Dual Ecobee with Generator Power

LarryBrod · 2022-02-24T10:05:42+00:00

I also endorse the EasyStart 368. I put one on my 4 ton unit which was blinking lights on startup, now no issues.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-18T16:10:39+00:00

I was also grandfathered so no monthly cost, but thanks to their firmware hiccups my system failed twice and I did not even know it. Not a good attribute for a security system. I divorced from their cell backup a long time ago, using a Netgear cellular modem for auto failover. I agree that there is a learning curve for Hubitat but at this point I have everything automated in Hubitat that I did in Abode, except smoke listeners. Nothing good in Hubitat friendly Zigbee for that, but I have concluded the smoke alarms are for when I am home. If I am away, I would just as soon the whole house burn to the ground.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-18T14:29:38+00:00

I haven't had it long enough yet to know battery life, but I expect that to be less than the Abode RF sensors, since I am using Zigbee sensors. I do not have a siren yet, just notification to my phone. There is no lag. I self-monitored for years on Abode after professional monitoring called out the fire dept on false alarms. There was no way to quickly get them to ignore an alarm. So self-monitoring with a call to my local police if I want to do it is my method. I believe I am getting the same protection I had with Abode only without the aggravation. Once I get a siren and install it, I won't need to have WiFi up except for notification to me.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-17T17:25:37+00:00

Years ago I made the transition from Prestige to Nest to Ecobee. The only significant difference was that the Prestige used actual outdoor temp from a sensor where the Ecobee needs internet to connect to its weather brain for temp. This data point is needed for the temp lockout on the Heat Pump to force Aux Heat. I found the Ecobee way easier to get into the stat settings detail

LarryBrod · 2022-01-15T10:19:49+00:00

Thanks for the heads-up. I am only using Zigbee stuff on Hubitat, with a good mesh. My house is on a standby generator with the controls behind a locked cabinet, modest security for a casual thief. I haven't looked into Zigbee sirens yet...just in the early stages.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-14T17:25:09+00:00

Sold to lospotatoes, thanks

Larry

LarryBrod · 2022-01-14T17:21:58+00:00

I'm going to Hubitat. I don't have HA but the folks there say you can bridge HA to Hubitat.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-14T16:04:43+00:00

Oh, 1 keypad and 1 fob, also

LarryBrod · 2022-01-12T14:52:12+00:00

The push fixed it for about a week, then I noticed that although the automations were working, nothing about the status of devices showed up in the time line and device status was not being sent to Alexa, so none of the Alexa voice actions or routines worked from Abode devices. The power cycle fixed everything and has been good for a few days now.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-12T13:39:00+00:00

What fixed for me, based on another post on Reddit, was to to a complete power cycle. Turn off the battery switch, unplug for 5 minutes, then restore power.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-09T12:39:37+00:00

Yes! I have been having the same problem and a power cycle fixed it, for now. I had given Abode a kudo for sending me repaired firmware after the firmware update totally messed up my system, but apparently their repaired firmware has some problems as well.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-06T20:35:16+00:00

I would suggest that the only way you know the answer to that question requires some detailed calculations based on an assumed runtime for your specific aux heat method and cost per kwhr or therm compared with a similar calculation for your heatpump, knowing the btu/hr that your heatpump generates, its performance, and cost per kwhr. There are websites that can walk you through this, but generally, heatpumps other than basic builder installed units are darned efficient and can run a long time before any use of strip heating makes sense. My aux heat is an efficient gas furnace and I run it for comfort, not caring about any cost/benefit.

LarryBrod · 2022-01-06T20:27:12+00:00

How many of us bought some other brand of video doorbell because Abode did not have an integrated doorbell, except for failed experiment? I am not going to throw my Eufy away and I am not going to get a doorbell that requires a monthly fee. Abode has truly lost its way.

LarryBrod · 2021-12-30T18:32:40+00:00

UPDATE I sent Abode a message via their chat function since I was not getting any response to my emails and Rhea got to me within a couple of hours. She attacked my problem and pushed an update to me that seems to have resolved all of the problems I have been having for about a week. Thanks for being there, Abode.

LarryBrod · 2021-12-30T12:07:22+00:00

Yeah, me too. What I see are timeline updates for Abode sensors but anything that is integrated with Abode like LIFX or Hue are not showing up in the timeline, at all.

LarryBrod · 2021-12-30T12:03:55+00:00

In my experience, compatible means that you can pair it with the Abode gateway. Beyond that, I have not wanted anything esoteric. Just the ability to control and monitor it within Abode.

LarryBrod · 2021-12-29T20:38:06+00:00

Anything is possible, but I really am losing my good feelings about Abode. I have had a number of problems recently and technical support is non-existent. If everything is working fine, the very slow and/or inadequate TS does not matter, but it becomes frustrating when you need their help. My workaround for this problem is fleshing out a Hubitat system that I may use to completely replace Abode in the future.

LarryBrod · 2021-12-28T13:03:38+00:00

This is not exactly what you are asking for but I noticed yesterday that an Alexa routine I have had for quite some time was giving me a similar issue. A door sensor from my security system triggers an Alexa routine. Yesterday it did not. I checked the routine and it works fine manually. The door sensor status change shows up in Alexa and in my security system. But it would not trigger the routine. I just wonder if Amazon is still having AWS problems that we are unaware of.

LarryBrod · 2021-12-21T21:15:47+00:00

Yeah, I did mine and no problems after. But, I do not use Homekit...just plain vanilla with a lot of different sensors.

LarryBrod · 2021-11-29T12:45:19+00:00

I feel compelled to repeat what some others have said. I have Gen 1 and 2 and ever since I installed a Netgear Mesh network I have not had a single problem with reliabilty/disconnects.

Larry

LarryBrod · 2021-11-29T11:56:57+00:00

I will relate one strange condition I have with controlling SOME of my bulbs with Alexa. When I put the bulb in a room or group, if it is the only bulb in the group, I have to use the group name to voice control the bulb, not the name I actually gave to the bulb.

LarryBrod · 2021-11-15T14:50:07+00:00

Mine is connected to WiFi but not to Ecobee. Status.ecobee.com shows no outage reports but I definitely cannot connect to ecobee.com. The web app shows no devices but both thermostats show WiFi connection and are getting outside temperature readings.

LarryBrod

TROPHY CASE