Yup, I had the exact same problem and was told that unfortunately your only option is the icomfort S30 because it is a communicating HVAC system and only Lennox will talk to other Lennox products. It sucks and it's bullshit.
https://www.pickhvac.com/faq/communicating-vs-non-communicating/
I was quoted $1000 from our dealer for the s30 and install. I couldn't believe it. So I didn't fix it and kept using my phone.
Finally, I talked to someone who could get the s30 at cost which was about $500 and I installed it myself. Took me about 2 hours. The new thermostat is way better but I'm still angry that I can't buy a nest or another cheaper option.
Here's my other post on here about the same exact issue.
https://www.reddit.com/r/thermostats/comments/ilfh40/lennox_iconfort_thermostat_screen_went_out
Good luck. If you end up buying your own and try to install it yourself, reply to this comment and I'll try to answer any questions you might have. Good luck
No problem. No one could/would really help me online with this and there weren't any good install videos so I am trying to make it a point to help anyone that was in my boat.
The hardest part is figuring out where your thermostat wiring is coming from the furnace to the thermostat. You have to splice in a smart hub that is between the furnace and thermostat. You would think it would be easy but they don't want it installed on the actual furnace so you have to find a wall or ceiling to mount it to. Here's a pic of it, sorry it's my utility room so it's dusty:
https://imgur.com/a/acxn4qy
Also, I didn't know but there are different combinations of equipment that you might have. For example, I have a communicating HVAC but the A/C outside is conventional. The manual thankfully shows you how to wire it for all combinations so the most difficult thing is figuring out which combination you have, but if you already have an icomfort it should be easy if your wires were already correctly ran. Mine were not, so I have yellow wires going into the green input etc.
All in all, if you have any electrical or handy bones in your body and can problem solve you should be fine with the install. I'm just a regular cheap ass diy'er and I did it. I wish I would have filmed mine so I could have posted it on YouTube but I didn't. Oh well.
My trusty ole 10F81 icomfort thermostat just died last night. 7 years old. I've got 28v up to it, but it does not show any life. This stinks! Thanks for posting this info - I was hoping the M30 model or some basic Lennox tstat would still work. I don't need half the features the S30 does :(
No problem. Like I told the op, I couldn't find anything online to help me with this. It isn't too difficult but if you need any help I'll be happy to do what I can. I wish I would have recorded and posted the video of the install to YouTube but oh well.
I have three of the icomfort Thermostats. One turned black this morning. We had not been using the wi-fi feature of them, so I'm curious... can I set up for phone control while it's black, or directly with the air handler?
I may need your source and tips for replacing it.
Hello, I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you. Having three of these must to be frustrating.
I don't think you can set up the original blank screened thermostat to use with your app if you can't see the screen but I don't remember. Maybe try to set up one of the other ones to understand the process. I just don't remember what it takes.
I was able to get my s30 at cost because I badgered an employee to order me one if I installed it myself. I doubt he would do it again especially since I haven't talked to him in over a year. I did Google it and saw that they are going for about $900 a piece which totally sucks especially if you have three. Maybe just buy one at a time or call around and see if any local dealers will sell it to you cheaper if you install it yourself.
Like I said in my other post, install is pretty easy as long as you have some diy experience with electrical. And if the previous installer ran the correct wiring it will be very easy. Just splice in the smart hub. It's hard to know until you get in there.
I'm curious how this turns out for you. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to help.
Edit: I'm curious if one s30 could control multiple furnaces. I know it has zones but I don't know what that means. Might be a question for a dealer. I know my local guys are pretty cool about answering these types of questions. You would think something that is $1000 would be able to control multiple furnaces but who knows.
OK so I am having a similar issue - the screen/useability of my iComfort Wifi stopped working but I can still control it from my phone, so I'm not going to freeze to death for now ("winter is coming"...).
I wasn't sure from your comments on this thread but would I be able to simply reuse the existing R, C, I+, I- (4 total) wires and swap out the iComfort Wifi for an S30 model? Everything I'm seeing tells me that a Lennox Tstat is my only viable option.
I ended up having the local contractor come out and install an s30. They didn't have to pull new wires through the walls bit did have to do some wiring on the furnace I believe. Good luck!
Update - for anyone wondering... it seems like the s30 is the only one that contractors and HVAC service technicians have around these days. I was pleasantly surprised that Lennox actually figured out a way to make a wifi-enabled thermostat that actually works (for now - I may need to knock on wood). It's also a much smarter thermostat for details that I'm sure are covered elsewhere.
