Anyone using comm. thermostats other than HAI's ?

[cyhome]

Just recently switched over to a Lumina Pro from a Homevision setup. I have three fairly new Aprilaire 8870 thermostats (Statnet) and the RS-485 to RS-232 converter to communicate with them. Since these are pretty new, and work fine, I would rather not replace them with HAI's thermostats.
 
Has anyone somehow integrated these or other smart thermostats (OTHER than HAI's) into their HAI system? It seems like it might be complicated to try and use serial messages to send and receive commands from the Aprilaire Statnets.
 
I see that iRule supports these thermostats using a serial iTach, and I plan to use that software's HAI plugin. But I think it may not be straightforward how to integrate the Lumina, iRule, and the Aprilaire thermostats.
 
Any input greatly appreciated!
 
Matt

 

[picta]

The only other HVAC system that is natively supported in HAI is Carrier Infinity/Bryant Evolution. You may have to add a software controller to your setup that will interface HAI panel and the rest of your system.

 

[ano]

The only other HVAC system that is natively supported in HAI is Carrier Infinity/Bryant Evolution. You may have to add a software controller to your setup that will interface HAI panel and the rest of your system.

I looked at doing this. From what I saw it is more than a "software controller" required. You need to buy a Carrier/Bryant Serial Access Module (SAM) which is a box selling for around $800. This box connects to the Carrier/Bryant system and has a serial port that the HAI supports.  So the HAI controls the box, the box connects to the Carrier/Bryant and the Carrier/Bryant connects to their thermostats. 
 
Also I think that this system, while still available last I checked, is being replaced by a newer system by Carrier/Bryant which HAI doesn't yet support. The advantage of going this way is you can use the Carrier zone controller, and HAI can control everything, for lots of money.  The option I went with is to use Omnistat2's with a Honeywell zone controller. 

 

[gatchel]

You are taking something that cost pennies on the dollar and inflating the cost exponentially while not really adding any value to your setup. I would suggest the resistors go at the End Of the Line as intended or just simply crimp them in-line with the wiring back at the panel.
 
 
Unless you are getting the parts for "free" then have at it. Get a bunch of low amperage fuses, short them across a battery to blow them nicely, then solder a resistor to the end caps on the outside of the glass. Make sure they are inserted as such that the resistor does not interfere with the clamping of the socket.

 

[tigers]

Don't know if it's what you're looking for but I use some temperature sensors to command electro valves on heating system using HAI logic.
The temperature sensors show up in the central exactly like that and I can set hi/Lo threshold so that they appear as "alarmed" zones.

When a zone is in alarm the valve (which is set on an output port on HAI expansion module) opens, when it's safe it closes.