Need a new thermostat, recommendations?

[ulrick65]

Looks like my old Venstar with the Insteon adapter is finally reaching its last leg...the screen pretty hard to read anymore (still works, but but would be nice to read it instead of asking Alexa what the setpoint and temperature is all the time).

I was set to buy a Nest for the past couple years...just kind of waiting for this to either die, or me to get the gumption to make it happen....but now that I am ready, I see that Google has either removed or is removing the Nest API connects, or whatever...that allowed it to work through Polyglot and ISY.

So...what is my next thermostat to be?  Any recommendations?  Basically, I have heat and cool is all...no zones or anything like that.  I do all the scheduling, set points, etc. through ISY, so integration with ISY is a must.  I would like to have Humidity sensor built in, but not a deal breaker.  

Thanks for any help you can offer!

[Blackbird]

I did alot of research when buying mine and I chose Ecobee.  I love it and I have it connected to the isy through polyglot cloud.  I have sensors for 4 rooms.

[larryllix]

After trying many different brands in my last two homes, I found ecobee to be the best for options, ease of usage and good stability.

In my home I have an extremely slow response to heating/cooling changes so the "Follow Me" and automatic "Home/Away" feature is useless.
The remote sensors are nice but only have certain applications. eg. I have a sensor in my bedroom but we like the room cool to sleep in and the house starts setting back in mid afternoon, but is still warm at midnight. We open the window after supper and close the door, not to cool the house down. The bedroom sensor sees this cool temperature and tries to heat the whole house up, all night, overheating the rest of the space and wasting energy.  This method works well in the dead of winter or AC in summer but not in spring/fall for us. YMMV.

[kissfan]

If you’re going to control everything via the ISY (as I do), look into a Honeywell zwave unit.


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[madcodger]

For basic heat/cool but no humidity, I have been impressed with the GoControl Z-wave stats. Great price and seem very reliable. I have three in two buildings and am very happy with them.

If you want humidity AND ability to control a humidifier, ecobee (NOT Lite version) is pretty good. Their cloud service goes down more often than my ISY but is still reasonably reliable, and the ability to have the humidifier controlled via it has been solid. I have three in another building (one on each floor). My biggest ecobee complaint is if you want to comtrol multiple buildings with different logins. They want to charge an exorbitant amount for doing that from a single app, so I told them to pound sand (which sold some Go Control units).

I currently have a Nest in a garage controlling a Modine unit and it is OK, but it’s in the garage b/c I replaced it with my first ecobee when it got a bit flaky on humidity. I also had another one die. Add in the Google BS (changing the rules on home automation enthusiasts) and I have likely purchased my last Google product.q I have gone from big Nest fan to thinking the Google purchase destroyed them.

Overall, I have gone from a big fan of cloud-based services (nest, ecobee, etc) back to agreeing with the local control advocates after feeling burned by Nest primarily, and a little bit by ecobee with their stance on multiple buildings/logins. The Go Controls work well with ISY or Homeseer, so I will likely go with them and just add a separate humidity sensor, or perhaps see if they later offer one with humidity. I think they had one, but pulled it (but I am far from certain about that, so check it out for yourself).

 

 

 

 

[lilyoyo1]

I use the ecobee 3 as well and love it. It's easy to setup and use. The sensors also give expanded capabilities. 

I have some basic things programmed through the Isy but the bulk of the programming reside in the thermostats themselves.

This is done purposely just in case something were to happen to the Isy or ecobees cloud services. By having the programming reside in the thermostat, should it get too hot or too cold, the system will always work.

[larryllix]

For remote access applications the ecobee has password protection as well a user set limits for setpoints. I had a runaway ISY program ramp mine to the bottom of the setting range once so the limits can be good protection against hacking and yourself.

[Bumbershoot]

I bought a used Venstar Colortouch t7900, and along with a couple of remote sensors and Nodelink, it replaces my Nest 2 beautifully, and it interacts reliably with my ISY.  The Venstar Skyport app/website are well designed and easy for the non-techie in the house to use.  I use a node server for geofencing, but the Skyport app now supports that as well with a recent update. 

[paulbates]

8 hours ago, Bumbershoot said:

I bought a used Venstar Colortouch t7900, and along with a couple of remote sensors and Nodelink, it replaces my Nest 2 beautifully, and it interacts reliably with my ISY.  The Venstar Skyport app/website are well designed and easy for the non-techie in the house to use.  I use a node server for geofencing, but the Skyport app now supports that as well with a recent update. 

