A question for the HVAC guys or anyone that does not like to arrive to a cold cabin. I have a cabin with hydronic heating that is usually turn down to 50 degrees when I have to pull myself away. I was looking into some of the WiFi enabled thermostats so that I can turn up the heat and get things warmed up a little while I am on my 5 hour drive up. But I have two problems, first I have 5 zones so it would mean I would need to get 5 different thermostats to install and monitor. But the worst is the fact that they are all wired through the house on 2 wire thermostat wire and the WiFi models I have seen all require a constant power meaning I would have to re-wire each thermostat location with 3 or 4 wire cable. Does anyone know of a product that might allow for a more central controller with just remote thermometers at each zone location? I really just did not want to rewire the whole place.
WiFi Thermostats
- Thread starter Northstar
- Start date
Ever think of upping the vacant temp to upper 50s to improve recovery? I have FA So recovery time is much quicker but never go below 58 to avoid nail pops & moving that up with cheap propane. At 50 with hot water it must take a very long time to recover as heat comes from warming things in the room very nice & comfortable heat but the worst for recovery.
skeeter2010
Member
Let me first start by saying I know nothing about this topic.
But just thinking you’re not the first to have this problem I would think a solution is available with everything being wireless now days. I would think they would just need a thermometer in each room with a wireless feedback to a central control that could regulate each zone independently heck with the right system you may be able to control the valves and know the positions of the valves and water temps.
The question I would have is what happens when the system goes down or a battery or transformer failed how does it default. Would you still be able to control it after a restart electronics scare me especially unattended. The first weekend you leave it after install would be very scary
But just thinking you’re not the first to have this problem I would think a solution is available with everything being wireless now days. I would think they would just need a thermometer in each room with a wireless feedback to a central control that could regulate each zone independently heck with the right system you may be able to control the valves and know the positions of the valves and water temps.
The question I would have is what happens when the system goes down or a battery or transformer failed how does it default. Would you still be able to control it after a restart electronics scare me especially unattended. The first weekend you leave it after install would be very scary
Yeah like Mezz says. Set it on one and crank it. Assume you have internet access at the house.
If you have 2 wires it is heat only going to the valve for the zone... There should be 24v at every tstat location (5 of them)
Its just a simple on off switch controlled by temp. it just completes the 24v circuit.
Your problem with multiple tstats is it will be difficult to configure from a network perspective. Having a seperate static IP address on your internal tstats. All prob run interface on the same port. You would have to create a separate port mapping to be exposed to the internet for each of the tstats.
Not to mention expensive for all those devices.
If you have one MASTER and the rest talk to the master which are tied to the 2 wire in each of your locations, its a single device being mapped to the internet.
example - tstat 192.168.1.100:8080 IP
ORT INTERNET dynamic dns to your IP x.x.x.x the port exposing tstat is 8080
to browse to interface using browser would be http://dns_name:8080
Dynamic DNS would be handled by your modem or router/firewall - your ip address changes (unless static)
I am gonig to be researching devices my self before the next heating season. I only have a single zone so more simple for me.
I will keep an eye out. There has to be a solution where there is a master tstat that talks to multiple zones and allows remote access via wifi network/internet.
found this doing a quick google search - multi zone master thermostat wifi
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=153285
It looks like there are all kinds of options if you are willing to pull some wire. wifi might be a little bleeding edge yet.
Do your research. Good luck
If you have 2 wires it is heat only going to the valve for the zone... There should be 24v at every tstat location (5 of them)
Its just a simple on off switch controlled by temp. it just completes the 24v circuit.
Your problem with multiple tstats is it will be difficult to configure from a network perspective. Having a seperate static IP address on your internal tstats. All prob run interface on the same port. You would have to create a separate port mapping to be exposed to the internet for each of the tstats.
Not to mention expensive for all those devices.
If you have one MASTER and the rest talk to the master which are tied to the 2 wire in each of your locations, its a single device being mapped to the internet.
example - tstat 192.168.1.100:8080 IP
ORT INTERNET dynamic dns to your IP x.x.x.x the port exposing tstat is 8080to browse to interface using browser would be http://dns_name:8080
Dynamic DNS would be handled by your modem or router/firewall - your ip address changes (unless static)
I am gonig to be researching devices my self before the next heating season. I only have a single zone so more simple for me.
I will keep an eye out. There has to be a solution where there is a master tstat that talks to multiple zones and allows remote access via wifi network/internet.
found this doing a quick google search - multi zone master thermostat wifi
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=153285
It looks like there are all kinds of options if you are willing to pull some wire. wifi might be a little bleeding edge yet.
