Adding a Z-Wave Thermostat

[CalvinD49]

We just purchased a 34RSBS and I would like to install a Z-wave thermostat to give us the ability to monitor & control the temperature while we are away from the RV. We have dogs.
I pretty much have the internet setup figured out(I hope). I will be using a dedicated phone attached to a z-wave hub for connectivity.
Any thoughts or guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks
Calvin

[NewBlackDak]

You don’t really need Z-wave if that’s your only automated/remote option. An internet connection, and any internet WiFi connected thermostat will do it. I like my Nest thermostats at home.

[CalvinD49]

I may, in the future, want to connect other items. That is why I was going with Z-Wave. We also have it installed in our home so I am familiar with it.

[FPM III]

I have a Nexia Z-wave stat on my heat pump here at home. When I set it up, appeared to be in constant communications with Nexia sending status information. The cellular service I have has no unlimited data plan. With the maximum of 20GB/mo. data plan I have that's shared among 2-iPhones, 1-iPad, 1-Android and 3 Windows computers, it's a challenge to stay within the data limit. Therefore, I don't do YouTube, streaming, or any other data intensive activities, I don't believe the Nexia thermostat is a big data user, but it's a constant data user; which could add up. So, I leave it's Wi-Fi off until I can run some tests to determine how much data it actually uses.

The current Nexia replaced two older Nexia thermostats that failed in the four years since we had the heat pump installed- the first was replaced under warranty, the second was not. Due to the poor reliability demonstrated the first two thermostats, I refused pay for another one of the same questionable reliability and spent $$$ to have it replaced with a newer, and hopefully, more reliable model Nexia thermostat. It's been in service only since December 2018, so it's yet to be proven whether it will outlive its previous two thermostat "cousins".

[CalvinD49]

I have managed to get a system up and running without a thermostat. At least it is a start.
I started with a Almond3 Hub by Securifi(AL3-WHT-US $90.00), a dongle by Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5(ZW090 $45.00) both from Amazon and an LG phone with tethering.
I set the hub up as an extender for the phone for the internet connection and have a dimmable light and a lamp switch connected to the system and they are both controllable throught the app on the phone.
This has been tested at home, not the RV. Once I get the RV out of hibernation, I will install it in the unit, test it and update this thread.
Calvin

[FPM III]

Good Luck, Calvin! You're on the cutting edge of technology so don't be surprised if you encounter some "stumbling blocks" in getting it up and running. However, being that you've already been testing it at home should help make the transition to the RV go much smoother.

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by CalvinD49

We just purchased a 34RSBS and I would like to install a Z-wave thermostat to give us the ability to monitor & control the temperature while we are away from the RV. We have dogs.
I pretty much have the internet setup figured out(I hope). I will be using a dedicated phone attached to a z-wave hub for connectivity.
Any thoughts or guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks
Calvin

You are on the right track with the remote thermostat control for the RV. Using the AP capabilities of a smart phone is the easy way of supplying an Internet connection, provided there is cell service available. A couple things to take into consideration when implementing the system. You will also need a backup plan for the pets. We have encountered many power failures when storms happened to roll through with power outages associated with them. On the hot days, the TT's interior temperature could skyrocket and needless to say, it would have an effect on the pets. It is great to have the thermostat app on your phone the tells you the temp, the ability to control the temperature and to alert you when the temperature is above the HIGH temp setting. If you get that high temp alert, with no AC power, and you are 50 miles away site-seeing, what is your plan?

We leave the 2 ceiling fans running on high (w/o AC running) with a window open at each end (shady side) of the TT, for circulation and of course, you need to have a contact at the CG (or CG neighbor, in case you need to have them open the windows and put the ceiling fans on.... that is unless you automate a window or two and the ceiling fans to automatically come on if the 110VAC supply is interrupted.

Don

My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

[Mustang65]

If anyone that is thinking about also adding this feature to your RV, make sure your thermostat does not constantly send data to the mfr's website.

I have an Ecobee thermostat, actually 2, and they both send current thermostat data to a dB on the mfr's website (only accessible by me/Ecobee). To give you an idea as to how much data, my database (downloaded monthly), has thermostat data from 2012 in 5 minute increments. That is a lot of data and it would have an impact on internet service usage. So far having that data available has saved me over $500+ in service costs.

Don

My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

[FPM III]

Thought for the day:

Furnace thermostats are typically 24V AC and I'm unaware of any HVAC unit that comes from the factory equipped with a UPS to maintain voltage at the thermostat should the power fail. The two different models of Nexia thermostats I've used did not have a battery backup and I believe voltage is maintained using a capacitor. However, this doesn't last long and where I live, power outages can last for days. Unbeknown to us, a 12 hour outage last summer caused our Nexia to lose its settings, causing my unit to set itself to the default value of "air conditioning only" rather than the programmed setting of "heat pump". When my DW switched on the A/C during a heat spell about a month later (the thermostat was in the "Off" setting at the time of the power failure), what a surprise when heat was coming from the registers instead A/C. This occurred because the reversing valve setting for our heat pump was a programmed setting and the power outage caused it to be reset to the default setting, which wasn't compatible with our heat pump.

Had we not noticed this and left the house, it would have created a runaway condition (the thermostat set to cool, but the incorrect setting of the reversing valve would cause heat to be applied to the house. The cooling setpoint would never be reached because the indoor temperature would just continue to rise further away from the cooling setpoint. On a hot summer day, the amount of heat generated by the heat pump could raise the indoor temperature well over 100 degrees; and possibly harm or kill our kitty.

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by FPM III

Unbeknown to us, a 12 hour outage last summer caused our Nexia to lose its settings, causing my unit to set itself to the default value of "air conditioning only" rather than the programmed setting of "heat pump".

I would return the thermostat as the settings that you entered are stored in an EEPROM memory chip and can only be modified through the thermostats setup menus. Check with the thermostat company support.

Don
My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

[FPM III]

Originally Posted by Mustang65

I would return the thermostat as the settings that you entered are stored in an EEPROM memory chip and can only be modified through the thermostats setup menus. Check with the thermostat company support.

Yes, I agree with you on how this all works, and the thermostat user's manual lists all settings. I can change any of them by placing the thermostat in "Service" mode. So, I know how to set these, but I don't know which ones need to be set from the default setting as I am not an HVAC installer/repairman. I emailed the HVAC company that installed our heat pump and asked if they would tell me which default settings needed overridden and to what value. I even attached the pages from the user's manual so that all they had to do was mark which ones needed changed, indicate the value to set it to and email it back to me. I never received as much as an acknowledgement.

The original thermostat was replaced with an identical unit under warranty when its display suddenly failed. The second one was replaced because it kept losing its settings after a power failure. I had to pay for this one and since I was paying, I refused to purchase another of the same model of the same unit due to the poor showing of the first two and paid $$$ for the "new and improved" successor. I also found a new HVAC service company and had them install it. So far, it seems to be OK.