Understanding Flair and ecobee schedule
Answered
I use an ecobee 4 with room sensors and schedules to try and control temps in different rooms at different times and of course I have either hot or cold spots. I would like to install Flair vents in two rooms to control these differences and would like to know it the Flair can be set to function in the following way:
If Ecobee temp is set to cool down to 71 at night and one of the rooms is below 71 already I would like Flair to shut that vent until the room warms to 71 and then open until it cools below the Ecobee scheduled temp. And the same with heat, have Flair close the room that is already at the target Ecobee scheduled temp so the system can run to heat the other room without over heating the warm room.
Can Flair be set to follow the Ecobee schedule and is it smart enough to open and close vents in rooms that are already at the Target temp to prevent over heating or cooling? Thanks for your help.
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Don't bother integrating the Ecobee and the Flair at all.
Just set the schedules to the same values, or even values that are close enough. I get different readings from my Flair and Ecobee sensors, which could be calibration or just that they're not in the exact same spot.
As long as the values are close enough that the Ecobee isn't trying to change a room and the Flair preventing it, you'll be fine.
My Ecobee on a comfort setting using 3 sensors where it averages their temperature will run until they all get there. In the rooms that get there first, I have Flair vents and a puck set to the same temp schedule. Once the early room gets there, it closes the vents, stopping it from changing temp more. Some trial and error to get the different temp settings just right.
There's probably a way to integrate them and take advantage of cross platform sensors to minimize the number of pucks needed, but I didn't bother. Instead, I put most of the Ecobee sensors in the rooms that get to temp last and the Flair pucks in the rooms that get to temp first. So, there's no real interaction at all. Because of this layout, the Flair rooms never need to call for a change in temp, they always lead the rooms that are slower to get to the desired value. By the time one of my Flair rooms would need heating or cooling, it's sure that one of my non Flair rooms is already calling for a change and running the system. In all, I've installed Fair vents in exactly one third of my vents, enough that they can all close at once.
This layout does mean that if a leading room happens to change out of the ordinary, it will not turn the system on, since my Flair doesn't have any control of the source. For instance, a leading room in the winter that open a window and cools down immediately. The vent will open, but if the system isn't running to heat a different room, it's not going to turn on for this one.
If your layout/needs are different this may not work. But for a couple of rooms that always lead the rest of the house, it works quite well.
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