making my heat thermostat low voltage
- Thread starter Mike P
- Start date
tixer
Lincoln Evangelist
Is it safe to assume that this is for your home? 
Although you could probably do it with a simple relay (120v or 220v, depending upon what your thermostat is currently switching) I'm guessing the "right" way to do it would be to replace the electronics at the furnace, and then install a "regular" thermostat where your current one is located. that'll also likely be a bit more expensive..
I'm trying to remember what kind of equipment you have currently. (heh.) If memory serves, it's baseboard heat of some kind. Electric? Or is it hot water? and if so, it an oil burner? Gas?
Edit: I did some digging. You probably need this, or some variant thereof. (depending upon the voltage of your system)
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-RC840T-120/dp/B00D5YLY2G/
You would then hook a normal, 24v thermostat up to the "c" "w" and "r" wires on that..
Although you could probably do it with a simple relay (120v or 220v, depending upon what your thermostat is currently switching) I'm guessing the "right" way to do it would be to replace the electronics at the furnace, and then install a "regular" thermostat where your current one is located. that'll also likely be a bit more expensive..
I'm trying to remember what kind of equipment you have currently. (heh.) If memory serves, it's baseboard heat of some kind. Electric? Or is it hot water? and if so, it an oil burner? Gas?
Edit: I did some digging. You probably need this, or some variant thereof. (depending upon the voltage of your system)
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-RC840T-120/dp/B00D5YLY2G/
You would then hook a normal, 24v thermostat up to the "c" "w" and "r" wires on that..
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of courseIs it safe to assume that this is for your home?
I think at this point you are guessing, its basically the same method as baseboard, just individual radiators.
I already have a NEST thermostat that I acquired for 100% discount, my CAC is low voltage and the heat is an oil furnace run on 120V. I think this converter you showed me is perfect because the first comment refers to NEST. Good job man, now I have to figure out how to do the rest.
Bribe?
driller
El Presidente
Ahhh... I hope you get it working. You're gonna love the NEST thermostat.
I would suggest hooking up a cheap thermostat to the Honeywell relay and confirm operation prior to installing the NEST.
Do you have any schematics or pictures of the current thermostat control?
tixer
Lincoln Evangelist
If your "professional" already ran wires (at least 3, hopefully more) down to the furnace from the Nest, the rest should be pretty simple.
Order that relay above, and get one of these while you're at it - they're super handy. http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B000EJ332O/
Here's a pretty good wiring diagram - https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.war...822801&Signature=lmXDjFAxIk0LA6BV/NqiWBzUTdY=
A) Cut power to your furnace, and probe the power wires with the voltage tester to make sure the power is actually cut.
B) find out where the wires go from the furnace to your old-school thermostat, and wire it in instead.
The black wire goes to to the black wire of your house wiring. (this is also the one most likely to be carrying power. Be sure to probe it a few extra times..) (2 wires total)
The White wire is "Common," and gets spliced in with the white wire from the house, and the white wire from the furnace. (3 wires total)
Note: the diagram above indicates that the wires from the furnace should be red and black, but I'm kind of assuming they'll be white and black instead..
The red wire goes to the furnace (this is the one that switches it on and off) (2 wires total)
Order that relay above, and get one of these while you're at it - they're super handy. http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B000EJ332O/
Here's a pretty good wiring diagram - https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.war...822801&Signature=lmXDjFAxIk0LA6BV/NqiWBzUTdY=
A) Cut power to your furnace, and probe the power wires with the voltage tester to make sure the power is actually cut.
B) find out where the wires go from the furnace to your old-school thermostat, and wire it in instead.
The black wire goes to to the black wire of your house wiring. (this is also the one most likely to be carrying power. Be sure to probe it a few extra times..) (2 wires total)
The White wire is "Common," and gets spliced in with the white wire from the house, and the white wire from the furnace. (3 wires total)
Note: the diagram above indicates that the wires from the furnace should be red and black, but I'm kind of assuming they'll be white and black instead..
The red wire goes to the furnace (this is the one that switches it on and off) (2 wires total)
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he didn't, I can do this thtough
Got one of these already, don't be ridiculous. I do electric and whatnot around the house, its cars that get me.
I'll give it a try, thanks buddy
tixer
Lincoln Evangelist
I believe I owe you an apology then. I very much oversimplified the instructions I posted. Sorry 'bout that.
Good luck, my friend.