Please recommend a wifi themostat - hydronic oil heat, a/c

clydesdale

I would like to be able to remotely adjust and monitor my house temperature. I use and wood burning stove and the oil heat is hardly ever used so programming does not work for us. I also have 3 kids would are not reliable enough yet to assist with this. So, I would like to be able to monitor and adjust the house remotely. I am not looking for something that adjusts when I walk in the door or that I can ask to play music. I am looking for reliability, ability to monitor temp and humidity and able to be adjusted over reliable wifi. I like the look of the honeywell wifi 9000, the rth9580wf and rth8580wf. Any thoughts or advice on this? Thanks.

Jamie Hall

I like the look of the Honeywell, too...

Tim Potter

Do you have the C wire?
if so:
Honeywell Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat RTH6580WF (Requires C Wire or external transformer) (no humidistat)
4 star on Amazon, 60ish price

we use the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat in our shop with an external transformer.
(requires c wire or external xformer) it reports humidity but no control of humidity.
works well for us, no problems in the 2 years, 4 1/2 star on amazon, 115ish price.

Just because it has programmable settings doesn't mean you have to use it.

Tim

ChrisJ

This, in my opinion, is the best thermostat you can buy.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-YTHX9421R5101WW-Prestige-IAQ-Kit-with-RedLINK-Includes-White-Thermostat-EIM-Wireless-Outdoor-Sensor-2-Duct-Sensors

It's not "wifi" but can have internet capability by buying their wireless gateway.

ratio

I too like the 9000 series. With the equipment module (are they even available without?), you get several universal inputs for things like a float switch or burner alarm contacts. You can add a custom text to them & have Honeywell send out alert emails based on the state of the contacts.

The phone app has a built-in demo account, so you can take it for a test drive without buying anything. Search for 'Honeywell TCC' in your app store.

clydesdale

I currently have a honeywell t-stat and there is a "c wire" in play now. So, I believe it will work just fine. I have two stats in the house and one of the air handlers has a humidistat hooked up to it. Will that change anything? I have picture of the current wiring and will include that.

ratio

At least one of the 9000 series can operate a humidifier.

Pay attention the the heating & cooling R wires. Don't forget to pull the jumper out.

clydesdale

Thanks guys. This site is excellent. I am hoping this will be as easy as just removing the current wires and putting them in their corresponding, same labeled place, on the new stat. What does the IAQ system do that makes it more expensive and better? I see you also have to get a wifi gateway as well. Thanks.

ChrisJ

clydesdale said:

Thanks guys. This site is excellent. I am hoping this will be as easy as just removing the current wires and putting them in their corresponding, same labeled place, on the new stat. What does the IAQ system do that makes it more expensive and better? I see you also have to get a wifi gateway as well. Thanks.

IAQ = Indoor Air Quality.
Things such as humidify and dehumidify, air circulation control etc.

The gateway isn't technically wifi. It's hardwired and then communicates with the thermostat via wireless redlink.

clydesdale

What is the advantage of redlink over wifi? I need to also be able to run just the air handler fan. I often just use the wood burning stove for heat and then use the fan to circulate. Will the regular honeywell wifi stats allow me to use my humidistat and run the fan only? I am not opposed to spending the bucks on the IAQ, but it I need to understand the advantages. Thanks.

ratio

RedLINK is Honeywell's wireless system. IIRC it's an adaptation of their 900 MHz security kit. It's not a general-purpose wireless interface. You won't run into the same kind of issues as you will with WiFi, such as getting pwned by l33+ h4x0rs.

The Prestige IAQ should replace the humidistat, it can operate a humidifier and a dehumidifier off of its on-board sensor or a remote wireless sensor.

I suggest you add a small snap stat to turn the fan on whenever you bring the wood stove up to temp.

Tim Potter

l33+ h4x0rs = ?????

ChrisJ

> @Tim Potter said:
> l33+ h4x0rs = ?????

Elite hackers

Voyager

I have installed 6 of the Honeywell RTH6580WF t-stats and they work great. Fairly easy to install if you have a C wire for power. Mine have been quite reliable and the Honeywell app is fairly easy to use. A couple of the t-stats in our church lose connection periodically, but I think that is due to a flakey wifi router.

They aren’t fancy or pretty, but for $85 they get the job done.

clydesdale

Hey guys,
I am still struggling with this wifi vs redlink idea. The prestige kits are about $279 as supplyhouse with an outdoor sensor and two indoor sensors. But, it seems that if I want to add another thermostat, it will still hit me up for $249. Honeywell wifi stats can be had for $70-180. I am trying to understand what I am getting for that extra price. If I need a total of 3 thermostats, and I want them all on redlink, then this is going to be $1,000. Whereas, straight up WIFI would be much less. Although, I do not think the WIFI versions included outdoor sensors. BTW, why do I want the additional indoor sensors? Thanks for helping me sort this out. I don't mind spending the dough, if it is a good value. I just need to understand this a little better. Thanks.

ratio

How many thermostats do you have now? What do they control? What changes are you looking for WRT the operation (aside from internet access)?

SuperTech

For hydronic heating and cooling with smartphone access all you need is Honeywell T6 pro or T5. It's the simplest way to get a smartphone controlled thermostat.

The 9000 series thermostat is great too but it's best suited to applications with multiple stages of heating and cooling with all the bells and whistles.

Just please don't get the Nest...

clydesdale

I currently have 2 thermostats that control the two separate zones of hydronic heating and two 5 ton A/C units. The downstairs use a humidistat. I am just about done adding a hydronic modeine heater in the garage. So, another stat will be there.
Definitely not getting a Nest. I would like outside temp, and humidity levels as well.

ratio

WiFi 9000 for the zone with humidity, WiFi 6000's for the other two. IIRC the 9000 will pick up outdoor temp from the internets.

SuperTech

The T6 pro will do outdoor air temperature with a wired sensor or the internet but I'm not sure about humidity. You probably will have to step up to a 8000 or 9000 for humidity control.

Thank you for not choosing Nest. 😀

John Mills_5

I had my former colleagues do a job with single zone boiler and A/C. Powered an Ecobee off the air handler and used a simple peanut relay to close contacts to bring on the boiler. If you have zone vales can do the same thing for the zone you want the stat to control. The 9000 series is great too. I have that on my dual fuel system.