# wireless thermostat question



## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I just had an ADT Pulse system installed in my house and decided not to add the thermostat they offer since it was pretty expensive. The guy told me I can buy my own and do the same thing but probably not through the ADT system which is fine with me. A while back I bought a programmable one to replace my current pretty old looking one that even has mercury in it! When I took the old one off the wall and compared the wires to the new one they did not seem to match up. I ended up just returning the new one and keeping the old one up as it was since I had no clue how to replace it at the time. Is it possible for me to install a new one (preferrable wifi enabled through iphone app)? Do I need a professional to do the job? I will include pictures of my old one on the wall and the wires behind it.. No wires seem to be labeled. 

Thanks!


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

The wires and correct terminals are behind the plate of the 2nd picture. Yes, you can do a wifi capable stat yourself. If you remove the stat in picture 2 from the subbase and take another picture we can recommend a stat for you. It looks like you have a heat pump from what I can tell so far.... A picture of the wiring when exposed will give us more of an exact idea of what type of system you have.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Don't think we have a heat pump. Just regular old central heat and air. I will get a picture when I can tomorrow after work.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

well, you have a heat pump thermostat.... The way I can tell this is because there is a system setting of emergency heat which is only on Heat pump systems.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I have no idea. All I see is the unit in the back yard lol. I have looked at some wifi thermostats online and it looks like you have to pay to use a smartphone app. Is this the case with all these types of therms?


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

no, there are stats that allow free internet and smartphone access.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Can you suggest a brand that offers free smartphone access do I can check them out? That would really save me money both threw my power bill and my security alarm.

Edit: since my current stat has mercury in it, how am I "supposed to" discard it properly? My local dump tells people to basically through everything in the household container unless it's huge or a refrigerator.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman, the 3m Filtrete 3m-50 is around $100, and you can either use the normal website for it, or if you have a iPhone, there is the Cloudbeam.com, which used to be OurHomespaces.com, which still comes up. The app is free for that site, but to do some of the other functions, it is a one time fee of very minimal. I use the Cloudbeam site along with the associated app and love it. As for getting rid of the old stat, place in a bad and toss in the trash, or leave it on your workbench until EPA collection time in your area and take it then.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Looks good! Do you have to be on wifi or can you use 3G or 4g as well? What extra features do you get for the minimal 1 time fee you speak of?


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Oops. Didn't think Reply got posted due to an error.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Just a heads up. You can save $10 on this stat online at homedepot.com. Just add it to the cart and then add a $0.12 screw like I did. Brings the price to $90 with free in store pick up. I was just playing around. Use this promo code. 

HDSPRING


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman said:


> Looks good! Do you have to be on wifi or can you use 3G or 4g as well? What extra features do you get for the minimal 1 time fee you speak of?


It works on your wifi, the radio to use the cloudbeam website costs an extra $50, the iPhone app to operate the thermostat is $3.00. I kept finding problems with using the Radiothermostatcompanyofamerica website, due to it would be done, the thermostat radio would go offline at odd times, just was not stable. The RTCoA site goes down as much as a Hooker in a Columbian Whore house.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

No way Id spend $50 for that then. But even with the iPhone app you have to be on wifi? Doesn't work with 3G at all?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

No, it does not work with 3G cellular networks, unless you are asking if the app can be used on the iPhone while off of a wifi network, which is yes. Yes you can control the thermostat while off of the home wifi network that the thermostat is on.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

Ecobee is free.... Any redlink honeywell thermostat will work on wifi or 3g or 4g with the use of an internet gateway but they get pricey. I was not going to start recommending thermostats until we knew more about your system. Have you exposed the wires and terminals yet on your current stat?

http://www.thermostat-recycle.org


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Here's the picture with the other cover removed. Can I use the 3m stat? I do not see the c wire a lot of people talk about in reviews.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

Well, I was hoping for other terminals there..... You will need at least 6 wires to the thermostat. In order to know for sure you will have to open up the indoor equipment and view what wires are on which terminals in the equipment.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> Well, I was hoping for other terminals there..... You will need at least 6 wires to the thermostat. In order to know for sure you will have to open up the indoor equipment and view what wires are on which terminals in the equipment.



are you saying to take that last panel off also and look behind it? I see 6 different color wires although I have no clue what they mean..


