Alarm.com ADC-T25 - Installation Guide

Smart Thermostat
Installation Guide
ADC-T25
In the box
❶

Trim plate
❷

Wall Plate

❸

Thermostat
❹

Drywall anchors (2)
❺

Wall screws (2)
❻

AA Batteries (4)
Table of content
1.
Installation Precautions
2.
In the Box
3.
Recommended Tools
4.
Overview
5.
Installation Considerations
6.
Thermostat Installation
7.
Setup
8.
Test the System
9.
Operation
10.
Using and Changing the Batteries
11.
Battery Advisory
12.
Humidity Control
13.
Ventilation
14.
Additional Configuration
15.
Troubleshooting
Installation Considerations
Location
•
If replacing an existing thermostat, the new Smart
Thermostat can be mounted in its place.
•
If a new location is desired it will be necessary to move the
wiring. New installations and relocations should follow the
accompanying guidelines to ensure the most accurate
temperature reading and ease of use.
•
Mount on an inside wall, approximately 5 ft. (1.5 m) above
the floor in a frequently used room.

•
Avoid areas that are exposed to large temperature
variances, such as: direct sunlight, near an AC unit, above
or below auxiliary heat and air vents, and drafts from
windows or exterior doors. Be aware of what is on the
other side of the wall where the installation is occurring.
Do not install on walls adjacent to unheated rooms, stoves,
or housing hot water pipes. Exterior walls are also not ideal
locations for installation.
•
Damp areas will not only affect the humidity reading but
could lead to corrosion and shorten the lifespan of

the thermostat.
•
Install in a location with good air circulation. Stagnant air
will not accurately reflect the rate of temperature change
in the room.
•
Avoid areas behind open doors, corners, and alcoves.
•
Wait until construction and painting are finished

before installing.
Preparation
❶
If you will add the Smart Thermostat to a Z-Wave network,
power on the controller and verify it is communicating.
• If the Z-Wave network supports SmartStart, use MobileTech
to scan the QR code found on the Thermostat or the box.
❷
Test the existing system.
• Verify that the heating and/or cooling system is operating
properly before you try to install the new Smart Thermostat.


CAUTION:
Do not test the system by shorting electric
terminals. Do not test the cooling system if it is cold outside,
as this may harm the compressor.
❸
Turn off power to the HVAC unit.
• Turn all heating and cooling systems off. This can be done at
the circuit breaker.

CAUTION:
Do not remove the existing thermostat until
power has been turned off at the circuit breaker.




























❹

Remove the existing thermostat.

• Remove the cover from the existing thermostat. Do not
disconnect the wires yet.
• Make sure the wires are identified correctly. If you have an
unidentified wire, it may be necessary to identify where the
wire connects to the heating or air conditioning equipment.
CAUTION:
Wiring can vary for each manufacturer. Identify
all wiring designations before removing it from the

existing thermostat.
• Take a picture of the wires before you detach them from the
existing thermostat for future reference.
• After all wires are identified and a picture has been taken,
disconnect all the wires and remove the existing thermostat.
Remember to secure the wires so they do not fall into

the wall.
❺
Prep wires (if needed)
• Ensure the wires are a proper gauge between 16-24 AWG

(1.3 – 0.5 mm)
• Make sure wires have exposed straight ends of the
appropriate length.


Test the System

CAUTION:
Do not test the cool mode during cold weather.
Wait for mild weather to fully test the system.
• After successfully installing and setting up your new Smart
Thermostat, please test the Smart Thermostat and

HVAC system.
• If the Smart Thermostat will control a heating system, test
the heating system by changing the mode to HEAT and
adjusting the setpoint to be higher than the current room
temperature. Verify the heating system turns on and that
the room is starting to warm up.
• If the Smart Thermostat will control a cooling system, test
the cooling system by changing the mode to COOL and
adjusting the setpoint to be lower than the current room
temperature. Verify the cooling system turns on and that
the room is starting to cool down.
Operation
❶
Press any button to wake up the thermostat
❷
After waking, the display will show the current mode and
ambient temperature. Setpoint is only in Heat/Cool mode.
❸
The display will turn off after 10 seconds to conserve
energy. The thermostat will continue to operate while the
display is off.
Changing the mode and setpoint
❶
Press the Menu
button
❷
Select
Mode menu item
❸
Select
desired mode
• The modes are Heat, Cool, Auto, Emer and Off.
• Emer mode is available for Heat Pump systems.
• When in Emer mode, the display will read EMER when the
thermostat wakes up.
• In Auto, the active setpoint is indicated by the operating
state above the ambient temperature. The buttons on the
display will also be illuminated to indicate the active
setpoint. The LEDs will be illuminated red when heating is
active and blue when cooling is active.
Using and Changing

the Batteries
If the thermostat batteries are low, replace the batteries
with four new AA batteries.
❶
Remove the thermostat from the Wall Plate by pulling the
thermostat straight out and off the wall.
❷
Take out the existing batteries.
❸
Insert the new batteries following the specified polarity
markings on the thermostat.
❹
Return the thermostat to the Wall Plate by pressing the
thermostat body firmly into the back plate mounted to the
wall. Ensure that the pins on the body are correctly aligned
with the back plate. Failure to do so could cause damage
to the thermostat.
Battery Advisory

