Recently I tried to turn on the Ecobee Thermostat as usual, and there was a blank screen. It means the Ecobee Thermostat won’t turn on. I searched the internet, asked the users, and contacted Ecobee customer care.
I realized that the “ecobee won’t turn on” issue is one of the most common issues, and obviously, it is the most troublesome issue for the users. Also, there can be several ways to identify the issue, causal factors, and fixes that a user has to try.
I could fix the “ecobee won’t turn on” issue by myself, and it took lots of effort to do that.
What Does It Mean By “Ecobee Won’t Turn On”?
The most common symptoms of the issue are a blank screen / black screen, Ecobee keeps shutting after turning on, and having an irresponsive screen. If you have these issues, then the article is for you.
When “Ecobee Won’t Turn On”?
I discovered that there are 02 most common situations that could cause the Ecobee Thermostat not to turn on.
- Turning on the Ecobee device for the first time
- After using the Ecobee Thermostat
Why won’t Ecobee turn on for the first time?
I discovered the following reason that could prevent your ecobee device from turning on.
- The power wire has not connected well
- Issues in the Power Extender Kit (PEK)
- The c wire has not been connected
- Ecobee Thermostat has not been connected to the back plate properly
- Loose wiring
- The connection loose between the Thermostat and its base
- Hardware/manufacture issues
How to fix “Ecobee Won’t Turn On” Issue?
If you have the “Ecobee Won’t Turn On” issue as a new user, I recommend referring to the below fixes.
Connect The R/Rc/Rh Wire Properly
You must have connected R/Rc/Rh wire to the Rc terminal to turn on the Ecobee Thermostat. Since this is your first time, you might have missed this.
You must check if all the wires have been inserted into the terminal blocks. You can check it by giving a gentle touch to the wires.
I saw that some users had not put the Side levers down due to a lack of awareness. You must put the lever down after inserting the R/Rc/Rh wire.
Fixing The C Wire Connectivity
You must use the C wire to turn on the power. You must have connected a C wire to the thermostat C terminal. I saw that some users had not got a C Wire. In such cases, you must look for an extra wire.
Note: you must connect the C Wire to the HVAC control before connecting to the Ecobee Thermostat.
I found Ecobee users who had commented about not having a C cable. But, they had R, G, and Y wires used to install a Power Extender Kit.
I found the below article that explains “Installing your ecobee thermostat with the Power Extender Kit (no C wire).”
Connecting The Wires Of The Power Extender Kit (PEK) Properly
I observed that Ecobee users who had the below devices had happened to face the “Ecobee Won’t turn on the issue.”
Ecobee3 lite, ecobee4, or SmartThermostat with voice control
They had improperly connected the R, G, V, and W wires.
You must connect those wires according to the below guideline.
- R wire To RC terminal
- G wire To C terminal
- W wire To W1 terminal
- Y wire To PEK terminal
Also, you must connect the C wire coming from the PEK to the C terminal on the HVAC control board within the installation.
Fixing The Thermostat To The Backplate
You must make sure the Thermostat has been fixed to the backplate. The wires of the Thermostat may cause loosening issues. I found several Ecobee users who had backplate issues due to wires. You must push back the wires and see if the connectivity of the Thermostat with the backplate is stable.
There should not be any space between the Thermostat and the backplate if you have fixed it properly. When you insert the Thermostat into the backplate, you will hear a “Click noise.”
Makesure The Voltage Is Set
As the last thing to be corrected, you must check the voltage and similar issues.
- Make sure the breaker has turned on the power to the circuit. This is mostly missed by the users when setting up the Ecobee Thermostat.
- Next, You must check the voltage between the RC and C, and that should not be less than 24VAC. There can be circuit issues. You have to use a voltmeter for that.
- The reason for using a PEK is to keep a perfect circuit. If you are not using a PEK, you must check if there is any sort in the C wire. I found more than 10 Ecobee first-time users who had got short issues in the C wire.
- As the last thing, you must check if the fuse is on the actual furnace control board. If the fuse has blown, you must replace it. I saw that fuse on the actual furnace control board comes as a 3 or 5-amp fuse, and you can get a replacement from Ecobee assistance.
Note: smart thermostat with voice control requires just 24VAC to the device. When it gets enough supply, there will be a flashing green light.
Why Won’t The Used Ecobee Turn On?
I discovered the following reason that could prevent your Used Ecobee Device from turning on.
- Circuit tripping
- A blown a fuse on the furnace control board
- A high-limit temperature sensor tripping
- Issues in the display
- Issues in the touchscreen
- Power interruption to the Furnace
How to fix “Ecobee Won’t Turn On” Issue If It Worked Well Earlier?
Follow the below guidelines if your ecobee Thermostat worked well earlier and won’t turn on now.
Temporarily Bypass The Float Entirely
This is what happened to me. Although the Ecobee Thermostat won’t turn on, I saw that the green and red LEDs were working well. I knew that there was a power issue. I had to replace the change Float, and I could power up my Ecobee Thermostat for a couple of weeks using a trick.
- First, I disconnected the float wire(s)
Note: A wire went to the board, and the other went to the collection of wires feeding into the wall.
- Next, I ran the red wire to the R terminal screw on the board (It came from the brown sheathed collection)
Ecobee came back well and the HVAC system powered up as usual. More importantly, I could access the Ecobee interface again.
Note: I was instructed by Ecobee thermostat Assistance not to use this for more than 02 weeks.
Fix the voltage
I found that the voltage issues caused the ecobee blackout issue. You must check the Furnace for an issue. You must use a millimeter to check the voltage between the RC and C at the ecobee.
I found the following fixes that could fix the voltage between the RC and C at the ecobee.
Go To The Breaker Box And Turn It Back On
There can be issues in the circuit due to shorting. You may overcome any tripped furnace by turning the breakers in the breaker box.
Replace The Blown Fuses
The blown fuses might have caused the Ecobee Thermostat won’t start issue. You must look on the furnace control board for any blown fuse and then replace it.
Turn The Float Switch On
There can be water blockage in the Float switch/condensation pump/drip pan. You must remove them and turn the Float Switch back on.
Fixing The Issues In The Furnace
I discovered that the Furnace might also prevent the Ecobee Thermostat from turning on. You must address the issues in the Furnace to overcome the issue.
I found below fixes that you may have to try.
Switching the breaker switch on
The Breaker Switch on the Furnace could have been turned off. You must switch it back on to supply the power.
Turn on the tripped internal temperature sensor.
The overheating may cause a turn trip to the internal temperature sensor. If it has tripped, you must turn it back on.
Note: You must let the blower help cool itself off or reset the system before turning on the tripped internal temperature sensor.
Reset The Ecobee Thermostat
There can be issues with the touch screen or the display. If the power indicators work properly, your HVAC system works well, and the circuit is running, you have to assume there is an issue with the touch screen. You must reset the Thermostat as the first measure.
You may refer to the below article to get the instructions.
Note: You must be able to go to the ecobee interface at least once to perform these actions.
Replace The Touch Screen/Display
If the above two actions don’t work, you must replace the display of the ecobee Thermostat.
Update the device
I found a few users who had been able to turn their ecobee devices back on after establishing the WiFi connectivity. The secret is the widget gets updated when internet connectivity is available.
You must make sure,
- Your Ecobee Thermostat has been connected to the WiFi
- Your WiFi has access to the internet
Conclusion
I hope you must have fixed or figured out that the Ecobee Won’t turn on the issue by now. If it is still there, contact Ecobee customer assistance.