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

NO.

DO you have a split system (furnace or air handler inside and a heat pump or air conditioner outside)?

DO you have a package unit that is all outside that your ducts connect to? 

Pictures or model numbers are helpful. 

Depending on which type of system you have you will need to locate the low voltage wires in the indoor/outdoor unit from the thermostat to determine if you can and how to wire a replacement thermostat.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I hope this helps. It's pouring down rain right now. It also says heat pump right on the unit, go figure. Lol


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

ok, that is part of a split system. You need to locate the indoor unit.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> ok, that is part of a split system. You need to locate the indoor unit.


What do I look for? I do have 2 air filters that I change every month and I obviously know where the control unit as well as the big outside unit but other then that, I have no clue.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

attic? crawlspace? Basement?

Call a PRO?


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Its in the attic (if you want to call it that) upstairs. I can't get to it right now because the ladder is outside and its still raining. The attic is just big enough for duct work and that unit so its pretty tight up there. 

What does this mean though? If I am able to get up there and get a closer look what exactly should I look for? It actually looks exactly like your picture only on its side... Can you find what you need to know online? If not I will get my self up there one day this week and take a good look... I have never been up there before so I guess I need to check things out eventually anyway


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

reviewing your current thermostat wiring...... We don't know for sure what X is for... It should be C, but I like to make sure. Also, I'm not sure why you have 2 wires from the wall connected to W2.

By gaining access to the indoor unit you can see what terminals the color of wire is connected to inside the air handler.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I just cant get to it tonight in the rain... I was able to get the model number off the unit though...


Its a RUUD
UBHA-17J11NUGA

There is a wire diagram above the sticker with the model number but its to high up and I can even get the camera phone close enough to get a readable picture...


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I found this posted on another forum by a guy who has the same star as I do. Does this help?

Honeywell
O c/o valve heat
X common
G fan
R power
E them heat
W2 aux
Y compressor


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

i knew all that already. In order to VERIFY your wiring you MUST check inside the indoor unit. However, if you want to just try then go ahead.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I will get up there one day this week and check it out.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

This is what's behind the panel. No idea what I'm looking at


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

In the last picture you show the low voltage wiring. Check the back of the door you took off and it should show what the wire colors from the Air handler mean or what terminal they should go to on the stat.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I can't believe I didn't look at the door better! I will go back up there tomorrow after work and look better. It's such a tight space I was trying to get out as fast as I could.

Here's the real model number for that air supplier unit. Not sure what the other one was but.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

There's nothing on the back of that door. I took a bunch of pictures of the front though. I could barely read it.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

ok. that helps. Now we need to know in this picture what color thermostat wires are connected to the wires from the air handler:

Purple
White/Black
White/Blue
Green/black
Brown
Red


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

I am going to guess Red to Yellow, Green to Green, Orange to Purple, Blue to Blue. Can't really figure the other colors, due to the OP having not a clear picture. And as for the schematics, they are hard to read, due to need to be rotated, and taken too far back.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> ok. that helps. Now we need to know in this picture what color thermostat wires are connected to the wires from the air handler:
> 
> Purple
> White/Black
> ...


You just want me to look to see what color wires are connected on that low voltage section? I was assuming all the colors were attached to the same color but I will check it out.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman, you need to physically go to the Furnace which is the unit inside the house, and write down what colors from the wire that looks like telephone wire and put on a piece of paper which color connects to the heavier wire gauge wire on the furnace as I have somewhat figured out from the picture.

That means as I stated that the Red from the Thermostat is Yellow (ie Red small wire to Yellow big wire, and so on.). It is really hard to tell from the schematic in how you posted it, due to the fact that it needs to be rotated and too far back. There should be a section on the schematic that looks like the wires that go to the thermostat. Should be something like five wires. As for the unit outside, you can look at it and easily tell how it is wired to the low voltage.

