Ecobee Sensor – the Ultimate Guide

When thinking about smart thermostats, ecobee comes out among the top. The thermostat beats its competitors due to its ecobee remote sensors that help monitor the temperature in your rooms to make them comfortable. 

The sensors enable you to manage your rooms' hot and cold spots, enhancing comfort. Furthermore, you can control them using a voice assistant or a mobile app which improves flexibility and ease of use. 

You need only do a quick setup, and the devices are good to go. This article will look at the ecobee sensors, including what they can do and how to install them in your room. 

What Are ecobee Sensors? 

Ecobee Smart Thermostats are an incredible way of maintaining the temperature in your house. ecobee room sensors are additional accessories you can add to your ecobee Smart Thermostat. 

The room sensors enable the smart thermostat to know how hot or various cold rooms are. Besides helping to maintain a comfortable temperature, the ecobee room sensors also enhance the security in your house. They feature motion detectors that inform you when somebody is in the room. 

While a smart thermostat helps maintain a comfortable temperature in the house, It can only sense the area around it. Therefore, it cannot monitor the temperature of the rooms beyond its reach, including upstairs. 

That makes you experience hot and cold spots in your house, which is an uncomfortable situation. 

When you add the ecobee room sensors in different rooms, you can monitor the temperature in each room. 

The sensors also enhance energy saving in your house by adjusting the temperature when you leave home and restoring the temperature when you’re back. 

What Does an ecobee Room Sensor Do?

An ecobee room sensor helps in measuring temperature in other locations besides the main smart thermostat. The smart thermostat attaches to a HVAC system using wires. 

Again, the ecobee smart thermostat comes with a single sensor that you can place in the living room. However, it may not help to measure the temperature in other rooms. Therefore, you can purchase other smart sensors separately and put them in the different rooms to help measure the temperatures. 

How Do the ecobee Room Sensors Work?

The ecobee sensors help the smart thermostat average the temperature in your house by getting rid of the hot and cold spots. 

The more ecobee sensors you have, the more information the smart thermostat has to help average the temperature. Up to 32 room sensors can be attached to a single, smart thermostat. 

The ecobee room sensors also stand out from the rest due to the “Follow me” feature. The feature helps to identify the occupied rooms and adjusts the temperatures accordingly. For instance, if you are in the living room and decide to go to the guest room, the sensors detect it and adjust the temperature to enhance comfort in the room. 

What’s more?

You can also customize the room sensors based on a schedule. That way, you can heat or cool the house based on a schedule, helping you to save energy when you’re away. 

Features of the ecobee Sensors 

The ecobee room sensors come with various features that make them stand out, including:

Follow Me

The “Follow me” feature helps enhance your comfort in your house. With the Follow Me feature, the ecobee smart thermostat will average the temperatures of all the room sensors with an activity. 

The base unit uses the average temperatures to decide whether or not to run your equipment. 

This feature helps to detect the rooms in use and adjusts the temperatures accordingly. It helps save energy by adjusting the temperature if the room is occupied. 

That said, the feature doesn’t help average the temperatures of the room sensors instantly. When a sensor detects motion, its temperature phases in slowly; it’ll take continuous motion detection for the room sensor’s temperature to phase in fully. 

Thus, it won’t make much difference if you enter a room for a short while and then leave. If you spend some time in a room, the temperatures will take a while to adjust. 

At times, the room sensors may help you achieve comfortable temperatures in a room but may not save much energy. If you spend a lot of time in a room, the AC will have to work overtime to maintain the room’s temperature at your set point. 

You’ll enjoy comfortable temperatures, but you won’t be saving a lot of energy since the AC is running overtime. 

You can use the mobile app, the web portal, or the smart thermostats to turn the Follow Me feature on and off. When you turn the feature off, you average the temperatures of all the room sensors, even if there’s no activity in the room. 

Smart Home and Away  

The smart home and away feature also helps in saving energy. It helps to adjust the temperatures when you leave home and restores your comfort temperatures when you return home. 

Therefore, the equipment won’t run when you’re not at home, which helps to save energy.  

Sensor Participation

The ecobee sensors feature three comfort profiles, including:

• Home

• Away

• Sleep

The sensor participation feature lets you pick room sensors for each profile using the sensor menu. 

For instance, you can have the sensor using the sleep comfort profile in your bedroom. When you set the smart thermostat to the sleep profile, only the ecobee sensor in the bedroom will regulate the temperatures. It’ll determine whether to turn on the heat or the AC.  

The ecobee room sensors work with other devices such as the ecobee smart thermostat, ecobee Smart Security, and cameras. The integration enhances your peace of mind and home comfort.

What’s the Range of the ecobee Sensor?

You should ensure your sensors are at a suitable range to be effective.

So, what’s the ideal range for the ecobee sensors?

Motion Detection Range 

The sensors have a vertical range of 25-30 degrees and a horizontal range of 120 degrees. The motion detection range is up to 15 feet. 