Do your research. Good luck
RedLINK Internet Gateway - Honeywell ForwardThinking
https://www.forwardthinking.honeywell.com/products/.../total_connect
Connect any RedLINK Comfort System to the Internet to provide your customers with remote access from their PC, smart phone or tablet* using Honeywell's ... This is the system I would use. Your options are endless,what's nice about the red link is you can start small and add to it. Honeywell has great info on the web and great product support for the end user. Most control companies are here today,gone at the end of the day. Yes,I'm a HVAC guy. Search Honeywells web site, they also have cheaper and simpler systems.
https://www.forwardthinking.honeywell.com/products/.../total_connect
Connect any RedLINK Comfort System to the Internet to provide your customers with remote access from their PC, smart phone or tablet* using Honeywell's ... This is the system I would use. Your options are endless,what's nice about the red link is you can start small and add to it. Honeywell has great info on the web and great product support for the end user. Most control companies are here today,gone at the end of the day. Yes,I'm a HVAC guy. Search Honeywells web site, they also have cheaper and simpler systems.
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Northstar,
Here is how I would do it, and I do install furnaces. I use Honnywell wi fi stats, there about $120.00
and easy to set up with the directions that come with it. you will need internet and 24volts + and- red wire black wire at all times and the white wire going back to your furnace. pick a spot where it would make sence to have the wifi stat, largest part of the house, greatest heating need. The directions will help you find the required 24 volts on your furnace board or It may be easyer to run it from a seperate 24 volt transformer. Wire all zone stats in parralell with the white wire. I could send you a wiring diagram if you would like but The directions that come with the stat are very helpful.
Here is how I would do it, and I do install furnaces. I use Honnywell wi fi stats, there about $120.00
and easy to set up with the directions that come with it. you will need internet and 24volts + and- red wire black wire at all times and the white wire going back to your furnace. pick a spot where it would make sence to have the wifi stat, largest part of the house, greatest heating need. The directions will help you find the required 24 volts on your furnace board or It may be easyer to run it from a seperate 24 volt transformer. Wire all zone stats in parralell with the white wire. I could send you a wiring diagram if you would like but The directions that come with the stat are very helpful.
uncle_ed
Active member
Northstar, this is doable but you may have to rewire t-stats or have multiple wifi t-stats. I currently use a z-wave home controller which has the capabilities to control other devices as well as my thermostat. I can turn lights or other electric devices on or off, monitor temperature via a sensor, control the thermostat and more. The controller allows me to receive text or email alerts when temps fall low or for any other scenario you create like a low battery in a sensor etc. I keep a temperature sensor in the back bunkhouse which I do not have direct heat in and it still stays close enough to the rest of the house to not be a problem. Maybe you could get away with one wifi stat in the main living area or where you enter to make it comfortable when you arrive and then you can dial up the rest of the house which will be warmer via heat trasfer also.
Ed
Ed
I appreciate all the feedback. This is a new to me cabin and new to me radiator heat. My old place had forced air so I appreciate Whitedust's call on the recovery time with hot water. Even with FA the furnace worked all night to get the temp up which is why I was thinking a 5 or 6 hour warm up would help me out once I get there. Like I said this cabin is new to me so I am learning what to do where I had 20 years in the old place. I added internet here because the cellular coverage is near non-existent so my MiFi was no longer a viable connectivity option. Now that I have it I might as well take advantage of it for home monitoring.
I may start out small this season and add the Honeywell thermostats to the bedroom and great room zones to cover most of the house for a warm up and adjust or add as time goes on. But from all I read I think I just need to suck it up and pull some wire to replace the 2 wire. Not looks for a ton of bells or whistles since I will either be there or not, so 7 day programming and learning thermostats are probably not necessary.
I like the idea of a separate transformer to feed the WiFi to isolate them from the boiler transformer, like Sketer says it is electronics and you never know. Though I am not sure how that would be wired up if the thermostat has a single ground.
A few more months of Sun and Fun so I can keep looking around, but thanks again for the 'warming' thoughts.
I may start out small this season and add the Honeywell thermostats to the bedroom and great room zones to cover most of the house for a warm up and adjust or add as time goes on. But from all I read I think I just need to suck it up and pull some wire to replace the 2 wire. Not looks for a ton of bells or whistles since I will either be there or not, so 7 day programming and learning thermostats are probably not necessary.
I like the idea of a separate transformer to feed the WiFi to isolate them from the boiler transformer, like Sketer says it is electronics and you never know. Though I am not sure how that would be wired up if the thermostat has a single ground.
A few more months of Sun and Fun so I can keep looking around, but thanks again for the 'warming' thoughts.
We've struggled with the same issue at our cabin. Radiant heat in the slab so it takes forever to warm up when we get up there and we only turn it down to 60 when we are gone. So my plan for this winter is just to put in a programable t-stat and program it to start warming up to 70 every Friday morning and then to cool back down to 60 at 9:00 every friday night. That way if we do come up for the weekend I can just override the program and keep it turned up and if we don't come up for the weekend it will turn it back down. Would be interested to go to a WIFI style set up but we don't have a land line up there so not sure how it would connect.