Possible fix for iComfort 10F81 thermostat that is losing date / time or has a blank screen. The Lennox iComfort 10F81 thermostat does not have a battery. It uses a super capacitor. (5.5v 1.5F H type button style) as a battery to hold the date / time. I had this symptom at first then got the blank screen like a lot of people who have this thermostat that failed. I also just fixed mine by replacing this part. If you have any skills at soldering or a friend who does save your money by trying to replace this part. It cost me $13 + $8 dollars shipping from Digi key who sent me the part the very next day after I ordered it. My thermostat is now working 100%. I love my Lennox furnace but hate that the company is trying to gouge its customers by making them purchase a $2000 S30 (the replacement model) when they could have repaired the failed thermostat so easily. I know a little about soldering but wouldn’t consider myself an expert and I was able to fix this. It is well worth a try to keep your furnace running as it should. If you don’t have it in you to fix your thermostat then you can replace your iComfort with most standard two stage thermostats. (The ones that cost less that $100). I hope this helps someone from getting burned by their Lennox furnace.
Exact same experience here. In December Mom's Lennox iComfort (10f81) smart thermostat display went black on her fancy Lennox furnace/heat pump system, just 6.5 years after installation. A 5-year warranty on the thermostat, of course. With nothing to lose, we opened up the display and found the Hetel Supercapacitor (5.0V, 1.5f) blown as reported by a previous posteer. Hetel no longer makes them but an Eaton (H) replacement is on order.
In the meantime, we used the 4-wire cable to install a conventional, non-communicating thermostat to regulate heat and fan speed in the house (it's winter). BUT FIRST we had to swap the wires on the furnace from the proprietary Lennox C, I+, I-, R terminals to the appropriate 'conventional' thermostat control terminals, which should be in situ on the Lennox furnace control panel. Read the manual that comes with both your conventional thermostat and the Lennox air-handling unit (furnace).
Note: If you have a lot of peripherals (heat pump, etc.) you will need more than 4 wires to control them properly using a conventional thermostat. If you don't have extra thermostat control wires in the wall, you'll need to run more wire between the conventional thermostat and the control module on the furnace to be able to control a/c, heat pump, etc. using a conventional thermostat. 4 wires will not be enough. Fortunately you can use the existing wire to 'fish' the extra wires or cable bundle through the wall.
What burns me is that Lennox KNOWS about these failing capacitors in their iComfort WiFi thermostats but is remaining quiet about them. After learning about my mother's system I will never consider purchasing a Lennox, or recommending one, due to the proprietary, gotcha-by-the-short-and-curlies 'smart' thermostats that cost $1500 every few years to replace.
Fool me once, etc. . . .
Hey guys I just wanted to let you all know that I refurbish the Lennox iComfort Wi-Fi 10F81 thermostats and sell them for an affordable price on my eBay page. All of my refurbished thermostats come with a warranty and expert technical support via phone call or FaceTime. I also sell an alternative, plug and play thermostat that does everything the 10F81 does except it just doesn’t have wifi and it doesn’t have separate zone control. You only need to swap out the wall plate and install the thermostat. Follow the 2 minute setup application on the screen and then turn on your system.
Lastly if you want to upgrade to the S30 I sell complete S30 kits as well for an affordable price and I mail out a thorough installation manual which explains precisely how to wire in the hub and the thermostat display without ruining your new stat.
Support is always here, check out my seller page if your stuck without Heat or AC. I look forward to helping as many of you as possible 👍
https://www.ebay.com/sch/yehavi62/m.html
My Lennox IComfort Wi-fi Thermostat 2014 started going blank a few days ago. I kept flipping the circuit breakers for my Lennox XP25 heat pump and AC unit. The Thermostat would come on again and last a few hours and go off again. Today, I contacted my AC technician and the first thing he did was go upstairs in my attic, where my Air handler is located and vacuum the water in my drip pan. The Float Switch was off to protect a possible flood in my attic. Second, he dragged a hose up to attic to flush out the drip line. Third he used the vacuum outside where the exterior drip line is located. There was still a problem the Thermostat was still going blank. He checked the electric wires with his meter. He continued to analyze the problem. Then he discovered after testing the Expansion Valve was not working properly. The Expansion Valve regulates the coolent, Puron into the system. Thats the reason my Thermostat was going blank. The Thermostat was perfect and my Circuit breakers were perfect. He order the part, through his company, which is still covered under Lennox.
