AC thermostats acting up
 

I"ve got two AC units for my house. The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. Each system has it's
own thermostat. In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. The thermostats are
Braebun brand. Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

AC thermostats acting up
 

On Jan 31, 1:30*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I"ve got two AC units for my house. *The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. *Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. *Each system has it's
own thermostat. *In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. *The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. *This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. *I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. *That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. *The thermostats are
Braebun brand. *Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? *Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

Are these thermostats only powered externally or do they also have
batteries as a backup? Normally, one would expect that if they
are powered at least mainly by an external source, that the source
would be a seperate thermostat in each air handler. Try turning off
the AC power to one handler at a time and see what happens.

AC thermostats acting up
 

"Ashton Crusher" wrote in message
...
I"ve got two AC units for my house. The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. Each system has it's
own thermostat. In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. The thermostats are
Braebun brand. Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

I would assume they have batteries in them. Check that out. WW

AC thermostats acting up
 

On Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:57:34 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Jan 31, 1:30*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I"ve got two AC units for my house. *The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. *Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. *Each system has it's
own thermostat. *In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. *The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. *This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. *I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. *That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. *The thermostats are
Braebun brand. *Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? *Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

Are these thermostats only powered externally or do they also have
batteries as a backup? Normally, one would expect that if they
are powered at least mainly by an external source, that the source
would be a seperate thermostat in each air handler. Try turning off
the AC power to one handler at a time and see what happens.


yes they have batteries. I think they are powered by the air
handlers. Further info from today. I pulled them off their bases and
just let them run on battery power. They operate just fine on battery
power, no fading backlighting or fading LCD numbers. Stick them back
on the base and they act up. Measured the AC voltage on one of them
and it's 28 volts. When that one acts up it's still 28 volts.

AC thermostats acting up
 

On 1/31/2011 12:30 AM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I"ve got two AC units for my house. The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. Each system has it's
own thermostat. In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. The thermostats are
Braebun brand. Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

Did the malfunction just start and has the system operated correctly in
the past or is it a new installation?

TDD

AC thermostats acting up
 

On Feb 1, 2:15*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:57:34 -0800 (PST), wrote:
On Jan 31, 1:30 am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I"ve got two AC units for my house. The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. Each system has it's
own thermostat. In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. The thermostats are
Braebun brand. Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

Are these thermostats only powered externally or do they also have
batteries as a backup? * *Normally, one would expect that if they
are powered at least mainly by an external source, that the source
would be a seperate thermostat in each air handler. * Try turning off
the AC power to one handler at a time and see what happens.

yes they have batteries. *I think they are powered by the air
handlers. *Further info from today. *I pulled them off their bases and
just let them run on battery power. *They operate just fine on battery
power, no fading backlighting or fading LCD numbers. *Stick them back
on the base and they act up. *Measured the AC voltage on one of them
and it's 28 volts. *When that one acts up it's still 28 volts.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Very strange indeed. Since the batteries are there to offer backup,
it's
odd that they work with batteries off the wall, but fade out when
connected
to the HVAC power. Even with power absent, they should still be OK
and
you also are measuring voltage present.

Do they have a calander? Maybe they reached pre-programmed
obsolescence....

LOL

I'm assuming this worked OK for a long time and it's not a new
install?
Next steps I'd try would be to go look at the other end, determine how
it's
wired, if it's powered by only one Xfrmr or two, etc. If there is any
wiring
going from one air handler to the other, etc. And after recording
wire positions, take one of them off and see what happens. Seeing if
they are wired per install instructions would be a good idea too.

AC thermostats acting up
 

On Feb 1, 9:22*am, wrote:
On Feb 1, 2:15*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:





On Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:57:34 -0800 (PST), wrote:
On Jan 31, 1:30 am, Ashton Crusher wrote:
I"ve got two AC units for my house. The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. Each system has it's
own thermostat. In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. The thermostats are
Braebun brand. Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.

Are these thermostats only powered externally or do they also have
batteries as a backup? * *Normally, one would expect that if they
are powered at least mainly by an external source, that the source
would be a seperate thermostat in each air handler. * Try turning off
the AC power to one handler at a time and see what happens.

yes they have batteries. *I think they are powered by the air
handlers. *Further info from today. *I pulled them off their bases and
just let them run on battery power. *They operate just fine on battery
power, no fading backlighting or fading LCD numbers. *Stick them back
on the base and they act up. *Measured the AC voltage on one of them
and it's 28 volts. *When that one acts up it's still 28 volts.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Very strange indeed. * Since the batteries are there to offer backup,
it's
odd that they work with batteries off the wall, but fade out when
connected
to the HVAC power. *Even with power absent, they should still be OK
and
you also are measuring voltage present.

