Exactly why I got Nest and continue to use it. Saves me money and is just smarter than sticking with an old school thermostat.
-
There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.
Smart Thermostats
- Thread starter JesasaurusRex
- Start date
Exactly why I got Nest and continue to use it. Saves me money and is just smarter than sticking with an old school thermostat.
JesasaurusRex
On a break
Don't have PGE but looks like my provider has a rebate as well and a partner website so it applies without me even having to send in a rebate form. Google nest learning for $125, think imma pull the trigger on that.
Thanks everyone
JesasaurusRex
On a break
only lets me get one at that price tho 
berth
Well-known member
House could be big enough to have more than one zone. Mine has 2.
I get the sentiment, but a small counterpoint if I may. First, your thermostat data is worth almost nothing to advertisers, so it's not being shared anywhere. I suppose it could be used to track your presence and absence in your home, but there's a much better device for that: your phone.
Last of all, IoT is a security risk. Now must of us are too boring/poor to be targets, but if you do care about security, Google is going to be ALOT better at it than Honeywell.
JesasaurusRex
On a break
That
Ya those are my thoughts too, I already lost the surveillance war by how much I use my phone. If they wanna also know why I prefer 72* over 73* so be it.
BillSmith
The Little Twitches Grandpa
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2007
- Moto(s)
- HD 2011 FXDF Dyna Fat Bob
- Name
- Bill
Bought a NEST for daughter a Christmas ago. From Costco, so if it were a bad apple, could return. She purchased a couple of remote sensors, happy with it.
flips21
Serial Lurker
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2009
- Location
- Sonoma County, CA
- Moto(s)
- '22 V4 Factory
'19 430 RR-S
'16 S1000XR
- Name
- Flip
Have multiple Honeywell's myself. I have designed the HVAC for lots of multi-residential projects.
The Nest 2nd gen had terrible return rates (rate of my service department having to return to the unit to fix them). On one project with over150 units, the Nest 2nd gen had a 35% return rate for service. Typical rates for thermostats made by companies that know how to make thermostats would be around 1%. But, Nest seemed to learn from their mistakes and the third gen's return rate was low enough that I wouldn't fight the developer's marketing person if they pushed for it. Nest looks "cooler" in the sales promo and on the wall.
I like how Honeywell does morning warm up and they have been doing it for decades. Nest isn't nearly as simple with the occupancy sensor throwing an unnecessary variable into the mix. Honeywell's Total Connect app has been easy to use.
A good source of information regarding reliability of the thermostats is Amazon's customer review comments. I am not kidding. The comments on thermostats are pretty accurate.
Flip
The Nest 2nd gen had terrible return rates (rate of my service department having to return to the unit to fix them). On one project with over150 units, the Nest 2nd gen had a 35% return rate for service. Typical rates for thermostats made by companies that know how to make thermostats would be around 1%. But, Nest seemed to learn from their mistakes and the third gen's return rate was low enough that I wouldn't fight the developer's marketing person if they pushed for it. Nest looks "cooler" in the sales promo and on the wall.
I like how Honeywell does morning warm up and they have been doing it for decades. Nest isn't nearly as simple with the occupancy sensor throwing an unnecessary variable into the mix. Honeywell's Total Connect app has been easy to use.
A good source of information regarding reliability of the thermostats is Amazon's customer review comments. I am not kidding. The comments on thermostats are pretty accurate.
Flip
Last edited:
HappyHighwayman
It's all in the reflexes
There were only 2 wires that were needed.
Arsey
Altruistic pervert
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2012
- Location
- The Great Concavity
- Moto(s)
- Panigale V4S, MTS V4 Pike’s Peak, RC8R, TE630
- Name
- D-rod
Been using a few Radio Thermostat CT50s for over 10 years now without any issues. I believe that the Honeywells are rebranded RTs. I have had no problems with them, and the app is simple and easy to use.
I chose them because I built my own multi zone HVAC system with off the shelf dampers, and programmed a Rockwell Micrologix PLC to run it, so it was easy to wire up the 24VAC as I was using it for I/O power anyways. Also, RT was pretty much the only option out at the time, so there's that.
