Wire My Thermostatecobee Smart Thermostat Premium wiring for rh + rc dual transformer
This setup is possible with the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, but a professional install is recommended.
Wires on both Rh and Rc (not a short jumper between them) mean separate heating and cooling transformers, common with a boiler plus a separate AC air handler. Bridging them can destroy equipment.
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 Premium
Pro install recommended| Wire | Color | Job | Connect to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH | red | Heating power | Rh | |
| W | white | Heat, stage 1 | W1 | |
| RC | black | Cooling power | Rc | |
| Y | yellow | Cooling, stage 1 | Y1 | |
| G | green | Fan | G |
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.
- Connect each wire to the ecobee Premium terminal shown above. Cap unused wires one at a time.
- Restore power and finish setup in the app.
- Test heat, cool and fan. If a breaker trips or equipment runs nonstop, power off and call a pro.
What you need
- ecobee Smart Thermostat PremiumThe thermostat itselfCheck price
- 18/5 thermostat wireAdds a C wireCheck 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 Premium?
RH → Rh; W → W1; RC → Rc; Y → Y1; G → G.
Do I need a C wire for the ecobee Premium?
Dual transformer with no C wire: C-wire adapter kits assume one transformer. Have a pro confirm which transformer the thermostat should draw power from, or run new 18/5 cable.