I am looking at buying a new thermostat and I am trying to decide which to buy the Honeywell 8000 or the White-Rodgers 90 series (1F95-1277).

I am also trying to determine what the difference is between the two White-Rodger 90 series models (1F95-1277 and the 1F97-1277). I know what the literature says, but I don't know that a multi-stage system is, or what a heat pump is. I have a regular house with central air and an air-conditioner (no air-cleaning system).

If someone could help me out I would greatly appreciate it.

Regards,
Jonathan M.

Central air and air conditioning usually mean the same thing.

Simple HP test: If the outside unit runs when it's cold then you have a heat pump. Info like Emergency heat on the t-sat also indicates a heat pump. USUALLY Heat pumps have electric heat backup.

Stages: Example: Your furnace has two burners. A high and low heat one.
Air conditioner can have stages as well.

Turn off the furnace power, remove the original thermostat and post the wire colors and terminals that they are connected too. We can help you out better.

Without knowing the wires that I am dealing with could you/someone please answer the questions in my original post? The recommendation of the Honeywell thermostat vs. the White-Rodgers.

Also, the difference between the two White-Rodgers models.

Thanks,
Jonathan

For white rodgers the comparison chart is here:

http://www.white-rodgers.com/wrdhom/pdfs/sell_sheets/wr_1959_90BlueSheet.pdf

The major difference is number of stages.

The Honeywell 8000 series is just that, a series. There are also many models to choose.

I believe the 8000 series must have a C terminal connected whereas the white-rodgers can use a battery in lieu of the C terminal. All but one model of the 8000 series offers arm chair programming. The one without arm chair programming uses only 3 or 4 wires to connect to a separate box mounted at the furnace.

Both are universal. In order to really help, the number of t-stat wires and the terminals used will help. For instance, if there are no extra wires and no C terminal on the stat your replacing then new wires would be required for all but one model of the 8000 series.

The 8000 series is a complex beast to initially set up.

You may want to look carefully how vacation/override is done on both stats. You really want that to be easy.

Ok, I looked at the wires that I currently have going to my thermostat and I have a red (R), green (G), white (W) and a yellow (Y).

Does this help?

J

Yep, lots.

It's a garden variety 1 heat / 1 cool stat and your likely replacing a mechanical one for the programability. It's not a heat pump stat.

It's likely fossil fuel (oil, gas, propane). This is not compatible with totally electric heat.
The universal designation seemed to allow fossil fuel, electric and heat pump configurations.

The common wire (C) is not run, although it can be found at the furnace. C is necessary to power the new non-mechanical stats. There is something called "power-stealing" that exists on some new stats.

Thais basically means some stats will be off limits (require C), unless another wire is run. There are commercial add-on's which will allow sharing of wires, so a 4 wires can act as 5.
Totally battery powered stats MUST have good batteries in order to function, otherwise stats have batteries because of short power failures. Most will put most settings into non-volitle RAM.

The most expensive Vision Pro stat at Buy Honeywell VisionPro IAQ Programmable MultiStage Thermostat with Total Home Comfort Control | Honeywell YTH9421C1002 (http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php/honeywell/yth9421c1002/?product=110092) uses only 3 wires, but the connections occur in the EIM (Equipment Interface Module) mounted at the furnace.

The White-Rodgers 1H/!C model will be the easiest to set up. Without a C terminal connected, make sure you have fresh batteries available in the middle of winter.

Only real question to answer:
Do you have electric or fossil fuel?