At this point, it would be easier to just call a HVAC tech, as long as you have the thermostat you want, and have them wire it, but you need to let them know that the wiring may not be correct at the thermostat, so that they know they need to go to both the outside unit and the furnace in the attic to make sure what colors are where, even though the thermostat may be correct.

Plus side is, they can walk you through some steps in how to maintain that ancient beast.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I will check it out. It can't be more than 12 years old since that's how old the house is.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

nikeman said:


> You just want me to look to see what color wires are connected on that low voltage section? I was assuming all the colors were attached to the same color but I will check it out.


 Yes, that is what I want you to do.

Greg, The colors I listed are what are on the schematic going to the thermostat from the AHU. You caught something though that I had not. You said Red to Yellow which you can clearly see in the pic. That then means that the transformer has been replaced and is not OEM. I'm glad you caught this as it would have confused me once the OP gets back with the color connections.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Here ya go. All kinds of pictures for you. I don't know if it's the lighting up there or my eyes going bad but I could hardly tell what the colors were on some of them. There were also thin yellow, white, red, and green wires attached to anything.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

Which stat are you wanting to wire up? Pretty much any will work.

Current stat - meaning

R - 24V hot
X - 24V common
Y - Cooling
W2 & E - Aux heat (both stages)
G - Fan
B - Reversing valve (powered in heating)

you would be better off with the prestige 2.0 simply because you could have more staging control. This would require you to also get a internet gateway.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I just want a decent one that will allow me to control the temp from my iPhone for free. I work crazy hours so every week is different and therefore programming weekly is not going to work. I'd like to stay in the $100 price range also.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

The 3m would be what you want then. You wont find much else in that price range.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> The 3m would be what you want then. You wont find much else in that price range.


If I bought that 3m50 can you tell me where to put each wire from the old stat on to the new one? I want to have it all ready when I do get it so it can be a smooth install.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

OLD = NEW

R = RC AND RH
X = C
B = B
G = G
W2 = W2
Y = Y

You will have to setup the new stat for HP w/ aux heat.

The reason for having you do all the checking was to verify how your system was wired so that you wire it correctly on a new stat. The old stat did not use common wire colors on specific terminals which was a bit confusing.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Thanks! I appreciate the help!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman, I forgot to add, that if you do decide to. later on look at the our home spaces radio for the 3m-50, you can use thre differant schedules with it. 

Like I said before, I just got tired of the frequent disconnects and problems with com's, with the radio module that came with the 3m-50.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Is this "our home spaces" just a different app? There's a free one that will let me control the temp and everything from my phone also right? I just got home from a mini vacation and wished I could have turned my AC off while I was there! Looks like that app is $20.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Yes, the app is free, but the sub parts of the app, for changing the temp for a certain period on the 3m filtretes, or RTCOA thermostats, looking at my TED, and if I wanted to do a IP camera, cost a minimal fee. To do the control from the web portal costs nothing, other than having the "Our Home Spaces" radio in your 3m-50/rtcoa thermostat vs. the one that comes with it.

I think I know which app you are talking about, for the $20 price point.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> OLD = NEW
> 
> R = RC AND RH
> X = C
> ...


Okay. Got that stat but am confused now. I got all the wires for the old stat off and labeled but I do not know about the E wire. Also, the W2 has 3 different colors running to it which is confusing. the yellow E runs to the W2 along with white and orange. There is a cut off yellow wire not attached to anything also on the old stat. 




















Here's the old stat before I started. I unhooked the B wire already in this pic. it's hard to see the black wire running to Y on the right side. 









Here's the new stat. If R=RC&RH can I just hook it to one slot with this metal thing connecting them?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Yes, leave the jumper in there, and connect R to either terminal. When you hook everything up, you can leave the radio out the first time. When you put in the radio, make sure that it is in the right side, not left. If you have any questions on the portal setup to connect to https://my.radiothermostat.com/filtrete/login.html, do not use the software from http://setyourthermostat.com/ I always had problems doing it, and just used my iPhone safari browser to do the initial. Pretty much seven days after setting it up, it would go offline like clockwork. Do not know if they ever got the radiothermostat server to ever become stable, even though they are now using a different company to do the remote access. That is why I ended up switching to OHS.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Thanks. I will check it out and if it gives me issues like it did for you I will have to check out the ohs myself. I am still confused about the E wire and that yellow wire that is cut. There is no E terminal on the new stat. Do I just ignore the e wire all together with the new stat since there is no wire going to it from the wall on the old?

