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Posted by Lee B on October 18, 2009, 11:17 am
Tony Hwang wrote:
> Lee B wrote:
>> Tony Hwang wrote:
>>> Lee B wrote:
>>>> I had this thermostat installed by my utility company several weeks
>>>> ago.
>>>> It's the kind where they can cut back the air conditioner during peak
>>>> demand. I get money off my utility cost and a free installed
>>>> thermostat.
>>>> Let me mention here that I have no ability to install anything
>>>> electric,
>>>> so buying one and installing it myself wasn't an option.
>>>> I used it on the A/C mode for about a week, and then it became cool
>>>> enough that it wasn't necessary. Last night I turned it to the heat
>>>> setting. It ran fine for a while, although I noticed that on several
>>>> occasions it said "hold" which according to the manual has something to
>>>> do with protecting the compressor by not restarting it too soon. I have
>>>> a forced hot air oil furnace. Do they have compressors? I thought those
>>>> were found on A/Cs. (See - non technical here). Anyhow as I was looking
>>>> at the display, it suddenly went completely dark. I don't mean the back
>>>> light dimmed, I mean it was black with no on screen menu. That freaked
>>>> me because if the thermostat isn't working, how would the furnace know
>>>> to turn off. I walked to the other end of the house to see if it was
>>>> still running, and yes at least the fan part was. When I got back, the
>>>> back light and menu were back on again. I was concerned and took that
>>>> opportunity to turn the heating system back off.
>>>> Any thoughts? I've called the utility company and they can't look at it
>>>> until Tuesday. I'm afraid to turn it back on in case something is wrong
>>>> with either the thermostat or wiring.(Local newspaper blog had a
>>>> comment
>>>> from someone who claimed the utility had mis-wired her thermostat
>>>> and it
>>>> damaged her A/C). The guy who installed it didn't seem to know much
>>>> about the unit; when I asked how it worked, he handed me the guide and
>>>> said it's all in here. AFAIK, the furnace itself was functioning
>>>> properly - the oil company did its annual PM 3-4 weeks ago (actually an
>>>> hour or so after the thermostat was installed) and it was
>>>> OK.
>>>> Any thoughts on what I should look for or ask? I'm starting to wish I
>>>> had the original thermostat back.
>>> Hi,
>>> Hold means hold the current temp. for certain number if hours or days
>>> depending on what you do. Display darkens if there is no activity on
>>> the panel. If you touch any button, it'll come on again.
>>> Just READ the manual. Even if 'stat goes bad your furnace won't run
>>> forever. It has bult-in safety shut off.
>> OOps, sorry - the message was *"wait"* Don't know why I typed hold; I
>> knew what that one meant.
>> Display never darkened while it was in the A/C mode. It would dim but
>> never went completely dark. In fact, that's one of the complaints I've
>> read about this model. And when it went completely dark on me, it
>> didn't respond to my touching it. (Couldn't tell where exactly to
>> touch because there were no button outlines, but I tried several
>> places where I thought the buttons had been and it didn't react. It
>> finally lit back up while I was out of the room). And since I put it
>> back in "system off" mode, the backlight has stayed on.
>> I did read the manual... even downloaded the pdf file. It says that if
>> the screen is blank to check the circuit breaker, check the furnace
>> door and check that the power. Those weren't the problem because I
>> never did any of that, and it came back to life on its own. And it
>> says the wait message is for the compressor. (Do I have a compressor?)
>> Thanks for the reassurance though about the built-in shutoff. I
>> started worrying about the daggone thing acting up while was at work
>> and overheat or something.
> Hi,
> Does your 'stat have batteries within? Anyhow My Honeywell Vision Pro
> 8000 is battery operated and has an option to keep the display on or dim
> when inactive. I think this is to save battery. This panels have
> different brightness depending on what they use just like laptop LCD
> display panels. "Wait" means just that 'stat is starting a cycle and
> until then it displays that. Your's must be programmable with which you
> can do all kinds of things. Take a careful look at systems option part
> in the manual. My back is electronics and I often notice
> auto mechanics, HVAC techs, etc. having poor electronics basics. When
> I had my a/c installed I wanted a wireless 'stat. The guy did a very
> good job of installing but had no idea what to do with wireless. I told
> him not to worry I'll do that part. He looked very relieved. I hang the
> 'stat downstairs in the winter, upstairs in summer.
The UtilityPro is apparently based on the VisionPro. It does take
batteries (presumably mine is new since it was just installed). It
doesn't have the option to turn off the backlight. I know the VP does. I
haven't looked, but on another forum someone said that that code is not
one of the programming options on the UP. The manual actually says "If
thermostat is AC powered, a dim display is normal. The backlight
remains ON at a low level, and brightens when a key is pressed." There
really isn't any systems part of this manual, since it's designed for
the end user, with the utility co installing it. (The installer might
have had a manual, although looking back, I'm not sure if he understood
it).
