Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Best thermostat on a budget

zvalve
zvalve Member Posts: 83
I have a baseboard hydronic system in an upstairs apartment. What is the best and most economical thermostat for the job? I don’t have the proper wiring for a Nest and the Honeywell I used for about 7 years failed

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,160
    Not programmable? I'd look at another Honeywell -- but there are a number of others which are inexpensive. Take a look at a Big Box selection.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,775
    Honeywell T87 at a yard sale!
    EdTheHeaterManmattmia2
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,137
    Anything but a Nest. Nest = garbage. 
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    Does it need a battery?
    steve
    mattmia2
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713
    SuperTech said:

    Anything but a Nest. Nest = garbage. 

    Unless you know what you are doing.
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
    TonKa
  • TonKa
    TonKa Member Posts: 103
    You may want to check out whether your state or your energy provider has an incentive program for new thermostats.
  • zvalve
    zvalve Member Posts: 83
    Checked bad stat with new battery, still not working, and thanks for other advice. Why nest=garbage?
  • zvalve
    zvalve Member Posts: 83
    What about those common makers?
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,775
    zvalve said:
    Checked bad stat with new battery, still not working, and thanks for other advice. Why nest=garbage?
    NEST has a history of doing strange things!
    search it!
    SuperTech
  • Jersey2
    Jersey2 Member Posts: 166
    edited October 2022
    If it is heat only, this one works for me, it was a bit cheaper earlier in the year. It is as simple as can be.
    https://supplyhouse.com/sh/control/product/~product_id=TH1100DV1000
    I'm not a plumber or hvac man and my thoughts in comments are purely for conversation.
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,137
    Nothing but problems with Nest thermostats. Even when a common wire is connected.  
  • Jersey2
    Jersey2 Member Posts: 166
    The thing I don't understand about my thermostat is the cycles per hour function. The default is 5, but it can be changed from 5 to 1,2,3,4 or 6. Why would a cycles per hour function be needed when the thermostat calls for heat based on the set temperature, and turns off once that temperature is achieved?
    I'm not a plumber or hvac man and my thoughts in comments are purely for conversation.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    So the best thermostat on a budget is one that will be reliable and won't freeze your pipes.

    The cycles per hour is to compensate for how long your system takes to begin producing heat and the amount of heat your type of system continues to release after the thermostat stops calling. For example a steam system should be 1 or 2 cycles per hour because it takes a long time to start producing heat after a call starts and will heat for a long time after the heat call ends. Electric baseboard starts and stops heating almost immediately so it should be set around 4, 5, or 6. Forced air and low mass hot water are in the middle somewhere.
  • Jersey2
    Jersey2 Member Posts: 166
    That makes sense. So I guess it only applies while the set temperature is not met yet, obviously if the temperature is set at 70, and it reaches 71, the call will stop so no cph applies, but if it stays at 70 for a longer duration, then the cph fraction stops the cycle before reaching 71?
    I have baseboard cast iron but I don't mind temperature swings. The cast iron gets hot before the air and thermostat gets the heat, and then the cast iron stays hot for some time after the heat call has been satisfied. My cph is set at 5, but this morning the heat run was 24 minutes, and then off all day because it warmed up outside.
    I'm not a plumber or hvac man and my thoughts in comments are purely for conversation.