- White – The white wire is what connects to the (auxiliary) heat on your system.
- Yellow – The yellow wire connects to your compressor.
- Green – The green wire connects to the fan.
- Orange – This wire connects to your heat pump (if you have one).
- Red – Now, there can be two separate wires for this. ...
- Blue – This is your common or “C” wire.
What does the white wire connect to on a thermostat?
The white wire connects to terminal W in industry-standard thermostats. If your HVAC system has multiple heating stages, then you may find more than one white wire. The yellow wires underneath your thermostat connect to your compressor.
Where does the Red Wire go on a thermostat?
Rc wires connect to the RC terminals on your thermostat. The Rh wire connects to your heating system as opposed to your cooling system. This wire may be red without an H attached to it, depending on if you have a dual transformer setup.
Where are the wire terminals on a Honeywell thermostat?
Some Honeywell thermostats can have some screws as well; just unscrew them to expose the wire terminals. Beneath the control panel, you will find the base and the wires sticking out of the wall. With the basic Honeywell thermostat, you will find: 8 wire sockets to the left.
Where is the G wire on a Trane thermostat?
If you have a Trane model thermostat, and have a wire labeled X or B refer to your thermostat manual. In some cases, one of those wires may be your common. If you have a C wire, place it into the C terminal on your wall plate. Let's take a look at the G wire.
What color wire goes where on a thermostat?
This is the most typical thermostat wiring style, and it applies to systems that regulate both heat and air conditioning. The wires are typically arranged as follows: red for 24-volt hot, white for heat, yellow for cooling, green for the fan, and blue for common (although the common wire may be a different color).
Where does the red and white wire go on a thermostat?
Thermostat Color Coding Connect the white wire to the "W" terminal on the furnace and thermostat. Repeat this for the red wire, connecting it to the "R" terminal on both the furnace and thermostat. The c wire, or common wire, enables the continuous flow of 24 VAC power to the thermostat.
Where do you connect thermostat wires?
5:4811:06Basic Thermostat Wiring - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipInto the W terminal and the green wire into G or the fan tighten that one up as well. Okay. So weMoreInto the W terminal and the green wire into G or the fan tighten that one up as well. Okay. So we have the thermostat hooked up and then of course this wire goes into the wall and down to the furnace.
What happens if you wire a thermostat wrong?
Potential consequences of improper installation could include: Electric shock. Blowing a circuit breaker. Damaging the thermostat unit, the electrical system or even the AC/furnace unit itself.
How many wires does a thermostat need?
2 wiresThe most basic thermostat has 2 wires; usually a red and a white wire. Two wire thermostat wiring is used for furnaces only and usually doesn't need a “C” or “Common” wire. That's why we only need two wires.
What is white wire on thermostat?
The white wire underneath your thermostat connects to your heating system. It terminates at your air handler or furnace. The white wire connects to terminal W in industry-standard thermostats. If your HVAC system has multiple heating stages, then you may find more than one white wire.
How do you wire a new thermostat?
5:3016:55How to Fish THERMOSTAT WIRE Up or Down a Finished Wall! Install ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSheetrock. If the hole was directly above you may already see the chain you can use this if you needMoreSheetrock. If the hole was directly above you may already see the chain you can use this if you need to in this case we're just going to grab it and pull it right through.
Is RC the same as C wire?
The C and Rc wires are not the same. To install this thermostat you should follow the exact same wiring of the previous thermostat.
Does the red wire go to R or RC on thermostat?
Wires going to the "RH," "RC," or "R" terminals (usually red) are the hot wire from the transformer on the heating or cooling equipment. The R terminal energizes the other terminals depending on what mode the thermostat is in or whether the thermostat is calling for heating or cooling.
Does red wire go to RC or RH?
There is no standard for the colour of the RH wire, but most units use a red one. The RC wire, on the other hand, refers to “red cooling”. It's the same with the RH wire in that it powers the thermostat. For the RC, it powers the cooling system.
