WDTC-20 Batteries

[kdiggz]

Z-wave newbie here. I bought a few products recently to play around with and to see if I want to buy more to automate my house. One of which was a WDTC-20 thermostat. I only bought one to test and would eventually need to buy 2 more for the other zones in my house. I hooked it up on a Wed and by Fri night the batteries were dead! Is this typical? I'm obviously not going to want to change batteries every 48 hrs so what gives?

Also, it would show up in HSTouch but when I try to change the temp it would say No Data, but that's another topic...

[rmasonjr]

If your WDTC-20 is eating batteries that quickly, then that's a tell-tale sign that you dont have a 24v AC wired up. These stats require 24v AC either provided by your HVAC or a separate power supply. I have 2 of these stats - one was already wired with 24v AC and the other required me to install one myself. You can get them from allelectronics.com:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...SFORMER/1.html

[kdiggz]

that makes sense. I will check my wiring. I wish I knew this ahead of time as we just got done drywalling that room and it would have been simple to run a line if needed. thanks

[kdiggz]

yes, looks like the cause of this is me not having a common wire. silly me, i just connected the 3 wires that were present in my system.

i have a heating power, heat return, and fan relay. so no common wire, but i followed the wires to the boiler and the fan relay is not connected to anything. can i use that as the common wire? where can i tap in to get the 24v? thanks again for the help!

[rmasonjr]

Its hard to say. I'm no HVAC guy and it seems like every installation is a little bit different than the other. In my case, it was easy to run the 24v AC power to the thermostat through the same hole as the controller wires.

If you do have extra wires, I would definitely take the time to check them against a voltmeter to see if you already have a 24v AC hot/common and re-use those wires.

[drozwood90]

if necessary, since you HAVE a wire there...might be easy enough to "tie" a cable with more wires in it to what you have...and pull!

Unless it's been stapled to the wall...that could be bad!

--Dan

[kdiggz]

if necessary, since you HAVE a wire there...might be easy enough to "tie" a cable with more wires in it to what you have...and pull!

Unless it's been stapled to the wall...that could be bad!

--Dan

Yes I was thinking that as well, but if i can just reuse this other wire that seems to be doing nothing, that would be the easiest way. By the way, I see you are from WNY. Me too...Go Bills and Sabres!

[drozwood90]

Neat, yeah, I used to live in Buffalo, then over in Utica, and now to Rochester.

Where at in Buffalo? The city, or one of the suburbs? I used to live in Blasdell when I was in Buffalo area.

--Dan

[kdiggz]

Neat, yeah, I used to live in Buffalo, then over in Utica, and now to Rochester.

Where at in Buffalo? The city, or one of the suburbs? I used to live in Blasdell when I was in Buffalo area.

--Dan

I'm from Batavia and went to school in Rochester (RIT) and now I'm in Cheektowaga. WNY 4-LIFE!

[drozwood90]

Kyle,

Been thinking I might be in Buffalo in the next few weeks or so. Want to try to get together at all?

--Dan