
A single stage heating or cooling system means your furnace or air conditioner has only one level of heat or cold output. Single stage thermostats
Thermostat
A thermostat is a component of which senses the temperature of a system so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint. The thermostat does this by switching heating or cooling devices on or off, or regulating the flow of a heat transfer fluid as needed, to maintain the c…
How does a single stage thermostat work?
The oldest single stage thermostats are mechanical systems that use a mercury switch or metal coil to measure temperature and prompt heating or cooling based on your settings. Such thermostats typically have a dial or lever that is used to set the temperature.
What is a single stage HVAC system?
Single stage HVAC systems are still the most common systems used in the United States. A single stage heating or cooling system means your furnace or air conditioner has only one level of heat or cold output.
How do I enable cooling on a two stage thermostat?
The wiring to enable cooling on my two stage system using a single stage thermostat is: When I want to enable heat again, pull and tape off the O wire and put W back into W/O/B. The *old two stage thermostat* wiring was:
Is a two-stage heating system energy efficient?
A two-stage or multi-stage system is flexible. Such units are energy efficient because they don’t have to run at full capacity every single time, even when your house doesn’t require heating on such a level. Two-sage systems will adjust their output to match your needs.

What is the difference between single and dual stage thermostat?
A furnace with single-stage heating contains a fixed gas valve and a single-speed blower motor. These furnaces are either on and running at full capacity or off. A model with two-stage heating contains a two-stage gas valve and a variable-speed blower motor.
Do I need a two stage thermostat?
To sum it up: If you plan to keep your home at a constant temperature, you don't need a two-stage thermostat. If you want to vary the temperature of your home during the day or night, a programmable two-stage thermostat is the way to go.
Can I use a single stage thermostat with a 2 stage cooling?
Can you use a single-state thermostat on a 2-stage furnace? Yes, you can use it on a 2-stage furnace with a caveat. 2-stage furnaces normally have control boards that can be adjusted to work with a single-stage or a 2-stage thermostat.
What is a two stage thermostat?
Two-stage heating means the furnace has two levels of heat output: high for cold winter days and low for milder days. Since the low setting is adequate to meet household heating demands 80% of the time, a two-stage unit runs for longer periods and provides more even heat distribution.
How do I know if my HVAC is single-stage?
To know whether you have a single-stage or multi-stage system, check the number of wires leading into different terminals of the thermostat. A multi-stage system will have lots of wires to the thermostat whereas a single-stage system has only a maximum of two wires.
Why does my thermostat say Stage 1 and 2?
The second stage is the full capacity of your system. 1/3 compressor capacity is the 1st stage. 1st stage is more efficient than 2nd stage, but systems are designed to use both stages, so no worries there.
How do I know if my air conditioner is 2 stage?
0:083:14How Do You Verify Second Stage? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou will have a wire or Y to the Y to wire. Will essentially control whether you're at first stageMoreYou will have a wire or Y to the Y to wire. Will essentially control whether you're at first stage capacity. Or if you bump up to 100% capacity which will be second stage.
How do I know if my furnace is two-stage?
Identifying a multistage system2-stage conventional heating will have wires leading into the W1 and W2 terminals.3-stage conventional heating will have wires leading into the W1, W2, and W3 terminals.2-stage conventional cooling will have wires leading into the Y1 and Y2 terminals.
Which is better single or 2 stage furnace?
Having two “on” modes allows a two-stage furnace to reduce temperature fluctuations and heat your entire home more evenly and efficiently than a single-stage furnace. However, this higher efficiency does come with a higher price tag.
What kind of thermostat do you need for a 2 stage furnace?
Most 2 stage thermostats would require a W2 and common wire and would need at least 6 wires. There are controls that only require 2 wires to the thermostat, but require an additional module installed at the furnace to make things work.
Why does my thermostat say second stage?
What is meant by Stage Two heating? When the thermostat on a dual-stage furnace reads “Stage 2,” it implies that the furnace is operating at the higher setting, giving you 100 percent of its capacity. Usually, the lower setting of a dual-stage furnace is sufficient to provide household comfort almost 80% of the time.
How do you install a 2 stage thermostat?
2:345:11How the 2 stage thermostat works - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo if I have a two stage thermostat and have a two stage furnace I'll put W one from the furnace andMoreSo if I have a two stage thermostat and have a two stage furnace I'll put W one from the furnace and dub to the thermostat and W two to the thermostat.