+1 for the Venstar color touch. Have 2 of them with indoor sensors and one shared outdoor sensor that I also use for other purposes in the ISY

[ulrick65]

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it.  I will do some reading on the ones mentioned and see how it goes.  Local control does sound like a good benefit.  I dont have Zwave capability with my ISY, I just have the 994i/IR-Rro model (though I don't use IR for anything).  I am not opposed to replacing it with a Zwave capable one if folks think that is a good way to go.

[ulrick65]

9 hours ago, Bumbershoot said:

I bought a used Venstar Colortouch t7900, and along with a couple of remote sensors and Nodelink, it replaces my Nest 2 beautifully, and it interacts reliably with my ISY.  The Venstar Skyport app/website are well designed and easy for the non-techie in the house to use.  I use a node server for geofencing, but the Skyport app now supports that as well with a recent update. 

 

4 minutes ago, paulbates said:

+1 for the Venstar color touch. Have 2 of them with indoor sensors and one shared outdoor sensor that I also use for other purposes in the ISY

 

 

How does the Venstar Colortouch t7900 talk to ISY?  Is it direct Insteon or some other method?

 

Thanks.

[palayman]

21 hours ago, ulrick65 said:

Looks like my old Venstar with the Insteon adapter is finally reaching its last leg...the screen pretty hard to read anymore (still works, but but would be nice to read it instead of asking Alexa what the setpoint and temperature is all the time).

I was set to buy a Nest for the past couple years...just kind of waiting for this to either die, or me to get the gumption to make it happen....but now that I am ready, I see that Google has either removed or is removing the Nest API connects, or whatever...that allowed it to work through Polyglot and ISY.

So...what is my next thermostat to be?  Any recommendations?  Basically, I have heat and cool is all...no zones or anything like that.  I do all the scheduling, set points, etc. through ISY, so integration with ISY is a must.  I would like to have Humidity sensor built in, but not a deal breaker.  

Thanks for any help you can offer!

I have a couple of Mitsubishi Mini Splits in my garage and man cave.  Any suggestions on a remote thermostat that might work with them?

Paul

[Bumbershoot]

30 minutes ago, ulrick65 said:

How does the Venstar Colortouch t7900 talk to ISY?  Is it direct Insteon or some other method?

It uses NodeLink.  If you're running an RPi (or soon, Polisy), then you can host an instance of NodeLink, which connects to the Venstar using the local API.  The Venstar appears and acts as a fully native device in your ISY.

[ulrick65]

9 minutes ago, Bumbershoot said:

It uses NodeLink.  If you're running an RPi (or soon, Polisy), then you can host an instance of NodeLink, which connects to the Venstar using the local API.  The Venstar appears and acts as a fully native device in your ISY.

Thanks.  I have a Linux server that runs on my network (just installed Polyglot on it yesterday).  I assume that would suffice to run NodeLink there and then it can communicate to ISY and the Venstar?

[Bumbershoot]

2 hours ago, ulrick65 said:

Thanks.  I have a Linux server that runs on my network (just installed Polyglot on it yesterday).  I assume that would suffice to run NodeLink there and then it can communicate to ISY and the Venstar?

Yep.  NodeLink was just migrated to dotnet, so I’m not entirely certain that there aren’t some prerequisites, but I don’t think so. It runs like a champ on my RPi, along with Polyglot and a node.js server. 

[paulbates]

3 hours ago, ulrick65 said:

How does the Venstar Colortouch t7900 talk to ISY?  Is it direct Insteon or some other method?

Thanks.

Answered above. I've been using Nodelink since the beginning, and its predecessor venlink before. Great support and continuity since 2014 for me. Agree 100% with @Bumbershoot

Paul

[ulrick65]

17 hours ago, Bumbershoot said:

I bought a used Venstar Colortouch t7900, and along with a couple of remote sensors and Nodelink, it replaces my Nest 2 beautifully, and it interacts reliably with my ISY.  The Venstar Skyport app/website are well designed and easy for the non-techie in the house to use.  I use a node server for geofencing, but the Skyport app now supports that as well with a recent update. 

 

You don't happen to have a link to another used one do you?

 

[Bumbershoot]

6 hours ago, ulrick65 said:

 

You don't happen to have a link to another used one do you?

