain wi-fi stats like the Nest do require the power wire.
Which thermostat / brand do you have? How long do the batteries last?
All the Honeywells require the constatn power as does the Nest as you point out. So does the Iris.
Just wanted to point this out as I would guess a lot of older houses don’t have the constant power wire or it’s not hooked up at the furnace end.
Grouse
Nest doesn’t necessarily need a common wire. It has an internal rechargeable battery that it charges when cycling the system normally or by pulsing the system just to get power when needed. The pulsing can cause issues with some systems though.
If you do need a common and don’t want to run a whole new wire you can get adaptors like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IF3QXMC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_B9SRAbW6XM3TD Ecobee comes with a similar adapter and requires a common as far as I know.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bonawitz07 wrote:</div>
Grouse, this is not the case at least with the wi-fi thermostat we installed. The stat we have allows you to run it on the power wire if you have it OR batteries. Since our house doesn’t have the power wire I run it on batteries. Installed it a little over a year ago and still on the original batteries. I think certain wi-fi stats like the Nest do require the power wire.Which thermostat / brand do you have? How long do the batteries last?
All the Honeywells require the constatn power as does the Nest as you point out. So does the Iris.
Just wanted to point this out as I would guess a lot of older houses don’t have the constant power wire or it’s not hooked up at the furnace end.
Grouse
We have the Emerson Sensi. I’m not sure how long the batteries last but the originals have been going strong for over a year. Can check battery life through the app which is nice. If the battery life sucked I was going to get an adapter like Reef linked but so far so good.
I’ve had both Honeywell and Nest. Prefer the Honeywell because it allows me to control the fan without having the heat or cool on. There are many days I just want to circulate air in the house but do not want to run the furnace or AC. The Honeywell I have also has an option to run the fan 30% of the time no matter if heat or cool is on or if the system is off. Nest offers no such fan control, you can’t just turn the fan on unless cooling or heating.
Good to know about the fan option on the honeywell. I also like to have the fan run to keep help keep the upper and lower levels of the house as even as possible at all times.
I’ve had both Honeywell and Nest. Prefer the Honeywell because it allows me to control the fan without having the heat or cool on. There are many days I just want to circulate air in the house but do not want to run the furnace or AC. The Honeywell I have also has an option to run the fan 30% of the time no matter if heat or cool is on or if the system is off. Nest offers no such fan control, you can’t just turn the fan on unless cooling or heating.
I have a Nest 3rd Gen so maybe there are some differences there but I can control the fan independently. You can one-time run it manually for 15mins, 30mins, 45mins, 1hr, 2hr, 4hr, 8hr, or 12hr. You can also set a schedule for the fan to run every day. For example, mine is set to run for 15 minutes each hour between 7am and 4pm.
We have been happy with the Nest that came with the house we bought. Very user friendly. I do not know what model it is, but we are able to run the fan. With all the new models out there, you likely cant go wrong with anything suggested.
I have a Nest 3rd Gen so maybe there are some differences there but I can control the fan independently. You can one-time run it manually for 15mins, 30mins, 45mins, 1hr, 2hr, 4hr, 8hr, or 12hr. You can also set a schedule for the fan to run every day. For example, mine is set to run for 15 minutes each hour between 7am and 4pm.
I had gen 1 and 2 Nests so it sounds like they finally caught up to Honeywell.
I spent hours with the Nest support on a couple of calls asking them if I could control the fan. They finally came back with an answer that I could not. That is when I sold the Nests and bought Honeywell.
Just picked up the Honeywell last night.
Installed the stat last weekend.
Very simple install, easy to use, the hardest part was downloading the app. It tells you that interior temperature, humidity and the exterior temperature.
I give it a thumbs up and would recomend.
Awesome! Glad you like it!
@eelpoutguy,
Can you provide the model number of the Honeywell thermostat you purchased.
Thanks
Thanks eelpoutguy, I will be ordering one for the cabin.
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