I switched the new stat to HP and Electric so I'm all set once I get the last couple wires figured out.

Also, the link mine gives me is radiothermostat.con/wifi


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

ignore cut yellow wire and Jumper on E. Follow exactly as I had previously posted old to new.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> ignore cut yellow wire and Jumper on E. Follow exactly as I had previously posted old to new.


Okay. I am going to just throw that piece of yellow wire and I'm pretty much done. Thanks again. I will post pics to prove i finished later.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Another question now. The white wire on W2 was cut also. Should it be connected to W2? Looks like it wasn't connected to anything like the yellow wire.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

I would leave it off for now.... If you have problems with the aux heat then you should install it to W2 with the Orange wire.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Okay. How will I know if aux heat is messing up? I have never seen that turn on with the old stat but I know it had its own led indicator. Thanks and ignore the pm I sent. It's the same question.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

From what I can see from all your photos it does not appear to be connected to the AUX heat circuit in the air handler (W2 on the old stat). It should be fine as long as you are sure the wire didn't just break when you unscrewed W2 on the old stat. In the pictures of the old stat it really looks as though it was wired to W2 but that could just be an optical illusion.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

If you look close you can kind of tell its not connected to anything. I searched for a broken piece of wire and did not find one so I think it's fine. I have it up and running now and I'm trying to figure out how to use it. Have it set to auto and target temp of 72. It's currently 76 in the house so I'm waiting to see if it will cool down. It's kind of confusing to operate.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

I don't know ANYTHING about that stat. Gregzoll is the guy for those things.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Okay. I need some tips from him then. I have it connected to wifi and have set the heating and cooling schedules. I do not see how to adjust the temp via the app. I just see how to turn the fan, heat, or AC on and how to set it to away mode. I guess away mode is the same thing though right?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Away sets it at whatever temp that you have it set in the portal. If you want it at 76 for cool, 60 for heat when gone for a long period, hit "Away", and it will set it at that setpoint. Also make sure that you adjust the Diff on the 3m-50. I have my Diff set at 1.5, and the Swing set at 3.0. I found that it won't cycle as much for A/C, but will run longer to help cool the air better, when the differential is set at 1.5. I left it at 1.5 when I was using the heat for a short period this past March, due to our temp swing was so wild, and actually for heat, it ran better and used less Natural Gas, than last March, and my electric went way down this year also, compared to last year.

There is a bunch of info on the portal at the RadioThermostat.com forums. I have not really been active in that forum since about last August, when I really got into seeing the active usership start really declining after RTCOA switched to the other provider for handling their Internet connectivity for the radio.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

How do I set the diff and what is swing? When the X is flashing on the top right corner that means the fan is set to auto right? It's been on for a couple hours now and the temp has not dropped at all. It's set to 72 but it's still 76.5 and the fan has been running for a while now.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

Greg, do you mean to say that the user of the 3m-50 thermostat using the app can not turn the thermostat up or down but can only use an away vs home function? Is it that way when using the internet site to control the stat?


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

nikeman said:


> How do I set the diff and what is swing? When the X is flashing on the top right corner that means the fan is set to auto right? It's been on for a couple hours now and the temp has not dropped at all. It's set to 72 but it's still 76.5 and the fan has been running for a while now.


DID you go outside and make sure the outdoor unit is running?


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

hvactech126 said:


> DID you go outside and make sure the outdoor unit is running?



Yes, its running and I feel cold air coming out of the vents so I know its working. Its just taking a long time to cool down the house but I was told by the inspector when we bought the house that the AC unit we have is to small for our house anyway so thats probably why. I just wish it would go down at least one degree to make me feel better!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

hvactech126 said:


> Greg, do you mean to say that the user of the 3m-50 thermostat using the app can not turn the thermostat up or down but can only use an away vs home function? Is it that way when using the internet site to control the stat?


