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Velvet Digest

What is the e wire on a thermostat?

Author

Christopher Snyder

Updated on April 05, 2026

A thermostat senses this and automatically turns onelectric heat strips to provide the additional heatneeded. Some thermostats have an E wire. The E wire controlsemergency heating. Emergency heat is used when the HVACsystem is not functioning properly (usually when the compressor isout of service).

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Moreover, what do thermostat wire colors mean?

The thermostat instructions call for a red powerwire, a yellow, green and white wire. My threewire colors are White, Yellow and Green. The whitewire is usually connected to the “W” terminal.The thermostat acts like a switch, like a light switch. TheRed to white switch turns on the heat.

One may also ask, where do the wires go on a thermostat? To install your unit, you'll need to connect the correctwires to the terminals on the back of your newthermostat.

Here is the industry standard thermostat wire color code usedfor most systems:

  1. White. The white wire connects to your heat.
  2. Yellow.
  3. Green.
  4. Orange.
  5. Red (C).
  6. Red (H).
  7. Blue.

Also Know, what is E on a Honeywell thermostat?

Honeywell digital thermostats are designed tomaintain temperature within 1°F of the setpoint. In heating,the thermostat is factory set for forced air systems. Thismeans lighter heating or cooling loads will change the cycling ofyour thermostat to shorter on and off times, which is normalfor forced air systems.

Is Rh the same as R on thermostat?

RH. Understanding what RC stands for means, youcan probably take an educated guess as to the meaning of RH.The "R" still indicates it's a hot wire and terminalconnection, and the "H" simply means heating. The RH wireconnects to the RH terminal and controls the heating part ofthe thermostat.

Related Question Answers

What color wire goes where on a thermostat?

Here are common uses for wire colors: Blue orBlack – C – Common wire, may be unused by yourexisting thermostat. Enables continuous power flow from theRed wire.

What color is the common wire?

The "common" is the "neutral" or "ground"wire, depending on the type of circuit. In normal USresidential wiring, you'll have a black "hot" wire, awhite "neutral" or "common" wire, and a greenor bare "ground" wire.

How many wires should my thermostat have?

If your home's system of this vintage hasprovisions for air-conditioning (cooling), then the thermostatwiring will have at least three wires (some willrequire a separate 'R' terminal for heating and cooling andwill be labeled 'Rh' and 'Rc' now needing a minimum of 4wires), 'R', 'W', and a 'Y' terminal.

How do I know if my thermostat has AC wire?

Thermostats can get this constant power through acommon wire or “c-wire.” It iseasy to see if you already have a c-wireconnected to your system. Simply remove your currentthermostat face from its baseplate and look for the terminallabeled with the letter “c.”

Does R go to RC or RH?

R , Rh , and Rc are all the same,but not. In general terms, the R terminal is whereyou connect the signal voltage source. In low voltage controlledsystems, there will be a step down transformer that providesthe power to the control circuitry.

What is common wire?

A neutral wire IS the common currentcarrying wire in a multiwire electrical circuit. It isgenerally the wire to which all current carrying conductorsare voltage referenced. It may or may not be grounded, depending onthe circuit requirements.

Is the C wire a ground?

The C wire is the common wiregroundwire. You already have 24v ac going to the red wire. Ifyou have an extra wire connect it to the C at thethermostat and ground it at the transformer box in the ACunit. You have to connect the other end of one of the extrawires, to the C terminal in the heating/coolingunit.

What is the green wire for on my thermostat?

The usual terminals are: G – Fan, usually agreen wire. R – 24 VAC usually a red wire (Rcand Rh are discussed later) Y – Compressor, usually a yellowwire. W – Heat, usually a whitewire.

Does low battery affect thermostat?

Most models of programmable thermostats willdisplay or flash some sort of low battery symbol when thebatteries begin to run low. At this point, thethermostat can no longer control the HVAC system. This couldpossibly lead to excessive heating or cooling of your home, or noheating or cooling at all.

What do symbols on Honeywell thermostat mean?

Code "0670" means that you can change the screen locksettings to keep someone from reprogramming the thermostat.Option "0" unlocks the screen. Option "1" locks all thethermostat functions except for the "Cancel" key and thetemperature controls. Option "2" completely locks thethermostat screen.

How long do thermostat batteries last?

Some batteries can last as long as5 years while others might not make it 3 months. Even if yourthermostat is hardwired, it will probably have a back-upbattery that will need to be periodicallyreplaced.

What does Lo mean on a thermostat?

Turns out LO means off scale low. The tiny,stupid computer in the thermostat thinks that its freezingcold.

What are batteries for in a thermostat?

Wall thermostats typically use AA or AAA alkalinebatteries or 3V button-style lithium batteries. Thebattery of the thermostat keeps your programmingsaved and prevents your heating and cooling control system fromturning off when the power goes out.

What is aux on a thermostat?

Aux on the thermostat stands for auxiliaryheat. Auxiliary heat is the electric heat strip in your air handlerthat is supplemental heat. Auxiliary heat/ Emergency heat help theheat pump keep up when cold outside or the temperature differentialon the thermostat is large.

Does Honeywell thermostat need batteries?

Honeywell sells a variety of thermostats,and not all require batteries. A number of models do,though, and if you need to change your Honeywellthermostat battery, you need to know the model. If yourthermostat doesn't have a C-wire, it probablyneeds batteries.

How do I reset my Honeywell thermostat?

How to Reset a Honeywell Programmable Thermostat
  1. Set the thermostat switch to "Off."
  2. Insert a coin into the slot on the battery door to push itopen.
  3. Remove the batteries.
  4. Insert the batteries backward, so that the negative pole linesup with the positive terminal.
  5. Remove the batteries and put them back in the correct way, thenclose the battery door.

What does F C mean on a thermostat?

Your home thermostat controls the level ofheating or cooling necessary to maintain the correct temperature inyour home. Many thermostats are programmed to displaytemperatures in either degrees Celsius (C) or degreesFahrenheit (F), based on the general preference of thecountry in which they are sold.

Does thermostat wire have to be in conduit?

Does the NEC require armored cable orconduit for a new thermostat run? I have to gothrough a wall into the utility room and about 3 feet horizontallyto get to a box where the zone valve and thermostatwire meet. Low voltage wire does not needprotection inside a wall.

Where does the brown wire go on a thermostat?

If you go to the furnace, you'll likely see thecable that goes to the thermostat. You'll also likely seethe brown wire either wrapped around the cable, or just notconnected to anything. The brown wire is for the emergencyheat available on some HVAC models.