Data logging wifi thermostat

mechanic · 04-10-20, 01:27 PM

I installed an Ecobee thermostat in 2014 and was very happy with it. It was easy to program, gave nice detailed runtime reports and compared multiple years, could control off my phone when out of town, and it could run a few smart plugs I used to control my hot water re-circ loop and my air exchanger. Anyways I just went to check my runtimes and realized it stopped sending to the server in January. After diagnosing over the phone I was told its likely no longer supported and there is no upgrade program for existing customers, but don't worry it will still work fine, just the wifi doesn't work.

So what systems are people on here using now that have these capabilities? Their new one looks very nice but i'm not dropping $400 on a new thermostat every 6 years when they decide to come out with a new model (the new ones are down to $330 I guess). I could just use as is but the data logging was very nice to see if something has changed with the house. I liked being able to check on things when out of town as well...

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Daox · 04-10-20, 02:52 PM

Great question. I have a very simple wifi thermostat without any datalogging. It would be great to have this feature.

MN Renovator · 04-10-20, 03:58 PM

I considered getting an Ecobee for the data logging function but was put off by the price. My current thermostat has an 'energy' button that counts the run-time based on when it is calling for heat or cooling. It only shows today, yesterday, this week, last week, and total since last reset. If I forget to take down the data, I lose it and it sucks but it's interesting to see the patterns related to outdoor temperature.
I'm glad I didn't take the plunge because I would not want to replace the thermostat just to get continued logging. The whole idea of logging was to identify patterns and see the differences that air sealing and adding insulation makes(air sealing and insulation reduced peak load furnace runtime to 80-85% of the usage my house used to need).
That really sucks that they are willing to drop people like that.

where2 · 04-14-20, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mechanic

I installed an Ecobee thermostat in 2014 and was very happy with it. It was easy to program, gave nice detailed runtime reports and compared multiple years, could control off my phone when out of town, and it could run a few smart plugs I used to control my hot water re-circ loop and my air exchanger. Anyways I just went to check my runtimes and realized it stopped sending to the server in January. After diagnosing over the phone I was told its likely no longer supported and there is no upgrade program for existing customers, but don't worry it will still work fine, just the wifi doesn't work.

So what systems are people on here using now that have these capabilities?

When I got to thinking about this question, it dawned on me: why not make a man in the middle device? Sense the high versus low condition on the output leads to the thermostat wire, and log high (or low) condition versus real time? (wait, you wanted command from anywhere capability like you lost).

This being EcoRenovator website, a quick google search came up with open source thermostat systems to run on a Raspberry Pi. If you had open source on the brains, you could code the back end device to write all that run-time data to wherever you wanted in any tabular format you like.

Alternatively, look at a Control By Web X-300.
https://www.controlbyweb.com/x300/x-300-Brochure.pdf
This does not appear to be a sexy front end wall device. You may have to get creative if you go this route. I know my wife would NOT want to log into a PC to change the thermostat settings. (it was enough challenge getting her to use an app to control the thermostat when she's upstairs).

For awhile, the users with Nest Thermostats managed to find a back door API that gathered run time data and humidity data for them. However, within the last 12 months there appears to have been a migration of the Nest devices to Google Accounts and that appears to have broken the data logging folks were using.

Nest currently says they don't offer the run time and humidity data outside of viewing it on their web page.

That run time data only shows up for ~10 days, then it goes away from being viewable, into never-never land...

H16bill · 05-04-20, 07:32 PM

Pretty easy to build a WiFi thermostat based on the wemos d1 processor. Then you can do any kind of logging you want. I was considering doing this for our vacation house since the kitchen thermostat went crazy and turned the baseboard electric on all the time. Big electric bill.

jluther23 · 05-06-20, 06:57 AM

This may be a little late, if you already have a solution. If you are in to DIY projects you need to look into software called Home Assistant. I use it with a raspberry pi to monitor temperatures at different areas to either send alerts or turn on and off heaters. You can build your own sensors very cheap and programming the sensors is easy with the instructions on the home assistant website.

mechanic · 05-06-20, 09:18 AM

That does look pretty interesting, and they even have instructions on how to integrate with Ecobee. Unfortunately with a new business and three young kids my DIY time is almost non-existent these days! I'll look further into it though...

