[DoreenTT]

Hello.

I have had a Hunter Auto Saver 550 7-day programmable thermostat for several years and recently had my furnace replaced with a Bryant 345MAV. Since the furnace replacement, my heating bills are very high - even compared to the stay-at-home neighbor with the new baby!

At the last HVAC maintenance visit, the serviceman told me that the Hunter thermostats were incompatible with the Bryant furnace and that I should get another brand like Honeywell. [Unfortunately, no one I know who has a Honeywell can figure out how to program it!]

Is this incompatibility between Hunter and Bryant true? If so, would it cause the overly high gas bills or should I look for another cause?

Thank you.

[wmproop]

Well a lot to be said. 1st I am surprised a hunter tstat has last you several years, most times they won`t work more than 6 months ,then they have to be thrown away. But unless it has gone bad it should be compatible with your new bryant. Everyone heating bills were much more than normal this year. Have you noticed the furnace not running right? Is it running a lot more than the old one did? It could be the bad winter,, could be that there probs. With the new installation. Have you spoken to the installer? Or had someone else to inspect the furnace and ductwork to see that all is well with your system. As much as I am anti-hunter if the furnace works as it should . I would venture to say its not your tstat but maybe something else. Now this is only a guess as I`m not able to be there and do a visual inspection

[mygirlsdad77]

Depends on furnace upgrade. If you went from a 80 to a 90+ eff. Furnace, it can make a difference. Your hunter should have an anticipator adjustment or a heat cycle adjustment. I really think you should get a better stat, set it for your funace requirements and see if it makes a difference. If you buy a honeywell, or any other stat for that matter, and you have a new 90+ forced air furnace, the heat cycle rate should be set to 3 cycles per hour(they come preset from factory at 5 per hour). All you have to do is read the manual that comes with the new stat and it walks you through changing cycles. Very easy to do.

[mygirlsdad77]

I expect KC will be here soon, as he is a bryant pro.

[KC13]

Thanks MGD. Are you sure about that model #? I haven't heard of a 345, and it isn't listed on Bryant's contractor site. Assuming it is similar to the 340 and 350, there are no special considerations where the thermostat is concerned. Was the replacement performed by an actual HVAC contractor? I raise this point because I occasionally encounter similar complaints from homeowners, where the unit is oversized. The installer failed to factor the difference in efficiency and output of the new unit, and just "dropped in" a replacement with the same input as the previous unit. P.S. Replacing a Hunter thermostat is never a bad idea. Installing one is.

[DoreenTT]

Depends on furnace upgrade. If you went from a 80 to a 90+ eff. furnace, it can make a difference. Your hunter should have an anticipator adjustment or a heat cycle adjustment. I really think you should get a better stat, set it for your funace requirements and see if it makes a difference. if you buy a honeywell, or any other stat for that matter, and you have a new 90+ forced air furnace, the heat cycle rate should be set to 3 cycles per hour(they come preset from factory at 5 per hour). All you have to do is read the manual that comes with the new stat and it walks you through changing cycles. Very easy to do.

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Thank you all.

I went from an 80% Rheem to a 90% efficiency Bryant furnace. But to double check, which was the factory preset to 5 cycles, the thermostat or the furnace?

Someone else asked about confirming the Bryant model. Their bill, which I scanned electronically, listed it as a "345"; some other information I saved electronically says "THE PLUS 90i™ MODEL 355MAV WITH PERFECT HEAT PERFECT HUMIDITY." Will check when I get home as to what's installed.

About the installation - the inspector, as well as a couple of their own service people, called attention to the "odd" installation but all ultimately said it was OK, just different.

There was one time when I thought I heard the fan running when it shouldn't have. But the really odd thing is that there are times the blower seems goes on and off roughly every half hour at night. I've haven't been awake long enough to confirm it was a constant happening.

[mygirlsdad77]

As far as heat cycles go, its done through the thermostat.(electronic thermostats are usually set at 5 cph, you need to set yours for 3cph. As far as the other bryant problems go, sorry I can't help you out without being there..