Finally got back from the holidays and had time to set up a wi-fi thermostat for my Castille in the loft above the garage. We have not been using the area much in winter because of how long it takes to heat up the area after we come home from work..... and who wants to waste pellets heating an area not being used? After doing my research, I realized that for my two wire system, I needed a mini-volt thermostat and began the hunt. The Radio Thermostat CT-50 fit the bill and I found a review from a Castille owner who had nothing but positive things to say about the installation and use. Put it online last Sunday and it has been working splendidly as me and the wifey can control the unit either via a PC or the nice app they developed for the iPhone. Needed to purchase an AC/DC converter to power the wi-fi in the unit so it could talk on our home network so for a total of $125, we found a nice solution. I might replace the other LUX thermostat in the house with one of these later in the winter. The software with the CT-50 keeps records of your heating time and I learning just how long it takes to cover a 30 or 40 degree delta with the brands of pellets we are using. The area has new windows and is insulated so these data points are of great interest to the "geek" in me. Manufactures can print BTUs on the bag but those numbers are only a starting point in understanding your actual consumption. Burning the pellets in your own space and have this data is a bigger help in choosing the pellet brand that works best for you.
