We are build a new home. 3 floors, 4400 Sq/ft. The HVAC company plans to install an inverter style system(s). I'm a little hazy on the details but my understanding is the 1st floor will have 1 system with 3 zones, the second floor will have 2 systems with 1 zone each. And the third floor will have 1 system with 1 zone. I may have miss understood about the 1st floor and it may be 3 systems with 3 zones.
What thermostat are recommended. Ideally all local hubitat controlled with nothing that requires cloud. Suggestions?
Sounds like they might be quoting multiple multi-zone mini split units. I had an HVAC company quote a Daikin 18K BTU mini split for my garage that does double duty as a shop. When I told them I wanted an Ecobee thermostat instead of the one included with the system they told me third party tstats weren't an option. The tstat that's included with the Daikin (and all other mini splits I've looked at) is a remote hand held unit that fits in a wall mounted holder. The handheld communicates with the wall mounted indoor evaporator unit for heating/cooling mode, temp set points, etc. It's not a huge deal in my case since I don't need a whole lot of control in my garage. But it might be a problem in living spaces where I'd want more control since it would make using a third party remote challenging if not impossible.
They are using the DTA119A71 I believe. It's simply an interface you plug into the board on the head unit then connect a thermostat to that. (You still need the remote for louvers and what not) You will need one per head. I think there is another version out there as well. In the manual it says only for the Dalkin one thermostat but it's a standard thermostat.
And just my personal experience, but as the owner of both Daikin and Misubishi units, I'd not buy another Daikin. I'm staring at an indoor unit right now that may require replacement after just 3 years because the fan keeps making an intermittent noise that neither we nor the installer can figure out, and the wifi dongles periodically drop from the network, especially after a power outage. For some reason, their app no longer works locally (it did before they updated it) and now requires connection via their cloud. Their interface with HE hasn't been great, either. The fan on one outdoor unit has been replaced under warranty already, and we've had the repair guys out to try to figure out why one of these units doesn't seem to be operating nearly as efficiently as we think it should. Meanwhile the Mitsubishi, installed in a much more difficult to heat/cool building (built in 1820) and installed by the same local company (that specializes in Daikin - we had to insist on a Mitsubishi after they recommended another Daikin) has been 100% trouble free and surprisingly efficient and capable. We're building another house this coming year. Daikin is banned from the consideration list, while Mitsubishi is a top contender. Just my two cents.
It might help us understand the system (and control) requirements if you could get a little more information from your HVAC company. What type of equipment would be helpful.
When you say "Daikin inverter" type system, one would typically think of mini splits. It might be zoned fan coil units, but rather than guess it would be better if the HVAC company could clarify and provide a little more information.
I would specifically get a clarification on the first-floor system. I am not familiar with other than OEM smart thermostats that could handle a multi-zone inverter system....that is multiple indoor units served from one outdoor unit. If you are not careful with these multi-zone inverter systems you can have problems with oil return and even burn out the compressor. Usually the thermostats in these systems are communicating type thermostats by the same manufacturer as the equipment, eg. Daikin, Mitsubishi, LG, etc.
If you have a typical installation with one indoor unit coupled to one outdoor unit you usually would not have these issues.
I would discuss this with your HVAC contractor and advise him that you are considering installing smart thermostats and get his opinion. After all, he is the one who is going to warranty the systems.
What @marktheknife wrote is correct. All Daikin Aurora systems are essentially mini-splits, as opposed to ducted inverter systems made by Daikin, Bosch and other manufacturers now.
With that being said, Daikin Aurora systems do not have to be a conventional mini-split with a wall unit. In addition to wall units, these system also support what is referred to in the HVAC industry as "slim ducts". So from a single outdoor unit, you can have up to 4 "zones" in conditioned space, each of which is fed by a slim duct. These zones can look like a regular ceiling or floor vent.
This is a very good system and should really give your family very good comfort. They area also compatible with conventional thermostats, but they need an adapter. I'm guessing it is the one that @marktheknife linked to.
I've been shopping on/off for a new house, and a new construction we saw last week had this system installed. Not nearly as large as the installation being considered for your house. This home was about 2500 sq ft and had one Daikin Aurora outdoor unit for each floor.
If it’s not that exact model, keep pushing the installer to find the adapter that’s compatible with your system and has terminals for standard thermostat wiring. There probably is one.
any luck with controls?
I have Airzone Aidoo or whatever it calls with wifi. But I cannot integrate it anywhere easy.
Just realized I can wire into it any other thermostat including zigbee or zwave and control unit via it. What I want in control function, - to be able to "SHUT" the unit once it will reach target temperature. I am in Houston and whenever unit running non stop, - it is raising humidity.