If you are using the RTCOA app, you can change mode, turn up or down temp, or set away. You have to do the setup to the web portal, which I found was a PITA, and some others have also.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

I know that if we let the house get really warm last year, and when we would set the thermostat at say 71, it could take three hours to cool down. There was another portal, that you could watch room temp, unit running, outside temp, and gauge how long it was taking to cool or heat the house. Bad thing was, you had to have a computer running with the software that would sync with the server that handled this stuff.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman said:


> How do I set the diff and what is swing? When the X is flashing on the top right corner that means the fan is set to auto right? It's been on for a couple hours now and the temp has not dropped at all. It's set to 72 but it's still 76.5 and the fan has been running for a while now.


Hit the top front button on the right, not the side button, and then you will see "Filter","Swing", "Diff". Swing in cool is defaulted at 4.0, Diff is set at 1.0. If you change Diff, it is the same for Heat or Cool. Also set for "Fast" recovery, not "economy". I found that economy or slow mode took way too long to cool the house off when it was super humid and hot outside.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Right now, it is 79 outside, and thought I needed my air on today, but ended up shutting it down at work. Love remote control. It is still only 69 in my house, was around 68 when I looked at it around 11 today. I may have told you this, but have posted before, we covered all of our windows with UV film, which has really helped to keep the house cooler during the day.

I just looked at my attic temp and it is right now 84. Yes, I have totally geeked out the house, with remote sensors for the attic and basement temp & humidity, so I can see from where I sit in the living room, and a TED5k to watch electric use, and the 3m-50.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I did something and now the yellow lights are flashing on it like its tryin to connect to my wifi again but it all still works on the app and the computer. I can't get it to stop and I can't find how to change it to fast recovery since I did set it to the second slower recovery option. How do I make it stop searching for wifi and then get to the HVAC control to change the recovery options?


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

WOW! what a pain in the arse


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

It is flashing yellow, due to it either timed out after trying to set it up to connect to the server, or did not connect the first time. If you can not get it to connect, or stay stable with the RTCOA server, you may end up doing what I did. It was easy with the OHS radio. Pop it in, turn back on the power, insert the batteries back into the thermostat, and go into the setup portion of the web portal, tell it the MAC ID of the radio and you are done.

Everyone on the Radiothermostat.com forum suggests so many off the wall suggestions, and makes everyones wifi & ISP as the bad guy, when it comes down to the firmware and their portal is not the best.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

hvactech126 said:


> WOW! what a pain in the arse


Tell me about it. I have had one problem with the OHS radio since I have had it in, and that was due to Tristan who runs OHS, lost the server software database, due to a bad config during the change. Personally called me and both of us walked through fixing mine. I really never got that with RTCOA. Took four weeks to get the new radio when mine went out after three months, and even the new radio would not connect, is why I went with the OHS radio.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

the thing is, its still working over wifi on my computer and it works on the iphone app. Its just blinking and wont stop giving me the PIN numbers! How can I stop this? I posted this on the radiothermostat forum but it got deleted right away for some reason..?? 

How can I atleast get back to the settings to change the recovery mode? And how do I power off the thermostat?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

You have to turn off the power to your furnace, then pull the batteries out of the thermostat. If it is still giving you a PIN#, connect your iPhone to the AP for the thermostat, and then pull up the IP for the portal in Safari. Make sure that your Wifi is set to give out both B & G radio signals also.

Make sure that when you hit the Menu key, which is the top right button on the face, press the radio tower to sync the wifi radio with the thermostat. Once you connect to the IP for the radio in the thermostat, have it connect to your wifi SSID, enter your WEP or WPA key, then press enter. It should go from Yellow to a slow flashing Green at that point. It should then stay green, so then you can pull up the web portal and enter all of the info asked for, to connect the thermostat radio to the web portal.