The motion detector won’t be set off by the motion of pets in the room. The sensor has a design that prevents it from being triggered by every tiny movement. 

Since the ecobee sensor can’t sense the object's proximity, a close object looks much bigger than a distant one. Thus, it’ll take a more significant object to trigger the motion detector. 

Communication Range 

It would help to place the ecobee room sensors not too far from the smart thermostat to ensure effective communication. Placing the sensors too far from the smart thermostat can make the sensors not work, or you’ll experience ineffective communication. 

The ecobee sensors have a communication range of about 45 feet, which also accounts for the obstructions in the house. 

If you place the smart thermostat at a central position in the house, you can set the room sensors around a 90-foot diameter. However, obstructions such as walls can affect the communication range. 

The 90-foot communicating range is ideal for most homes. If your sensors have a problem communicating with the base unit, you may be beyond the range.

An open-air sensor can have an extended range of up to 100 feet. If you’ve reached the range limit of your ecobee room sensor, you can use an ecobee smart sensor extender to extend the range.  

How Do You Install a New ecobee Sensor? 

Installing a new ecobee room sensor is a straightforward process that’ll take you a few minutes to complete.

• The sensor comes with a plastic tab that sticks out at the back. That tab ensures that the battery doesn’t power on the device. 

Before removing the tab, ensure you have configured the base unit. You can remove the tab when you’re ready to connect the ecobee sensor. 

You can only activate the ecobee room sensor from the smart thermostat. When ready to install the sensor, carry it along and go to the thermostat. Activate the thermostat’s home screen. 

• You can now remove the plastic tab at the back of the sensor to power it. It’ll take a few minutes for the sensor to power up, and you’ll see the setup menu on the screen. You’ll see a question asking whether you want to pair your ecobee sensor with the smart thermostat. Press “Yes'' to pair them.

Sometimes you may not see the setup screen when you remove the tab at the back. If that happens, remove the tab and flip the battery in the opposite direction. Leave the battery in that position for about a minute and then flip it back in the right direction, and the setup screen should pop up.

• After pressing “Yes,” you’ll see a list of names on the screen. Pick a name for your sensor. For instance, you can choose “office” if you’ll place the sensor in your home office. Alternatively, you can type your preferred name for the sensor.

• Next, pick a comfort profile from the list for the sensor to participate in. The comfort profiles can include home, away, and sleep. If you have the sensor in your bedroom, you can choose the sleep comfort profile for the sensor to participate in as you sleep. You can choose the comfort profile at any time to fit your needs.

• To change the sensor settings or features at any time, you should go to “Menu” then “Sensors” and follow the prompts.

• Finally, you can click “Finish” to complete the setup process. You can repeat the process for all your ecobee room sensors.

Placing the ecobee Sensor 

After pairing your ecobee room sensor with your smart thermostat, it's time to find an ideal position to place the sensor. 

ecobee recommends that you position the room sensor about 5 feet high to achieve optimal temperature measurements, 

On the other hand, you should aim the sensor at the doorways and seating areas to achieve optimal motion detection. 

As you position your sensor, ensure the little bee is facing up and to the right. 

As you look for an ideal position to place your room sensor, you should avoid areas where it might get direct sunlight. You should also avoid putting one next to an outside door, drafty window, or in the bathroom. The hot showers in the bathroom will cause fluctuations on the smart thermostat.

Additionally, you should avoid placing the room sensor in the kitchen as the temperatures fluctuate as you cook. It’d be better to put it on the outer edges of the kitchen where it can still help with motion detection. 

The temperatures on the outer edges of the kitchen are also moderate since the air from other parts of the house will cool them. 

How Do the ecobee Sensors Detect Occupancy?

An ecobee room sensor can detect occupancy in a room and adjust the temperatures accordingly. They also have motion detectors that detect motion in the room and can send you notifications on your device. 

But how do the ecobee sensors detect that the room is occupied?

The sensors use the temperatures and motion of moving objects to determine if a room is occupied or not. 

The motion detectors are passive infrared motion detectors. As such, they use infrared radiations to help detect the motion of objects, whether they are dark-colored or light. The sensors then connect to your ecobee smart thermostat using radiofrequency. 

How long do the sensors stay occupied?

As mentioned earlier, the sensors come with a Follow Me feature that helps detect the occupancy of a particular room. After detecting occupancy, the sensor’s average temperature slowly phases in. Therefore, if you get into a room and move out immediately, the temperatures will not change. 

It’ll take around thirty minutes for the sensors to detect occupancy in a room and change the temperatures accordingly. 

On the other hand, the sensor will stop motion detection when you leave the room. However, the previous temperature readings of the sensors will remain for the next thirty minutes. 

Sometimes the ecobee room sensors can show false occupancy even when not at home. The false occupancy can be due to an issue with your battery or a low battery charge. 