Always replace the batteries as soon as you have low
battery levels, indicated by a Low Battery warning

flashing
on

the thermostat. If the batteries drain, the thermostat
could leave the HVAC system on or off, overheating or
freezing the home.
•
Always replace the batteries at least once a year. This will
protect the thermostat from damage and corrosion by
leaking batteries.
•
If the home is unoccupied for a month or more, such as
with vacation homes, you should replace the batteries as a
preventive measure against battery failure while you

are away.
• Always use new batteries as replacements.
Humidity Control

The thermostat can adjust the humidity level in your home
by directly controlling an external humidifier, dehumidifier,
or by using the cooling system to dehumidify. For an
external humidifier or dehumidifier, the thermostat must
be configured to use the Z terminal. For controlling
dehumidification by the cooling system, a cooling system
must be present without an external dehumidifier. In this
case, the thermostat will extend your cooling cycles to
reach your dehumidification setpoint. To change
humidification/dehumidification settings refer to the
Customer Website.
Ventilation

The thermostat can control a ventilation system (HRV, VRV,
or air baffle) using the Z terminal. By default, the
thermostat will operate the ventilation system for 15
minutes every hour. To change the ventilation settings,
refer to the advanced configuration settings through the
Customer Website or Mobile App. If the settings are not
available, please contact your service provider.
Additional Configuration

Although the default settings will be appropriate in most
cases, you also have the option to change all configuration
settings via the Display. Open the Settings menu and
proceed to the relevant settings.

CAUTION:
Be careful when changing advanced configuration
settings. These configuration settings should only be
changed by those familiar with heating and cooling system
parameters. Contact your local HVAC professional for help.
Troubleshooting
Setup

Depending on the system type and configuration, the
thermostat may request the following information

during setup:

Heat Type:
Tells the thermostat whether it should turn on
the fan during a heating cycle.
• Forced air heating: Electric
• Radiant floor heating: Fossil
• Fossil/electric baseboard heating: Fossil
• Radiators: Fossil
• If unsure: Unsure

Backup Heat Type:
Tells the thermostat what type of
auxiliary/backup heating the heat pump uses.
• Electric: This is the most common type of backup heating.

• Dual Fuel: Some heat pumps use a fossil furnace (for
example, natural gas, oil, or propane) for backup heating.

• If unsure: The system will automatically detect which heat
type is appropriate for your system.

Z-Terminal:
A “dynamic” terminal that can be used for a
variety of different system functions. If using the Z
terminal, you must specify its function.
Note: Z uses the RC power and W2 is not available in a dual
power system configuration where the RC-RH jumper is
removed. Accessories powered by the transformer connected
to RH will not operate if the RC-RH jumper is removed.
W2:
Second stage of heat or aux
Y2:
Second stage of cool or heat pump
H:
Humidifier
DH
: Dehumidifier
EX:
Ventilation (HRV, VRV, air baffle)
Thermostat Installation
❶
Level and mount the backplate to the wall with

supplied hardware.
❷
Insert wires into their designated terminals. See table

for details.

• If you have R, connect to RC
• If you have RH and RC, remove the black jumper in the
top-right corner of the backplate. See the graphic

for details.
• Z can be used for the following options: W2, Y2, H, DH, O/B
Zoning or Ventilation
• If you have extra wires, do not install them in the new
thermostat. Please contact your local HVAC professional
for additional assistance

CAUTION:
Do NOT insert more than one wire to a terminal.
❸
Add batteries to the Thermostat (4x AA)

❹
After all wires are in their final locations, restore power to
the HVAC system
❺
Connect the Thermostat to the Back Plate
❻
Follow the on-screen setup instructions to configure the
thermostat and connect it to a Z-Wave network.

The Smart Thermostat will automatically detect

connected wires.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the
thermostat configuration.

