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Safety Alert - White-Rodgers peaksaver thermostats Print this pagePrint  

SAFETY ALERT
White-Rodgers 1F88 Thermostats Used in peaksaver® Program

PowerStream has issued a safety alert relating to the White-Rodgers 1F88 thermostat, one of the thermostat models used in the peaksaver program. This alert was made in response to a risk of fire relating to the thermostat batteries.

 
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Subsequent to three product failures in the United States and one in Ontario relating to this thermostat, testing of the 1F88 model by White-Rodgers and an independent third party indicates that the unique circuitry found in the thermostat may cause electrolytes to leak from the unit’s two AA alkaline batteries under certain circumstances. The battery leakage, in turn, may contact portions of the circuitry within the thermostat and can result in damage to the unit including overheating and smoke, which could possibly damage the adjacent wall and create a potential risk of fire.

As a precautionary measure, participating customers in the peaksaver program with a White-Rodgers 1F88 thermostat are being asked to remove the batteries from the unit and contact peaksaver at 1-866-323-0206 to make arrangements for a replacement thermostat. In a typical installation, the batteries are only used to provide backup for the unit’s clock during power outages, this will not affect the thermostat’s normal functioning except after an outage when the clock will have to be reset, similar to any other electronic clock found on a household appliance.

Participating customers are being advised not to disconnect the thermostat, since it regulates both the heating and cooling of the home or business. If disconnected or removed, it would have to be replaced by another thermostat.

PowerStream will replace all White-Rodgers 1F88 thermostats with a new Honeywell peaksaver touch screen programmable thermostat, which is also Internet addressable. We urge customers to make arrangements to have their White-Rodgers thermostat replaced at their earliest convenience by calling 1-866-323-0206 to book an appointment.

The White-Rodgers thermostat was only distributed to customers in the Barrie/Simcoe County area as part of Barrie Hydro’s peaksaver program. After the PowerStream-Barrie Hydro merger on January 1, 2009, PowerStream stopped distributing the White-Rodgers thermostat and began installing the Honeywell thermostats (the same thermostat the company had been using in York Region) to new program participant in Barrie/Simcoe County.

While more than 170,000 thermostats have been installed in the United States, there have been only three known incidents of this type of product failure. There were no personal injuries associated with those incidents. With approximately 7,500 thermostats installed in Ontario, only one customer complaint has been recorded, of leaking batteries.

MORE INFORMATION:

If you require additional information, or wish to arrange for a replacement, contact peaksaver at 1-866-323-0206.

ANSWERS TO COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

  1. How does a peaksaver participant know if he or she has one of these units? Is the name marked on the unit?

  2. What is PowerStream doing about this problem?

  3. What should participating customers who have the White-Rodgers thermostat do?

  4. Is it possible for a consumer to disconnect the peaksaver unit during the fall and winter since they’re unlikely to use the air conditioner?

  5. Was the White-Rodger thermostat certified by a Canadian safety authority? What kind of due diligence was done to ensure the thermostat was safe to be installed and would not become a potential fire hazard?

  6. With demand down anyway, is the peaksaver program really necessary? With this problem identified, it now seems like a big risk for a low reward.

  7. What does this mean for the future of the peaksaver program?

How does a peaksaver participant know if he or she has one of these units? Is the name marked on the unit?

  • The thermostats in question say “White-Rodgers” on them
  • There is no issue with thermostats that say “Honeywell” on them

White-Rodgers thermostat

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What is PowerStream doing about this problem?

  • As a precautionary measure, customers with a White-Rodgers 1F88 thermostat are being asked to remove the batteries from the unit. Since the batteries are only used to provide backup for the unit’s clock during power outages, this will not affect the thermostat’s normal functioning except after an outage when the clock will have to be reset, similar to any other electronic clock found on a household appliance.
  • PowerStream has made arrangements to replace all White-Rodgers 1F88 thermostats with a new Honeywell peaksaver touch screen programmable thermostat, which is also Internet addressable. We urge customers to make arrangements to have their White-Rodgers thermostat replaced at their earliest convenience by calling 1-866-323-0206 to book an appointment.  
  • PowerStream has never used the White-Rodgers thermostat as part of its peaksaver program but Barrie Hydro did prior to the two companies merging on January 1, 2009. Following the merger, PowerStream discontinued the distribution of the White-Rodger thermostat in Barrie/Simcoe County, opting to go with the Honeywell thermostat the company had always used in York Region.

What should participating customers who have the White-Rodgers thermostat do?

  • The risk of damage resulting from battery leakage in the White-Rodgers thermostat is extremely rare.
  • If a homeowner is concerned about the unit, he or she can remove the batteries. The batteries provide backup for the clock during power outages. The only effect this will have is that the consumer will need to reset the clock on the thermostat after a power outage, as he or she would likely need to do on a microwave oven or alarm clock.
  • PowerStream has made arrangements to replace all White-Rodgers 1F88 thermostats with a new Honeywell peaksaver touch screen programmable thermostat, which is also Internet addressable. We urge customers to make arrangements to have their White-Rodgers thermostat replaced at their earliest convenience by calling 1-866-323-0206 to book an appointment.  

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Is it possible for a consumer to disconnect the peaksaver unit during the fall and winter since they’re unlikely to use the air conditioner?

  • Disconnecting the unit is not recommended, as the peaksaver thermostat acts as any thermostat would to regulate both the heating and cooling of the home. If removed, it would need to be replaced by another thermostat.
  • If a homeowner is concerned about the unit, he or she can remove the batteries. The batteries provide backup for the clock during power outages. The only effect this will have is that the consumer will need to reset the clock on the thermostat after a power outage, as he or she would likely need to do on a microwave oven or alarm clock.

Was the White-Rodger thermostat certified by a Canadian safety authority? What kind of due diligence was done to ensure the thermostat was safe to be installed and would not become a potential fire hazard?

  • The White-Rodger thermostat used by Barrie Hydro for the peaksaver program was certified by either the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

With demand down anyway, is the peaksaver program really necessary? With this problem identified, it now seems like a big risk for a low reward.

  • Conservation is the foundation of long-term planning and means we can avoid building additional generation infrastructure. PowerStream’s conservation programs, including peaksaver, are key drivers of energy savings.
  • While the economic downturn has resulted in a lower demand for electricity, demand is expected to increase over the next few years. It is still important to manage electricity consumption, particularly during peak demand periods, which the peaksaver program is designed to do.
  • The safety risk associated with the White-Rodgers thermostat battery leakage is quite low. Only one complaint relating to this problem has been recorded in Ontario with 7,500 units installed, and only three incidents in the U.S. with 170,000 units installed.
  • PowerStream has never used the White-Rodgers thermostat as part of its peaksaver program but Barrie Hydro did prior to the two companies merging on January 1, 2009. Following the merger, PowerStream discontinued the distribution of the White-Rodger thermostat in Barrie/Simcoe County, opting to go with the Honeywell thermostat the company had always used in York Region.

What does this mean for the future of the peaksaver program?

  • Safety is our number one concern. Even though there has been no product recall and the risk seems low, PowerStream is currently investigating a more permanent solution for customers who have installed the White-Rodgers thermostats.
  • The risk of damage resulting from battery leakage in this device is extremely rare.
  • peaksaver continues to make an important contribution to conservation results in Ontario. In 2009, 25 MW reduction in peak demand and 100 MWh energy savings can be attributed to the peaksaver program (from 2009 Conservation Results report).
  • peaksaver will continue to be available to customers as part of PowerStream’s new suite of conservation programs to be launched in January 2011.