As long as your iPhone is on your wifi, it will always connect to the thermostat, because they are both active on your wifi. It is just that the thermostat radio is not connecting to RTCOA's server. As for the forum, it takes a while for them to approve the postings. I have seen as long as 24 hours, but you should get a email once it is approved.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Found this on a search of the install forum at radiothermostat.com:

Here is a list of YouTube videos at homehandyman101 that show step-by-step instructions to provisioning and registering via a laptop:

Hard Reset of 3M50 & CT30
Filtrete 3M50 Thermostat - How to provision WiFi U-Snap module 
Filtrete 3M50 Thermostat - How to register your wi-fi enabled thermostat

Also looking through the forums, looks like a lot has not changed in the past year. Same complaints as before, just newer dates on them.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

thanks! I just reset the thing and started over. I set the time and day again but for some reason it wont stop flashing.. I am annoyed with it at this point and do not want to mess with it any more. All I am interested in now is setting the recovery to a faster mode.

Also, it not wont let me set the diff lower that 2 or the swing higher than 2. I had that set before I reset it but now its deciding now to let me again!! Very frustrated with it now.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

You should be able to do it regardless. Press the upper right Mode button on the side, bottom right on the side is Fan On or off. Once you have Mode in Off, you can then press Menu and then Press "HVAC Setup", which will allow you to set for what type of system you have.


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## hvactech126 (Nov 11, 2010)

Should have spent the extra money on a Honeywell! I have NEVER had this much problem!


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Actually it wasn't when I got it, just after they started to make changes last year, the damn thing would not work properly, and even when they sent the new radio to me, it wouldn't. That is why as I mentioned before, why I switched handling agents to connect to it.

I may end up going either with the Honeywell or Ecobee in the next couple of years, but right now, the OHS radio and the 3m-50 is working with no problems so far.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Okay. I got it set to fast recovery now. Now I need to figure out how to make the clock and day stop blinking. It wasn't blinking the first time. 

Also what's up with it all of a sudden not letting me go past 2 on the swing and diff?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Try pulling the radio and setting Swing & diff without it in. Then maybe tomorrow eve, try re-setting up the radio with the web portal. There is a way to put the thermostat in a "non-programmable" service mode, or "Simple" mode, which is that the temp will be the same all the time, does not change at a set time.

The following is how you switch to and from "Simple" mode: If the day of the week is not visible below the room temperature you are in SIMPLE screen and no program. In OFF mode, push and hold the program for over 12 seconds or until the day comes on the screen.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I can adjust the swing and diff but I can't go higher than 2 on swing or lower than 2 on diff. Maybe the other way around. It's not on simple mode, that's one thing I know. The clock and day only flash with the light on, does yours flash with the light on? Maybe that's normal? Won't I have to turn the AC off to take the radio out? It's finally cooling down in the house so I do not want to do all that right now. It's just weird how all of a sudden I can't set it to your settings after a reset.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Swing goes from 1 to 2, Diff should be 2 to 4 for up or down. You may have to get something smaller than your finger to press the arrow for up and down. I keep a scribe/pointer taped to the upper cover that covers the terminals, that I used for a old HP iPaq that I had. If you only have a single stage furnace, that may also be why you can not change the two settings. They are meant for a dual stage furnace.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I had it set to your settings before I reset it. Does your clock blink with the back light on?


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

My swing goes from 2 to 4.5 and the diff goes from .5 to 2. Maybe the other way, I keep getting confused but I was reading your reply as I was setting them. Maybe your saying it backwards?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman said:


> My swing goes from 2 to 4.5 and the diff goes from .5 to 2. Maybe the other way, I keep getting confused but I was reading your reply as I was setting them. Maybe your saying it backwards?


.5 to 2 for Swing, 2 to 4.5 for Diff. You are probably getting tired from messing with it. Take a break tonight and let it be.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

nikeman said:


> I had it set to your settings before I reset it. Does your clock blink with the back light on?


My clock will blink when I change the temp and let it set to the setpoint I tell it. Kind of like telling you that it is doing something.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Maybe mine is blinking because it's not down to the set temp yet then? I am done with it tonight. I'll maybe look at it after work tomorrow. Hopefully I will save some money this month and not spend more on the power bill because of this thing.

