Remote Thermostat Control

[rekees4300]

I have a 40'X80' metal shed, 150' from the house, that is heated by a thermostat controlled propane furnace. I want to be able to monitor the shed's temperature, and turn the furnace on/off from the house. How can that be accomplished?

 

[BoylermanCT]

Get Nest thermostat (or a cheaper knockoff). You can control them with your smart phone, and it tells you how long the furnace runs for each day etc.

 

[Raspy]

If you have a router within the broadcast range of a wifi thermostat, you can do what Boyle mentioned. It might be better to steer clear of the Nest thermostat and get simpler one from Lowes or Home Depot

 

[dragoneggs]

I have a 40'X80' metal shed, 150' from the house, that is heated by a thermostat controlled propane furnace. I want to be able to monitor the shed's temperature, and turn the furnace on/off from the house. How can that be accomplished?

I like the concept. I am wanting to put in a better and automatic heater in my detached shop/garage. Subscribed.

 

[jk96]

We use sensi wifi tstats and control them with the wink mobile app. I also have them for my business and control all with the single app. Lots of neat features with the wink app as well.

 

[jk96]

See my last post on this thread I started for more details on the sensi tstats.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...l?highlight=Sensi&highlight=Sensi#post4386360

 

[rekees4300]

I don't have a cell phone but do have a wifi router with 650' range. However, my concern with a wifi thermostat is that it wouldn't have enough signal strength to penetrate the shed's metal (steel) walls, 150 feet open air, plus 2 wooden house walls?

 

[BoylermanCT]

Take a laptop or take your phone and turn off data and see if you can connect from the shed. If you can connect and get online, you are good to go. If not, you will need to run a cat 5 cable from the house to the shed. I think your existing wireless should be able to go the distance.

 

[rekees4300]

Okay thanks, I'll do some experimenting and see what happens.

 

[kcflhrc]

I have a Honeywell WiFi thermostat that has an app for smart phones. It works well, but as others have said, it needs a WiFi connection.

 

[aeblank]

X10 on the wifi thermostat. I'm familiar with the honeywell, which works fine (no need to pay 4X for the nest, unless you also drink apple koolaid)
If you didn't need to monitor temps, we could come up with other kludges.

There are any number of solutions to get wifi in there, if it doesn't reach already.
If you pretend your shed is a camper, and the house is the campground wifi..........then this works....
Private RV Wi-Fi and Making a Better Park Connection for Under $1 | Outside Our Bubble

Or a pre-made kit......
http://a.co/33wefCk

Or just run a wire. I ran half a dozen to my garage. I even ran one (or two?) to my woodshed "just because".

 

[rekees4300]

I want to be able to monitor the shed's temperature, and turn the furnace on/off from the house. How can that be accomplished?

Okay thanks, I'll do some experimenting and see what happens.

Settled for "Plan B". After weighing the alternatives, decided to drop the furnace on/off goal and just monitor the temperature. For $20 bucks got an "AcuRite 00611A3 Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer and Humidity Sensor" from Amazon. Mounted the sensor in a shed window which gave it enough range to reach the house. Will turn the furnace on/off by walking out to the shed and moving the thermostat switch with my finger. Low tech KISS solution but it will work.

 

[dragoneggs]

Settled for "Plan B". After weighing the alternatives, decided to drop the furnace on/off goal and just monitor the temperature. For $20 bucks got an "AcuRite 00611A3 Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer and Humidity Sensor" from Amazon. Mounted the sensor in a shed window which gave it enough range to reach the house. Will turn the furnace on/off by walking out to the shed and moving the thermostat switch with my finger. Low tech KISS solution but it will work.

Dang... you disappointed me.:thumbdown: I suppose you might put in an auto switch later after kicking yourself each time you make the trek in the cold nasty weather. Actually good for you... but I was hoping to follow suit with an automated system after seeing some ideas bantered here. Way to keep it cheap and dependable though! :thumbsup:

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Settled for "Plan B". After weighing the alternatives, decided to drop the furnace on/off goal and just monitor the temperature. For $20 bucks got an "AcuRite 00611A3 Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer and Humidity Sensor" from Amazon. Mounted the sensor in a shed window which gave it enough range to reach the house. Will turn the furnace on/off by walking out to the shed and moving the thermostat switch with my finger. Low tech KISS solution but it will work.

I was gonna say to do that lol, a wireless thermometer is the way to go to read the temp of the barn, I do the same in my chicken coop to see what environment my birds are in, if it's a consistent 32 or under in there I bring them a little heat and open windows in the summer.

To control the temp of the barn from the house would be a totally different challenge, at a min your talking wifi or a designated phone line with software to remotely change the temp, lol.

If it's not heated all the time and I was too lazy to go out to turn the system on I would run the furnace off the house electric, run a dedicated circuit from the house breaker panel and set the Tstat to where I wanted, before I go to the barn flip a breaker and have a warm barn by the time I got out there.

There's a dozen diff ways to be lazy lol. The easiest is just to walk out, flip it on and wait to heat up.

 

[Al 2]

Well, I'm also lazy and also want to turn on my furnace in the shop from my house some days but haven't come up with anything cheap yet. I have my furnace controlled by a wall switch also to over ride the thermostat and have always wondered if parts from a car remote starter kit could somehow be used in conjunction with a 12 volt relay to turn on the furnace.
Al

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Well, I'm also lazy and also want to turn on my furnace in the shop from my house some days but haven't come up with anything cheap yet. I have my furnace controlled by a wall switch also to over ride the thermostat and have always wondered if parts from a car remote starter kit could somehow be used in conjunction with a 12 volt relay to turn on the furnace.
Al

How hot do you want it in the shop before you get in there?

How far away is the shop?

 

[aeblank]

This would probably replace your over-ride switch. Just get it a 12V source.
Fimco 12-Volt Remote Switch : Cabela's

I would maintain the *right* way is with a wifi thermostat, and for only $85. Toggle heat on/off and adjust temperature. No over-ride switch being left on or anything of the sort.
http://a.co/76vat5C

 

[Al 2]

My shop is 200 ft from my house and I usually turn on the furnace in the morning , go and get a coffee or do an errand or plow the yard and when I return it's warmed up. It's a hobby shop type of thing so there is no real pattern to when I want the heat on and I usually keep the temp on the low side. Thanks for the replies. Just another comment. I have a small, bright LED light on the outside of the garage that is on when the furnace is on in case I forget to turn it off at night or when I finished in the shop and then have my wife remind me about it .
Al

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

My shop is 200 ft from my house and I usually turn on the furnace in the morning , go and get a coffee or do an errand or plow the yard and when I return it's warmed up. It's a hobby shop type of thing so there is no real pattern to when I want the heat on and I usually keep the temp on the low side. Thanks for the replies. Just another comment. I have a small, bright LED light on the outside of the garage that is on when the furnace is on in case I forget to turn it off at night or when I finished in the shop and then have my wife remind me about it .
Al

Lol nice idea on the light