I actually just had the same thermostat installed at my old house which
is for sale. Seemed like a good idea, because I could set the temp to be
a big higher when people might be coming to look. Now I'm worried about
going and setting that one into heat mode! (That installer seemed more
on top of things, but then he had to install something else on the
furnace because it was missing a wire at thermostat location).
(Here's the manual:
http://peakrewards.bgesmartenergy.com/media/pr/thermostat-operation-manual.pdf)
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Posted by Lee B on October 20, 2009, 9:09 pm
Tony Hwang wrote:
> Lee B wrote:
>> Tony Hwang wrote:
>>> Lee B wrote:
>>>> I had this thermostat installed by my utility company several weeks
>>>> ago.
>>>> It's the kind where they can cut back the air conditioner during peak
>>>> demand. I get money off my utility cost and a free installed
>>>> thermostat.
>>>> Let me mention here that I have no ability to install anything
>>>> electric,
>>>> so buying one and installing it myself wasn't an option.
>>>> I used it on the A/C mode for about a week, and then it became cool
>>>> enough that it wasn't necessary. Last night I turned it to the heat
>>>> setting. It ran fine for a while, although I noticed that on several
>>>> occasions it said "hold" which according to the manual has something to
>>>> do with protecting the compressor by not restarting it too soon. I have
>>>> a forced hot air oil furnace. Do they have compressors? I thought those
>>>> were found on A/Cs. (See - non technical here). Anyhow as I was looking
>>>> at the display, it suddenly went completely dark. I don't mean the back
>>>> light dimmed, I mean it was black with no on screen menu. That freaked
>>>> me because if the thermostat isn't working, how would the furnace know
>>>> to turn off. I walked to the other end of the house to see if it was
>>>> still running, and yes at least the fan part was. When I got back, the
>>>> back light and menu were back on again. I was concerned and took that
>>>> opportunity to turn the heating system back off.
>>>> Any thoughts? I've called the utility company and they can't look at it
>>>> until Tuesday. I'm afraid to turn it back on in case something is wrong
>>>> with either the thermostat or wiring.(Local newspaper blog had a
>>>> comment
>>>> from someone who claimed the utility had mis-wired her thermostat
>>>> and it
>>>> damaged her A/C). The guy who installed it didn't seem to know much
>>>> about the unit; when I asked how it worked, he handed me the guide and
>>>> said it's all in here. AFAIK, the furnace itself was functioning
>>>> properly - the oil company did its annual PM 3-4 weeks ago (actually an
>>>> hour or so after the thermostat was installed) and it was
>>>> OK.
>>>> Any thoughts on what I should look for or ask? I'm starting to wish I
>>>> had the original thermostat back.
>>> Hi,
>>> Hold means hold the current temp. for certain number if hours or days
>>> depending on what you do. Display darkens if there is no activity on
>>> the panel. If you touch any button, it'll come on again.
>>> Just READ the manual. Even if 'stat goes bad your furnace won't run
>>> forever. It has bult-in safety shut off.
>> OOps, sorry - the message was *"wait"* Don't know why I typed hold; I
>> knew what that one meant.
>> Display never darkened while it was in the A/C mode. It would dim but
>> never went completely dark. In fact, that's one of the complaints I've
>> read about this model. And when it went completely dark on me, it
>> didn't respond to my touching it. (Couldn't tell where exactly to
>> touch because there were no button outlines, but I tried several
>> places where I thought the buttons had been and it didn't react. It
>> finally lit back up while I was out of the room). And since I put it
>> back in "system off" mode, the backlight has stayed on.
>> I did read the manual... even downloaded the pdf file. It says that if
>> the screen is blank to check the circuit breaker, check the furnace
>> door and check that the power. Those weren't the problem because I
>> never did any of that, and it came back to life on its own. And it
>> says the wait message is for the compressor. (Do I have a compressor?)
>> Thanks for the reassurance though about the built-in shutoff. I
>> started worrying about the daggone thing acting up while was at work
>> and overheat or something.
> Hi,
> Does your 'stat have batteries within? Anyhow My Honeywell Vision Pro
> 8000 is battery operated and has an option to keep the display on or dim
> when inactive. I think this is to save battery. This panels have
> different brightness depending on what they use just like laptop LCD
> display panels. "Wait" means just that 'stat is starting a cycle and
> until then it displays that. Your's must be programmable with which you
> can do all kinds of things. Take a careful look at systems option part
> in the manual. My back is electronics and I often notice
> auto mechanics, HVAC techs, etc. having poor electronics basics. When
> I had my a/c installed I wanted a wireless 'stat. The guy did a very
> good job of installing but had no idea what to do with wireless. I told
> him not to worry I'll do that part. He looked very relieved. I hang the
> 'stat downstairs in the winter, upstairs in summer.
