Home Automation Compatibility...

[Nufy]

Currently I have...

Ecobee Lite Smart TS

ASUS Mesh wireless network in the house.

I would like to start automating some devices...

Starting with the bathroom fans to assist my AC on hot by turning on and removing hotter air from the higher areas in the house.

What can I get to talk to the Ecobee and use the existing wiring for the fans to turn them on / off based on interior temp?

Txs.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Currently I have...

Ecobee Lite Smart TS

ASUS Mesh wireless network in the house.

I would like to start automating some devices...

Starting with the bathroom fans to assist my AC on hot by turning on and removing hotter air from the higher areas in the house.

What can I get to talk to the Ecobee and use the existing wiring for the fans to turn them on / off based on interior temp?

Txs.

What you use for wifi shouldn't be a major concern, minus maybe ensuring you have enough ethernet ports somewhere to hook up certain bridges that certain hardware require.

For the bathroom fan thing, I don't know if there's tech specifically for that or not that coordinates with thermostats, but I haven't heard of it. Maybe you can get a smart switch to turn on the bathroom fan switch via app (if it's separate from the main light switch). But this might be a bigger question about how your place is wired vs smart tech right now. If it's not separate, you may need to get a sparky to rewire or just live with the fact the light comes on.

The other issue you potentially have is that you have an Ecobee lite. I don't know if you have limited features due to the lite version of Ecobee (IIRC, nest lite has similar issues with lack of features). A full version Ecobee/Nest you shouldn't have issues with turning on the fans and using sensors in certain areas away from the thermostat to do certain automation. However, again, wiring is a question. If you are properly wired to the HVAC, a full fledged Ecobee or Nest should work well. If you're power stealing/battery or adapter for C wire, again, it can be a problem (I hate the c wire adapter for white/black wire).

[Nufy]

0 smart technology in this house apart from the hardwired link through the cold air return to connect the two routers for the wireless mesh network.

Switches and fans are separate. Just dont want to have to re-wire.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by Nufy

0 smart technology in this house apart from the hardwired link through the cold air return to connect the two routers for the wireless mesh network.

Switches and fans are separate. Just dont want to have to re-wire.

Oops that was for a plug in.

[Titan2]

this may work: https://www.amazon.ca/Aqara-Temperat...0&gad_source=1

Get a smart switch for the fan and then this will turn it on/off based on temps. You would need an aqara hub but those are cheapish.

[DoubleF]

I don't think there's anything in the Ecobee system that does that automatically like that.

It's not the most elegant, but it's not awful/ugly either, but what you could potentially do...

Wifi light switches, set them on a schedule perhaps?
https://www.amazon.ca/Kasa-Smart-HS2...43&sr=8-5&th=1

The previously mentioned Aqara looks like it could work too and be more automatic, but I have no experience with it to know if it'll work for your situation or not.

Ecobee sensors. Make sure they are compatible with your Ecobee lite.
https://www.amazon.ca/ecobee-EB-RSHM...4&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Then you can have it automatically kick in for certain rooms that may be a different temp than by the thermostat.

And lastly, if your furnace is high efficiency, just have the furnace fans on basically as much as possible to mix the air the home so that it's not as hot and cold in different areas.