TrickleStar Optimizing Energy TS2104 User manual

Installation Guide
TS2104 C-Wire Adapter

2
Table of Contents
1 Welcome 3
2 Preparation 4
- What is in the box? 4
- Precautionary measures 5
- With or without C-Wire? 6
3 Installation Without a C-Wire 7
- Step 1: Check if there are 3 or 4 wires 8
- Step 2: Prepare the necessary tools 10
- Step 3: Open your HVAC system's cover 11
- Step 4: Label the wires 12
- Step 5: Disconnect the wires from the HVAC control board 13
- Step 6: Connect the wires from the C-Wire Adapter to the HVAC control board 14
- Step 7: Connect the disconnected wires from the HVAC control board 15
to the C-Wire Adapter
- Step 8: Mount the C-Wire Adapter inside your HVAC system 16
- Step 9: Disconnect and label old thermostat wires 17
- Step 10: Unscrew old Mounting Plate 18
- Step 11: Replace with new Thermostat Mounting Plate 19
- Step 12: If the Trim Plate is used (Optional) 20
- Step 13: Pull the labeled wires through the hole of the Mounting Plate 21
- Step 14: Attach the Mounting Plate on the wall 22
- Step 15: Connect the wires 23
- Step 16: Set the jumpers on the back of your Thermostat 24
- Step 17: Attach the Thermostat onto its Mounting Plate until it clicks 25
- Step 18: Turn on the power 26
- Installation done! 27
4 Wiring Diagrams 28
- C-Wire Adapter wiring 28
5 Troubleshooting 29

3
Welcome!
Thank you for choosing the TrickleStar®TS2104 C-Wire Adapter™.
The TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter is an optional accessory for the Tricklestar Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat.
The common wire (C-wire) is used to provide a return path to power your thermostat. If your HVAC
system has a C-wire, you can directly connect the TrickleStar Thermostat to the 24 V AC power source
and you do not need to install the C-Wire Adapter. If your HVAC system does not have a C-wire, it will
not power your TrickleStar Thermostat. In this case, you need to install the TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter.
If you have any inquiries about TrickleStar products or need technical support, visit our website for
tutorials, videos and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). You can also contact us by email or phone.
Instruction Videos
If you want to see the Installation Instructions
as videos, visit our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TrickleStarUS/
Website: www.tricklestar.com
Email: [e-mail]
Toll Free: 1-888-700-1098

4
Fig 4-A
Preparation
What is in the box?
C-Wire Adapter
Wire Labels QR code sheet
Screws (2 pcs.)
Drywall plugs (2 pcs.)

5
Fig 5-A
Precautionary measures
OFF
OFF
Hint: Your system should not make any noise and you should not feel any air
exiting your vents when the power is OFF.
•
Read all instructions carefully before starting the installation.
•
Before installing the C-Wire Adapter, be sure to turn off the power for your HVAC system either at the
Circuit Breaker Box or at the Main Switch.
•
Leave the power OFF until you have finished the installation.

6
With or without C-Wire?
The
TrickleStar Thermostat supports installation for both with and without C-Wire, but the installation is
a little dif
ferent.
Do you have a C-Wire connected to your old thermostat? Check the wires connected to the terminals
on the base of your old thermostat.
• If a wire is connected to the “C” terminal, then your system has a C-Wire to power your new
TrickleStar Thermostat.
• If there is no wire connected to the “C” terminal, then you need to install a C-Wire Adapter to
power your new TrickleStar Thermostat.
RcRHGYWCRcRHGYW
X
Note: Make sure that the C-Wire at your old thermostat is directly connected to the HVAC
Control Board.
Fig 6-A

7
Installation Without a C-Wire
If your system does not have a C-Wire, it will not power your new
TrickleStar Thermostat. You need the
Tr
ickleStar C-Wire Adapter (sold separately as an accessory). For more information on the TS2104
C-Wire
Adapter, visit our website at: www.tricklestar.com
Fig 7-A

8
Step 1: Check if there are 3 or 4 wires
The
TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter requires your system to have either three or four wires:
R
c
R
H
GY WC R
c
R
H
GY WC
3 wires
W/W1/E, G, and R (or RC or
RH)
3 wires
Y/Y1, G, and R (or Rc or RH)
Fig 8-A

9
YesContinue to the next page
Email or call our technical support:
Email: [e-mail]
Toll Free: 1-888-700-1098
No
RcRHGY WC
4 wires
W/W1/E, Y/Y1, G, and R (or Rc or RH)
Fig 9-A