CAUTION:
If the thermostat screen does not show all the
connected wires, remove the thermostat from the wall and
verify that all wires are properly connected. If issues persist,
there may be a problem with automatically detecting your
wiring. See invalid wiring in the Troubleshooting section.
Recommended Tools














❶

Power drill – 3/16” (#13) drill bit
❷

Needle nose pliers
❸

Pencil to mark mounting location
❹

Phillips screwdriver
Thermostat Overview
❶

Menu
: Enter menu
❷

Select
: Select/confirm menu item
❸

Current Mode
❹

Ambient Temperature
❺

Target Temperature
❻

UP: Adjust target temperature up / Navigate menu
❼

Down: Adjust target temperature down / Navigate menu



Modes
•
Heat:
Will activate the heating system.

•
Cool:
Will activate the air conditioner.

•
Auto:
Will select either the Heat or Cool

mode automatically.

•
Emergency:
For use with heat pumps only. Will bypass the
heat pump and enable auxiliary/emergency heat.

•
Off:
the system will not heat or cool

Installation Precautions

•
Before installing the Smart Thermostat or servicing the
HVAC equipment, turn off power to the system.

•
Leave power off until you have finished installing or
servicing the HVAC equipment.

•
Shorting the electric terminals at the control on the
heating or cooling system is not recommended. Do not test
the system this way.

•
When testing the existing system or the new Smart
Thermostat do not run the cooling system when it is cold
outside as this may harm the compressor.

•
Please wait for mild temperatures before testing the
cooling system.

•
You must follow all local codes and ordinances for wiring
the system.

•
This thermostat should only be powered by 4 AA alkaline
batteries or a listed Class 2 power supply at 24 VAC
(C-Wire or wall transformer)

•
An amperage higher than 1 amp to each thermostat
terminal may cause damage to the thermostat. Verify that
the system is 24 VAC. If the old system is labeled as 120 V
or 240 V or has wire nuts, the system is high voltage. Do
NOT install this thermostat on a high voltage system.
Contact a local HVAC professional for help.

•
Before installing the Smart Thermostat or servicing the
HVAC equipment, turn off power to the system.
❶
❷
❸
❹
❺
❻
❶
❷
❸
❹
❶
❷
❸
❹
❺
❻
❼
❸
Problem
Cause
Tip
Heating or cooling
does not turn on
when the setpoint
is above or below the
room temperature.
To prevent damaging the
compressor, the Thermostat
inserts a delay when cycling
the compressor. This delay is
only a few minutes long.
• Change the setpoint to 2
degrees beyond the
current setpoint and wait
5 minutes, at which point
the system should turn on.

• If this does not work,
contact your local HVAC
professional.
Why does my heat
pump appear to heat
when it should be
cooling, or cooling
when it should be
heating?
Some heat pumps use the

O terminal, while others use
the B terminal for their
reversing valve. Your heat
pump may be the opposite
type from how your
thermostat is wired.
• Try switching the

O/B configuration setting
through your online
account.
•
If this does not fix the
problem, contact your
local HVAC professional
for help.
How do I add/delete
the thermostat from
the Z-Wave network?
• Refer to the Z-Wave
controller’s documentation
on removing devices from
the network
•Select the Settings Icon

•Select Installer
• Select Network, and select
Add/Remove
My Smart
Thermostat says my
wiring is invalid.
The wiring setup on your
Smart Thermostat cannot
be confirmed if any of the
following is true:

•No wires detected
•No RC wire detected
•Y detected without G
•O/B detected without Y
Check wiring against the
provided Terminal Guide and
ensure all wires are fully
inserted into the Back Plate
wire terminals. Re-configure
your Smart Thermostat. If
the problem persists,
contact your local HVAC
professional for help.
I cannot select my
Fuel Type during
wiring setup.
The Fuel Type can only be
configured if a W wire

is present.
Ensure your wiring setup
meets the minimum
requirements and
re-configure your

Smart Thermostat.
How do I reconfigure
my Smart
Thermostat?
My wiring has changed and I
need to re-configure

the thermostat.
I made a wiring
configuration mistake
during setup and want to
start again.
• Press the Menu

button
•Select Installer
•Select Wiring
•Select Reconfig
I see “Low Battery”
even after a recent
battery replacement
for my Smart
Thermostat.
The thermostat may be
powered by the HVAC
systems common wire or
batteries. If the thermostat
batteries are low or not
installed, the thermostat
will notify the user when it is
turned on.
The user is encouraged to
install batteries even when
running with a common
wire. This allows the
thermostat to still
communicate with the
Z-Wave controller when the
HVAC system has lost
power. The thermostat is
capable of reporting these
power losses and

other issues.
Ensure batteries are
properly installed. Always
use fresh alkaline batteries.
Do not use Lithium
batteries with the

Smart Thermostat.
If the problem persists,
contact your local HVAC
professional for help.