Does anyone use a "mobile hotspot" and a Smart Thermostat together?

[Runs With Scissors]

Put a UPS on the hot spot, it will keep running a hot spot for quite a long time without power, and you get the added benefit that it buffers all incoming power.

Winner, Winner...Chicken dinner!!!!!!

Excellent suggestion sir.

Embarrassingly, I had to look up what a "UPS" is though....BTW its not this guy......hahaha

The UPS seems to cover all the bases....Its relatively cheap, no monthly subscriptions, and reliable.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas/suggestion's!!!!!!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

It's helped me once already when the flame sensor failed while I was away.

Yes, this is exactly the type of situation I am talking about.

My home flame sensor has let me down 2 or 3 times in the past 20+ years. So although it's infrequent, sh!t happens.

 

[mikester]

Draining the pipes is probably not going to happen, but we do currently shut the breaker off for the well pump when we leave.






The one I have at home does not "require" an internet connection to work the furnace and air. The Wi-fi is more of a convenience thing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NB1OB0I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1




I suppose the only real "thing" I have reservations about is when the power goes out and then comes back on, will my "hotspot" auto-magically link back up with the thermostat?

As I type this, I am thinking that it will be easy/cheap to test.

Just hook everything up and throw the Main breaker to simulate a power outage and then turn it back on and see what happens.

The only thing I am 'risking' is a 30 dollar Wi-Fi card at that point, cause the T'stat is returnable for 30 days and I already own the "hot spot" base.

If you don't need faster than LTE internet these guys have cost effective and decent router/access points that give your cellular data as primary or failover. They run OpenWRT OS.

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If you look around they even have a battery backup portable hot spot as well.

 

[johnjk]

Most of consumer based UPS have a 12v sealed lead acid battery. Depending on your draw, age of the battery, ambient temperature you may get a couple hours out of it. I have one of the APC units that powers only my Starlink. The last time we lost power, it lasted just over an hour. If it is critical, you may want to look at one of those solar to battery backups. Larger but at the load of a hotspot you could run for days. Now without power, running your furnace may require more capacity. Check out GP Outdoors on YouTube. He has something similar at his cottage

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Most of consumer based UPS have a 12v sealed lead acid battery. Depending on your draw, age of the battery, ambient temperature you may get a couple hours out of it. I have one of the APC units that powers only my Starlink. The last time we lost power, it lasted just over an hour. If it is critical, you may want to look at one of those solar to battery backups. Larger but at the load of a hotspot you could run for days. Now without power, running your furnace may require more capacity. Check out GP Outdoors on YouTube. He has something similar at his cottage

I can run my Starlink, Switch, Mesh network and NVR for 4 hours off my UPS.
When you lost power was it winter?
The heater function will eat a lot of power, so if it goes off in winter shut of the heater for a longer life.

 

[johnjk]

I can run my Starlink, Switch, Mesh network and NVR for 4 hours off my UPS.
When you lost power was it winter?
The heater function will eat a lot of power, so if it goes off in winter shut of the heater for a longer life.

No it was in August. Battery in UPS is a couple years old and it is a small home office unit. I had it for my computer, router and other stuff. Would give me at least 1.5hrs when new. Non issue these days with whole house generator. Just has to last the 10 seconds between drop and generator coming online. Probably less time now on that ups since Starlink is heating the dish these days to melt snow.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Most of consumer based UPS have a 12v sealed lead acid battery. Depending on your draw, age of the battery, ambient temperature you may get a couple hours out of it. I have one of the APC units that powers only my Starlink. The last time we lost power, it lasted just over an hour. If it is critical, you may want to look at one of those solar to battery backups. Larger but at the load of a hotspot you could run for days. Now without power, running your furnace may require more capacity. Check out GP Outdoors on YouTube. He has something similar at his cottage

I think y'all have much more sophisticated systems than I require.

I am primarily/only concerned with the hot spot, so I can monitor the house's temp.

If it ever drops below 50, I should get an alert from the T'stat.

If that happens, I will jump in the truck and "head north" to fire up the wood stove and investigate the problem.

I am not running anything else, so I am pretty sure this 510 watt UPS will power the hotspot for much longer than I should ever need it to.