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Some of our thermostats are basic (non programmable) thermostats made by white and rogers (model 1F78). I found a Honeywell RTH 221B laying around our house (no idea where it came from). I was planning to switch it in place of one of the non-progam white and rogers thermostats. However when we restored our house, we went with mostly higher end products (we are no longer rich, so I cannot just go out and buy some high end programmable ones). I do not want to switch out a really good thermostat for a crummy one. It the White & Rogers unit a better quality thermostat? Is switching to the Honeywell going downhill even though it is programmable?
I previously tries some other cheap programmables but they did nto ahve batteries, so when the power went out, they lost their programming. Plus they did nto seems to work well. I put the old ones back.
I looked it up and the Hoenywell is cheaper (16.95) than the White & Rogers ($26.95). But that does not always mean a difference in quality.
Actually I am surprised by how cheap they are, maby I should just find a White and Rogers programmable?
Ok not so cheap. The white and rogers programmable units we have are $80 each.
This takes me back to the original quesiotn. Are white and rigers actually that much better quality wise? It is amazing the Honeywell one is $16 and the W & R is $80.
Thank you
Last edited by Coldjensens; 02-23-2013 at 07:51 AM..
I would use the Honeywell thermostat if that's what you have. If you don't have the instructions or manual for it, you should be able to download and print it.
I found a Honeywell RTH230B programmable thermostat at a garage sale. It didn't have a manual, but $1.00 for it was a good deal (it looked unused and clean). I downloaded the instructions, and installed the thermostat ten years ago. During the winter it keeps the temperature at 68 degrees (seven days of the week) when we are awake at home, and then at 65 degrees from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM when we are in bed. This thermostat can also be programmed in different ways during the week or weekend, night or day, and so on.
There is not a big difference from brand to brand, except for features some offer over the rest.
Be careful. Boilers are temperamental when it comes to thermostats.
The wrong thermostat can cause lots of problems for a boiler.
Make sure the thermostat you plan to use is compatible with your boiler system.
Thermostats are switching devises. All a thermostat does is to transfer power to the zone valve, or a circulating pump, or a fan, when it senses a temperature difference that differs from the preset or programmed cycle.
Thermostats are switching devises. All a thermostat does is to transfer power to the zone valve, or a circulating pump, or a fan, when it senses a temperature difference that differs from the preset or programmed cycle.
That figures. I probably have to buy the $80 ones for our boiler. Not the first time, I wish we had not gotten this fancy high tech boiler.
I don't think so. A zone thermostat does not control the boiler. But you should at least know if your zone valves use 24 volts, 115 volts, or a pneumatic signal to operate. So, see what power the zone valve uses, and buy the right thermostat. Most home boilers and furnaces use 24 volts. But you can look at the transformer on the wall near the boiler and read its voltage ratings. The thermostat is much like a switch: it turns power on/off by closing and opening a set of contacts. You should also figure if the zone valves operate on 2 or 3 wires before you choose the thermostat to use.
The thermostat manual should show you what it does.
The RTH111/RTH221 thermostats can be used to control:
• a gas, oil or electric furnace — 2 or 3 wires
• a central air conditioner — 2 or 3 wires
• a hot water system (steam or gravity) with or without pump — 2 wires
• a millivolt system — 2 wires
• a central heating system with air conditioning — 4 or 5 wires
NOTE: This thermostat is not compatible with heat pumps or multi-stage systems.
Choose the one that uses 2 wires or three wires to turn the zone valves on/off. For example. several of the WR zone heating valves use 3 wires: one wire is the ON signal, another wire is for the OFF (close valve) signal, and the third wire is the hot signal from the transformer.
But at my home the zone valves I have use 2 wires. My boiler is a hot water boiler, with baseboard heat. In this case, I can use the Honeywell thermostat, or the other one.
Last edited by RayinAK; 02-23-2013 at 11:17 PM..
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