Thermostat recommendation

[Mrmichaeljmoore]

I need a recommendation for a new thermostat.

I have an Amana AMH95 (Model # AMH950703BX). Installed in January 2007.
http://www.amana-hac.com/Home/Products/HighEfficiencyGasFurnacesupto96AFUE/AMH9595AFUE/tabid/327/Default.aspx


Looking to get a simple programmable thermostat.
Are the ones at Home Depot and Lowes sufficient? Or should I get one from a local HVAC supply shop?

Any recommendations on brands or specific models would be appreciated.

Thank you.
mike

 

[Jadnashua]

Things I like in programmable thermostat:
- battery backup
- daily control
- programmable vacation hold so you can come home to a warm house
- system learning (many of the Honeywell and probably others) that you set the temp and time, and it monitors your system and adjusts the start time. If it is just a time, when it is mild, you may reach your setpoint early, or really cold, not at all. With anticipation and learning, you set it to be warm at 7am, and it is.

You may not need daily control if your weekdays are regular, so a 5-2 or a 5-1-1 may be sufficient (and cheaper).

Pretty much all of them can be programmed for the type of system, but some cannot work with millivolt control.

I've had good luck with the Honeywell ones, but I'm sure others would work well, too.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mrmichaeljmoore]

Just wanted to follow up with more info:

I am currently using the old thermostat. I didnt get a new thermostat when I put in the new furnace.
The old thermostat is a Honeywell CT3600 series, which, if I read the manual correctly, does not support a 2-stage furnace.

According to Amana, the AMH95 furnace that I have needs a 2-stage thermostat.

So that's why I am looking for a simple, programmable 2-stage thermostat.....

I am gonna go to Lowes in the am and see what they got.

Not sure if this helps, but the wires the current thermostat uses is:
R, W, Y and G
So, I guess I have to find a thermostat that uses all of those wires, but no other ones....right??

 

[Furd]

If you have a two-stage furnace and want to use a two-stage thermostat you should replace the existing thermostat cable. A two-stage thermostat requires a power connection (red), a first stage heat connection (white), a second stage heat connection (no specific color designation but the terminal is designated W2) and perhaps a power common connection (again, no specific color designation but often blue). If you desire the ability to switch the blower on and off manually from the thermostat you need a connection between the G terminals on both the thermostat and the furnace and if you also have cooling you need a connection between the Y terminals on both the thermostat and furnace. Two-stage cooling would require a connection between Y2 on both the thermostat and furnace.

Personally, I would run at least seven conductors between the thermostat and furnace to allow for most eventualities. You could run ten conductors and be prepared for almost anything.

Many, if not most thermostats will have more terminals and functions that you will need. I would stay with the name brands such as Honeywell, White Rodgers and Robertshaw and stay away from Hunter and other lesser known brands. Some municipalities require all programmable thermostats to be full 7 day models, although I doubt any will come to your door for an inspection, and if you are planning on selling your house in the next year or two this might be something to influence your decision. I would strongly urge you to select a model that has adaptive recovery. This is the feature that allows you to set the time and desired temperature and the thermostat learns the response of your system and will delay the second stage until a set period of time prior to the time you set as wanting the set temperature. This feature will save you some money in operation.

 

[Mrmichaeljmoore]

Well, after doing some more reading about my Amana AMH95 furnace, it seems I DO NOT (and CAN NOT) use a 2 stage thermostat.
According to the manual (and bladloonie at HVAC talk), the Amana AMH95 unit will only support a 1 stage stat. But when I called the 800 customer service # for Amana, they said I needed a 2 stage stat. Nice to see the manufacturer giving bad info. Ugh.

So, I am gonna call some of the local heating/cooling supply places tomorrow to get some prices on stats they carry.

Gonna look into the Honeywell stats, as everyone has recommended.

Hopefully, I can install it myself (it's only 4 wires). And hopefully it solves the problem with my furnace.

we'll see. (keeping fingers crossed).

