UI7 Native Thermostats - Pros and Cons

Other Devices & Integrations Climate Control & Temperature Sensors
1

Vera UI7 has 6 native thermostat devices that do not require plugins. As of today these are Centralite 3157100, Danfoss, Evolve T-100R, Remotec ZTS100/110, RT CT100, and Nest (as a native plugin??).

I invite discussion on the pros and cons for each of these from your actual experience. This would aid those of us wanting to purchase a new thermostat.

Let’s open the discussion with a question about the Centralite 3157100. I can find no documentation that says it supports Z-Wave or Ethernet, it only supports ZigBee. Why is it in the native thermostat list? (Maybe there was a beta version with Z-wave?) Anyway I can find no Pro and only a major Con for purchasing this thermostat. Thanks!

2

The Trane zwave works as well without a plugin.

x

3

Here is some more information on the ZTS-110 (not the older -100) culled from several sources.

Info: In Advanced Mode be prepared to apply more advanced thermostat settings or it may not behave as well as you would like. (tomtcom, Grwebster 3/5/2015)

Info: Battery run-down issue if not initially set up correctly for low power mode (documented in manual under ‘FLiRS Mode’). If the ZTS-110 is not set up correctly, the batteries will run down in a few days. If properly set, no reported issues.

Con: One report of not being able to calibrate the thermostat despite the manual saying you can. No resolution was reported (jroberts 5/29/2015).

Pro: Use any Z-Wave controller.

Pro: No battery required if the “C Wire” is available for 24VAC power. In this case battery keeps the clock active during a power outage, otherwise the clock resets when power resumes.

Con: If your installation uses a standard electrical box mounted in the normal vertical position, the ZTS-110 is not tall enough to cover the opening and must be mounted to a cover plate.

Info: See Amazon Reviewer, Ashok Aiyar (10/18/2015), for a very detailed review using a different Z-wave controller.

Per Amazon reviewer, N. Shepard (12/2/2015):
Pros: ZTS-110 can run an internal program schedule, but can be overridden by VeraLite when in Vacation Mode. (Note: other users with different controllers seemed to have some non-specific issues with this approach). Auto-Mode automatically switches between heat and AC: no manually switching required.

Per Amazon reviewer, Shockcord (12/19/2015)
Pros: Supports Association Class (status updates). Can even control other Z-wave modules for Head and Cool. Auto Heat/Cool mode with both low and high target temperatures. Screw terminals on back cover. Room for wires in thermostat housing. Thermostat removes from back over with front cover via connector to screw terminals. Can operate in Local Schedule mode or dumb mode. Shows status of Heat/Cool Stages even when back light is off. Can see and adjust both Heat and Cool Set points in auto mode.

Cons: Can?t see set points without pressing a button. In Schedule Mode you can?t see scheduled set point at all (you can only see the override set points, which can be different). Will not mount to standard electrical box or drywall ring. Backlight timeouts too quickly (7 sec) same on battery or AC. Timeout during schedule programming too quick. Battery reading is always 100% when powered by AC.

4

Seems like a pointless thread.

I use Trane Zwave myself.

Pros- it turns on and off my ac, changes setpoints, heat cool auto. It cost 50.00ish on ebay.

Thermostats are simple devices that tend to get over complicated and expensive like a nest. Dont spend to much money on a thermostat thats gonna be controlled by vera.