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Flair Puck Pro - Installation and Usage

Schedule a Webinar

To schedule an interactive webinar, contact pros@flair.co.

To view a recorded webinar: Puck Pro as an integrated control

System Requirements

  • Puck Pros must be installed by a licensed professional to qualify for rebates
  • All Pucks must be Puck Pros - and you'll need one Puck Pro per mini split head unit. Distributor list: flair.co/integrated-controls.
  • An ecobee or Honeywell WiFi connected smart thermostat. Compatibility list: flair.co/integrated-controls
  • At least one mini split heat pump capable of heating

Create Installer Account

Download the Flair app to your phone, or go to my.flair.co on a web browser. In the Flair app create your Flair account and check "I am a professional that installs Flair devices." You'll create the system using your Flair account and then, transfer the system to the customer.

Customer Information

Customer information required during Setup:

  • Home WiFi name and password
  • Smart thermostat username and password
  • Remote control model number(s) for mini split(s)
  • Customer’s email address for transferring the Flair system upon completion

Flair App Setup

Tap "Create Home" and Flair will guide you through the following steps:

  1. Make the first Puck Pro a Gateway and connect it to WiFi
  2. Add a smart thermostat
  3. Add the first mini split
  4. Pair the mini split with a Puck Pro and download the remote control codes
  5. Add additional mini splits and Puck Pros

Once you create your Flair home, you'll need to configure Flair with the required settings to enable the Secondary Heat feature.

Note: If you experience any issues during WiFi setup on your phone, complete Flair Setup at my.flair.co in a browser on a computer/laptop connected to the customer’s home WiFi.

Pro Tip: Flair will not see 5.0 GHz WiFi networks. Most routers have dual-band capability to broadcast both 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequencies.

Warning: If the router is broadcasting both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz networks, the names must be different. If the names are the same, that will cause connectivity issues with Flair. Ask the homeowner to change the name of the 2.4 GHz network. This can also be done by the internet service provider.

Required Flair Settings

If you're not seeing the Secondary Heat settings for your Thermostat, please check to make sure you have Flair configured with the required settings.

Set Point Controller

  1. Tap the Flair Menu
  2. Then go to Home Settings->System Settings
  3. Set "Set Point Controller" to "Flair App"

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Thermostat System Capabilities

  1. Tap the Flair Menu
  2. Then go to Home Settings->Thermostats
  3. Tap the thermostat to expand
  4. Set "System Capabilities" to "Heat"

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Heat Mode

In the Control Bar, set "Mode" to "Heat". If the mini splits can cool, set it to "Auto Heat/Cool".

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Mode Lock

Keep the heat/cool mode in sync for all mini splits. Go to Home Settings->Mini Splits, Window Units and Portables and tap the "Lock IR Device Modes" button.

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Zones

Each room with a mini split must belong to two zones: the thermostat's zone and the mini split's zone.

For each room with a mini split do the following:

  1. Tap the room
  2. Tap the 3-dot menu on the room tile
  3. Then go to Settings->Room Info
  4. Check the mini split's zone box and the thermostat's zone box


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Secondary Heat Settings

After completing Flair Setup, configure Secondary Heat settings. If you're not seeing the Secondary Heat settings for your Thermostat, please check to make sure you have Flair configured with the required settings.

Open Secondary Heat Settings

  1. Tap the Flair Menu
  2. Then go to Home Settings->Thermostats
  3. Tap the down arrow mceclip0.png to expand the thermostat
  4. Tap "Secondary Heat Mode"
  5. If you don't see "Secondary Heat Mode", check Required Flair App Settings

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Choose a Secondary Heat Mode

Most systems use Cutover.

  1. Disabled: Flair will not provide staged heating
  2. Supplemental Heat: Mini Splits will remain on and Flair will supplement with backup heat
  3. Cutover: Flair will switch between primary and backup heat sources

Choose a Secondary Heat Trigger

Most systems use Outdoor Temperature.

  1. Outdoor Temperature: Flair will determine whether the primary and/or backup heat should be active based on the outdoor temperature.
  2. Indoor Temperature: Flair will determine whether the primary and/or backup heat should be active based on the indoor temperature.

