Two new HVAC units which thermostats would work best Ecobee Honeywell?

Other Devices & Integrations Climate Control & Temperature Sensors
1

Morning All… I have VeraPlus UI7 and just remodeled our home adding two HVAC units. Wondering which thermostat I can use that will work with VeraPlus well. My HVAC installer said that honeywells are true thermostats and focus one the mechanics and very customizable for different units while ecobee focuses on the wifi/user functions/etc. THOUGHTS???

Thanks!

2

I started Honeywell Lyric, it was garbage. Then I had the Honeywell Wifi Thermostat which was fine, but still left a lot to be desired. Now I am using Ecobee. I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove the Ecobee and would highly recommend it. I can’t say enough good things about it. The Vera plugin for it works wonderfully.

3

I have used a Z-Wave thermostat for many years. There are thermostats that work on the Internet … that require the Internet to change their behavior. Many of the features are duplicated when you integrate with a home automation system.

I use a simple Z-Wave thermostat. (They all support multistage Heat/Cool with scheduled setback. Although I only use the basic features on it. I let Vera do all of the dynamic behavior changes.

I control the thermostat using PLEG based on various other events in the house, i.e. Home/Away, Windows open. I also use the Thermostat (setpoint and sensor) and Weather Underground outside temp to control House circulation fans in the spring and fall. Also Vera announces when I might want to open/close the windows and use the fans based on Thermostat setpoint and Outside temperature.

4

I love my 2 Ecobees!! The sensors for additional rooms are really nice to let the thermostat “follow” you from room to room to keep temps comfortable.

I just added the Ecobee app to Vera so I haven’t played with it much but now I’m getting alerts from the Ecobee motion sensors. I have to believe that they can be used to activate scenes.

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5

I was debating the Ecobee but at $250 each and needing two that’s $$. Plus I think if I get a regular zwave honeywell thermostat, with the home automation I can control almost the same features as ecobee. Thoughts??

6

It only hurts once to buy 2, lol! The Ecobees are so sexy! Look at the design and how well the screen responds, fit/finish, etc. I think the sensors are what really differentiates it from the others.

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7

Even after spending $150 yesterday for 4 more sensors, I am ecstatic with the Ecobee3. This thing has cleared up a few misconceptions about the efficiency of my A/C system. I know know that the cooling issues in the far end of the house don’t really exist. The sensors integrate fully into Vera and can be used to trigger anything you wish. I was contemplating a few of those controllable vents to help direct air where I needed it, but I don’t think I need it now. But if I decide to go that route, at least I have plenty of data to guide how they are controlled…

8

Honeywell Z-wave and be finished with the project without complicating your HA network…

9

I won’t argue that. If you’re looking for easy, quick, and cheap, it’s the way I’d go as well…

10

I won’t argue that. If you’re looking for easy, quick, and cheap, it’s the way I’d go as well…[/quote]

Yup I think spending several hundred on a thermostat is pointless with a smart home. All you need is to kick on heating and cooling the the appropriate stages. Other then that you paying for a touch screen, color touch screen, motion sensor on the thermostat or somethig else you don’t need to make you system work. Once your z-wave stat it hooked to the smarthome it will be very smart and have all sensors or outside weather to control everything you need.

I never use the screen on my stats themselves (I have zoned system with a stat in each room of the house plus hallway for the common areas). All is done automatically or from phone or tablet and would be more of a pain to walk to each room to make manual adjustments anyways.

11

I won’t argue that. If you’re looking for easy, quick, and cheap, it’s the way I’d go as well…[/quote]

Yup I think spending several hundred on a thermostat is pointless with a smart home. All you need is to kick on heating and cooling the the appropriate stages. Other then that you paying for a touch screen, color touch screen, motion sensor on the thermostat or somethig else you don’t need to make you system work. Once your z-wave stat it hooked to the smarthome it will be very smart and have all sensors or outside weather to control everything you need.

I never use the screen on my stats themselves (I have zoned system with a stat in each room of the house plus hallway for the common areas). All is done automatically or from phone or tablet and would be more of a pain to walk to each room to make manual adjustments anyways.[/quote]

I certainly hope your automation system never takes a hit. I didn’t need that much equipment and I prefer to be able to revert to some kind of scheduling in case something goes south. To each their own…

12

If automation takes a hit the A/C is not going to go crazy. It will just stay at the current set point without changing when I’m home or away. Kind of like all my z-wave devices. All hell won’t brake loose I’ll just be like I was a few years ago manually pushing a light switch until I fix my problem.