Beware the CT-100 Thermostat - Terrible customer support

Long story short:

I got a Vera/Remotec ZTS-100 with my Vera kit which replaced my upstairs thermostat with no problem. However, only one came in the kit, so I bought a CT-100 (cheaper) for downstairs. What a mistake!

I have two identical heat pump systems. Both had the same dumb thermostat, same wiring, etc. Both Z-Wave thermostats have the same connections on them, and both can select conventional A/C or heat pump. I wired the CT-100 up the same way as the ZTS-100, set it to heat pump, configured the HVAC type in the menu (all per the instructions), and included it successfully. Unfortunately, no matter if the thermostat was in HEAT or COOL mode, I only got heat. This is Florida. Oh. Hell. No.

I tried contacting 2Gig to get technical support - only to be told that they only deal with their retailers and installers. No help is available to consumers. The big “GO AWAY” sign flashed brightly.

So I called Radio Thermometer of America - whose name was also on the box. Both assert that they are the manufacturer, although on the box is a sticker that says “Manufactured for 2Gig”. Hrmh. RTA’s support line - no matter when I called - always threw you to voicemail, so I left one. Hours later, I got an email requesting details on what the wiring looked like on the old thermostat and how I wired it on the new one. I replied with descriptions and pictures. That was yesterday. I have yet to receive a reply.

In case I didn’t mention it, it was 91 degrees today.

I tried calling several more times today. I followed up via email. I got no reply at all. So, today, the CT-100 is being shipped back, and I bought another ZTS-100.

For Heat Pumps, one wire is used to control if the Heat Pump is in cool mode or heat mode.
How this is implemented is not standard. Sometimes power means heat, sometimes it means cool.

So the thermostat should have an option to conform to your heat pump requirements.

Sounds like the Heat Pump change over wire has a different default polarity on both Thermostats.

There should be an installer setting to switch this. (On the thermostat that is not working!)

THere is not only a heat pump switch but a setting to configure 1-stage, 2-stage, etc.

I had an A/C guy out and he was mystified as well.

I looked up your manual …
try moving the wire (at the thermostat) …
If you currently have a wire on O move it to B
or if you currently have a wire on B move it to O

I had tried that as well. No matter, it is on the way back, and the ZTS-100 should be here soon.