BillG · 05-06-20, 11:02 AM

If you know someone who does commercial controls and has access to the Distech brand, their ECY-TU controller with separate sensors can do that. Their programming tool is free and elegant.

Another source that might be easier to get, maybe purchased from a local commercial HVAC wholesaler, is EasyIO. Programming tools are also free.

Both are very capable, IP based, with built-in HTML5 web servers.

04-10-20, 01:27 PM	#1
mechanic Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 117 Thanks: 10 Thanked 16 Times in 12 Posts	Data logging wifi thermostat I installed an Ecobee thermostat in 2014 and was very happy with it. It was easy to program, gave nice detailed runtime reports and compared multiple years, could control off my phone when out of town, and it could run a few smart plugs I used to control my hot water re-circ loop and my air exchanger. Anyways I just went to check my runtimes and realized it stopped sending to the server in January. After diagnosing over the phone I was told its likely no longer supported and there is no upgrade program for existing customers, but don't worry it will still work fine, just the wifi doesn't work. So what systems are people on here using now that have these capabilities? Their new one looks very nice but i'm not dropping $400 on a new thermostat every 6 years when they decide to come out with a new model (the new ones are down to $330 I guess). I could just use as is but the data logging was very nice to see if something has changed with the house. I liked being able to check on things when out of town as well...

04-10-20, 02:52 PM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Great question. I have a very simple wifi thermostat without any datalogging. It would be great to have this feature. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-06-20, 06:57 AM	#6
jluther23 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	This may be a little late, if you already have a solution. If you are in to DIY projects you need to look into software called Home Assistant. I use it with a raspberry pi to monitor temperatures at different areas to either send alerts or turn on and off heaters. You can build your own sensors very cheap and programming the sensors is easy with the instructions on the home assistant website. Last edited by jluther23; 05-06-20 at 09:01 AM..

04-10-20, 03:58 PM	#3
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 940 Thanks: 41 Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts	I considered getting an Ecobee for the data logging function but was put off by the price. My current thermostat has an 'energy' button that counts the run-time based on when it is calling for heat or cooling. It only shows today, yesterday, this week, last week, and total since last reset. If I forget to take down the data, I lose it and it sucks but it's interesting to see the patterns related to outdoor temperature. I'm glad I didn't take the plunge because I would not want to replace the thermostat just to get continued logging. The whole idea of logging was to identify patterns and see the differences that air sealing and adding insulation makes(air sealing and insulation reduced peak load furnace runtime to 80-85% of the usage my house used to need). That really sucks that they are willing to drop people like that.

05-04-20, 07:32 PM	#5
H16bill Lurking Renovator Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sodus, NY Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Pretty easy to build a WiFi thermostat based on the wemos d1 processor. Then you can do any kind of logging you want. I was considering doing this for our vacation house since the kitchen thermostat went crazy and turned the baseboard electric on all the time. Big electric bill.

05-06-20, 09:18 AM	#7
mechanic Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 117 Thanks: 10 Thanked 16 Times in 12 Posts	That does look pretty interesting, and they even have instructions on how to integrate with Ecobee. Unfortunately with a new business and three young kids my DIY time is almost non-existent these days! I'll look further into it though...

05-06-20, 11:02 AM	#8
BillG Lurking Renovator Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 16 Thanks: 2 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	If you know someone who does commercial controls and has access to the Distech brand, their ECY-TU controller with separate sensors can do that. Their programming tool is free and elegant. Another source that might be easier to get, maybe purchased from a local commercial HVAC wholesaler, is EasyIO. Programming tools are also free. Both are very capable, IP based, with built-in HTML5 web servers.