# What a stupid "feature" Honeywell



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

I have an inexpensive thermostat, Honeywell RTH111B non programmable digital.

When the temp gets below 32F the thermostat won't turn on. Displays LO in the display.

I suppose some genius thought that would be good because the pipes might be frozen and you don't want to turn the heater on. But what about a furnace that heats the air and not water? Idiots.

So when it gets below freezing in my storage area of my shop and I want to turn the heat on I have to heat the thermostat to above 32F before it will "allow" me to turn the heat on. Stupid design and it doesn't look like there is a way to override it other than don't let it get that cold.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Maybe it's not a design goof, and that it's not intended for your application.

I heard somewhere that aiming a 60 watt light bulb at it all night is helpful. :jester: (couldn't help myself there - sorry)


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

No, it is a fault in design. If it said house use only or something of that description maybe I might accept it. Who wants a thermometer that won't turn on when it's cold? If they had a switch that would say hydronic freeze protection that would be a feature. 

What happens if you have a cabin that looses power on occasion and it's in the middle of winter. You lose power, the cabin goes below freezing and then the power comes back on but the thermostat doesn't turn the heat back on and all your pipes freeze and blow up.

It's not even mentioned in the manual. They should mention it in the manual. It is a design fault.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Leo G said:


> I have an [STRIKE]inexpensive [/STRIKE] cheap thermostat, Honeywell RTH111B non programmable digital.
> 
> When the temp gets below 32F the thermostat won't turn on. Displays LO in the display.
> 
> ...


FIFY....:whistling


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

It's not cheap. I can get one for half the price that will come on when it gets cold. Isn't that the main function of a thermostat, to come on at a preset temperature? At the bare minimum it should be stated somewhere that this "feature" exists.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Good point on the cabin. Seems that old school technology is the better choice once again.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

It's crap. All Honeywell is crap. Been that way since they started selling blister packages in HD.

Shame too. Used to be the best in the biz.

I have several that I bought for temp stats. Basic up/down. Pull the cover off, the catch breaks. Take it back, get another only to find it was a return (with a broken catch) that the service desk restocked. Looked next time at the store - another sneaky restock, another broken catch.

They are crap.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

I think many thermostats suffer that same problem. I think the idea is if all your pipes freeze after a catastrophic failure, the stat won't turn on when it gets power again so that it doesn't defrost the pipes and flood the place.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> I think many thermostats suffer that same problem. I think the idea is if all your pipes freeze after a catastrophic failure, the stat won't turn on when it gets power again so that it doesn't defrost the pipes and flood the place.


And they are crap. 

Oh yeah, and whats your story on the least expensive bimetallic stats? They don't have that "feature" - what if you only got 22 bucks - you can get heat, but if you got 27.50 - you freeze?!

Admit it - just say it - quit covering for the cheap commie bastards. Say it dammit SAY IT!!!


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

Leo G said:


> It's not cheap. *I can get one for half the price that will come on when it gets cold.* Isn't that the main function of a thermostat, to come on at a preset temperature? At the bare minimum it should be stated somewhere that this "feature" exists.


So get that one... as opposed to the light bulb cost, it'll pay for itself in about, oh, let's just say 10 years... :whistling

In aggravation... ROI = priceless... :clap:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

SmallTownGuy said:


> And they are crap.
> 
> Oh yeah, and whats your story on the least expensive bimetallic stats? They don't have that "feature" - what if you only got 22 bucks - you can get heat, but if you got 27.50 - you freeze?!
> 
> ...


Commie? I think the company is from Indiana.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Inner10 said:


> Commie? I think the company is from Indiana.


The outgoing CEO is buddy-buddy with the outgoing Prez....

Commies......:laughing::laughing:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Robie said:


> The outgoing CEO is buddy-buddy with the outgoing Prez....
> 
> Commies......:laughing::laughing:


Ahhhhh gotcha.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Even the really expensive ones from Honeywell crap out far too often.

Frankly, I'm only interested in having the temp accuracy of a digital, the other features turn out to be problems. 

Temp below freezing? no turn on
Battery dies? no turn on
Power glitch? good chance you need a new one
Someone pull it off the wall plug in without turning it off? you need a new one.

I call them fragile. I'd never put them in a place that gets winterized, then used in the winter. In fact, I'm not using any of them any more.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Everything I see says they're making crap. The reliability is really poor these days. I was there for a new system install in a multifamily. Outdoor reset, everything programs from the main control - individual thermostats communicate digitally with the main controller, which can limit the temp set points of the thermostats (among other things). Plenty of flexibility.

First main control unit - defective, cannot be worked around using any of the spare channels.

Second main control unit - defective, can be worked around using a spare channel.

The quality, including design quality, just isn't there.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Inner10 said:


> I think many thermostats suffer that same problem. I think the idea is if all your pipes freeze after a catastrophic failure, the stat won't turn on when it gets power again so that it doesn't defrost the pipes and flood the place.


I do understand that. But water doesn't instantly freeze at 32, it takes time. Plus I'd be more worried about a thermostat failing to come on and having the place freeze then the aforementioned situation.

Sounds like a nanny state thermometer. We know better than you.

It's more that there isn't any mention of this limitation in the manual or a way to bypass it than the "feature" itself.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Honeynotsowell.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

KAP said:


> So get that one... as opposed to the light bulb cost, it'll pay for itself in about, oh, let's just say 10 years... :whistling
> 
> In aggravation... ROI = priceless... :clap:


The one that will come on is a mercury based gold globe thermostat. It has a much greater variation in temperature than the digital does. Which was the main reason I got it. Instead of having 5 degree swings the digital brought it down to a 1 degree swing. Much more comfy.

And they don't mention the "feature" that it won't turn on if it goes below 32F.


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## Youngin' (Sep 16, 2012)

Thermogate 2017


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Youngin' said:


> Thermogate 2017


:laughing::laughing:


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