{"id":171,"date":"2017-11-05T13:01:18","date_gmt":"2017-11-05T13:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beer.org\/blog\/?p=171"},"modified":"2017-11-05T13:01:18","modified_gmt":"2017-11-05T13:01:18","slug":"thermostat-with-no-cloud-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beer.org\/blog\/index.php\/2017\/11\/05\/thermostat-with-no-cloud-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Thermostat with no cloud control"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’ve looked at the rest of my blog you’ll see that I’m a bit of a control freak. \u00a0I like to gather data and use that to monitor and control my environment; specifically our cabin. \u00a0 When we first bought our cabin and put in the new furnace, I also bought an RCS TR60<\/a> thermostat with an RS-485 interface. \u00a0I wrote some python scripts to monitor it (and put data into a Mysql DB) as well as control it with the primary goal of setting the temperature before we leave home so the house would be at a comfortable temperature when we arrive. \u00a0 As a side effect, I also used the Heat setpoint as an occupancy signal to HomeAssistant<\/a>. \u00a0 Unfortunately, before buying the TR60, I also bought a Radio Thermostat CT80<\/a>. \u00a0A month or so after installing the CT80, we arrived at the cabin to find the inside temperature was over 90F and the buttons on the CT80 were unresponsive. \u00a0 The unit failed in the ON position. \u00a0This is only slightly better than failing in the OFF position (frozen pipes anyone?).<\/p>\n

Well, after 8 years, the RS485 interface on our TR60 has stopped responding. \u00a0The thermostat still works but I just can’t communicate with it through the serial interface so it’s time to buy another one. \u00a0 Anyone whose tried to do the same will be disappointed that the vast majority of thermostats out there require cloud access. \u00a0Ignoring the sheer stupidity of handing over control of your house to a third party with unknown security and coding practices, it also assumes an active internet connection and finally, assumes the company isn’t going to decide one day that its business model can no longer sustain its cloud service. In the latter case, you end up with nothing more than an old fashioned smart thermostat.<\/p>\n

It looks like there are a few options for us out there:<\/p>\n

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