Honeywell VisionPro T-stat & cycling rate

[BobbyT]

Kind of bummed... paid for the nifty new VisionPro t-stat, and while 'working', I fear it will considerably shorten the life of my HVAC system, Pros, pls tell me if I'm justified or just to let it go.
In 'regular' cooling, and now VERYYYYYYYYYY obvious in heating mode, it does work, but since (I;m told by tech support there) the temperature differential is NOT changable, the cycsle rate is terrible.
True I'm in an older home, but good windows, some insuration in walls & attic, so we're not talking about a cold breeze blowing thru the house.
Anyway, with the elec, hot surface ignitor and induction blower motor, isn't this going to shorten the furnace life (parts anyway!) considerably?
I like the digital ready-out, but now I'm seriously considering going back to the $20 hunter digital with the settable temp diff.
Any of you experience, and whatch do?
Thanks

[smokin68]

this is why you should have a tech install it.....you can change these settings in the installer codes. you can keep that Hunter stat..

[BaldLoonie]

Change the cycle rate. They come on 5 cph for heating I believe but Honeywell recommends you change to 3 for a 90+ furnace. You can do that for any furnace for longer cycles. You can change cooling cycles too, longer cycles are better anyway but could cause overshooting the stat which is a comfort issue. These new stats try to hold the temp very even which can cause short cycling, especially with oversized equipment.

[BobbyT]

Smoke: I Did pay the "tech" to install, probably paid double what I could had I decided to do it myself, but I paid... system start-up worked, tech left.
I discover the horribly frequent cycling, I putt out the info left by tech, call him. Answers quickly by phone, will come see if it's a problem. Comes, sees, it;s not a furnace malfunction... stat working as designed, explains the temp diff rate, etc., says here's the Install inst & Owner's manual, all codes, how-to's, etc., unfortunately, no codes can change this setting he says. Your prob is with Honeywell, nothing I did wrong nor can fix.
I call Honeywell tech service, same story, that setting (other than total number of cycles per hour) is not settable, temp diff is permanent at 1-degree...
How can a tech change this as you say if mfg says you can't?

[BobbyT]

BaldL:
Will changing the cycles per hour only 'limit' the number of times, or will it actually increase the over/under to 'account' for the new lower limit of cycles.
Meaning, way it works now, lots of potential (5) cycles per hour, and lots of short cycling. Won't simply saying only 3 cph make it do its regualr quick cycles 3 times, and for the rest of the hour the place gets cold?
Or is this smart enough to know up front if I'm limited to 3cph, I had better not be so picky about 1-degree, and error up/down a bit???
Perhaps I owe Honeywell my apologies?
As to the Hunter one, I know lots of the experts damn them, but I have to say, (the VisionPro is in my residence) for the rentals I manage, the non-programmable Hunter digital, can't recal the exact name, but for a tenant, it is perfect... clear digital, big read-out, easy operation (since not programmable), and settable 1-2-3 temp differential...

[BaldLoonie]

Lowering the cycle rate will cause wider swings. Probably not to the point of being uncomfortable as long as you don't go less than 3 on either heat or cool. Did he leave you the part about going into advanced setup? If not could find on Honeywell's website.

[BobbyT]

Thanks BaldL;
Yes, nice guy, very prof... never asked, but with our bad Chgo weather, this guy even stopped in the foyer, took shoes off and put on moc-type slip ons he brought out of his bag. I know this was just one item, but it gave the whole firm a prof appearance IMHO... he came to do a regular, annual check/clean, and I had called before to also ask for new t-stat, so he did have it along.
Yes, he left this thing called "table 6" for 'advanced settings'. I'll read it over tonight and see if I can change the cycle rates.
Thanks for your responses.

[smokin68]

Originally posted by BobbyT
Smoke: I Did pay the "tech" to install, probably paid double what I could had I decided to do it myself, but I paid... system start-up worked, tech left.
I discover the horribly frequent cycling, I putt out the info left by tech, call him. Answers quickly by phone, will come see if it's a problem. Comes, sees, it;s not a furnace malfunction... stat working as designed, explains the temp diff rate, etc., says here's the Install inst & Owner's manual, all codes, how-to's, etc., unfortunately, no codes can change this setting he says. Your prob is with Honeywell, nothing I did wrong nor can fix.
I call Honeywell tech service, same story, that setting (other than total number of cycles per hour) is not settable, temp diff is permanent at 1-degree...
How can a tech change this as you say if mfg says you can't?

If the tech has the code book and knows what he/she is looking at, they can program that stat to do just about anything except clean your house. It just sounds like you had a tech who wasn't familiar with the stat......the old "deer in the headlights" look. That stat is very smart,but the programmer also has to have a clue. We had about 8 tech's program ours, and had to reprogram most of them. Changing the shoes is impressive, but I'd rather have my stat programmed correctly. JMO

[BobbyT]

So Smok: What's your answer to the question... it can or it can't be re-programmed to temp diff of +/-1-degree...?
Nothing in the manuals about it, Tech seemed trained or educated, my call to Honeywell produced tech's same answer... you seem to disagree...
Please share... it can be re-programmed to a different spread? Do tell, Do tell...

[beenthere]

When you change from 5 to 3 CPH, it is simular to changing the differential.

It won't come on as quick, and it will let the temp rise a little higher.

But its not a true differencial adjustment.

Try it, I think you'll like the results.

[mayguy]

Change the CPH to 3.. Mine some how got changed to 5, and I agree, it ran the equipement often! I reprogramed it back to 3, and works pretty well.

You have two stage heating or single?

[smokin68]

Originally posted by BobbyT
So Smok: What's your answer to the question... it can or it can't be re-programmed to temp diff of +/-1-degree...?
Nothing in the manuals about it, Tech seemed trained or educated, my call to Honeywell produced tech's same answer... you seem to disagree...
Please share... it can be re-programmed to a different spread? Do tell, Do tell...

I have the book right here in front of me.....look at code 240,310,530, They don't call it a "differential" I'm not allowed to give step by step instructions, but that stat has an "adaptive recovery" on 530, which means it will think on it's own......read about it and good luck.

[BobbyT]

MayGuy;
Thanks... it's only single stage. Changed it last nite, honestly, I felt no diff in temp swings, and yes, it did seem to cycle less often, but I had the kdis alone so I couldn't do any 'real' analysis and count the times nor down-time between cycles, but it seemed less.

Smok: Thanks as well... the 530 code however, as I understand, only causes the 'thinking/anticipation' on programmed starts from a down-time... my cycling is when it's in the usual/manual call for a certain temp, so that code only is 'active' when you're coming out of a programmed down time.
240 is what I did, changed cph rate down to 3;
310 is only used during automatic switch-over from heat to a/c, I use manual.
Thanks anyway.