#2 in Home thermostat accessories
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Reddit mentions of Venstar ACC0410 Add-A-Wire Kit
Sentiment score: 3
Reddit mentions: 7
We found 7 Reddit mentions of Venstar ACC0410 Add-A-Wire Kit. Here are the top ones.
Buying options
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- Easy to install
- Easier than running new wire
- Allows 5 wire thermostats to use only 4 wires
- Also allows 5 wires to work like 6 wires
Features:
Specs:
Height | 1.7 Inches |
Length | 2.74 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | June 2017 |
Weight | 0.22 Pounds |
Width | 1.99 Inches |
Not having a "C" wire is a small problem that is easily overcome.
It is recommended especially with Air Conditioning to have a "C" wire.
The "C" wire let's the Nest have the full 24v avalible to power itself and keep its battery charged 24/7 instead of only when the HVAC equipment is off.
What wires are at your current thermostat?
Do you have any extra wires in the thermostat cable at your thermostat?.....if so....watch this instructional video---> https://youtu.be/kJEEPRkP8Ps
Do you never run your fan all by itself, and only with heat or A/C on?......is so watch these instructional videos--->1)https://youtu.be/RQQAtmV2TQs 2) https://youtu.be/R039DH7HASg 3)https://youtu.be/BftoUCnKYls
If you want to run your fan by itself and dont have an extra wire then buy a Venstar Add-A-Wire: Venstar ACC0410 Add-A-Wire Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PLWT8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tKSODbK81RECX it will give yo ut an extra wire that can be used as a "C" wire And watch this instructional video--->https://youtu.be/FjkPh1_I40A
You still have a few options before running a new cable.
I used this when I needed to do the same, worked great, don't think I had to cut anything, just rearrange the wiring. Venstar ACC0410 Add-A-Wire Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PLWT8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yzuyDb29BCSB7
It's this product.
It adds a 5th wire (common) to a 4 wire setup. Extremely simple install (just Google it and an official video will come up). I had a lot of doubts on its effectiveness after reading issues on the nest community, but its working great for me so far.
I am not a professional either, but in my opinion it definitely sounds like a C-Wire issue. My house had 3 wires, Power, Heat, and Fan, so I plugged them in accordingly. This worked all summer, but as soon as winter came, the heat would turn on for about a minute, turn off for 30 seconds, turn back on for a minute, over and over until it got to the desired temperature. I quickly noticed that this of course was not appropriate behavior, which is when I learned that the C-Wire can be important. So I switched the Fan wire to the C-Wire at both my Nest and furnace, and everything works as expected now. I lost manual control of my fan, but I never used that feature anyways.
However you don't have a C-Wire or a Fan wire, so you either need to run a new wire bunch from your furnace to your thermostat so you can have a third wire, or buy something like the Venstar Add-A-Wire. Like I said though, I'm no expert, just my two cents.
It is concerning though that the Nest worked for years prior. I guess from a troubleshooting standpoint, do you have a dumb thermostat to hook up just to see if you can rule out the Nest as the culprit?
I've also had success with this kit, which allows you to "add" a wire. It saved me from pulling new wire or having to choose between a battery powered stat.
Venstar ACC0410 Add-A-Wire Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PLWT8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LgDwCb5DEXP0S
You don’t have a common wire. It won’t work well. You can try this: Venstar ACC0410 Add-A-Wire Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PLWT8C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share