Jump around

Greetings to you cool guys and girls.

I mentioned my issues with my thermostat the other day. I think they are resolved. Yesterday I called a number for Honeywell, the manufacturer of my thermostat. I thought well they might be able to help me or maybe someone has had this problem before. When I called it was an operator who sounded like she was from India. Fortunately she was nice. She tried to help me, but being at work I was not in front of the unit. So she suggested I call back later.

While at work I made use of my time and googled my thermostat. I stumbled upon some forums of people who had issues with my thermostat. Most of them were issues in heating. I did see questions about the cooling. There were a few answers, but not exactly the one I was looking for. My supervisor, who is a handy guy, and I were looking at the manual. I told him about the problem of no fan in auto mode. We thought about the jumper. For some reason my just had three prongs. I had no idea what to do with them. My supervisor mentioned using a wire to connect two of the prongs. These prongs told the thermostat whether it was gas or electric. Apparently most thermostats have a switch, according to my dad.

Once I arrive home I immediately call Honeywell. I get another Indian representative. She asks me questions about the wiring. She tells me it is correct and wants me to get someone to look at the fan. I tell her I was able to get the fan to come on when I wired it another way. She has me remove some wires. I think she wanted the fan to come on. It did not. At first she said the thermostat unit worked, then she said the problem was the thermostat. She wanted to return this one for a new one. I thought to myself how could it have worked in heat but not in cooling? I asked her about the jumper switch. She said that had nothing to do with the cooling. It only effected the heating. Apparently there is supposed to be a plastic cover you can move according to your heating system. Mine did not have this. I am not sure if I lost it or it never had it.

I am distressed because I don't think Lowes will take back the thermostat. It has been since October. I have no idea where the receipt is, plus I no longer have the box. I was under the impression the thermostat was functioning. It produced heat for the past months.

I call my dad about the results I got. He suggested using a bread tie,stripped of course, to wrap around the prongs. In the manual it said this jumper 2 helped with the fan. I had a hard time wrapping the wire around the prongs, but I got it. I put the thermostat back on the wall. Turned it too cooling. Waited a few minutes. Then the fan and my unit came on. It dropped the temperature a few degrees. It worked! My dad suggested I get a plastic piece to cover those prongs, like I am supposed to have.

So I call back Honeywell hoping to get the piece. This time I get an Indian man. When I ask about getting the jumper piece he tells me it has nothing to do with the cooling. Yet I know that when I used the jumper it worked. He wants me to return the thermostat to Lowes. So I just say thanks and hang up.

I cannot believe they will not send me a cheap plastic piece. I guess I will have to find one. My dad says those plastic pieces can be found on computer motherboards or modems. I know I have seen them. They just cover metal prongs to protect them. Maybe I can track one down or find one in a store.

At least the thermostat is working. I would feel better about having the plastic piece on the prongs. I ran the thermostat again once Wendy got home. It was previously warm in the house because of the temperatures and the use of the dryer.

I knew it had something to do with the jumper. I could not figure out why it had prongs that went nowhere. Now I know. They were meant to be covered. I knew just enough to not get anywhere. My dad has an extra thermostat. I might get that from him and install that one. If my Honeywell is "not working." I will not be spending money on a new one. Would Lowes take the old one back? I am not sure, but I don't really want the hassle if I can avoid it.