How do you wire a 2 wire thermostat?
2:388:10Furnace 2 wire thermostat install - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOne on the top. And there's one on the bottom. It's gonna allow us to remove the plate from the wallMoreOne on the top. And there's one on the bottom. It's gonna allow us to remove the plate from the wall. And then we have our two wires our black wire and our white wire in my case.
Do I need a jumper from R to RC?
If you have a wire in the R terminal, and another wire (not a jumper) in the RC terminal, you will not need to connect the R and RC terminals. See our Basic Wiring article for more info here.
Where is the green wire on a thermostat?
The green wire underneath your thermostat connects to the fan of your furnace or air handler. It terminates at the air handler or furnace. The green wire connects to terminal G on your thermostat.
What is the yellow wire on my thermostat?
Yellow Wires. The yellow wires underneath your thermostat connect to your compressor. They control your air conditioning system. The yellow wires terminate at your compressor contactor via an air handler. The yellow wires connect to the Y terminals on your thermostat.
What color wires are used for a heat pump?
This thermostat wire color code will help homeowners understand the anatomy of their thermostat: 1 White wires 2 Yellow wires 3 Green wires 4 Orange wires 5 Red or “Rc” wires: Industry standard for geothermal heat pumps 6 Rh wires: Industry standard for geothermal heat pumps 7 Blue or “C” wires
Why are blue wires called C wires?
Blue wires are also called “C” wires because they are the Common wire. C wires are necessary for any “smart” thermostat that needs to be connected to a power source 24/7, regardless of your heat pump type.
What is the red wire on a transformer?
The Rh wire, another type of red wire, is also responsible for 24-hour volt power from your transformer. The Rh wire connects to your heating system as opposed to your cooling system. This wire may be red without an “H” attached to it, depending on if you have a dual transformer setup.
What are the different types of wires on a geothermal heat pump?
Yellow wires. Green wires. Orange wires. Red or “Rc” wires: Industry standard for geothermal heat pumps. Rh wires: Industry standard for geothermal heat pumps. Blue or “C” wires. Make sure you know what’s happening underneath your thermostat! Read on for information about all possible thermostat wires.
What does a red wire mean?
Red wires indicate power. You may see an Rc and/or an Rh wire.
What is the white wire on a thermostat?
The white wire behind your thermostat controls the heating section of your HVAC system. It is connected between the W terminal and the heat source, a furnace, or a boiler. Many houses use dual-stage heating, which is more efficient and is quite common in modern HVAC systems.
Where does the yellow wire go on an air conditioner?
Yellow wires go from the Y-terminal to the compressor relay for your air conditioning. The yellow color is dedicated to the cooling system, which contains a compressor, condenser, and air handler. The compressor and condenser are placed outdoor, while the air-handler is placed indoors. The yellow wire goes from the thermostat to a splitter placed near or inside the air handler. Then, one wire from the splitter goes to the condenser and the other to the air handler.
How many wires does a thermostat have?
Most modern thermostats have the standard 4 or 5-wire template, with the only difference being whether a C-wire is present or not. However, older setups or simpler systems installed in places like cabins might use a 2 or 3 wire system. 2 or 3 wire systems usually have a single-stage boiler/heater installed. In contrast, newer systems might have air conditioners, heat pumps, etc.
What is the C wire used for?
In most modern 24V systems, the C wire is used to complete the power circuit for the thermostat if it consumes electricity . The majority of modern thermostats require electricity to operate, so a C-wire is necessary for them.
What is the E terminal on a heat pump?
This terminal is used for the emergency heating back-up in your heat pump. In case the primary heating fails, heat pumps have a smaller emergency heating in them. There is no thermostat wire color specified, but it’ll be connected to the E terminal. It is better to check what wires originate from your heat pump to see what color the wire is.
What is the green wire on a blower fan?