10
Note:
The HVAC system is usually located at the basement or the attic.
Step 2: Prepare the necessary tools
Bring along your
TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter
, wire labels, Phillips screwdriver and your mobile device with
Wi-Fi connection to your HV
AC system.
TrickleStar C-Wire
Adapter
Wire Labels Phillips screwdriver
HVAC System
RR
Rc Rc
RHRH
GG
Y/
Y1
Y/
Y1
Label the wires at your control board.
W/
W1
W/
W1
Tablet
or or
Laptop Smartphone
Fig 10-A

11
Step 3: Open your HVAC system’s cover
Open your HV
AC system’s cover to reveal the control board.
We
recommend that you take a photo of the wires connected to the HVAC control board. You may need
to refer to this photo at a later stage.
Y
W
G
C
R
HVAC control board
Note:
The HVAC system contains high voltage circuitry and wires. Before you open your HVAC
system’s cover, be sure to check that you have turned off the power for your HVAC system.
Fig 11-A

12
Step 4: Label the wires
•
Label only the R, Y/Y1, G, and W/W1 wires with the matching wire labels provided.
•
If you have more than one wire going into these terminals, label only those wires going to your
t
hermostat.
Note:
If you have wires connected to both RC and RH terminals at the HVAC control board, you
may have a two-transformer system. Contact our technical support to help you with the
installation:
Email: [e-mail]
Toll Free: 1-888-700-1098
Y
W
G
C
R
HVAC control board
Wires going to your
thermostat
Fig 12-A

13
Disconnect the wires labeled R,
Y/Y1, G, and W/W1 from the HVAC control board.
Step 5: Disconnect the wires from the HVAC control board
Y
W
G
C
R
HVAC control board
Fig 13-A

14
Step 6: Connect the wires from the C-Wire Adapter to the HVAC control board
Connect the five white wires from your
TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter to their corresponding terminals on
the HV
AC control board.
Note:
Pull the wires gently to ensure that they are connected securely.
Y
W
G
C
R
HVAC control board
TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter
R
C
G
W
Y
Fig 14-A

15
Step 7: Connect the disconnected wires from the HVAC control board to the
C-Wire
Adapter
RGYW
Wires from
thermostat
Y
W
G
C
R
HVAC control board
TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter
Connect the wires you disconnected from the HV
AC control board in Step 5 to their corresponding
terminals on the
TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter.
Fig 15-A

16
Step 8: Mount the C-Wire Adapter inside your HVAC system
• Mount the TrickleStar C-Wire Adapter inside your HVAC system. Be sure not to strain the
wires.
• Close your HVAC system’s cover securely.
• You can now return to your thermostat.
Note: Make sure your HVAC system’s cover is fully closed. Some HVAC systems will not turn
on if the cover has not been closed properly.
Fig 16-A

17
Step 9: Disconnect and label old thermostat wires
Disconnect and label the wires from your old thermostat carefully, one wire at a time, using the wire
labels provided. If you have connected the C-Wire Adapter, label the wire connected to the G terminal
with the GK wire label and label the wire connected to the Y/Y1 terminal with the YK wire label.
Make sure the wires do not fall back into the wall when released from the terminals and that the labels
are fastened to the wires securely.
RcRHGY WC
Jumper wire
Note: If the terminals on your old thermostat has a jumper wire between RH, RC or R, remove
the jumper wire. Your new TrickleStar Thermostat does not need this jumper wire.
Fig 17-A

18
Step 10: Unscrew old Mounting Plate
Unscrew the Mounting Plate of your old thermostat to remove it from the wall. When you remove the
Mounting Plate, be sure not to tear of
f the labels on the wires.
Fig 18-A

19
Step 11: Replace with new Thermostat Mounting Plate
Step 4: Replace with new Thermostat Mounting Plate
Decide if you want to mount the
TrickleStar Thermostat directly to the wall or you want to use the Trim
Plate.
The Trim Plate helps you to hide marks or holes left on the wall by your old thermostat.
Trim PlateMounting Plate
OR
Rc
RH
G
Y1
Y2
W1
W2
O/B
GK/
C
ACC-
ACC+
YK
Fig 19-A

20
Step 12: If the Trim Plate is used (Optional)
Step 5: If the Trim Plate is used (Optional)
If you use the
Trim Plate, align the mounting holes on the Trim Plate and Mounting Plate, then press
them together into place.
UP
UP
UP
UP
UP
UP
Fig 20-B
Fig 20-A