Lux Products TX1500E-010 Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat
by Lux Products
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Lux Products TX1500E-010 Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat
Customer Review: CONSISTENT HEAT!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Purchased this LUX 1500E thermostat after stressing with a Hunter thermostat for over three years purchased at our local Wal-world. We had to contact Hunter shortly after we installed it, as it did not work properly, but the replacement that was sent to me didn't work at all! It is SO NICE now to have a thermostat that does what the settings tell it to do, and not just do what it wants to do at any given moment. The programming on this thermostat is so easy compared to what I had, once you learn the sequence of buttons. The real nice thing about this thermostat, is that it is accurate with our other thermometers in the house, something that the other thermostat was not. You can adjust the delay on this thermostat, whether you want the heat to come on more often and maintain a constant heat, or whether you want the delay longer, where it cools and heats less often, but you have more of a temperature spread. However you like it, you can set it! I like the humidity button, as it gets mighty dry up north in the winter and I can monitor our humidifier. The installation was very easy for me as I only have a two wire system. But, the wire contact mounts were superior to the Hunter thermostat, as that is where part of my problem with the Hunter was. I could not secure my wires from the furnace to the thermostat solidly enough and sometimes the thermostat would turn the furnace on and sometimes not. And once I corrected this loose wiring problem with this Hunter thermostat, it still decided that sometimes it would work and sometimes it would not. How very frustrating!! I spent money needlessly on furnace repairs that could find nothing wrong, other than to say, "We think it's your thermostat." Yes, it was my thermostat and this LUX is a very nice replacement with a Three Year Warranty. It should work well and worry-free for the same time period that I had to stress with that old thermostat!!
I do have one complaint regarding the free shipping offered by Amazon.com. I live in northern Ohio and ordered this item the end of one week and was informed that I would not receive the item for 10 days from that date. I monitored the shipping progress and on a Monday, the item was shipped and in Cincinnati, OH. Now even by USPS standards, Cincinnati is not that far from northern Ohio! I was not supposed to receive the item until the following Monday, but it did arrive on the previous Friday. Still too long from Cincinnati!! I have since joined Prime, to get two day shipping. So far, that has worked well.
I still give the Thermostat a 5 star rating, as it is an excellent product and was fairly priced, and they can't help that free shipping is snail shipping!
Customer Review: Lux Products 1500E Thermostat
Summary: 5 Stars
Lux Products TX1500E Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat
After researching thermostats, I replaced my builder-grade 1 week thermostats with a couple of Lux 1500E units. This was one of Consumer Reports' best buy models from last year (the other also a Lux). Additionally, I liked Lux's programming dial which simplifies programming; with the dial, there are fewer arcane button press combinations to deal with. Installation was simple and straightforward. The display on the 1500E is fairly large and has an electroluminescent back light that's activated by pressing any button. I'm farsighted but can read the display without my glasses. The 1500E is a 5-1-1 thermostat but also includes a "special" schedule that can used for vacation or holiday making this a 5-1-1-1 thermostat.
I found programming to be quick and simple and the unit works as advertised. I have one complaint and one quirk to mention. The complaint: The operating instructions aren't the best. In particular, there is precious little explanation of the "swing" function or what the swing numbers actually mean. I sent an email to Lux and received a phone call the next day with a thorough explanation. Fantastic customer service!! For the record, the swing setting numbers correlate to quarter degrees (the instructions should state this but don't). The default setting is 1 meaning the thermostat will cycle when the temperature deviates .25 degrees. Keeps the house temperature constant but heat or AC will constantly cycle. Setting the swing to 4 will cause heat or AC to turn on when temperature deviates 1 degree (4 X .25) from the set temperature. You can set the swing up to a value of 9 (2.25 degrees). Here's the quirk part: with my old thermostat, if I set the temperature to 69, the heat would turn on when the displayed temperature dropped to 68 and turn off when the displayed temperature rose to 70. The 1500E, with a swing setting of 4, doesn't work quite the same way. Even though displayed temp is 68, heat won't come on right away. It's almost as if the thermometer controlling the display isn't the same one controlling the thermostat itself. Either that, or a swing setting of 4 is working differently than I'm expecting. Please note, I do not find this a problem with the 1500E, just a little odd. Also note: most instructions accompanying thermostats are lacking.
Overall, I am very pleased with the Lux 1500E. It feels well built, has a nice display, and a competitive price. Add Lux's great customer support, and I'd highly recommend it.