Set Balance Point 

These menu options are available when the Secondary Heat Trigger is Outdoor Temperature.

  1. Set the "Cutover Temperature" or the "Enable Supplemental Heat Temperature" to the balance point for the mini split.
  2. Set the "Cutback Temperature" or the "Disable Supplemental Heat Temperature" 5F higher.

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Set Primary Heat Cutoff Delay

This menu option is available only when the Secondary Heat Mode is Cutover.

This setting allows the mini splits to continue to run for a period of time while the backup heat source warms up. Values range from zero to twenty minutes. A value of zero means that mini splits will turn off immediately when cutting over to the backup heat source. A value greater than zero means that mini splits will continue to run for that amount of time after switching over to the backup heat source.

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Set Droop Offset

This menu option is available only when the Secondary Heat Trigger is Indoor Temperature.

This setting allows the backup heat to be active when the primary heat is not able to supply enough heat to the home. Specifically, the backup heat will be active when the average indoor temperature is less than the average set point of all active rooms minus the droop offset. The droop offset is advised to be 5 F but may vary by region.

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Seasonal Mode Changes

If the customer has a mini splits that cool and intends to use them during the summer to provide AC to their home, Mode can be set to Auto Heat/Cool. Flair will intelligently switch the mode between heating and cooling during the edge season.

When the outside temperatures drop, Flair will switch between primary and backup heat systems.

Test Plan

Testing Factors

  • Flair communicates with a smart thermostat every 5 minutes - keep this in mind while testing
  • Perform your tests 15 minutes apart - this gives primary and backup heat systems time to warm up and cool down
  • If the room is already up to temperature, heat sources may not come on right away

Prior to Testing

  1. Turn off the smart thermostat
  2. Use the remote controls to turn on the mini splits - then remove batteries so their signals can’t interfere with Flair
  3. In the Flair app Control Bar, set the Mode to "Heat" and the home set point about 5F higher than the room temperature to get the mini splits to cycle on (may need to go higher)
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  4. Wait for the for mini splits to cycle on before proceeding

Outdoor Temperature Trigger

Testing Cutover

Adjust the “Cutover Temperature” or the “Enable Supplemental Heat Temperature” so it’s above the current outside temperature. Flair displays outside temperature in the control bar.

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This will prompt Flair to turn off mini spits and turn on the smart thermostat (give it at least 5 minutes). If using Supplemental Heat, mini splits will stay on.

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Testing Cutback

Then change the “Cutover Temperature” or the “Enable Supplemental Heat Temperature” so it's below the current outside temperature.

This will prompt Flair to turn on mini splits and turn off the smart thermostat (give it at least 5 minutes). If using Supplemental Heat, mini splits will already be on.

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After Testing

When you've verified secondary heat functionality, set the set point and secondary heat settings to their desired values.

Indoor Temperature Trigger

Testing Cutover

Adjust the structure set point to an extremely high value (e.g. 90 F) so that the average indoor temperature is below the average set point of all active rooms minus the droop offset. 

This will prompt Flair to turn off mini spits and turn on the smart thermostat (give it at least 5 minutes). If using Supplemental Heat, mini splits will stay on.

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Testing Cutback

Adjust the structure set point to an extremely low value (e.g. 65 F) so that the average indoor temperature is above the average set point of all active rooms. 

This will prompt Flair to turn on mini splits and turn off the smart thermostat (give it at least 5 minutes). If using Supplemental Heat, mini splits will already be on.

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After Testing

When you've verified secondary heat functionality, set the structure set point to their desired values.

Troubleshooting

If you experience unexpected results during testing, disable the “Secondary Heat Mode” setting and wait 15 minutes. Then re-enable the “Secondary Heat Mode” setting and return to the "Prior to Testing" section to create the initial state and run through tests again.

Note: if the room is up to temperature, the primary and secondary heat sources may not come on right away. Adjust the home set point higher.

Please contact pros@flair.co if you have any questions during testing.