The green wire is connected to the blower fan relay and controls the airflow through the ducts. If you have a split system, the blower fan is indoor in the air handler, while in a package unit, the blower fan is in the outdoor unit.
What wires are used for a heat pump?
Some manufacturers such as Rheem and Ruud use the dark blue wire to connect B-terminal and the reversing valve. In this case, the reversing valve is used in heating mode.
Where do you put the C wire on a thermostat?
In some cases, one of those wires may be your common. If you have a C wire, place it into the C terminal on your wall plate. Let's take a look at the G wire. This wire will go to the G terminal on your new thermostat. For the Y, Y1, and Y2 wires, Y or Y1 will go to the Y terminal, and Y2 will go to the Y2 terminal.
How many wires does a thermostat use?
The thermostat uses 1 wire to control each of your HVAC system’s primary functions, such as heating, cooling, fan, etc. See the diagram below for what each wire controls on your system:
What to do if you see terminals labeled A B C or 1 2 3?
If you see terminals labeled A B C, or 1 2 3 then your new thermostat may not be directly compatible, as your system requires a communicating thermostat.
What does it mean when you see red wires?
If you see thick, black or red wires then you have a line voltage system. This type of wiring requires a line voltage thermostat and is not compatible with low voltage thermostats
Do you tape off the B wire on a heat pump?
If you have separate wires for O and B, you will want to tape off the B wire so it can’t make contact, and the O wire will be connected to the O/B terminal on your thermostat. If your O or B terminal shares a label with another wire, typically W, you’ll need to identify whether you have a heat pump system or not.
Can you label wires that are not connected to a terminal?
Any wire that is present, but not connected to a terminal you will want to make a note of, but you will not label these wires.
Where does Y1 go on a wire?
For the Y, Y1, and Y2 wires, Y or Y1 will go to the Y terminal, and Y2 will go to the Y2 terminal.
Where does the red wire come from on a thermostat?
The red wire should always come from the hot side of the 24-volt transformer. Additionally, the common (sometimes black) should come from the common side of the transformer.
Where are thermostat wires terminated?
Remember, the wires coming from the thermostat are terminated in the HVAC equipment . Importantly, there is a high voltage inside the air handler, boiler, or other equipment where the wires terminate. Some HVAC system manufacturers provide a terminal strip board where the wiring is attached.
What does C stand for in thermostat?
C stands for common, and there is no universal color used for this terminal, although black is the most common color I’ve seen. For the thermostat, wiring colors code for this terminal (if equipped) consult with the installer. Finally, if that is not possible, then trace the wire out to the source.
Where is the R terminal on a split system?
R – The R terminal is the power. It is a red wire and comes from the transformer usually located in the air handler for split systems, but you may find the transformer in the condensing unit. For this reason, kill the power at the condenser and the air handler before changing or working on the wiring at the t-stat. Lastly, if you have a package unit, then the transformer is in the package unit.
What is the terminal for a heat pump?
O or B – These terminals are for heat pumps and the B t-stat terminal is used on for Rheem or Ruud and any manufacturer that energizes the reversing valve in heating mode for the heat pump. Furthermore, other manufacturers of heat pumps utilize the reversing valve for cooling. The O thermostat terminal is for this purpose. This wire goes to the outside heat pump condenser, for reversing valve control. Finally, this is for heat pump thermostats.
What terminal is used for second stage cooling?
Finally, many systems only have a single compressor but if you have two compressors (or a two stage compressor) which should only operate off of one thermostat then you need the Y2 thermostat terminal for second stage cooling.
What wire do you use for a reversing valve on a Trane?
If you have a Trane, Carrier, Goodman, Lennox, Ducane, Heil, Fedders, Amana, Janitrol, or any other manufacturer other than Rheem or Ruud, you will be utilizing the orange wire for reversing valve. Lastly, Rheem and Ruud will usually use the blue wire for the reversing valve.
