Honeywell RTH230B Thermostat: Precise Digital Accuracy
Written: Dec 10 '06 (Updated Dec 10 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The digital readout; The functions
Cons: Programming is tedious and the defaults are unrealistic
The Bottom Line: This is a good thermostat that could be better with some improvements to the programming function.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Honeywell 5-2 Day Programmable Thermostat RTH230B |
Heating and air conditioning need to be controlled and there are several different devices for maintaining the ideal level of comfort in both summer and winter. One company that makes several different products for this purpose is Honeywell. And one of its many thermostats is the Honeywell 5-2 Day Programmable Thermostat Model RTH230B, a heating/cooling regulation device.
Facts About This Product:
Honeywell RTH230B Thermostat is a small, wall- mounted device that is plastic in construction and measures about five inches in width and three inches in height. The device is battery operated and uses two AA batteries.
The display panel on this thermostat features liquid crystal and it shows the current household temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius), the current time of day, the current period number (from one to four- this represents the program cycle and it corresponds to the time of day), and possible other symbols if they are applicable. For example, if the furnace is currently running or the temperature has dropped and it is about to start, there will be a small flame in the lower right hand corner of the panel. If the air conditioning is in use, a snowflake will display. If the battery is low, an icon shaped like a battery will display on the panel.
A small, plastic cover case snaps over the face of this thermostat. Making changes to the temperature can be done by pressing the up and down buttons, which are visible and usable even when the cover is in place. Removing the cover is necessary to make changes to other settings. Underneath this cover there is a system operating mode selector (heat, off, cool), fan operating mode selector (auto, on), and a set of programming buttons (four of them, with different buttons representing functions like day, clock, program, mode, etc.). The cover has to be removed to make any changes other than the thermostat temperature.
Household Uses:
Honeywell RTH230B Thermostat has multiple uses. It can be used to control furnaces (gas, oil, or electric; 2 or 3 wires), central air (2 wires), hot water system with or without a pump (2 wires), millivolt systems (2 wires), or central heating and cooling systems (4 or 5 wires). This Honeywell model cannot accommodate heat pumps or multi- stage systems.
Final Thoughts:
Honeywell RTH230B Thermostat is the latest in my effort to improve/replace different household equipment in my living quarters. I don’t get on kicks like this very frequently but for the past four months I have been slowly replacing many items in my house that are either outdated, worn out, or both. I had never considered replacing my thermostat until one day when I needed to make a service call to a heating/air conditioning specialist. The service rep replaced a part on my furnace and asked me if I wanted a new thermostat. At first I said no, but then I remembered my commitment to making everything in my household better and I changed my mind. The guy told me he would replace the thermostat for me and that I could go to a home improvement store and purchase whatever I liked as long as it was compatible with a gas furnace. I went to Lowes, looked over the choices, and selected the Honeywell RTH230B.
What attracted me initially to this Honeywell model was the fact that it was digital (my old thermostat wasn’t) and that it offered more than just a way to set temperatures higher or lower. I wanted something that was more sophisticated than my old thermostat and that had more features. In keeping with my home improvement goals, I decided that this was the right thermostat for me. There were others that cost more but what they offered didn’t interest me. Also, many of them were too large. This model from Honeywell seemed just right- small so that it doesn’t take up too much wall space but not so small that the buttons become difficult to operate or the display is hard to see.
This thermostat can be programmed to heat/cool the house to a specific temperature based on the day of the week (weekends and Monday- Friday have different programming, hence the ׃-2” in the thermostat’s name) and the time of day. It offers a display that shows the current time and day of the week with a range that goes from 23 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 Fahrenheit (minus 5 to 50 Celsius). By pressing specific buttons, these settings can be changed and the programming can be activated. By using the programming, energy costs can be kept under control. When you know you won’t be in the house for an extended period of time, for example, you can set the programming to lower the thermostat temperature for you. When the clock hits the specified time, the thermostat will automatically drop to the programmed level.
I like the features offered by this thermostat and I like the precise digital readout. With my old thermostat, the operation wasn’t digital. It was controlled by moving a lever back and forth and through years of usage the lever was no longer accurate. I had to add set the thermostat lever lower than the temperature I actually wanted to get the right amount of heat or cooling. For example, if I wanted the house at 72 degrees I had to move the pointer to about 66 degrees. The thermostat worked, but I was tired of the inconvenience of having to remember to add six degrees to the setting. With Honeywell RTH230B, there is no problem with the temperature setting. It shows an exact number that is accurate to within one degree. There is no more guesswork now when I set my thermostat. I can rest peacefully knowing that the 72 degree setting I just requested will result in a household temperature of 72 degrees.
This Honeywell Thermostat is generally easy to use when it comes to making temperature adjustments or changes to the date and time. But one complaint I must make is with the programming function. I consider having the ability to program a thermostat an asset and this was one of the reasons I selected this model over others that were less expensive. But the tediousness of setting/changing the programming is too much. Honeywell has this thermostat pre- programmed with default temperatures for four different times of day and days per week. If you want to change these settings (and I can assure you that you will!), you have to go through ten different steps. This seems like a lot of work to make such a simple change. I know the reason probably lies in the thermostat’s small size. Honeywell didn’t really have enough space to add more buttons (which would have made the process faster) so the company had to make do with the buttons already in place. The result is a process that takes time and leaves you feeling less than confident that you got it right. It took me several efforts before I finally got my settings where I wanted them.
Honeywell claims that the default program settings for the RTH230B Thermostat are designed to save money on energy costs. I can believe them, because the temperature defaults are far too cold in winter and far too hot in summer. Take the evening temperature default, for example. This corresponds to period number four and it activates when the clock strikes 10:00pm. At this time, if you decide to go along with the defaults, the heating temperature on the thermostat will drop to 62 chilly degrees in winter and the cooling will increase to a sweaty 82 degrees in summer. I don’t know what the people at Honeywell were thinking, but I cannot think of anyone who wants their house to fall to only 62 degrees during the night in the winter season. When I first had this thermostat installed, I was unaware of this default. But I discovered it quickly when I woke up at 3:00am feeling chilled to the bone. I thought the thermostat was malfunctioning but a quick check of the user’s guide showed that this was the standard default setting. It’s nice that Honeywell wants to help consumers save money on energy costs but how many people can tolerate a nighttime household temperature of only 62 degrees? It’s much too cold for me.
Honeywell warrants this product for one year from the date of purchase. The customer care department can be accessed by calling 800-468-1502 or by visiting Honeywell.com/yourhome. These contacts can be used for warranty concerns or for general questions. The on- line site doesn’t explain much about this product so if your question is more specific, then a phone call will likely be necessary.
Home improvements are quickly becoming a habit for me as I strive to make each room of the house and the products contained within as modern and convenient as possible. I needed a new thermostat because my old one was worn out and I have been happy with its replacement. Honeywell 5-2 Programmable Thermostat Model RTH230B is a good thermostat that could be better if the programming was a little easier and if the defaults were more realistic. But it is still a good thermostat with a price (about $37) that places it in the middle of most thermostats and that seems fair for what you get.
Recommended:
Yes
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