Thermostat options

[royalj7]

So I'm looking at my next HA project and it's a toss up between Sage and thermostat control. I was wondering what CQC'ers are using for their HVAC control. From everything I can see, there are really two popular options, RCS TSXX unit and Aprilaire 8870. I'm just wondering the maturity of the CQC drivers and how satisfied people are with the control. The RCS TR16 would be the most economical choice, but the wall unit aint the prettiest around. Anyways, I just wanted to hear folks experiences with them.

Thanks,
--Jamie

PS. I guess there is also HAI Omnistat line, but I don't think there is a CQC driver for that.

 

[sic0048]

I have both SageTV and a RCS TR-16. I can say honestly that I use the Sage alot more than the thermostat. But I saved a lot more money on my electric bill by installing the TR-16. We had a 30 yr old round, analog thermostat and simply installing the TR-16 with its min. run time and min rest time has cut my energy bill down dramatically. I saved enough to pay for the thermostat in just a few months (I also bought it on a big sale at Setnet). I don't even use any of the programming functions of the thermostat. I don't think everyone will see as dramatic of a change as I did however.

I love the Sage system. It certainly is going to be a more dramatic change to any system as well. Let's face it, everyone likes saving money, but a cool thermostat doesn't provide any bling or bragging rights either.

What I really need to do is have CQC raise and lower the setpoints of the thermostat automatically based on the alarm status. It's easy to do, but I simply haven't taken the time to do it. Truthfully, I also wanted to let the system run a while with the new thermostat to get some baseline numbers to see if changing the setpoints really saves any money or not.

 

[Sacedog]

I have 3 Apprilaire 8870s, and like them a lot. With the cover down, they blend into the walls nicely. I too have Sage, and we use the he11 out of it. It is by far my wife's favorite thing I have done to the house, as she can pull up any movie instantly.

I have my Elk controlling my stats (although this could be done with CQC just as easily), using a number of different programming rules; changing temp in the evenings and mornings, depending on the days of the week, keeping it a bit cooler on Wed and Thu during the day for my mother-in-law, and changing the temp upon arming the system in Away mode, or when disarming the system. I also have all three set up in my touchscreen interface in CQC, and able to be manipulated this was as well.

 

[royalj7]

Brian: Do you have the TR16 hooked up directly to CQC or through a security panel?

Sacedog: My only concern is the difference in controlling the Tstat through and Elk or Ommi and controlling it directly with CQC. I'm looking for those "gotcha" driver limitations that might show up if not controlling through a panel.

Also, anyone using the RCS units, are there any differences other than the wall unit between the TR-16 and TR-60?

 

[sic0048]

I have the TR-16 hooked up to CQC via a cheap RS-485 to RS-232 converter that I bought off EBay for $7 shipped. I simply didn't want to buy an ELK M1XSP to make it work.

I know the TR-16 and the TR-40 were identical in feature set. Of course the TR-40 had the larger screen and you could do more operations at the wall unit. The TR-16 wall unit is much smaller and only allows you to change the power, temperature setpoints and fan settings. Everything else (like customizing the min run time, min rest time, and setting programs) must be done via a computer and their included software. I don't really plan on using the internal programs of the TR-16 because I'll use CQC for that. So once I set the basic settings the way I wanted, I have never needed to go back into the TR-16's menus via the computer.

I'm not sure if there are any new features on the TR-60 that the TR-40 did not have. I've heard there are not any new features, but I don't know for sure. If there are no changes, then the TR-16 and the TR-60 should be identical in features and capabilities.

I personally think there will be fewer "gotcha's" with the CQC driver than there would be with the Elk interface. I say that simply because it is much easier to get someone to modify the CQC driver than it is to get ELK to update their firmware with new features. So the CQC driver will be more 'nimble' than the ELK IMHO.

The worse thing that could happen to my system if CQC goes down is that any programming I have in CQC would not execute. Instead the thermostat would simply be set on the last temp setpoints. It's not like the thermostat ceases to function if CQC goes down. Besides, I don't currently have any programming, so it wouldn't effect my current system one bit. Well I hope to at least start entering in run/rest times into a database for long term analysis, so that would stop working I guess. But that would be ELK independant anyway, even if I was running the thermostat via the ELK.

 

[Sacedog]

The worse thing that could happen to my system if CQC goes down is that any programming I have in CQC would not execute. Instead the thermostat would simply be set on the last temp setpoints. It's not like the thermostat ceases to function if CQC goes down. Besides, I don't currently have any programming, so it wouldn't effect my current system one bit. Well I hope to at least start entering in run/rest times into a database for long term analysis, so that would stop working I guess. But that would be ELK independant anyway, even if I was running the thermostat via the ELK.

Ditto for the 8870. So if my Elk goes down, the thermostat just operates at the last level. I'm sure the RCS has local control too, but my mother-in-law likes that she can mess with the temp settings at the stat, and they will stay that way until the Elk changes them again.

Also, a quick note on teh 8870 setup; you do not need the distribution panel for multiple stats. I have 3 hooked up now without a distro panel. I just wire nut all the like wires together at the protocol adapter, and it works great.

I'm not sure if there are any quirks with CQC; you might want to post this to the CQC forum too. The only one listed on the supported devices page is that they suggest not having more than 8 connected to a single serial adapter.

 

[sic0048]

I forgot to mention that because the TR-40/60 has the large screen, you can actually send it custom messages using the CQC driver. I'm not sure that would really be useful for anything, but if you want to display the currently playing song, you could do that I didn't think the extra $ for the TR-40 was worth missing that function with the TR-16.

 

[royalj7]

Welp, I just remembered I have to run a wire from my thermostat location to the HVAC unit, I already have a wire from the unit back to the CWP. And since I'm pretty much sick of running wire, I think sage is going to get the nod. When I do get a thermostat, I think I'm going with the RCS 60.

--Jamie

 

[sic0048]

I know with the TR-16, I simply used the old 4 conductor wire from the old thermostat to control the new wall unit. I'm not sure if the TR-40 needs more wires or not due to the extra features at the wall unit. But the TR-16 went in super easy since I didn't need to run any extra wire.

That being said, you'll love SageTV too.

 

[gacevich]

FWIW, i use 4 8870's, cqc and elk. once i got everything working it has been rock solid.

 

[rwarshawski]

Don't know if this is the best place for this or if it has been addressed before, but i Have a question about the Carrier Infinty HVAC system. Has anyone connected an automation system to it? I have a HAL/Cinemar system and a UPB network with an RCS TU-16 t'stat. Not quite finished the install as yet.

bob