How do you read a thermostat wiring diagram?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So this is generally what you're going to see when you find a wiring diagram in a thermostat manual or a furnace manual. So they're just gonna be black and white so you just got to connect w2w.

What do the letters on thermostat wires mean?





But people are often confused by the system by which the low voltage wires are labeled, which can look different in an old thermostat than it does in a new one. Contrary to popular belief, the letters do not correspond to wire colors but rather are used to indicate the various function signals controlled by each wire.

Which thermostat wires are which?

This is the most typical thermostat wiring style, and it applies to systems that regulate both heat and air conditioning. The wires are typically arranged as follows: red for 24-volt hot, white for heat, yellow for cooling, green for the fan, and blue for common (although the common wire may be a different color).

What color wire controls heat on thermostat?

white wire

The white wire underneath your thermostat connects to your heating system. It terminates at your air handler or furnace. The white wire connects to terminal W in industry-standard thermostats. If your HVAC system has multiple heating stages, then you may find more than one white wire.

What are the 4 wires on a thermostat?





4 Wire Thermostat Wiring (Heat Pumps, HVAC)



Here are the wires in 4 wire thermostats with terminal codes and color codes: Red wire for power (24V). White wire for heating (connected to W or W1 terminal). Green wire for fans.

How many wires does a thermostat need?

Most systems today require a minimum of 5 wires when both heating and air conditioning equipment is included in the system. Our pro recommendation is to use 18/8 wire.

What does W1 and W2 mean on a thermostat?

W/W1 and W2. In a conventional system, W/W1 controls your heating system and, where applicable, W2 controls your heating system’s second stage, which helps warm the home faster. If you have a heat pump system with auxiliary heating, you’ll normally connect the AUX/AUX1 or W2 wire to the ecobee’s W1 terminal.

What happens if you wire 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.

What color is C wire?



Blue wires

Blue wires are also called “C” wires because they are the Common wire. C wires are necessary for any “smart” thermostat that needs to be connected to a power source 24/7, regardless of your heat pump type.

How do you wire a furnace thermostat?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: On the control board of the furnace. Then it goes up to the RC. And then you have the RC connecting in the thermostat. Through the load in order to power the thermostat.

Does your heat pump use an O wire or B wire?



If you have a heat pump and your thermostat doesn’t have a separate wire labeled O, then the wire labeled B should be connected to the Nest thermostat’s O/B connector.

What is the blue wire on a thermostat?

The blue wire, or C-wire, is known as the common wire. It’s there to provide power to the thermostat. Older thermostats usually don’t have a C-wire because they either don’t need power or, if they do, they get it from a battery. Modern thermostats are a different story.

What do I connect the blue wire to?

The blue wire from the ceiling fan gets connected to the second live wire from the ceiling. This second wire can vary in color but is most commonly red or black. This connection allows you to power your lights from the second switch.

How do you identify C wire?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Likely there is gonna be a fifth wire tucked into the wall I'm thinking that's going to be our C wire most likely because as you can see we have a green a yellow a white in a red.

What is the brown wire for on the thermostat?



The brown wire is what connects a thermostat to an emergency heating system, a backup heating system used if your heat pump ever fails. If the brown wire is not connected to the thermostat, it is because your thermostat’s HVAC system model doesn’t have an emergency system connected to it.

What is the GREY wire on a thermostat?

Other Wire Colors: Gray wire: may be Aux emergency heat, mayu connect to E. The temperature actuated on off switch in a thermostat is actually a single pole double throw switch which will have either the heating or the cooling side closed at all times.

Is RC and C wire the same?

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.

What is the W2 wire on a thermostat?

W2 – This is the thermostat terminal used for second stage heat. There are gas furnaces with low fire and high fire and some depend on control from a two-stage heating thermostat with a W2 terminal. Heat Pumps use staging for auxiliary heat and need a W2 terminal.

What does O and B mean on a thermostat?



The O/B terminal is for heat pump systems and is used for the reversing valve. When the “O” option/position is selected the reversing valve defaults to the heating mode. If the “B” option/position is selected the reversing valve defaults to the cooling mode.

Are R and RH wires the same?

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.