Do they have a calander? *Maybe they reached pre-programmed
obsolescence....

LOL

I'm assuming this worked OK for a long time and it's not a new
install?
Next steps I'd try would be to go look at the other end, determine how
it's
wired, if it's powered by only one Xfrmr or two, etc. *If there is any
wiring
going from one air handler to the other, etc. *And after recording
wire positions, take one of them off and see what happens. *Seeing if
they are wired per install instructions would be a good idea too.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Has the OP tried brand new batteries? Even if the thermostat works ok
off the wall, but not on the wall, it is quite likely that the
batteries are used for some function that increases the drain when the
thermostat is on the wall. The only way to tell is to measure the
battery voltage when the thermostat is off the wall, and then continue
to monitor the voltage while the thermostat is mounted on its base and
see if the voltage changes when it is mounted on the wall.

AC thermostats acting up - SOLVED
 

On Sun, 30 Jan 2011 23:30:55 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

I"ve got two AC units for my house. The outside part of this split
system houses both AC compressors (It's a Freus water cooled unit) in
one enclosure but they have separate Fused feeds. Inside the house
there are two completely separate air handlers. Each system has it's
own thermostat. In the past week both thermostats have started acting
funny. The backlights for them come on and then fade out or "stutter"
out and the LCD digits fade away and can't be seen whether the
backlight is on or off. This happens about 2 seconds after you press
the buttons to raise or lower the temperature or the button to turn on
the backlight. I thought each thermostat was powered by a transformer
in each of the air handlers. That's how the original system with two
completely separate Carrier AC units was set up. The thermostats are
Braebun brand. Has anyone seen these thermostats go bad this way or
should I be looking at some electric issue in the AC unit? Seems
quite a coincidence both thermostats started doing this at the same
time if it's a problem with the thermostats.


Problem Solved. To answer a few questions, this was a 5 year old
installation and nothing had changed but suddenly BOTH thermostats
started acting up. One suggestion was that a voltage spike had taken
out both thermostats. I checked voltages and whatnot in both air
handlers and could find nothing amiss. So I bought two "new"
thermostats on eBay and after making sure they were configured for my
system (basic reset had all the right settings) I slapped them in
place and both systems now work properly again. So I guess it must
have been a voltage spike that took them both out at the same time (or
the MTBF on this has been VERY accurately calculated). Very strange,
no other electronics in the house went bad.

AC thermostats acting up - SOLVED
 

Ashton Crusher wrote:



Problem Solved. To answer a few questions, this was a 5 year old
installation and nothing had changed but suddenly BOTH thermostats
started acting up. One suggestion was that a voltage spike had taken
out both thermostats. I checked voltages and whatnot in both air
handlers and could find nothing amiss. So I bought two "new"
thermostats on eBay and after making sure they were configured for my
system (basic reset had all the right settings) I slapped them in
place and both systems now work properly again. So I guess it must
have been a voltage spike that took them both out at the same time (or
the MTBF on this has been VERY accurately calculated). Very strange,
no other electronics in the house went bad.
Hi,
How about telling us the brand name and model of those 'stats?

AC thermostats acting up - SOLVED
 

On Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:24:23 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:



Ashton Crusher wrote:



Problem Solved. To answer a few questions, this was a 5 year old
installation and nothing had changed but suddenly BOTH thermostats
started acting up. One suggestion was that a voltage spike had taken
out both thermostats. I checked voltages and whatnot in both air
handlers and could find nothing amiss. So I bought two "new"
thermostats on eBay and after making sure they were configured for my
system (basic reset had all the right settings) I slapped them in
place and both systems now work properly again. So I guess it must
have been a voltage spike that took them both out at the same time (or
the MTBF on this has been VERY accurately calculated). Very strange,
no other electronics in the house went bad.
Hi,
How about telling us the brand name and model of those 'stats?


Braeburn Model 5200 . They have enough programming features that an
AC guy can stock just them (or whatever the current model would be)
and install them for almost any installation including both single and
dual stage gas and electric and heat pump systems.