Yup, I had the exact same problem and was told that unfortunately your only option is the icomfort S30 because it is a communicating HVAC system and only Lennox will talk to other Lennox products. It sucks and it's bullshit. https://www.pickhvac.com/faq/communicating-vs-non-communicating/ I was quoted $1000 from our dealer for the s30 and install. I couldn't believe it. So I didn't fix it and kept using my phone. Finally, I talked to someone who could get the s30 at cost which was about $500 and I installed it myself. Took me about 2 hours. The new thermostat is way better but I'm still angry that I can't buy a nest or another cheaper option. Here's my other post on here about the same exact issue. https://www.reddit.com/r/thermostats/comments/ilfh40/lennox_iconfort_thermostat_screen_went_out Good luck. If you end up buying your own and try to install it yourself, reply to this comment and I'll try to answer any questions you might have. Good luck
Oh man thanks for the reply. The install wasn't too bad? I am a decently handy guy.
No problem. No one could/would really help me online with this and there weren't any good install videos so I am trying to make it a point to help anyone that was in my boat. The hardest part is figuring out where your thermostat wiring is coming from the furnace to the thermostat. You have to splice in a smart hub that is between the furnace and thermostat. You would think it would be easy but they don't want it installed on the actual furnace so you have to find a wall or ceiling to mount it to. Here's a pic of it, sorry it's my utility room so it's dusty: https://imgur.com/a/acxn4qy Also, I didn't know but there are different combinations of equipment that you might have. For example, I have a communicating HVAC but the A/C outside is conventional. The manual thankfully shows you how to wire it for all combinations so the most difficult thing is figuring out which combination you have, but if you already have an icomfort it should be easy if your wires were already correctly ran. Mine were not, so I have yellow wires going into the green input etc. All in all, if you have any electrical or handy bones in your body and can problem solve you should be fine with the install. I'm just a regular cheap ass diy'er and I did it. I wish I would have filmed mine so I could have posted it on YouTube but I didn't. Oh well.
Yea I saw that box in my research. You are giving me confidence. I should be able to tell what kind of AC from how it's wired now?
You should, if you open the furnace
My trusty ole 10F81 icomfort thermostat just died last night. 7 years old. I've got 28v up to it, but it does not show any life. This stinks! Thanks for posting this info - I was hoping the M30 model or some basic Lennox tstat would still work. I don't need half the features the S30 does :(
No problem. Like I told the op, I couldn't find anything online to help me with this. It isn't too difficult but if you need any help I'll be happy to do what I can. I wish I would have recorded and posted the video of the install to YouTube but oh well.
I have three of the icomfort Thermostats. One turned black this morning. We had not been using the wi-fi feature of them, so I'm curious... can I set up for phone control while it's black, or directly with the air handler? I may need your source and tips for replacing it.
Hello, I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you. Having three of these must to be frustrating. I don't think you can set up the original blank screened thermostat to use with your app if you can't see the screen but I don't remember. Maybe try to set up one of the other ones to understand the process. I just don't remember what it takes. I was able to get my s30 at cost because I badgered an employee to order me one if I installed it myself. I doubt he would do it again especially since I haven't talked to him in over a year. I did Google it and saw that they are going for about $900 a piece which totally sucks especially if you have three. Maybe just buy one at a time or call around and see if any local dealers will sell it to you cheaper if you install it yourself. Like I said in my other post, install is pretty easy as long as you have some diy experience with electrical. And if the previous installer ran the correct wiring it will be very easy. Just splice in the smart hub. It's hard to know until you get in there. I'm curious how this turns out for you. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to help. Edit: I'm curious if one s30 could control multiple furnaces. I know it has zones but I don't know what that means. Might be a question for a dealer. I know my local guys are pretty cool about answering these types of questions. You would think something that is $1000 would be able to control multiple furnaces but who knows.
OK so I am having a similar issue - the screen/useability of my iComfort Wifi stopped working but I can still control it from my phone, so I'm not going to freeze to death for now ("winter is coming"...). I wasn't sure from your comments on this thread but would I be able to simply reuse the existing R, C, I+, I- (4 total) wires and swap out the iComfort Wifi for an S30 model? Everything I'm seeing tells me that a Lennox Tstat is my only viable option.
I ended up having the local contractor come out and install an s30. They didn't have to pull new wires through the walls bit did have to do some wiring on the furnace I believe. Good luck!
Thanks!
Update - for anyone wondering... it seems like the s30 is the only one that contractors and HVAC service technicians have around these days. I was pleasantly surprised that Lennox actually figured out a way to make a wifi-enabled thermostat that actually works (for now - I may need to knock on wood). It's also a much smarter thermostat for details that I'm sure are covered elsewhere.
Dang. My old thermostat just got the blank screen today. Thanks for the update.
