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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Renovations => Topic started by: DavidS on April 04, 2018, 10:15:06 pm

Title: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on April 04, 2018, 10:15:06 pm
Thinking of replacing both AC .. 2 part question

1) what are the best 15k AC out ? Better cooling? Not to worried about sound as I figure as I get older it will automatically get quieter

2) who has a WiFi Bluetooth capable thermostat ?


I want the ability to cool the coach from the house or at work. I have a dedicated internet in the coach.

Thanks
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: jcus on April 04, 2018, 10:41:32 pm
Thinking of replacing both AC .. 2 part question

1) what are the best 15k AC out ? Better cooling? Not to worried about sound as I figure as I get older it will automatically get quieter

2) who has a WiFi Bluetooth capable thermostat ?


I want the ability to cool the coach from the house or at work. I have a dedicated internet in the coach.



I have the Dometic Penguin 2 15000 btu ac/heatpumps, with easystarts, and 10 button ccc thermostat. Very happy with them. Have not seen a rv wifi/bt thermostat, but I do have a Ecobee wifi thermostat at the house. Only problem using them together would be revised wiring and the fact most home thermostats use 24-28 volt control voltage, where as the dometic units use 12 volts.  Remote control of your rv ac's is a great idea. Let us know if you find something that works.

My ac's also get quieter every year. ;)  ;) Ecobee3 Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat, HomeKit-enabled review: Ecobee's smart... (https://www.cnet.com/products/ecobee3-wi-fi-smart-thermostat/)
Our RV Air Conditioner Upgrade: The Dometic Penguin II (https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/our-rv-air-conditioner-upgrade-the-dometic-penguin-ii/)

Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on April 05, 2018, 12:17:27 am
I read an article on the ecobee being used in an rv but not sure if it was a single zone or 2 zone. He seemed to have gotten it to work with AC, heat strip and propane
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: Willy White on April 05, 2018, 12:21:18 am


Dometic came out with an single zone Bluetooth this year so I assume the multi zone is not far behind.
I replace both of mine AC with Dometic Penguin II 15K units and their new CCC t-Stat.  These units have an 3 speed fan and on high the are louder but it doesn't take long to pull down and switch to Medium speed.
Steve
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: jhardman on April 18, 2018, 01:31:49 am
Definitely looking for the WiFi/Bluetooth stat.  I have ecobees at home too and love them!  Maybe I should contact ecobee.....keep us posted on your findings.

Best,
JWH
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on April 18, 2018, 09:08:13 am
To bee honest I have not gotten very far.. New grand baby and catching up at work has taken its toll lol
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on June 17, 2018, 01:52:43 pm
Ok this topic is back on my mind.. in order for the thermostat to work (ecobee , nest ect) they need a "C" wire... you can us a transformer but you would need constant 120v so the inverter must be on for that to happen. I thought about a stepper from 12v to 24v but not sure if it would work or not(electrical is not my cup of tea). A possibility I think might work? A separate 24v battery, kind of like the ones used in home alarm systems or 2 small 12v tied together and then running a small wire to charge it at 12v (if that would work).

Think that this would work? Open to ideas.. thanks
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: folivier on June 17, 2018, 04:16:55 pm
I think the 24 volts required for these thermostats is 24 VAC and not DC.  Not sure if it would work with 24 VDC.
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on June 17, 2018, 07:58:07 pm
is there a converter from the 12v to the 24v that exist? you could add 120v plug and run the inverter but not sure it would economical to do so just for the thermostat
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: John Morales on June 17, 2018, 09:39:17 pm
David, this may help out.
John M.

The Best Thermostat for Multiple Zones - Smart Home and Energy Savings Blog... (https://www.getmysa.com/blog/home-automation/the-best-thermostat-for-multiple-zones/)
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: Willy White on June 17, 2018, 10:13:36 pm
Due to control wiring issue in using an residential s-stat it might be easier to add (2) Dometic Bluetooth single zone t-stats to interface with their own circuit boards. You can use the exiting s-stat wire (phone cable wire) for the front AC unit and for the rear AC unit you can fish another phone cable to an bedroom wall. Also I heard an few months back that Dometic is coming out with their own multi zone Bluetooth t-stat sometime in the future, but no one knows for sure when.
Lastly there are 12vdc to 24vac inverters out there, common in use in with CCTV camera systems.
Steve
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on June 18, 2018, 08:43:16 am
Due to control wiring issue in using an residential s-stat it might be easier to add (2) Dometic Bluetooth single zone t-stats to interface with their own circuit boards. You can use the exiting s-stat wire (phone cable wire) for the front AC unit and for the rear AC unit you can fish another phone cable to an bedroom wall. Also I heard an few months back that Dometic is coming out with their own multi zone Bluetooth t-stat sometime in the future, but no one knows for sure when.
Lastly there are 12vdc to 24vac inverters out there, common in use in with CCTV camera systems.
Steve
Steve what your refering to is a step up converter.
Step up converters (https://shop.pkys.com/Step-Up-DC-DC-Converters_c_793.html)
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: craneman on June 18, 2018, 08:58:24 am
Those step up converters are dc to dc.
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on June 18, 2018, 09:16:20 am
I think if you have a big enough battery bank.... inverter on "always".... solar should keep things charged and powered.. dont really see any other way to do it?
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: folivier on June 18, 2018, 09:20:51 am
So if you're wanting it only for the air conditioner then you would be on shore power or generator and have 120vac available.  Then a simple 120-24vac adapter would work.  These are cheap and readily available.
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: DavidS on June 18, 2018, 09:41:00 am
So if you're wanting it only for the air conditioner then you would be on shore power or generator and have 120vac available.  Then a simple 120-24vac adapter would work.  These are cheap and readily available.



Thats when it is perfect.. plugged in or running the generator.. What about dry camping and needing the aquahot heater? if no 120v then it wont work.

Was looking to see if there is an option without the constant 120v.. Doesnt look like there is at this time.. maybe keep waiting for an actual Rv manufacturer to come up with something.
Title: Re: AC thermostat with WiFi or Bluetooth
Post by: Journey, Roam, Explore on June 18, 2018, 12:51:38 pm
Those step up converters are dc to dc.
ah.... your right. Saw the post saying 12v to 24v and misread. My bad, thanks for pointing it out.  :-[