I chose them because I built my own multi zone HVAC system with off the shelf dampers, and programmed a Rockwell Micrologix PLC to run it, so it was easy to wire up the 24VAC as I was using it for I/O power anyways. Also, RT was pretty much the only option out at the time, so there's that.
Forgive my ignorance here, but doesn't having multiple sensors in different rooms accomplish the same thing? To me, dual-zone implies that you actually have more than one unit (as in two A/C units or two furnaces...or both) and that each is assigned to a different area of the home. If you don't have a massive home, then the sensors in the rooms using the single HVAC setup really accomplishes the same thing for far less money, IMO. To accomplish that with Nest, you don't need a second main thermostat unit. You only need the additional sensors and those are cheap.
JesasaurusRex
On a break
I have two a/c units and two furnaces
Climber
Well-known member
I have an early model of Honeywell wifi thermostat. Works really well, what's great is turning off my AC or heat, depending on time of year, then turning it back on when I'm an hour away from home when returning. Also, I adjusted it from NH for my wife while away.
Climber
Well-known member
Forgive my ignorance here, but doesn't having multiple sensors in different rooms accomplish the same thing? To me, dual-zone implies that you actually have more than one unit (as in two A/C units or two furnaces...or both) and that each is assigned to a different area of the home. If you don't have a massive home, then the sensors in the rooms using the single HVAC setup really accomplishes the same thing for far less money, IMO. To accomplish that with Nest, you don't need a second main thermostat unit. You only need the additional sensors and those are cheap.
If you have dampers in your ducting, you can control where the heat/air goes. It's common in New England.
Dubbington
Slamdunk Champion
Ecobee
Had one in my primary and installed one in the rental. I wanted it for more programming during the week and to be able to use my phone to turn the AC on hour or so before I come from work on some days.
I researched the hell out of them. For small places, say 1500sqft, you shouldn't need the room sensors. Also, reviews on many are they don't work or battery life is bad.
Location of thermostat is also important. If it's near a door that you use a lot or if it's in an isolated area, it wont be reading the house correctly and then a room sensor will be needed.
I do like how you can control just the fan to come on hourly for 5 minutes or more. This helps move the air around and even spots in the house.
Use the cheapest filter there is and change in every 4-8 weeks. You don't want the furnace to be struggling.
I'm not sure how they save money but they somehow do.
The sensors for the ecobee get bad reviews. The sensors for the T9 honewelll get great reviews.
Had one in my primary and installed one in the rental. I wanted it for more programming during the week and to be able to use my phone to turn the AC on hour or so before I come from work on some days.
I researched the hell out of them. For small places, say 1500sqft, you shouldn't need the room sensors. Also, reviews on many are they don't work or battery life is bad.
Location of thermostat is also important. If it's near a door that you use a lot or if it's in an isolated area, it wont be reading the house correctly and then a room sensor will be needed.
I do like how you can control just the fan to come on hourly for 5 minutes or more. This helps move the air around and even spots in the house.
Use the cheapest filter there is and change in every 4-8 weeks. You don't want the furnace to be struggling.
I'm not sure how they save money but they somehow do.
The sensors for the ecobee get bad reviews. The sensors for the T9 honewelll get great reviews.
That can also create excessive backpressure on a system that isn't designed for it. Back when I owned my house in Livermore, we looked at installing a damper system (this was long before Nest was what it is today...) and the multiple vendors that came out said they wouldn't do it unless updated furnace and A/C units were installed since they couldn't guarantee that the increase in backpressure wouldn't damage them. Apparently there are units designed specifically for damper-style systems.
I have 2 zones/thermostats in my house, upstairs and downstairs. There is a zone damper in the ductwork. The zones/thermostats work independently of each other. If only one zone is calling, the other zone isn't completely 100% closed. The damper is open a little bit so it doesn't cause too much pressure. I also have 2-stage A/C & heat w/variable speed fan, so if only one zone is calling the system will operate on the low stage & low speed fan.
We have ecobee thermostats and have been happy with them.
We have ecobee thermostats and have been happy with them.