 

I bought mine from a member here, so no.  Sorry.  Supplyhouse.com has them for a cost that's well below that of what I found on Amazon, or for what Costco sells Ecobee or Nest for. YMMV.

[Brian H]

I have bought some items from Supplyhouse. They are very reasonable prices and fast shipping if item is in stock.

Just looked they have the T7900 in stock.

[ulrick65]

1 hour ago, Bumbershoot said:

I bought mine from a member here, so no.  Sorry.  Supplyhouse.com has them for a cost that's well below that of what I found on Amazon, or for what Costco sells Ecobee or Nest for. YMMV.

I know you got it from @larryllix, I was hoping he might jump in and be the "link" with another one...he mentioned in another thread a while back that he had two and I saw he sold you one. 

 

[Bumbershoot]

6 minutes ago, ulrick65 said:

I know you got it from @larryllix, I was hoping he might jump in and be the "link" with another one...he mentioned in another thread a while back that he had two and I saw he sold you one. 

 

Maybe you'll hear from him. Payment is an issue across the border (if you're in the US).  It appears that PayPal might be a bit of a hassle for the recipient. It was easy for me, though. ?

[ulrick65]

1 minute ago, Bumbershoot said:

Maybe you'll hear from him. Payment is an issue across the border (if you're in the US).  It appears that PayPal might be a bit of a hassle for the recipient. It was easy for me, though. ?

I am in the U.S. but I work for Canadian company if that helps!  ?  If he has one, I think I have some Canadian cash from my last trip north I could send him!  

 

[ulrick65]

1 hour ago, Brian H said:

I have bought some items from Supplyhouse. They are very reasonable prices and fast shipping if item is in stock.

Just looked they have the T7900 in stock.

Never been on that site before, they have some good prices and lots of stuff I use quite often...thanks for pointing it out!  The Venstar is quite a bit cheaper there then Amazon for sure!

[TomL]

I have a standard HVAC system, with no bells and whistles.  I just use the Insteon Tstat, it works well with ISY and plays nice with alexa if you need that.  There are 7 of them in the house and they are used as room sensors.  I can change the setpoint on the main Tstat to the temp or level in any of the other rooms.  The humidity reading on them can be used to control humidifiers or fans, etc.  Not needing all the vacatiom, away, follow me and so on and not caring that it is not a show piece, it works for me where function is the most important feature.  Just turning the Ac or Heat on or off works just fine.  I can and do have some programming through the ISy for setpoints and such based on where we are in the house, what the temp is outside, etc..  So for some that may read this thread if its just a standard HVAC installation and you don't need the flash, I believe you can accomplish most if not all of the funcrions that an ecobee or ventstar can offer, with the Insteon Tstat.  And it is all local control, though you can use alexa, google, agave, mobillinc, etc. with it.  Not the most glamorous set up but works.  Never used the GoControl mentioned above but it seems like it would be the same option in zwave instead of insteon.

[ulrick65]

2 minutes ago, TomL said:

I have a standard HVAC system, with no bells and whistles.  I just use the Insteon Tstat, it works well with ISY and plays nice with alexa if you need that.  There are 7 of them in the house and they are used as room sensors.  I can change the setpoint on the main Tstat to the temp or level in any of the other rooms.  The humidity reading on them can be used to control humidifiers or fans, etc.  Not needing all the vacatiom, away, follow me and so on and not caring that it is not a show piece, it works for me where function is the most important feature.  Just turning the Ac or Heat on or off works just fine.  I can and do have some programming through the ISy for setpoints and such based on where we are in the house, what the temp is outside, etc..  So for some that may read this thread if its just a standard HVAC installation and you don't need the flash, I believe you can accomplish most if not all of the funcrions that an ecobee or ventstar can offer, with the Insteon Tstat.  And it is all local control, though you can use alexa, google, agave, mobillinc, etc. with it.  Not the most glamorous set up but works.  Never used the GoControl mentioned above but it seems like it would be the same option in zwave instead of insteon.

Good option as well. The screen has gone out on it (froze during the move last time, didnt help it I am sure) or I would just stick with what I have.  I figured with getting a new one, I would try to get something a little more accurate, has humidity sensing built in, etc..  I found that my old one was never terribly accurate.  I have thought about going with the simply Insteon stat and then adding temp and humidity sensors seperately, but that Venstar color screen is just so darned cool looking! ?