If you have a Smeco CoolSentry thermostat...

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imaref

Active Member
I was setting my Smeco CoolSentry thermostat settings today for the heating season and I noticed on the display that the aux. heat came on (which is way more expensive than heat from the heat pump).

I normally set my daytime temp at 67 degrees, and after 11PM it's set for 64 degrees.

I called Smeco, and they emailed me the following info that was not provided when they installed the thermostat:

Your question was:
How many degrees can the CoolSentry thermostat be changed in order to NOT bring on the emergency heat?

Answer:
You cannot change the temp more than 2 degrees up or down from which you have it set. If you do the emergency heat will automatically turn on.

So that means every morning for the past few years, my emergency heat was coming on to bring the house up to 67 degrees, costing more $$$ than if I would have just picked a temperature and kept it the same all the time.

If you are setting your heat back at night and you are using a Smeco CoolSentry thermostat, looks like you shouldn't set it back more than 2 degrees.

There are 4 settings available (morning, day, evening, and night) so I'm going to try setting morning (10AM) at 66, day (11AM) at 67, evening (7PM) at 67, and night (11PM) at 64. That way when it comes on in the morning after being set at 64 overnight, it only has to come up 2 degrees, and then an hour later it will come up one more degree.
 
Lurk

Lurk

Happy Creepy Ass Cracka
imaref said:
I was setting my Smeco CoolSentry thermostat settings today for the heating season and I noticed on the display that the aux. heat came on (which is way more expensive than heat from the heat pump).

I normally set my daytime temp at 67 degrees, and after 11PM it's set for 64 degrees.

There are 4 settings available (morning, day, evening, and night) so I'm going to try setting morning (10AM) at 66, day (11AM) at 67, evening (7PM) at 67, and night (11PM) at 64. That way when it comes on in the morning after being set at 64 overnight, it only has to come up 2 degrees, and then an hour later it will come up one more degree.
Click to expand...

I'll bet you are trying to set you temperatures by using the temperature UP or DOWN arrows instead of the program feature.

Dig out the directions that came with your CoolSentry and PROGRAM the temperatures you want. I've used my CoolSentry for years and have never had it kick into emergency heat unless the environmental temperatures were low enough.
 
I

imaref

Active Member
No, not using the up/down arrows. Setting the program temps for morning, day, evening and night, then just running the program and not touching it the rest of the winter.
 
I

imaref

Active Member
Smeco just had a technician call me. He said that if you are programming the CoolSentry thermostat, the aux. heat will only come on if the heat pump can't keep up. If you use the up/down arrows to increase the heat, then the 2 degree rule applies. For example, if you turn your heat down 5 degrees when leaving for working using the up/down arrows, then return home and use the up arrow to increase the heat 5 degrees, the aux. heat will definitely come on. You would be much better off to set the program to run automatically so that the aux. heat does not come on.

He said it DOES help to gradually increase the heat in the morning after lowering it at night. So my plan for night (64/11PM), morning (66/10AM), day (67/11AM) and evening (67/7PM) should work fine and only during really freezing cold days will the aux. heat come on to help.
 
Lurk

Lurk

Happy Creepy Ass Cracka
imaref said:
Smeco just had a technician call me. He said that if you are programming the CoolSentry thermostat, the aux. heat will only come on if the heat pump can't keep up. If you use the up/down arrows to increase the heat, then the 2 degree rule applies. For example, if you turn your heat down 5 degrees when leaving for working using the up/down arrows, then return home and use the up arrow to increase the heat 5 degrees, the aux. heat will definitely come on. You would be much better off to set the program to run automatically so that the aux. heat does not come on.

He said it DOES help to gradually increase the heat in the morning after lowering it at night. So my plan for night (64/11PM), morning (66/10AM), day (67/11AM) and evening (67/7PM) should work fine and only during really freezing cold days will the aux. heat come on to help.
Click to expand...

This sounds vaguely familiar.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
They really could make this thing smarter if they wanted to. Just one reason why I didn't want them to have control of my thermostat.
 
I

imaref

Active Member
Yes, "Lurk" you were correct. The program coordinator that I spoke with gave me incorrect info, and then the technician called and said basically what you suggested.
 
GopherM

GopherM

Darwin was right
I think most setback thermostats work the same way. I have had two separate models of Carrier and they would both kick on the aux if manually we set the temperature up by 2 degrees or more. Fortunately my aux is a gas furnace and not the juice eating resistance heater bars.
 
N

nutz

Well-Known Member
imaref said:
If you are setting your heat back at night and you are using a Smeco CoolSentry thermostat, looks like you shouldn't set it back more than 2 degrees.
Click to expand...

This is true with a heat pump system. It is not because of the SMECO thermostat, a Honeywell or other brand t-stat would work the same way.
 
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