The Ecobee smart sensor is another home automation device you can get. This sensor is handy as it helps regulate your room temperature. It also allows you to balance your room’s hot and cold spots. With a simple voice command, you can confirm who is in your room with thermal visibility and much more.
However, as great as this device is, you might have one or two problems when using it. One problem you might have when using this device is the problem of your Ecobee sensor being unavailable. Many people often complain about this problem. We will discuss why your Ecobee sensor is unavailable and the possible solutions to the causes below.
Reasons Why Ecobee Sensor Is Unavailable?
There are different reasons why your Ecobee sensor keeps being unavailable. Here is a list of possible reasons below.
1. Low Battery
One of the reasons your Ecobee sensor is unavailable is because of a low battery. Many people complained about this problem and later discovered it was due to the Ecobee battery being down or flat.
You must know that the Ecobee sensor batteries last 18 to 24 months, depending on the usage. The battery might go low much faster if you use the sensor more often. Once the battery begins to go down, it begins to affect the ability of your Ecobee to work well. This results in your Ecobee sensor being unavailable whenever you try to use it.
2. Hardware or Internal Glitch
Like every other electronics or automated home device, there can be a hardware or internal glitch when you try to turn the sensor on. This glitch often leads to your battery is unavailable. You must know that this glitch or fault can be an internal problem.
Apart from a bad glitch, a bad start, connection, or pairing can also make your Ecobee sensor unavailable.
3. Outdated Firmware
While this might not be a popular reason, you must know that this can still make your Ecobee sensor not work in your home. If you are running the Ecobee devices on outdated firmware, there is a good chance it will not work.
More often than not, Ecobee releases updates for their devices. If devices such as the thermostat or the sensors are not connected to wifi, the device will not automatically update whenever there is an update. Once the current firmware becomes outdated, the sensor will become unavailable on the app.
4. Distance
The distance of your sensor to your Ecobee is another reason why your Ecobee sensor might not work as you would like. If the distance of the sensor from your Ecobee is too much, your sensor will display as unavailable on the app.
The distance of your sensor to your Ecobee shouldn’t be more than 45 feet apart. The moment they are more, your sensor will not connect or display on the app. You should also know that if the sensor is too high up the wall, it will be hard to be available on the app.
5. Interference
One thing you must know about home automation devices like these is that they operate on a specific frequency. If any other home appliances are running on the same frequency, it may affect the ability of your devices to work well.
The smart sensor is no different. Usually, the Ecobee smart sensors operate on the 915MHz frequency. If there are other devices, such as cordless phones, baby monitors, or even radios, your Ecobee sensor will be unavailable whenever you try to access it on your phone.
Possible Solutions to Ecobee Sensor being Unavailable
You can do different things to solve the problem of the unavailable Ecobee sensor. Here are some of the solutions below.
1. Check and Replace the Batteries
This is the first thing you must do once you notice that your Ecobee sensors are unavailable. If you have been using the sensors for a while, you should open the sensors to check and replace the batteries.
Doing this is easy. Simply use a sharp object to flip open the back or cover of the smart sensors. Once you do this, use the same sharp object to flip over the battery. Replace the old battery with a new battery and put the back cover on the sensor.
You can get new batteries from any Panasonic store new you. You can also order them online or contact Ecobee support and request a new battery.
2. Do a simple reboot
Once you confirm that it isn’t a battery problem, you can safely assume that it could be a hardware or internal glitch. Sometimes, a bad start can also be responsible for your unavailable Ecobee smart sensor.
All these things can be easily fixed with a simple restart or a power cycle. The steps to power cycle your Ecobee sensor are similar to those discussed above for changing your batteries. Simply remove the batteries and allow the device to be off for around 2 minutes. Insert the batteries back and turn the sensors on. They should begin to work perfectly.
3. Update the Firmware
If your sensor is unavailable due to outdated firmware, you should connect your devices to Wi-Fi. The thermostat and other appliances should automatically update once connected to Wi-Fi.
However, if the update isn’t automatic, you can contact Ecobee support and inform them that you want to update the firmware for your Ecobee sensor. Once you do this and provide the necessary credentials, your sensor should be updated in no time.
4. Shorten the Distance between the Room Sensor and the Ecobee
Since proximity plays a vital role among smart home devices, you must ensure the distance between the sensor and your Ecobee thermostat isn’t too far. If the distance is too far, your sensor might read unavailable on the app.
Shorten the distance been the sensor and the thermostat. Ensure the distance is at most 40 feet.
5. Clear Out all Interferences
Another thing you can do to fix the problem of your Ecobee sensor being unavailable is clear out every device or appliance that might interfere with the sensors. Interferences from other devices are good enough to affect the sensor no matter how close they are to the thermostat.
Ensure there is no device around that operates on the 915mhz frequency. Read the owner’s manual to know and confirm the devices you should clear out. Once you do this, your sensor should work smoothly.
How Do I Activate my Ecobee Sensor?
Activating your Ecobee sensor is easy. All you need to do is follow the steps below.
- Pair the Sensor with your Thermostat
This is the first thing you must do to activate your Ecobee sensor. You must take yr time to pair your sensor with your thermostat. Pairing your sensor with your thermostat is easy. All you need to do is tap the thermostat to come on and pull the plastic tab on your sensor. Your Ecobee will recognize and pair with it, asking you to name it.
- Choose a Good Location for the Sensor
Once you are done pairing, the next thing you should do is choose a good location for the sensor. Ensure the sensor is at most 40 feet away from the thermostat. When selecting a location, ensure you choose a plat beyond the reach of pets and children. This way, you ensure no one tampers with the device. The best place to attach the sensor is to the wall.
You can attach the sensor to the wall using a screw provided in the sensor. You can also attach the sensor to the wall using an adhesive. You can simply attach your sensor to a flat hanging surface if you want to avoid the two. Once you do this, you are set and good to go.
Conclusion
Different things can make your Ecobee sensor unavailable, and these things have various solutions. We have discussed these other things and the possible solutions you can use to solve this problem. We have also discussed the steps you need to activate your Ecobee sensor.
Simply read through to get all the information you need about Ecobee sensors and why they might be unavailable on your thermostat.
Source
https://support.ecobee.com/s/articles/Room-Sensors-FAQs-Setup-Guide-and-Troubleshooting