Can I use a 2 stage thermostat with a single stage furnace?
Yes, I meant to say any two stage furnace... Using a 2 stage thermostat will not harm the furnace. And because the control board is compatible with a single stage thermostat, the furnace will still operate both stages. The control board would, as you say, start the second stage after about 10 minutes.
Is a 2 stage heater worth it?
The two-stage furnace is more efficient than the one-stage because it doesn't release as much fuel into the heat exchanger when the home is only somewhat cold. If it's 5 to 10 degrees outside, a two-stage furnace will run in the partially-open position and only use 70% of the energy it normally would.
Does a 2 stage furnace use more electricity?
For two-stage designs, the DOE test procedure consistently shows a reduction in energy consumption by about 3% compared to single-stage furnaces at the same AFUE level. In contrast, the 2006 AHRAE test procedure shows almost no difference in the total energy consumption at the same efficiency level.
Which is better single or 2 stage furnace?
Having two “on” modes allows a two-stage furnace to reduce temperature fluctuations and heat your entire home more evenly and efficiently than a single-stage furnace. However, this higher efficiency does come with a higher price tag.
What is a 3 stage thermostat?
3 Stage conventional heating system – will have wires leading into W, W1 and W2 (or W1, W2 and W3) terminals of thermostat.
What is a single stage HVAC system?
A single stage HVAC system has only one stage of heating or cooling output. They are either running at full capacity (ON state) or not running at all (OFF state). A multi stage HVAC system has more than one stage of heating/cooling output. The most common multi stage system is Two stage heating/cooling system – which has two output levels ...
How to identify your heating/cooling system?
To know whether you have a single-stage or multi-stage system, check the number of wires leading into different terminals of the thermostat. A multi-stage system will have lots of wires to the thermostat whereas a single-stage system has only a maximum of two wires.
How many wires are on a low voltage thermostat?
If you have a low voltage system, your thermostat (which would be a low voltage thermostat running on 24 volts) would be having 2 to 9 wires (or more) on its backside – which will be very thin sized and the wires will be having different colors like Green, Yellow, Red, White etc. Read our complete guide on how to identify between Low Voltage & Line Voltage Systems.
How many wires does a thermostat have?
If you have a line voltage system, your thermostat (which would be a line voltage thermostat running on 120 volts/240 volts) would have either two or four wires coming out of its backside. These wires will be thick (just like your mains line wire) and the color of wires will be either Black & Red or Black & White.
How many homes run on a furnace?
In America, only 10% of homes runs on line voltage system (electricity based systems). The big majority (about 90%) of homes in USA & Canada runs on central furnaces, boilers or heat pumps – which are low voltage systems (which don’t need electricity to produce heat) and these systems are controlled using low voltage thermostats. These type of HVAC systems would be using a central furnace (in most of the cases) or a central boiler or a heat pump. In some cases, a combination of furnace & heat pump is used to setup the HVAC system. In any case (be it a furnace or boiler or pump), your HVAC can be either single stage or multi stage depending upon the levels of output provided by your system. This means it is possible to setup single stage or multi stage system using furnace or boiler or whatever source of energy. Our objective here is to identify if your system is Single stage or Multi stage – we are not bothered about if you have a furnace or a boiler.
How many stages are there in a multi stage heating system?
Other than two stage systems (the most popular and common model), there are three stage & four stage systems – in multi stage heating/cooling systems. The cost of the system increases with the number of stages. In North America (USA & Canada), most of the homes runs on single stage or two stage heating/cooling systems.
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Thermostat Information
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Stage 1 Thermostat Meaning
Single-stage systems use one heating and cooling output level. As such, they use single-stage thermostats. It uses two-thirds of the compressor capacity while stage two uses the full compressor.
Stage 2 Thermostat Meaning
Stage 2 systems have multiple heating and cooling levels. It can switch between low, medium, and high stages depending on the ambient conditions.
Difference Between A 1 Stage and 2 Stage Thermostat
Two-stage HVACs are more expensive, which is why financially constrained homeowners prefer single-stage products.
Thermostat Blinking Stage 1 and 2 – Why?
A two-stage HVAC works just like its single-stage counterpart. You can use the thermostat to set the temperature. The heating and cooling system will do the rest.
Pros of Flashing Thermostat Stage 1 and 2
You want the thermostat to blink when it switches between heating modes. This will enable the homeowner to keep track of their energy consumption.
