Ecobee power extender kit is commonly used in houses that have C-wire. All thermostats need the C-wire to perform their functions accordingly, especially when using WI-FI. Running all these functions extracts more power from the batteries, and the batteries need to be recharged frequently. The C- wire steals energy from the control lines to refill the batteries.
The ecobee power kit can be used instead of a C wire; therefore, if you have a C-wire already in your house, you don’t need the ecobee power extender kit. The manufacturer’s instructions are essential and should be followed when installing and using the ecobee power extender kit. Grounding yourself while installing the ecobee power extender is advised since static electricity from your body is discharged.
How the ecobee extender kit works
The ecobee power extender kit works by extracting more energy from the HVAC control lines using the stealing model without causing any damages to the HVAC. After removing the energy, the thermostat gains more energy for it to start functioning. Therefore, ecobee power extender kit is crucial.
When you want to install your ecobee power extender kit for use, you must ensure that it has yellow, green, white and red wires, which makes a total of four wires, although not all ecobee power extenders have the same colors. Colors are different from one ecobee power extender kit to another, although the above wires are the commonly used ones.
How to install an ecobee power extender kit
Firstly, take your ecobee power extender kit and install it correctly and then install your ecobee thermostat. Before installing, turn off your power supply battery or HVAC system in your house.
Step 1: Open the HVAC system
Open your HVAC system slowly and pull the HVAC cover from your HVAC system.
Step 2: Check the wires found on your HVAC system
Have a look at the HVAC system and check if it has four wires. Mostly the red, white, green, and yellow wires that are engaged to the control board. Understand the cables and know where each is placed.
Step 3: Inspect the wires that are connected with your ecobee thermostat
Check for the wires that are connected to your ecobee thermostat and name them using the appropriate colors. Consider not interfering with the cables that are engaged with your HVAC system. Ensure you don’t touch the cables connected to your power supply which is the A/C power unit.
Step 4: Disengage the wires slowly
Using appropriate tools, separate the four wires from the control board gently. When disconnecting, ensure that you don’t interfere with any wires because interfering may lead to the wires failing. The wires to be removed must be the wires you named correctly.
Step 5: Connect the four wires again to your ecobee power extender kit
You will be required to reconnect the four wires using buttons found on your ecobee power extender kit. Gently press the controls on your ecobee power extender kit, and the cables will engage by connecting. The ecobee power extender kit must be on top of the equipment.
Step 6: Connect the wires to your control board
After connecting the wires again to the ecobee power extender kit, connect them to your control unit. The cables must be correctly connected to avoid damaging your ecobee power extender kit or your control board.
Step 7: Test your ecobee power extender kit and the control board.
After finishing the installation process, you must test the ecobee power extender kit and control board to see if they are correctly installed. If they fail to function, repeat the process and try the ecobee power extender kit and control board again.
Finally, if they fail to work correctly, consult an expert and find out the problem. If you are not sure about installing the ecobee power extender kit, contact a licensed electrician to install the ecobee power extender kit for you.
After installing your ecobee power extender kit and using it, it may have some problems that you will be required to troubleshoot the power extender kit for it to function normally. You can also replace the ecobee power extender kit if the problems persist.
How to troubleshoot the ecobee power extender kit of the ecobee thermostat
If the ecobee extender you have installed is not working correctly, try following the steps to see if it will work correctly.
Step 1: Look at the wires carefully
Carefully examine all the wires if they are incorrect to state. Also, check your ecobee power extender if it is damaged or in the proper condition.
Step 2: Check the connection of the terminals
Ensure that the terminals are correctly matched according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If they are not correctly matched, try to rematch them. After matching, install your ecobee power extender kit again and connect it correctly with the ecobee thermostat. Test the ecobee thermostat after turning on your ecobee power extender kit to see if it functions. Failure to perform as expected, consult an electrician about the wire terminals and the ecobee PEK.
Step 3: Inspect your HVAC control system
The HVAC control panel may have some defaults hence hindering the ecobee power extender kit from connecting correctly. Check the control system and compare it with the manufacturer from the manual. If there are any defaults, try fixing them carefully. Attempt to turn on the HVAC control system. Check if it is working as required.
Step 4: Ensure all wires are correctly connected, especially the red wires
Confirm if you inserted all the wires correctly. Improper wire insertion leads to failure of the ecobee power extender kit.
Step 5: Confirm the voltage of your AC power unit
If the power unit has less voltage or more voltage than those required, the ecobee power extender kit will automatically fail to function. Therefore, it is essential to counter check the voltages each time the ecobee PEK fails to work.
Conclusion
Ecobee thermostats use either the power extender kit or the C-wire to connect and function well. The article has described one method of installing the ecobee PEK. You have known how you can install your ecobee PEK without any problems. If there are problems, you can follow the troubleshooting process and fix the issues identified.
