Wireless thermostat

[olrob]

Years ago I bought a Famo Inc. ComfortMate Model CM001-T remote control (wireless) thermostat system (Xmitr & Rcvr). I

installed it (Rcvr) on my oil fired hot water heating system's L8148 aquastat and it has been working fine. It

replaced a 3 wire 24vac hard wired mechanical thermostat. I can move the Xmitr to any place in the 3 rooms of a zone

and that spot stays at 68 degrees or whatever I set.

I misplaced the instructions and schematics and can find no reference to this device or the manufacturer on the

internet. Does anyone know of it?

Current wireless thermostat manufacturers sell units like this for $200 to $300. I didn't pay more than $60 for the

ComfortMate.

Has anyone here built such a device?
It seems simple enough. Use the original thermostat to start/stop a transmitter (350 MHZ) with the receiver about 250'

away to actuate a DPST relay (like R845A or R8222). When the xmitr sends a signal to the receiver it's relay energizes

with one set of contacts actuating the 24 vac controls in the Aquastat of the boiler and the other set of contacts

actuating the circulating pump.

I have the relay and the thermostat.

Thanks

 

[Bob NH]

Check out item number 260199848373 at the famous auction site for a possible substitute. Product description at the link below.

http://www.prothermostats.com/product.php?product=101034&gclid=CNeg8r-x7ZACFRuhFQodwB4d1w

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mikey]

Here's a ten-year-old phone number from Time magazine:

Our Technology Buyer's Guide story "House of Dreams" [THE WIRED HOME 1997, Nov. 24] had the wrong phone number for Famo's Comfort Mate remote-controlled thermostat. The correct number is 800-780-2997.

 

[Bob NH]

Here's a ten-year-old phone number from Time magazine:

Our Technology Buyer's Guide story "House of Dreams" [THE WIRED HOME 1997, Nov. 24] had the wrong phone number for Famo's Comfort Mate remote-controlled thermostat. The correct number is 800-780-2997.

I found the same notice when googling last night and tried the number then and again this morning. The 800 system reports it as an incorrect number.

I suspect that Famo no longer exists in the context of producing or selling that kind of product.

 

[olrob]

Thanks guys, I suspected they were dead. Re the Honneywell, I am familiar with that line and others which sell for between $250 to $440. That Honneywell pair with s/h goes for $336.
Venstar and Totaline have wireless pairs for about $250 (s/h not added).
These devices are very well designed but I only need a pair for one zone and I don't need all the extras on the thermostat like digital temp readout and setting multiple points (setback) for multiple days.
Since that device was made in Taiwan ROC does anyone know how to contact someone in Taiwan about such a device?
I will try "the big auction house", I have bought many items there at a good price.

 

[Bob NH]

About a year ago I bought some little RF receivers and transmitters on that auction site for less than $10 each. They arrived in a little package with very large stamps displaying pictures of Mao Tse Tung and Chou En Lai.

They worked very well.

The receivers require 12 VDC which is supplied through a very low power "wall wart". The transmitters use batteries and require a contact closure. You could connect the switch of a standard thermostat to the transmitter and the relay in the receiver would act like a thermostat contact.

You would need to get the correct action/form of contact for the receiver and the transmitter or you would run down the batteries in the transmitter when the thermostat contact "pushes the button" and maintains the contact. You need to have an action that duplicates the thermostat effect at the receiver, both in turning it on and turning it off.