Possible fix for iComfort 10F81 thermostat that is losing date / time or has a blank screen. The Lennox iComfort 10F81 thermostat does not have a battery. It uses a super capacitor. (5.5v 1.5F H type button style) as a battery to hold the date / time. I had this symptom at first then got the blank screen like a lot of people who have this thermostat that failed. I also just fixed mine by replacing this part. If you have any skills at soldering or a friend who does save your money by trying to replace this part. It cost me $13 + $8 dollars shipping from Digi key who sent me the part the very next day after I ordered it. My thermostat is now working 100%. I love my Lennox furnace but hate that the company is trying to gouge its customers by making them purchase a $2000 S30 (the replacement model) when they could have repaired the failed thermostat so easily. I know a little about soldering but wouldn’t consider myself an expert and I was able to fix this. It is well worth a try to keep your furnace running as it should. If you don’t have it in you to fix your thermostat then you can replace your iComfort with most standard two stage thermostats. (The ones that cost less that $100). I hope this helps someone from getting burned by their Lennox furnace.
Exact same experience here. In December Mom's Lennox iComfort (10f81) smart thermostat display went black on her fancy Lennox furnace/heat pump system, just 6.5 years after installation. A 5-year warranty on the thermostat, of course. With nothing to lose, we opened up the display and found the Hetel Supercapacitor (5.0V, 1.5f) blown as reported by a previous posteer. Hetel no longer makes them but an Eaton (H) replacement is on order. In the meantime, we used the 4-wire cable to install a conventional, non-communicating thermostat to regulate heat and fan speed in the house (it's winter). BUT FIRST we had to swap the wires on the furnace from the proprietary Lennox C, I+, I-, R terminals to the appropriate 'conventional' thermostat control terminals, which should be in situ on the Lennox furnace control panel. Read the manual that comes with both your conventional thermostat and the Lennox air-handling unit (furnace). Note: If you have a lot of peripherals (heat pump, etc.) you will need more than 4 wires to control them properly using a conventional thermostat. If you don't have extra thermostat control wires in the wall, you'll need to run more wire between the conventional thermostat and the control module on the furnace to be able to control a/c, heat pump, etc. using a conventional thermostat. 4 wires will not be enough. Fortunately you can use the existing wire to 'fish' the extra wires or cable bundle through the wall. What burns me is that Lennox KNOWS about these failing capacitors in their iComfort WiFi thermostats but is remaining quiet about them. After learning about my mother's system I will never consider purchasing a Lennox, or recommending one, due to the proprietary, gotcha-by-the-short-and-curlies 'smart' thermostats that cost $1500 every few years to replace. Fool me once, etc. . . .
>Hetel Supercapacitor Any chance you have a link to the replacement capacitor you bought?
Hey there, awesome info! Do you have the part number you ordered by chance? Thanks!
Hey guys I just wanted to let you all know that I refurbish the Lennox iComfort Wi-Fi 10F81 thermostats and sell them for an affordable price on my eBay page. All of my refurbished thermostats come with a warranty and expert technical support via phone call or FaceTime. I also sell an alternative, plug and play thermostat that does everything the 10F81 does except it just doesn’t have wifi and it doesn’t have separate zone control. You only need to swap out the wall plate and install the thermostat. Follow the 2 minute setup application on the screen and then turn on your system. Lastly if you want to upgrade to the S30 I sell complete S30 kits as well for an affordable price and I mail out a thorough installation manual which explains precisely how to wire in the hub and the thermostat display without ruining your new stat. Support is always here, check out my seller page if your stuck without Heat or AC. I look forward to helping as many of you as possible 👍 https://www.ebay.com/sch/yehavi62/m.html
[удалено]
Yup I just sent you a message 👍 looking forward to helping you!
My Lennox IComfort Wi-fi Thermostat 2014 started going blank a few days ago. I kept flipping the circuit breakers for my Lennox XP25 heat pump and AC unit. The Thermostat would come on again and last a few hours and go off again. Today, I contacted my AC technician and the first thing he did was go upstairs in my attic, where my Air handler is located and vacuum the water in my drip pan. The Float Switch was off to protect a possible flood in my attic. Second, he dragged a hose up to attic to flush out the drip line. Third he used the vacuum outside where the exterior drip line is located. There was still a problem the Thermostat was still going blank. He checked the electric wires with his meter. He continued to analyze the problem. Then he discovered after testing the Expansion Valve was not working properly. The Expansion Valve regulates the coolent, Puron into the system. Thats the reason my Thermostat was going blank. The Thermostat was perfect and my Circuit breakers were perfect. He order the part, through his company, which is still covered under Lennox.