Multi zone heating thermostat(s) help

HI friends. Before asking, I'd like to say i HAVE tried researching for a day, but I can't seem to find a full answer.

I recently installed HE, and did some switches (loving it!). My next move is the thermostats. Here's my situation:

Heater - main thermostat + 3 additional zones (4 zones total)
Air Conditioning - one downstairs a/c tied into main thermostat
Air Conditioning - one upstairs a/c with an independent main thermostat.

So my first concern is controlling the heater and downstairs a/c, which is controlled by a single main thermostat and 3 additional zone thermostats.

How do I tackle this? Buy a bunch of ecobee lites? Something else?

I wanted to avoid the cloud, but I'm willing to forego full local control, as it seems the thermostat game is quite fractured right now. I'm really confused as well as to how to control the zone thermostats in tandem with the main thermostat for the heater/downstairs a/c.

Thank you so much for any in put from you pros who have had success already. Cheers!

I have a 6 zone system. I am using ecobee. What exactly are you asking?

The ecobee will run their programming without the cloud. The furnace has a zone controller. The thermostats are attached to the controller.

What equipment is used to switch the zones? Is it electronically controlled dampers or something else that's controlling the zone?

I have an Ecobee, but it's a single zone system. I love it, but there are a few small quirks to how the Ecobee operates. Understanding Home vs Away vs Resume Program are key. But I've automated it to my liking with Hubitat and Ecobee Suite app/drivers (see below).

There is an Ecobee Suite of apps and drivers that is very good. It's available here:

I used Ecobee Suite on SmartThings and now on Hubitat. The cool thing is the developer has really done a good job at making it a very robust set of features. Ecobee Suite has included a lot of use cases: setting the thermostats to Away or Home based on Hubitat mode, using smart vents to isolate heat/cold to one room or area of the house, work from home, etc....

There's a lot you can do, but I would start out slow. Get the thermostat(s) and then build the automation's one by one until you are happy. Most of the time the issue is whether there's a smart thermostat that can interface with your HVAC system. So I would start there to see if your options are limited. Even if they are limited to a specific smart thermostat, you should be able to make it smart using HE.

1 Like

Baago,

thats the answer i'm looking for. so, if i have a main thermostat and three more on each zone (i have a Taco 6 Zone Switching Relay), i buy one ecobee for each zone and replace the old simple thermostats, right?

and the ecobee 3 lite would work in that scenario? thank you so much!

shadow, its not blower controls, its a boiler, and uses a 6 Zone Switching Relay to push hot water to each zone's radiators.

oh god i just realized it will run me close to 1000 bucks to put ecobees on every thermostat. yikes! I wish i could use remote sensors and then rig ONE ecobee to the entire taco controller.

They do add up. My system works great. I have a total of 7 ecobee’s. One runs the garage/shop area.

1 Like

I wondered if you priced it all out with just Ecobees!!! What are the specs on the relay? You might be able to use some type of relay system that'll connect to home automation systems. Or is the relay specs are right, maybe a sonoff.

I'll head down to the basement tonight and find out, @shadowjig. Ill follow-up tonight.