Need Thermostat Recommendation

and then bring it into Hubitat if wanted

What do you mean by "bring it into Hubitat"? Virtual thermostat you sync with Ecobee with automations in homekit?

Hubitat has built-in and community integrations for ecobee t'stats. So I assume that's what @JasonJoel meant.

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Nah, they are all cloud. "Bringing ecobee from homekit" would make it local.

Correct. If you want to control it locally using Hubitat, you'd have to integrate it into Home Assistant using the HomeKit Controller component in HA. And then use Home Assistant Device Bridge to bring it into Hubitat.

I have done that with ecobee thermostats. However, climate devices in HA don't map well to thermostats in Hubitat.

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Are there any Z-Wave or Zigbee thermostats that can use multiple external temperature sensors?

I'm currently using a Nest thermostat which allows me one additional external temperature sensor, but it's still cloud-based and I would like to use additional external sensors with my thermostat.

I have both a T6 and a Zen thermostat, but neither of them supports external temperature sensors natively, as far as I can tell. I was going to use the HE Thermostat Controller app which allows you to integrate additional temperature sensors, but the way that works doesn't allow manual control at the actual thermostat to make changes, which is a requirement for acceptable WAF.

Any options?

I've got an American Standard/Trane Thermostat which CAN use more than one External Sensor -- but it wants to be a hub on your Zwave network, and charges you by the device for the Privilege (minus the first sensor).

One of these: AccuLink Platinum 1050 Control | Touch-Screen Thermostat | American Standard

But, despite the Zwave+ awesomeness, It, IMHO, is a steaming POS. It fails utterly to accurately measure the temperature without the battery powered external Sensor. It also, can ONLY be the Zwave controller, and won't join as a device. Further, it doesn't expose the Thermostat info inthe Zwave interface, nor does it allow control of the system. How I hate this thermostat.

So, yes, but no. Sorry, that wasn't helpful! LOL

S.

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You actually made me cry... sniff

:sob::sob::wink:

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I think the limitation here is on the HomeKit side. There just aren't many supported commands/features available in HomeKit... at least for the ecobee. If you really want to control your thermostat locally, a $20 centralite is a better option.

The Ecobee's advantages are all lost once you start trying to control it with the limited tools available in HomeKit.

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Why not setup a dummy physical thermostat that is Hubitat-paired? And then use automations to mirror whatever desired changes are made on the physical thermostat to the thermostat controller device?

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This could be a great solution for lots of folks... local control with all the power and flexibility of HE, but the ability to use a consumer-grade thermostat as an interface.

I'm still a bit wary of using HE as my primary controller for HVAC, though. Not robust enough in my opinion.

I think that as long as there are sensible limits set on the physical thermostat controlling the HVAC, it should be ok.

I control mine using a fairly complex NR sequence that predates Thermostat Controller, and I do set limits on the actual thermostat. Hasn't failed even when I have deliberately disabled NR during a heating/cooling cycle.

My limits are house should not get warmer than 78F or colder than 62F.

The thermostat controller app does not play well with manual adjustments on the thermostat, which my wife insists on being able to do.

When the Thermostat Controller turns on the thermostat to cool or heat it evidently sets wildly high or low temps to run the furnace until the desired temp is hit, then backs off. If my wife goes to the thermostat while it's heating or cooling the temp setting won't make any sense to her.

Bruce also warned me that the Thermostat Controller app would not work well with manual control at the thermostat in a thread here sometime back, when I asked him about it

So I'm looking for a solution that works without thermostat controller.

Maybe you should drop by to set a nice up for me. :wink:

You could still aggregate several temp sensors into an RM rule to set your thermostat (I use a Honeywell T6 Pro z-wave (allows one external temp probe). @bcopeland also did a little aggregate temp prog to average temp sensors here that may help. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hubitat/HubitatPublic/master/example-apps/averageTemp.groovy

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Thanks for the link, that looks very useful, and I think I actually might already have it installed and just forgot about it! (Too many apps syndrome...) :wink: Edit: Yup - I do have it! :slight_smile: Thanks for the reminder...

image

I'm not the strongest w/RM other than fairly simple rules, so that could either be an interesting project that would help me to learn more about RM, or something more like the fall of the Roman Empire, with cities ablaze and barbarians running amuck. :wink:

My primary goal is the have the heating system prioritize temps in certain parts of the house based on time of day and to a lesser extent, on occupancy. I'd want to heat/cool based on sensors in the office & family room (south end of the house) during the day/early evening, and then bedrooms (north end) in the evening/overnight.