Customer Review: Easy to Use: Basic Feature Set May Be All You Need
Summary: 4 Stars
I installed the Lux TX1500E Programmable Thermostat in my house a few weeks ago and it was straightforward to install, reasonably priced and had all the features I wanted. Installation was especially easy because the mounting slots on the Lux aligned with existing wall holes from my old thermostat. The package even included small lettered & numbered flags so I could tag existing wires (sticker 'W' on wire attached to terminal 'W,' etc.) before removing the old thermostat!
The TX1500E provides 5/1/1 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) and 'Special' modes, each of which allows temperature programming changes at four different times. 'Special' mode lets you switch over to a range of settings that you've programmed for when you want to quickly override daily settings. I like the notched circle molded into the door which prevents the door from closing in 'Special' mode, a passive reminder which lessens the chance of you accidentally leaving it there long-term.
I am quite pleased with this thermostat and recommend it to anyone who wants a programmable thermostat with a solid, basic feature set. Choose a different model if you want to set Mon-Fri individually, or switch automatically between 'Cool' and 'Heat' modes: I have no need for either feature and appreciate the programming simplicity of this model.
Installation tips:
* The new thermostat - as did the existing one - rocked a bit on the wall when I pushed buttons. I felt this would eventually work the drywall screw anchors loose so I stuck two strip of thin foam on the back of the base - horizontally above and below the screws - before final installation: it now feels nice and tight on the wall!
* Internal clearance is tight so take extra care when routing wires and stuffing excess back into the wall or it's a pain snapping the main unit into the base. This was probably the most time-consuming stage of the installation.
Customer Review: Good, but there must be a better one than this!
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this after reading Consumer Reports and the reviews posted here.
When I received the unit, I was a bit intimidated with the various wiring diagrams, but once I removed my Totaline (non-programmable) thermostat from the wall, I could see that the wiring would be pretty straightforward. I am a terrible handyman and yet this job only required 15 minutes and two different-sized Philips screwdrivers.
Here's my beef, and why I only give this otherwise excellent unit 2 stars:
1. It must be manually switched from heat to cool mode, and vice-versa. In my old home, I had a programmable Totaline, and in program mode it would automatically switch to whichever mode was needed (heat or cool) to keep the home within the desired temperature range. I was very surprised to unbox this unit, with all of its favorable reviews, and find this feature missing. Here in North Florida, we sometimes need AC during the warm days but heat during a cool night. I don't want to constantly be flipping a hardware switch to toggle between heat & cool modes! I thought that was the whole point of a programmable thermostat!
2. By default, the swing setting is ridiculously short. Really? 0.25 degrees by default?
3. It doesn't display program temp, only current temp. I would prefer a display that shows the current temp as well a the target temp (or even better, the target temp range - see beef #1).
Maybe it's my fault for not doing more research. The only programmable thermostat I've had before this was the Totaline and I assumed that all of the highly-rated thermostats would have a truly automatic-switching feature.
I'll probably leave this installed upstairs, but do more careful research and buy a different thermostat for downstairs.
Customer Review: Simple to install and use - great price
Summary: 5 Stars
I only using this for my boiler heat (baseboard)so the opinion is strictly on heating
I'm not "mechanically inclined" and had asked my brother to come by and install this for me. But after reading the instruction online at Lux website, I though I would give it a try. Other than dropping the screws few times, the installation was a breeze; it really only took about 15 minutes, and if I can do it, anybody can
The operation was easy too - you turn the dial to "weekdays" "Sat" "Sun" or "Special" to program each of these separately, each has 4 "time" settings (typical on all programmable). I hav a Home Office, and do get to the "office" at specific time, so I set the heat to come on 30 min before so it is nice and warm by the time I get to the office, then lower after 6PM, and really low (60F) at night. I also set the temp lower on Sat and Sun, and the I use the Special Program for those days when I am at client site and aways most of the day, or when I am on vacation. There is an override feature so if I do have to work Sat or Sun it is very easy to up the temp. You can also 'release" the special program if you plan changed
In my view this is really all you need, especially with the override and special program features. I have the 7 day programmable in the bedrooms and for the living room/ dinning room, but I ended up copying the program to all 5 weekdays anyway. I love that it is price lowered than the 7 day programmable. Just make sure it will work with your heating system before you buy - go to Lux products website and read the specifics