Wire My Thermostatecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced wiring for heat pump, no c wire
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced works with this setup, but you’ll need an adapter or extra wire (details below).
A heat pump with R, Y, G, O/B and AUX has a reversing valve and backup electric heat but no C wire. Heat pumps are exactly where smart thermostats get picky about power.
1Snap a photo of your old thermostat’s wires (optional)
AI reads the terminal letters and wire colors, then you double-check them. Photos are not saved.
2Tick every terminal that has a wire
Pull the faceplate off your old thermostat. Use the letter printed next to each wire, not its color. Skip short jumper wires between two terminals.
More labels (W3, X, X2, K, PEK, L, S, T, U, HUM, DEHUM)
3A few quick questions
4Your wiring
Which smart thermostats work with your wires?
ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced
Works with an adapter| Wire | Color | Job | Connect to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | red | 24 V power | Rc | |
| Y | yellow | Cooling, stage 1 | PEK | Adapter carries cooling + fan on this wire |
| G | green | Fan | C | Moves to C with the adapter |
| O/B | orange | Reversing valve (O/B) | O/B | |
| AUX | white | Auxiliary heat | W1 |
Install steps
- Turn off power to the furnace/air handler (switch or breaker) and the AC condenser. Confirm the old thermostat is dead.
- Photograph the old wiring, then label each wire with the letter it came off. Ignore short jumpers.
- Install the adapter at your furnace or air handler following its instructions, with power still off.
- Connect each wire to the ecobee Enhanced terminal shown above. Cap unused wires one at a time.
- Restore power and finish setup in the app using the settings below.
- Test heat, cool and fan. If a breaker trips or equipment runs nonstop, power off and call a pro.
App settings to choose
- Reversing valve (O/B): set to O or B (O for most brands; B for Rheem, Ruud and some others).
- Equipment type: heat pump with auxiliary (electric strip) heat.
What you need
- ecobee Smart Thermostat EnhancedThe thermostat itselfCheck price
- ecobee Power Extender Kit (spare)Included in the box; buy only if yours is missingCheck price
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Confirm against the official ecobee install guide. The app also checks your wiring during setup.
Frequently asked questions
Where does each wire go on the ecobee Enhanced?
R → Rc; Y → PEK; G → C; O/B → O/B; AUX → W1.
Do I need a C wire for the ecobee Enhanced?
No C wire: use the Power Extender Kit that comes in the box. It installs at your furnace/air handler.