Potential customer - We have LG mini-split for AC and Heat plus baseboard Heat
Answered
We have a 2 zone LG mini-split system that we use for cooling and heating(depending on outside temps). We also have a natural gas-fired boiler with hot-water baseboard heat that we use when outside temps drop below 40ish degrees F. The mini-split zones are run separately through their own remotes with sense built-in. The baseboards are run by a digital thermostat(not smart device).
I'm trying to find a way to combine the controls of these 2 systems and wondering if Flair is the solution or at least part of the solution. Here is what I need from a solution...
- Ability to turn on/off mini-split
- Ability to set temp of mini-split
- Ability to change mode of mini-split (heating/cooling)
- Ability to turn on/off furnace
- Ability to set temp of furnace
- Bonus would be the ability to select which system to be on and heating based on outside temp. For example, when in heating mode, if outside temp is above 40 use mini-split for heat, if outside temp is 40 or below use furnace. I'm assuming that if it is possible I would also need a Nest thermostat or similar for the furnace.
So I guess what I'm asking is if this is currently possible and if so how? Thanks!
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Official comment
Hi there,
Our Puck can do all that with your minisplit!
However, with regards to your furnace. First, we we would require a smart thermostat for full functionality. But, it's important to know that our Minisplit Mirror Mode will work if your smart thermostat has both heat and cool enabled (ie., there are heat and cool wires going into the back of your smart thermostat).
If your smart thermostat is heat only, and you want your minisplit to cool, I’m afraid Mirror Mode linking does not support this. This is because if your smart thermostat is set to heat to 70F, it doesn’t make sense for your minisplit to cool to 70F. Your smart thermostat and minisplit will continue fighting and heating and cooling the same area and wasting energy.
We have suggest using Flair scheduling for the minisplit. Flair scheduling can even set temperatures and schedules on your smart thermostat.As for automatically programming the Puck to act as a "second-stage heat" system: users have requested that, but we currently don't have that capability. We'd like to, at one point, add that feature, but it looks like we will not add it during this upcoming heating season.
Comment actions -
I am also looking for a solution to this, recently purchased a Flair since I saw it works with my Nest. All the hardware is there, adding a few basic commands or ifttt support and we would be good to go! I just want my mini split to shut off around 32o and my oil furnace to kick on and then switch back when the temp goes above say 35o. I dont understand why no one does this with mini splits exploding in popularity and the rise of the smart home
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@Flair Support: having separate heating and cooling systems is quite a common scenario. I have a 5-zone mini split system (Fujitsu wired controllers) and just like the OP a gas boiler for 3-zone baseboard heating (Nest thermostats). I would like to throw out those clunky Fujitsu controllers and replace them with something 'smart'.
Now you're writing that two separate system would fight each other. But they do that only if the controller tells them to fight. If I have one smart controller that knows about the existence of two separate systems it should be easy for it to control the two systems in a smart way.
So, you need a "Separate heating and cooling systems mode", or has this been implemented in the meantime?
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Hi Manuel,
Our Mirror Mode still requires both a heat wire and cool wire at the thermostat. However, we do believe that using our scheduling would accomplish most of what you are looking for (without the fighting between the mini split and the heating system). You can schedule when to heat and cool, and not have to worry about it!
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