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moejava

I want a programmable thermostat that will last

moejava
13 years ago

Hi,

I have basic forced-hot water heating (no AC, no heat pumps, etc), with two zones that have independent, battery-powered thermostats.

The battery-powered Honeywell programmable thermostats I purchased about 9 years ago worked fine until this year. This winter, one of them has been going through a set of batteries every few weeks. If I don't notice the "Replace Battery" warning, the "symptom" is a cold house. Fortunately it hasn't happened yet during a trip, so no disasters (yet).

But it seems to be time for new thermostats.

Are there some battery-powered programmable thermostats that will reliably work for more than 10 years??

Is that too much to ask? ... Is a 5 - 10 year lifespan normal?

At one point, the alkaline batteries did leak and I cleaned up the gunk until the leads were nice and shiny again. Is some residual corrosion likely what caused the current problem?

Thanks in advance!

-Moe

Comments (9)

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    The problem with a lot of electronics today is the life span of the electrolytic capacitors in the equipment.

    They are NOT hermetically sealed and eventually fail.

    Ten years is actually pretty good.

  • mindstorm
    13 years ago

    So what's your recommendation for an electronic programmable thermostat for a forced hot water system ? Honeywell systems? Trane? Lux?

  • rerod
    12 years ago

    Wow.. sounds like I need to stick to analog and remember to back it off at night. Planned obsolescence.

  • brickeyee
    12 years ago

    "Planned obsolescence."

    More like cheap components.

    Hermetically sealed tantalum capacitors cost about ten times as much.

  • rerod
    12 years ago

    Who wants to replace a $150 stat every 5 years? Iv heard many reviews stating less than 2 years which kind of throws the saving of a set-back programmable right out of the window.
    Any suggestions on a good 2 stage analog which will be as dependable as my old trusty T87 from 1971 Brickeyee. Which still works by the way..

    Thanks

  • countryboymo
    12 years ago

    I had a honeywell stat I installed in 1995 and moved once to a new place in 97 that sold with the house and was still working in 2006. It is a luck of the draw type of deal. I would think 10 years wouldn't be a problem.

  • Threecats407
    12 years ago

    Hoenywell had a model t8600 which often lasted ten years or more. white Rogers had an IF90 or 91 that was equally as good. In their never ending quest to lower costs that has all gone by the wayside.
    I have been in the biz 30 years and have a pretty good handle on the stuff.

  • John Toone
    7 years ago

    I have a 5-10 year old inexpensive ($20.00) Honeywell RTH221 programmable thermostat that became intermittent calling for heat. I never witnessed it myself but it appears that the electromagnetic relay inside the thermostat which operates when heat is called and it makes a definite clicking sound when it operates, its contact occasionally would not complete the heat calling circuit when it closed. Replacing the thermostat fixed the problem. So there, the relay contact can fail intermittently, another possible source of failure. And definitely less than 10 years. If you leave the house in winter for a vacation, turn off the water; anything can fail in the heating system.

  • rerod
    7 years ago

    I bought a old school Honeywell two stage mercury thermostat. Not programmable but I remember to turn it down when I lock the door and go to sleep.

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