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What Is The R Wire On A Thermostat

Description. R. The R wire is the power wire for your heating and cooling system. If you only have one R wire (no Rh or Rc), you can connect your R wire to either Rc or Rh on the Nest thermostat.

Does red wire go to R or RC?

In a thermostat, the R wire is responsible for powering the entire HVAC system (through a transformer). If you have both an Rh (Red-heat for powering the heating) and an Rc (Red-cool for powering the cooling), then the R wire can be connected to either Rh or Rc.

What color is the R wire on a thermostat?

Red Marking Wire Color Code Description Rc Red Power from cooling, 24 Vac transformer Rh Red Power from heat, 24 Vac transformer C Black/Blue Common of 24 Vac transformer W White Primary heat cell relay.

What is R terminal on thermostat?

R – The R terminal is the power for the thermostat. This comes from the transformer usually located in the air handler for split systems but you may find the transformer in the condensing unit. RC – The RC terminal is designated for the power for cooling. Some HVAC systems use two transformers.

What is the difference between R and RC on a thermostat?

They are normally connected together. If a system has 2 separate transformers , one for heating and one for cooling R is the heat power and RC is the cool power.

Where does R wire go?

An R wire can go into a Nest Learning Thermostat’s Rc or Rh connector. The Nest Thermostat E only has an R connector, which is typically where an R wire would go.

Do I need a jumper from R to RC?

If you have a wire in the R terminal, and no wire in the RC terminal, use the jumper selector switch, the jumper plug, or a small jumper wire to connect the R and Rc terminals. 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.

What do the different color wires mean 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).

What wire controls heat on thermostat?

Thermostat Wiring Tips If your thermostat controls your heat, you will have a white wire. The Y wire is yellow and connects to your air conditioning compressor. The G wire is green and connects to the fan. Rc and Rh: The red wire(s) are the power source for your thermostat.

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.

Is R and Rh the same?

The “R” still indicates it’s a hot wire and terminal connection, and the “H” simply means heating. The RH wire connects to the RH terminal and controls the heating part of the thermostat.

What does R and C mean on a transformer?

In the case of HVAC/R systems, the power source is a low-voltage transformer (usually a 24 VAC transformer) and the two wires supplying the power are labeled C (common) and R. For systems that do not have access to the C wire, a battery in the thermostat compartment must be used.

Do I need a jumper wire on my thermostat?

If your HVAC system has both heating and cooling functions, you’ll need to connect both the Rc and Rh terminals with a red wire. Because many thermostats come with a pre-installed thermostat jumper wire that connects these terminals, you only need one red wire, which could be the thermostat Rc wire or the Rh wire.

What’s the blue wire on a thermostat?

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.

Are R and RH wires the same?

The “R” still indicates it’s a hot wire and terminal connection, and the “H” simply means heating. The RH wire connects to the RH terminal and controls the heating part of the thermostat.

Where does Rh wire go on 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. The Rh wire connects to the RH terminal on your thermostat.

Does the R wire go to RC or RH?

Here are some general guidelines: An R wire can go into a Nest Learning Thermostat’s Rc or Rh connector. The Nest Thermostat E only has an R connector, which is typically where an R wire would go. These are not jumper wires, and you can insert the Rc wire into the Rc connector and the Rh wire into the Rh connector.

Does RH go to R or RC?

If you have two wires, R or RH will go into the R terminal, and RC will go into the RC terminal.