Are you planning to upgrade your non-programmable line voltage thermostat ( for baseboard heaters) to a brand new programmable model, that not only has digital features but also is easy on the pocket? Honeywell is one company, which not only produces reliable but also pocket-friendly thermostats of all kinds. Honeywell TL8230A1003 is one of the best-selling line volt thermostats (suitable for heating systems like baseboard heaters), that is digital, programmable, and affordable.
Owing to the increasing energy rates charged by companies, we tend to look for economic options. Therefore these days, it’s always better to opt for a programmable thermostat rather than a non-programmable one.
Digital thermostats have a huge effect on reducing your monthly expenses in terms of energy bills. Regulating the temperatures and using the thermostats only when needed, help a lot in saving energy.
If you do not prefer the high-end digital models that have wi-fi capabilities and just want a basic and simple programmable line thermostat for your electric baseboard, then choosing Honeywell’s TL8230A1003 would be great for you.
Honeywell’s TL8230A1003 is a line voltage 7-day programmable digital thermostat and is available on many online retail sites like Amazon.
What makes it a fairly good choice?
Before you decide to invest some of your hard-earned money in a thermostat, would it not be nice to know if it suits your desires?
To know you made the right choice you need to know what sort of model it would be like how it would look like, what modes are available etc.
This thermostat comes in with two mounting screws and four solder-less copper wires for connection. It has a great easy to use display and a compact design
Let me break down more of its other aspects in points, to give you a concise and clear idea of what to expect from this thermostat.
Design
Talking about the design, it is 4.8 inches in height and 2.8 inches in width. The depth is not much since the front does not stick out from the wall much. It is a vertical thermostat and hence looks compact.
It has non-slip rubber buttons on both sides to control and program the settings. These are however small ones, which may cause inconvenience while using them. Another drawback is its design is that these buttons do not have a backlight. Thus, you will find it difficult to change the settings in the dark.
Next, the arrangement of buttons has been made in such a way that these are easy to use. However, you must be careful not to press the “clear” button, accidentally as it is not provided in a separate area. Pressing the “clear” button will erase your program, and you will have to set it all over again.
It has a conventional rectangular box design, the ones which you usually see in most of the honey wells thermostats, nothing modern or trendy like its ecobee or nest counterparts
It comes with a digital display which has been elaborately reviewed in the next point.
Display:
This thermostat has a large backlit digital display. You will love how clearly it displays important information, like time, actual temperature, and the set temperature along with the mode in which the device is working. Not only this, but it also shows a bar graph that indicates how much power is being consumed by your heating/cooling system. It has a green background which makes the numbers easily visible during the night or low light times. A button at the bottom is provided for lighting the backlight.
So, if you prefer a large, clear digital display that can be easily read in any lighting condition, this thermostat is the right one for you.
Modes:
The thermostat basically has two operating modes: Automatic and manual modes. As already mentioned this one is a 7-day programmable thermostat. This comes with a pre-set schedule. So, in the automatic mode, you can either use this schedule or program your own schedule.
It provides a completely customizable programming option, with four different periods(sleep, wake, return, away) for a day. You can easily set the program to set the temperature for a whole week, day-wise. Even if you are going to be out of town, you can use the “vacay” option. This option, however, is not programmable.
You cannot set four temperatures for a day even though a day is divided into 4 periods. You can have the same temperature for “sleep” and “away” periods and the same one for “wake” and “return”. This means for an entire day you can set two temperatures only.
In the manual mode, the thermostat would not follow a programmed schedule, rather would just work at the set temperature for the entire day unless changed by you.
Compatibility:
This aspect is the most important one to be considered while shopping for a thermostat. You need to know your heating/cooling system before setting out to buy a thermostat. Since thermostats do not support all heating systems, checking compatibility with your system is a must.
So, if you have 240V line voltage electric baseboards, connectors, and fan-forced heaters (resistive rated loads) then you can use this thermostat without any apprehension. It is perfectly compatible with these home electric heaters.
Switch on/off sounds
One of the most favorable features of this thermostat is its silent relay. You will be free from the constant ticking sound every time the thermostat changes its temperature settings in the timed modes. This provides great relief from the annoying sounds during the switch-on and off moments. It has been carefully soundproofed for silent operation which has been a common cause of concern in conventional thermostats.
Installation:
Installation of this thermostat can be done by yourself if you are familiar with the wiring stuff. The device comes with a detailed manual that describes the process and precautions to be taken while installing it. However, if you are a layman with not much experience in handling heavy voltage, you must hire a professional to save your life as well as your home wiring. The installation is pretty simple and can be simply done by a professional electrician.
Cost
This is another major factor that decides your thermostat. The cost of this thermostat is fairly attractive since I find it quite reasonable when comparing it with its nest and ecobee counterparts.
Moreover, it has an accuracy of about ±1 F. This saves up to an additional 10% on your heating bills. So, the money you invest in it will come back to you over a period of time in the form of savings. Sounds great, right?
Power Source
This thermostat is battery powered but there is no need to change the batteries for a long time. It does not have battery back up though. This means in the event of a power outage, the programmed settings will get erased and you will have to re-program the temperature settings again when the supply comes back.
In a nutshell:
These are some of the key features of the thermostat. Hope it helps you decide whether or not to go for this one.
To wrap it up, let me just list out the pros and cons of this product precisely:
Pros:
- Large, Backlit digital display with all the pertinent information
- Sleek, vertical rectangular design
- 7-day programmable option
- Availability of the manual option, to override the pre-set schedule
- Silent operation
- Fits in a decent budget
- Certified energy-saving thermostat, with the precision of ±1 F.
Cons:
- Small rubber control buttons
- No separate area for the clear button
- Only two temperature settings are available
- Vacay mode cannot be programmed
- No battery backup, the whole program gets erased in case of a power outage
Plenty of options are there for you in the market when you shop for a digital programmable thermostat. Choose the right one for your heating/cooling systems according to your convenience and budget.