What is your diff and swing set to? I think you put it backwards earlier. Our numbers seem to be matching up otherwise.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

That could be it, if your a/c is still running. I never look at mine, due to I usually pull up either the web portal in Firefox on my netbook, or use my iPhone. Only time I usually touch it, is when I am on my way to bed, or if I want to not be lazy, and make sure it is on or at what temp, before I am leaving the house, due to usually making one last go through the house before I leave, checking that windows are closed, and the ceiling fans are off in both bedrooms (small house).


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Going by the videos online the old app was a lot better than it is now. Looks like it had a lot more control which makes it annoying that they downgraded it as an update.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

That is what I thought when the new company bought it out. You have to buy the module & the controller radio, which means you pay that new company more to do more. That is why you are still seeing a lot of people still writing programs off of the API, which you do not have that pleasure with OHS, but their portal and software gives back a lot of stuff that was taken away with the change.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Can I use the app and provision it to work on my comp?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

You can try, if you are talking about the setyourthermost.com app. I can not remember if I used it when I did mine. I know that it took two or three tries the first time setting up the radio, but it worked for about five days or so, then their server went down on the old system, before they switched. They sent me a new radio when mine went out, but when I tried to set it up on the new portal, it would never take, and that was when I got the OHS radio. I just got tired of the headaches.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Looks like Blaine replied to your post last night. http://forums.radiothermostat.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6346

Disregard about moving the router closer. It has nothing to do with the problem. When I opened the old one up that I had, the copper "antenna" was probably about 1/16th wide by 1 inch long. I even tried bending it out to see if the signal would be better and would connect, and did nothing. You may also have a bum radio, which has happened with people. Send a email to the rtcoa support contact info at [email protected] and there is another I think in the forums.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Thanks. I actually got it all fixed up now. I guess you have to actually change the time a little to make it stop blinking.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Another question. When I adjust the temp from auto to cool from my phone or computer and then switch it back to auto the stat seems to not want to go back to auto unless I manually set it from the stat itself. Is this normal? Am I not waiting long enough to let it adjust? It goes from auto to cool pretty quick.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

I never set to auto. Only time that I did, was when we were out of town one weekend, and I knew that it was going to get hot the day we were coming back and wanted the air to kick on.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I have been looking around and it seems that someone makes a z-wave module for this thermostat. I have not been able to find this thing anywhere though but I am very interested in this as atleast one person has been able to make it work with there ADT Pulse app which would be very nice! Any knowledge on this z-wave module?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

They list it at http://radiothermostat.com/radios.html, but what I heard last year, they were in a crunch with not having them avail. It appears that someone did get a z-wave to work with the 3m-50. http://forums.radiothermostat.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6080&p=16164&hilit=z+wave#p16164


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I saw that thread. Its how I discovered the zwave module. I have only seen them sold in packs of 10 for a couple hundred bucks. I only need one! Let's get 10 people that want one and have them all pay one person to buy all 10. Just an idea.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

You could always sell them on eBay. Smarthome.com has single modules for $70. http://www.smarthome.com/34302/Radio-Thermostat-ZW-7-4-Z-Wave-USNAP-Module/p.aspx


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I found it for $41.99, thats the best price I have seen. I do not have the money to buy 10 and then resell them although it would probably make a decent profit if I did.

Heres the new link..

http://www.discount-valves.com/product/Z-1

Heres the link to buy 10 for $250 if anyone is interested..

http://shop.radiothermostat.com/product.sc?productId=2


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

I should open up my PM, so you can email me and the such on this.


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## kilosos2 (Oct 14, 2010)

What's the benefit in the z-wave module? Nikeman are you having any wifi problems? You could extend your antenna on your router if signal is a issue. Also there maybe some settings in your router that may help in connection issues.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

It allows you to connect and control from a central control module or app, if you do not want the radio that comes with it. Basically if you had a computer running a whole house control software, you could do lights, thermostat, alarms, etc. from that "Hal" type system.


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