 

[Furd]

What I found from a quick search is that your particular furnace is a two-stage model but it uses a single stage thermostat in conjunction with an internal variable time delay to only go to the second stage IF the first stage does not bring the temperature up to the thermostat setting in a reasonable time period.

I have no idea what Amana thinks is a "reasonable time period" and I seriously doubt that anyone else will be able to answer that question. From what little research I did it appears that Amana may not offer this model anymore.


Please describe what problems you are experiencing, it may be something that is unrelated to the staging of the burners.

 

[Jimbo]

So, I guess I have to find a thermostat that uses all of those wires, but no other ones....right??

No, that is not right. Most programmable T-stats will have capabilites for 2 stage heat pumps, etc etc. They may have as many as 9 terminals. You just use the ones you need. You need to carefully follow the installation instructions, as many features are set up, or omitted, in an initial set-up programming sequence.

You want some fairly sophisticated features . There are several models in the Honeywell focus-pro series which would be good.

 

[Jadnashua]

Several of my neighbors have Trane 2-stage furnaces. A couple went to the expense of having new wiring pulled so they could put in a 2-stage thermostat, others left what they had. Not much difference between the two except for the cost of install. On that box, when using a single stage (conventional) thermostat, after about 10-minutes of runtime, it will switch to the high output. So, almost any thermostat will work...some are more accurate than others. The Honeywell versions seem to be good.

 

[Mrmichaeljmoore]

What I found from a quick search is that your particular furnace is a two-stage model but it uses a single stage thermostat in conjunction with an internal variable time delay to only go to the second stage IF the first stage does not bring the temperature up to the thermostat setting in a reasonable time period.

I have no idea what Amana thinks is a "reasonable time period" and I seriously doubt that anyone else will be able to answer that question. From what little research I did it appears that Amana may not offer this model anymore.


Please describe what problems you are experiencing, it may be something that is unrelated to the staging of the burners.

Furd --
Here is the problem I am having, as described in another thread
(https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26840)
Thanks for the help.


I have an Amana AMH95 (Model # AMH950703BX).
Installed in January 2007.

Just a quick question regarding its operation.

If we go away for the weekend, I set the thermostat at 55 degrees.
When I return home, I raise the setting to 68 degrees.
The furnace will kick on.

But, it doesn't run constantly until it has reached 68 degrees.
Meaning it will run for a while, then kick off for a few minutes or so, then kick back on.

So, my question is this:

When the furnace is trying to get to the set temperature, should it run constantly until it gets to the set temperature or is it normal for the unit to cycle on/off occasionally as it is trying to reach the desired temperature?


follow up....

I came home from work today.
Wife had already turned up the thermostat to the usual 68 degrees. She said the temperature on the thermostat when she came home read 62 degrees. (I turned the thermostat down to 55 degrees when I left the hose this morning).
I checked the thermostat. It read 66 degrees.
I ran downstairs to check the furnace.
It was off. completely off.....no blower....no nothing....and it hadn't yet reached the 68 degrees setting.
It kicked back on a few minutes later and then went to 68 degrees.

SO.....the furnace couldn't go from 62 degrees to 68 degrees without shutting down at least once.

so.....since everyone says this is not proper operation (that is, the furnace should run constantly until it reaches the set temperature), I will be calling the installer tomorrow.

i'll keep you posted.

Thanks.
mike

 

[Mrmichaeljmoore]

Well, I installed the new thermostat last night.
Installed the HoneywellFocus Pro 6000 (Model # TH6110D1005).

Pretty straightforward installation.
R, W, Y, G, B wires.

The only issue I had was which terminal to put the R wire......either the R or Rc terminal. The R and Rc terminals had a factory installed jumper connecting them (which the instructions stated to leave in), so I didnt think it mattered which terminal the R wire was in.....so I just put it in the R terminal.

Fired up the furnace and it worked fine last night.

Hopefully, this will take care of the cycling problem I have been having