The ecobee room sensors use the CR-2032 battery, which has a lifespan of about a year. It would be best to consider changing the sensors’ batteries after a year to continue enjoying accurate sensor readings. 

Various factors can contribute to your battery’s short life, including areas with high/low ambient temperatures. Placing your device in high traffic can also reduce the battery’s life. 

You can also experience false occupancy issues if you place your sensor facing the window where there’s an infrared source. 

To avoid the false occupancy issue, you should ensure your device doesn’t face an infrared source, and you should regularly check your batteries. 

Do ecobee Room Sensors Detect Humidity?

If you are looking for a smart thermostat with a humidity sensor feature, the ecobee smart thermostat is excellent. It comes with a humidity sensor that helps detect humidity changes indoors. 

Even if the humidity fluctuates, the ecobee sensor helps to adjust the home temperature to ensure your home feels comfortable. 

A humidity sensor helps determine the relative humidity of the air. The humidity sensor measures the moisture in the air and the air temperature. The sensor then adjusts to ensure the “feel like” temperature is how you want it. 

Unlike other thermostats, the ecobee smart thermostat helps sense the humidity in your home. However, you may not use it to control the humidity in the house. 

Why would you need a thermostat with a humidity sensor?

The humidity in the house affects your “feel like” temperatures. If the temperatures are at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity is very high, it’ll feel much hotter. On the other hand, if the humidity is low, it’ll feel cooler than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The ecobee thermostat with a humidity sensor helps detect the humidity in your house and adjusts accordingly. Therefore, the moisture in the air doesn’t affect your ideal temperatures. 

If you want to control the humidity in the house, you may have to get a humidity controller to work with the humidity sensor. 

Although the central ecobee smart thermostat comes with a humidity sensor, you will not get the same from ecobee room sensors. 

Why Are the Temperature Readings on My ecobee Sensor wrong?  

The ecobee room sensors come with high-quality technology that offers the most accurate temperature readings. 

However, you can connect up to 32 ecobee sensors, which can affect the smart thermostat’s temperature readings. If the temperature readings from one of the ecobee room sensors are wrong, it could be due to various reasons, including:

• A battery that needs replacement

• The sensor needs recalibration

• Improper positioning of the sensor

You should also check if there is a disconnection of the sensor from your WiFi connection or the base unit, leading to incorrect readings. 

If there is a disconnect from the smart thermostat, you need to reset it. It would be best to start by removing the batteries from the sensor. You can use the following steps to reset the ecobee room sensor:

• Take off the circular cap at the back of the room sensor

• Remove the batteries from the sensor and allow it to stay untouched for about thirty seconds 

• Put the batteries back and go with the sensor close to the smart thermostat

• The ecobee smart thermostat will sense the new device and ask if you want to register it. Press “Yes,” and it will start to pair with the sensor

• When the thermostat pairs with the room sensor, you can change the label if you want

After resetting the room sensor, if you still experience wrong readings, you should go to the smart thermostat and change the temperature calibrations. Changing the calibrations is possible if you’re receiving the wrong temperature readings from all the sensors. It’ll also help if the thermostat itself is offering wrong readings. 

How do you change the calibrations on the thermostat?

• On the thermostat, select “Menu”

• Go to the “settings” and select “Installation Settings”

• Go to “thresholds”

• Choose “temperature correction”

With that, you can change the ecobee smart thermostats and room sensor’s temperature calibrations. You can change the calibrations up or down, depending on your needs. 

Additionally, it would help to place the sensor in an area with no obstructions to ensure seamless communication with the smart thermostat. 

Can You Disable the Sensor in the Smart Thermostat to Use the Room Sensors for Temperature Readings? 

Yes, you can disable the sensor on the thermostat and use the room sensors to give the temperature readings in your house. 

To disable the sensor, use the following steps:

• On the smart thermostat, go to the “Main Menu” and select “Sensors

• Remove the device from taking part in your Comfort settings

You can also use the web portal to disable the sensor:

• Open the web portal and select the “Sensors” tile 

• Remove the ecobee sensor from participating in your comfort settings

Can You Attach Your ecobee Room Sensor to a Wall?

There are various ways you can place your ecobee sensor. For instance, you can put it on a flat space or use a stand 5 feet tall. 

Alternatively, you can mount the sensor on a wall, enhancing its safety. If you place the sensor on the wall, ensure it's facing the room instead of the wall. You should also ensure you put it at about 5 feet from the ground. Ensure you try to minimize obstructions from furniture and other obstacles in the house. 

Conclusion

If you want to enhance the comfort of your home, the ecobee sensors are a perfect pick. The ecobee smart thermostat helps regulate the temperature of your home to ensure comfort. However, the thermostat has a limited range. If you have rooms upstairs or far from the device, you may not enjoy the temperature regulations. The ecobee room sensors help deal with the hot and cold spots in the house for optimal comfort. Ensure you place your room sensor in an area with fewer obstructions to ensure seamless communication with the smart thermostat.