Should RC and RH be connected?

If you have both an Rh (Red-heat for powering the heating) and an Rc (Red-cool for powering the cooling), then the R wire can be connected to either Rh or Rc. If you only have a single R wire, then it will only have an R connector, which is the connection you’ll use.

Does R wire go to RH or RC?





An R wire can go into a Nest Learning Thermostat’s Rc or Rh connector.

Is R and RC the same?

R in general



R , Rh , and Rc are all the same, but not. In general terms, the R terminal is where you connect the signal voltage source. In low voltage controlled systems, there will be a step down transformer that provides the power to the control circuitry.

Do I need both RC and RH wires?

For heating and cooling systems, it will have a red Rc and a red Rh wire. Though both wires are red, they are not interchangeable. For the thermostat to work properly, the red wires must be connected to the correct corresponding terminal. The C, or common wire, provides smart thermostats with continual power.

Do I use R or RC on thermostat?

Check your jumper / R wire. Thermostats get power on the R and Rc terminals. If you have a wire in the R terminal, and no wire in the RC terminal, use the jumper selector switch, the jumper plug, or a small jumper wire to connect the R and Rc terminals.

What is the R terminal used for on a thermostat?





R – The R terminal is the power for the thermostat. This comes from the transformer usually located in the air handler for split systems but you may find the transformer in the condensing unit.

Why does my thermostat have a jumper from RC to RH?

Effectively there isn’t a second RH wire, although there is an RH terminal. However, the heating still needs to be controlled, so a wire known as a jumper is connected between the RC and the RH terminals so that power gets to the heating control part of the thermostat. This wire is also known as the RH wire.

What is the difference between RH and RC thermostat wires?

RC: The RC terminal is the 24-volt cooling power supply. RH: The RH terminal is the 24-volt heating power supply. (Note: The RC and RH terminals are jumpered together in a four-wire heat/cool system and a single-stage heat pump system but not in a five-wire heating/cooling system.)

What does R and RC stand for on a thermostat?

Rh stands for Red-Heat and Rc stands for Red-Cool. If you only have a single red wire the jumper between Rh and Rc are required for some heating and cooling hybrid systems depending on your thermostat. Yellow/Y is the AC compressor. White/W is the Heating element.

What happens if you wire a thermostat wrong?



Potential consequences of improper installation could include: Electric shock. Blowing a circuit breaker. Damaging the thermostat unit, the electrical system or even the AC/furnace unit itself.

Where does Rh wire go on thermostat?

The Rh wire connects to your heating system as opposed to your cooling system. This wire may be red without an “H” attached to it, depending on if you have a dual transformer setup. The Rh wire connects to the RH terminal on your thermostat.

Can I use RC wire as C wire?

No the Rc is the red wire. You need 5 wires or more for this to run with all the functions. You can use one of the other wires but you have to drop control of the fan. It will only come on when furnace comes on.

How do I fix no power to Rh wire?



To fix an E74 error or no power to the Rh wire error on your Nest thermostat, check for loose connections and fix them. If that does not work, clean out the drain pipes and check if the condensate pump associated with your HVAC is clogged.

What is RC and RH on Nest?

There is no standard for the colour of the RH wire, but most units use a red one. The RC wire, on the other hand, refers to “red cooling”. It’s the same with the RH wire in that it powers the thermostat. For the RC, it powers the cooling system.

Can I use G wire for C wire?

Option #3: Use a G-Wire as a C-Wire



If there is no hidden C-wire, you can use a G-wire instead. However, you will not be able to use your fan independently when the heating or cooling isn’t running. Also, many HVAC systems are incompatible with this solution, including: HVAC systems using electric heat.

How do I bypass the C wire on my thermostat?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Add a jumper wire between the Y and G. Terminals. If there's already wires attached just leave them be go ahead and push all the wires in. And close the backplate.

Is G wire necessary?



As you mentioned, you don’t usually need a G wire for heating mode, but you do for cooling. In special circumstances a relay could be wired up inside of the air handler to make the fan come on with a call for cooling, but normally it’s the thermostat that makes the connection that makes the fan come in in cooling mode.