hi fast a/c service...i couldn't open the link. looks like you need a log on to view or something. as above, the manual says one remote sensor can be used either an outdoor which would be required for a heatpump or just for a display if used with a/c, or an indoor which can be used to average the temperature between two locations and run the furnace/ac based on that averaged temp. it allows you to designate priority vs the main stat. so the temperature weighting from the remote sensor can be the same, higher or lower than the main mod stat. this sounds like a great feature for REGULAR furnaces, and i'm sure some of the white-rogers branded thermostats (actually, i think they have some that can use multiple remote sensors). the rheem mod should run the fan/heat much lower, but longer maintaining much more even temps....i'm still going to hook up the remote sensor. matter of fact, i may run more than one and depending on the season, hook up a different one during the summer and change it in the winter...

ricanmd, Normally bedrooms are kept cooler than any other room in the house, makes for better sleeping conditions. If you have a hallway leading to that farthest bedroom, I tend to believe this would be a good place to mount a sensor. The more sensor you place, the greater tendancy that other rooms will over heat. The only problem with mounting a sensor in a hallway, my builder placed the thermostat at the beginning of my hallway and every night when I go to bed, I pass the thermostat and by the time I reach my bedroom at the end of the hallway, the furnace clicks on as I am passing through the doorway. What I am saying is that if you place a thermostat or sensor where there is air movement past it, it may trigger the furnace to come on sooner than what is needed. Hope that helps, Dan

Oh, no way, a failure by you, someone who's helping folks in your spare time?! No way! (I hope you were joking.) By "not a single person mentioned", I meant like installers when they came to give estimates, not anyone here. No trouble, it's all a learning experience. Yes, I had a media cabinet installed, but it was a Honeywell. I couldn't convince my installer to get the official Ruud cabinet. I wouldn't even call the condensate issue a failure necessarily by my installer, because he is right that my sump pump should work in freezing weather. Just these furnaces still aren't common in my area, so I'm surprised there aren't more words of caution out there. (In fact, my emergency handyman who came out that night cause I thought something had burst -- services rental properties as his full-time job -- turned to me and said "I haven't seen this before but your furnace is discharging water.") My installer is considering a condensate pump and there's a slight issue where the outdoor temp isn't being read. But overall, I'm super happy with my 96% Ruud and EcoNet thermostat. The thermostat tells me whether it's running high or low stage, I've been told I'm spending too much time with it. I can't thank everyone here enough. In the end, I was able to find a great HVAC team. It's been quite the adventure. I'll post pictures soon. The duct work is a masterpiece, everything was turned 90 degrees because otherwise code required I create a service opening in the wall.

Quote: My experience is that the effect of warm air rising and cold air sinking tends to mess with the effect of the multiple zones. In the summer time the upstairs thermostat calls for cooling while the downstairs thermostat does not but because the cold air sinks the basement and first floor stay cooler than the second floor. End Quote. It will to one degree or another, however a zone system is designed to 'minimize' this problem by controls that direct the cooling or heating to where you want it. Naturally the upper levels of the home will call for cooling more frequently than lower levels. Zoning isn't entirely perfect, in many cases it depends on the home layout. If you have a home that is more 'open' you will get bleed thru from one zone to another. But what difference does it make if you have better control? Assuming of course the zone system is installed properly... many times they are not. The best control of a zone is a zone in which there are 4 walls and a door and preferably there is a return as well as supply duct(s) within that zone. On a multiple level home that is zoned the equation changes some what in that each level of the home is typically a zone. Sure the bottom levels of the home will be cooler than the top level (second floor). The idea in zoning the AC to the basement is to 'limit' the amount of cooling it receives... otherwise the complaint is always the 1st level is too warm and the basement is too cool. Zoning is merely to give you better control and reduce complaints. The other thing that you may not realize is that zoning has the capability to cool one area while heating another area. Not at the same time of course with one HVAC system, but it can vary the cycles. It's all about comfort and control when it comes to zoning. (Think of a yuppie 3 level home with only 1 HVAC system.) Without zoning can you imagine the fights of the lower level of a 3 story home with 1 HVAC system in fall and spring seasons with someone who is on the 3rd level? Savings can be achieved by only cooling or heating areas of the home that need it.