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). You can also refer to the Conductor Color Chart (see Chart 6, thermostat wire).
What are the color codes for thermostat wiring?
- White. The white wire connects to your heat.
- Yellow. The yellow wire connects to your compressor.
- Green. The green wire connects to the fan.
- Orange. This wire connects to your heat pump (if applicable).
- Red (C). …
- Red (H). …
- Blue.
What do the colors mean on a thermostat?
Rh stands for Red-Heat and
Rc stands for Red-Cool
. If you only have a single red wire the jumper between Rh and Rc are required for some heating and cooling hybrid systems depending on your thermostat. Yellow/Y is the AC compressor. White/W is the Heating element. Green/G runs the fan.
What are the 4 wires on a thermostat?
- Red wire for power (24V).
- White wire for heating (connected to W or W1 terminal).
- Green wire for fans.
- Blue or yellow wire for cooling (connected to Y).
Where does GREY wire go on thermostat?
- Orange: Heat pump, connect to O.
- Blue: Dark Blue, heat pump, Connect to B (may use orange to O instead)
- pink,
- purple.
- brown – often connects to C or common or to W2 (2nd stage backup heat)
What happens if you wire 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.
What if there is no C wire for thermostat?
If you don't see a wire you can identify as the C-wire, though, don't despair yet – you may need to look behind your existing thermostat. If your current thermostat didn't need a C-wire, it (or a wire that can be used as a C-wire) might
be rolled up inside the wall
.
Can I replace my thermostat myself?
A thermostat is a tool that regulates heating and cooling, whether it be in your home or in your car. Replacing inefficient thermostats can help you save money on utility bills or, in your vehicle, keep you safe on the roads. Whatever your situation, replacing it yourself is a task that is surprisingly simple.
How do I know what wire to get for my thermostat?
Look
for connectors that have labels that are the same as your thermostat
. For instance, you might find labels like R, W, G, Y, C or O/B. You should find wires attached to these connectors that are the same color as the wires that connect to your thermostat.
What is the blue wire for on a thermostat?
The Blue or “C” Wire
C wires or varying colors apply to every thermostat, but blue C wires belong to thermostats attached to a heat pump. Blue wires are for
heat pumps
, like orange wires. This wire connects to terminal B on your thermostat.
Why does my thermostat have 6 wires?
If your system has six wires, it's because it
features second-stage heating, second-stage cooling or heat-pump cooling but not all three
. The extra wire signals the additional function to come on. If your system has second-stage heating and cooling as well as a heat pump, then the thermostat needs eight wires, not six.
Can you use a 4 wire thermostat to 2 wire?
Yes
, you can connect a four wire thermostat to this setup. Connect the white wires in the same manner as the black wires are connected.
Why does my thermostat only have 2 wires?
If your heating system has only two wires, the job of the thermostat is simple.
All it has to do is turn the heat or the cooling on and off
. … There's also no thermostat blue wire, or common wire, to power the thermostat, so it has to operate on its own, either using batteries or mechanical temperature detection.
What is the Y wire on a thermostat?
Y – This is
the terminal for cooling or air conditioning and goes to the compressor relay
. Typically a thermostat wire pull is made to the air handler on split systems and then this wire is spliced for the separate wire pull which is made to the condenser.
What color is the common wire?
Red, Black, and White are the colors of switch wiring for three-ways. Red and Black are connected to the switches if the White is used for neutral.
The White is often referred
to as Common, but the colored wires are also used as hot wires.
Is RC the same as C wire?
Typically,
the wires that give the power supply
(usually termed as the ‘hot' wires) are marked Rc (for cooling) and Rh (for heating). ‘ If your system has a common wire, it will be marked ‘C' at most times. …
