On very good days, Ecobee thermostats are as reliable as can be. However, as it’s typical of every device, they can just act up in some ways; one of such is your Ecobee not turning on.
The fact is, smart thermostats have become every technologically driven person’s one most favorite thing, especially for those who can and are willing to afford it because the convenience and ease it brings to your home is top-notch.
There are quite a number of smart thermostat companies, of which Ecobee is one of the game-changers, especially with its addition of the new 5th Generation smart thermostat, designed with voice control, Alexa enabled, and a built-in Spotify, to mention but a few.
Ecobee is also compatible and can sync with many other smart home devices to give you an overall smart home setup.
This article will cover what steps you can take if your Ecobee is not turning on, be it a new thermostat or one you have been using already. We will also include how you can reboot your Ecobee smart thermostat with the device and with the app.
All of what will be discussed here applies to the Ecobee smart thermostat lineup; that is, ecobee3 lite, the ecobee4, and the Ecobee smart thermostat. So, let’s shoot. What can you do if Ecobee not turning on is what is about to ruin your day.
How to Fix Ecobee Not Turning On
Below are some of the ways that you can take to fix your Ecobee thermostat if the device isn’t turning on.
Check the power cable
Power cable is what enables the transmission and distribution of electrical energy, so if the cable is faulty or not properly connected, that can be the reason why your Ecobee is not turning on.
What you have to do, is double-check that all wires are properly inserted into the terminal blocks on the Ecobee. The lever on the side should be down to indicate that the wire has been properly secured.
Be Sure You Have a C Wire
The C-Wire, or “common wire,” is a common type of thermostat wiring that enables the continuous flow of 24 VAC power to the thermostat. So, Ecobee requires a C wire to power on, which means the very fact that you do not have a C wire can be the reason why your Ecobee is not turning on.
Them being called C wires does not necessarily mean you will see a large C inscribed on them, but they are called C mainly because every WiFi thermostats need to have one.
To quickly fix your Ecobee not turning on in this case, make sure you have a wire connected to the thermostat’s C terminal. The good thing is, if you do not have a C wire, you can use the spare wires from your thermostat bundle instead. Just make sure this wire is connected to the C terminal on your HVAC control board first before using it as your C wire.
Failure to Install Power Extender Kit
Ecobee’s Power Extender Kit, abbreviated as PEK, is what provides the constant electrical power you will need to run the display of your thermostat while also connecting it to WiFi in Ecobee models that do not have a C-Wire.
PEK is usually installed at the HVAC system (HVAC meaning Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) and connects to the C-wire terminal there. But, if your Ecobee model does not have a C-wire, PEK uses the R-Wire instead.
Here, ‘R’ stands for red wire, and it carries electricity to the thermostat in a normal situation, so when using the Ecobee PEK, they will be a constant supply of power from the R wire to the thermostat.
So, if you are installing PEK with the Ecobee3 lite, Ecobee4, or Smart Thermostat with voice control, verify that the wiring on your Ecobee is as follows;
- R wire goes to the RC terminal
- G wire goes to the C terminal
- W wire goes to the W1 terminal
- Y wire goes to the PEK terminal
Check if the Backplate is Properly Placed
If the thermostat wires are not properly connected to the Backplate, that can hinder Ecobee from not turning sometimes. So, you have to readjust your thermostat wires to allow the thermostat pins to insert completely into the Backplate.
Once the thermostat has been properly inserted, there will be no spaces between the Ecobee and the Backplate, and you will hear an audible snap sound when the Ecobee firmly connects to the Backplate.
These are some of the common reasons why Ecobee might not be turning on. Now, let’s take a look at how you can reboot your Ecobee thermostat.
How To Reboot Ecobee Thermostat
We are discussing this because rebooting your thermostat can also go a long way to solve your Ecobee not turning on issue. More so, rebooting is one way you can fix an issue without altering your programming and configurations. Plus, the process is very simple for you to do and only takes a few seconds.
So, to reboot your Ecobee thermostat, first of all
- Locate the reset button on the hardware(The reset button is on the bottom left corner of the device).
- Then, simply press it to initiate a reboot.
It is also possible that you want to reboot your Ecobee thermostat remotely, and that requires a different process as you do not have the hardware with you.
Check out the step-by-step procedures to reset Ecobee thermostat device.
To reboot your Ecobee thermostat remotely without the hardware, turn it off and then on (even without the hardware, you can still turn your thermostat on and off, using the app).
- Right above the large temperature numbers, you will see a fire or snow icon. Tap on it to open up the menu that will allow you to turn the device off.
- Select “Off,” and the unit will turn off.
- Wait a minute or two and then touch the screen area where it says “Off.”
- That will re-open the menu you need to turn the device on, and your thermostat will go through its necessary processes to reboot.
Like we said earlier, Ecobee thermostats are a reliable device you can bank on, but once in a while, your Ecobee might not be turning on due to the reasons we have discussed in this article.
Simply sit back and identify the exact cause why your Ecobee is not turning on and then apply the necessary quick fix, and you will be good to go.