Repairman from the utility company was here today. I gave him a synopsis
and told him I was worried about whether something could have been
installed/wired incorrectly. He checked it and said the wiring is fine.
Thermostat is fine. The only thing he could come up with to explain the
display going blank is what Larry mentioned (thanks Larry!) about the
limit switch. Said furnace could have reached that temp, or switch could
be set too low. I still don't understand if this is a malfunction or a
fact of life?!
I asked why the previous thermostat, a digital non-programmable
Honeywell, never went blank on me. He said that old model had a battery
to run the display because it didn't have a common wire (I think that
was the term). He said that the UtilityPro has one small battery to hold
the date/time but doesn't have the batteries that other stats do because
they had to sacrifice some of the space for the additional electronics
used to do the peak usage thing, so the display is driven by that wire.
His explanation for the "wait" message was that there is a "bug" in the
'stat because it wasn't really adapted for an oil furnace, and was
reacting like it would with a heat pump that has a compressor.
I'm still not sure I'm quite satisfied. I guess I'll call the furnace
people (the service contract is part of my oil contract) and ask about
the limit switch. I just have visions of them both blaming each other. I
can live with an occasional blank display I guess, as long as I know
it's not an indication of something actually being *wrong* (and
dangerous) with the furnace.
Thanks to all for your patience with my questions!
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Posted by on October 17, 2009, 9:18 pm
wrote:
>I had this thermostat installed by my utility company several weeks ago.
>It's the kind where they can cut back the air conditioner during peak
>demand. I get money off my utility cost and a free installed thermostat.
>Let me mention here that I have no ability to install anything electric,
>so buying one and installing it myself wasn't an option.
>I used it on the A/C mode for about a week, and then it became cool
>enough that it wasn't necessary. Last night I turned it to the heat
>setting. It ran fine for a while, although I noticed that on several
>occasions it said "hold" which according to the manual has something to
>do with protecting the compressor by not restarting it too soon. I have
>a forced hot air oil furnace. Do they have compressors? I thought those
>were found on A/Cs. (See - non technical here). Anyhow as I was looking
>at the display, it suddenly went completely dark. I don't mean the back
>light dimmed, I mean it was black with no on screen menu. That freaked
>me because if the thermostat isn't working, how would the furnace know
>to turn off. I walked to the other end of the house to see if it was
>still running, and yes at least the fan part was. When I got back, the
>back light and menu were back on again. I was concerned and took that
>opportunity to turn the heating system back off.
>Any thoughts? I've called the utility company and they can't look at it
>until Tuesday. I'm afraid to turn it back on in case something is wrong
>with either the thermostat or wiring.(Local newspaper blog had a comment
>from someone who claimed the utility had mis-wired her thermostat and it
>damaged her A/C). The guy who installed it didn't seem to know much
>about the unit; when I asked how it worked, he handed me the guide and
>said it's all in here. AFAIK, the furnace itself was functioning
>properly - the oil company did its annual PM 3-4 weeks ago (actually an
>hour or so after the thermostat was installed) and it was
>OK.
>Any thoughts on what I should look for or ask? I'm starting to wish I
>had the original thermostat back.
HOLD on a programmable 'stat means it is not running the scheduled
program, but is in "temperature hold" mode.
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Posted by Lp1331 1p1331 on October 18, 2009, 1:20 am
On some furnaces the limit switch breaks the primary to the transformer.
If that happens, you have no 24volts to the stat and it goes dead until
the limit closes again and the power to the stat is restored. (First
hand experience with mine last winter) The limit switch is there to cut
the burners off if the heat exchanger exceeds a certain temperature. The
most common cause of that is low air flow over the HE, and the most
common cause of low air flow is dirty filters. That would be the first
thing to check. There are a number of things that could also cause that,
inicluding a faulty limit switch. Of course, this limit switch thing is
only a semi edjeecated guess. If your filters are clean, you probably
need to have your system checked and serviced by a pro. On mine, the fan
portion of the fan/limit switch was bad and would not bring the blower
on at all, causing the limit to open after a couple of minutes. Good
luck Larry
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Posted by Lp1331 1p1331 on October 18, 2009, 1:27 am
Sorry I missed the part about the furnace having been recently serviced
in the original post. ( And the oil part tells me that the OP is
probably nowhere near me). However, a limit switch opening would still
be my first WAG as to the cause of the problem. Larry
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