You may be wondering how to jump thermostat wires for heat, the task seems quite daunting at first but not to worry we’ll let you know how you can do it yourself with ease.
Jumping the thermostat wires for a heat pump is a relatively simple task that can be done in just a few minutes.
It involves connecting two specific wire terminals together, which will allow the heating or cooling components to run without being controlled by the thermostat.
This method of jumping is often used as an alternative to replacing or to fix a thermostat on the wall because it’s malfunctioning, and it’s an easy way to get your system up and running again quickly.
With some basic knowledge of wiring and safety precautions, you can jump your thermostat wires for heat with confidence. In this article we have formulated an in-depth procedure on jumping your thermostat wires.
Follow the steps mentioned below and you’ll be able to jump thermostat wires for heat in no time!
Step-By-Step Guide On How To Jump Thermostat Wires For Heat
If you think your thermostat is bad or malfunctioning which is why your heating or cooling is not working, you can bypass it to see if that’s the case. So here’s how you can bypass your thermostat for heating or cooling.
Before you begin it’s important for you to know exactly how does a thermostat work and be familiar with your furnace thermostat wiring in order to jump thermostat wires for heat without a hitch.
-
Step 1: Kill the Power
The first thing you need to do is go down to your furnace and turn off the power switch. You should also turn off the thermostat’s power if it is wired separately from the unit or if it is battery-powered.
-
Step 2: Remove the Thermostat
Take the thermostat off the wall. Most of them are easy to take off, for some you have to remove the cover and unscrew the two screws. Most of the time you’ll look around and find some clips at the bottom and if you grab and remove it, it should come right off.
-
Step 3: Aftermath
Once you have the cover off, you will have the baseplate remaining and you will see your thermostat wiring that are connected to the furnace into the control board.
| Wire Colors | Wire Function |
| Green (G) | Fan |
| Blue (C) | Common Wire |
| Brown (C) | Common Wire |
| Yellow (Y) | Cooling |
| White (W) | Heating |
| Red (R) | Power |
If you have RC or RH you want to have a jumper between R and RC, R and RH. R is power and RC means power for cooling. For example, if you don’t have any power going to cooling your AC won’t be turning on.
FYI: The furnace control board or fan relay sends 24V up to your thermostat and when your thermostat is calling for cooling or heating or for fan, the thermostat closes a micro switch which is internal and sends power back down to the control board which then tells the control board to turn something on.
-
Step 4: Turn the Power On
Now I know I told you to turn the power off but for this test you want to turn it back on just to check if you have voltage going through your thermostat. Using a voltmeter you can check the power supply of your thermostat.
-
Step 5: Jumper Clips
Using mini alligator clips and or a piece of thermostat wire to use as a jumper cable. If you don’t have alligator clips, simply take piece of a thermostat wire, snip both ends off and leave some insulation in between and you have your DIY jumper wires.
If you don’t have any wire laying around you could also just use a paper clip and it will work just fine.
-
Step 6: Jump the Thermostat
Put one end of the jumper wire on R and then put the other end on whatever you’re trying to jumper. So in this case you put the wire on R and W and turn the furnace switch back on to jump thermostat for heat.
How To Jump Thermostat Wires For Cooling?
In this section we will show you how to bypass a thermostat for cooling. With some basic knowledge of wiring and safety precautions, you can jump thermostat wires for cooling with confidence.
The steps mentioned above are pretty much the same for jumping all heating and cooling components, you just need to have a basic understanding of thermostat wiring and its terminals.
Following are the steps to jump thermostat wires for cooling:
-
Step 1: Kill the Power
The first thing you need to do is go down to your furnace and turn off the power switch. You should also turn off the thermostat’s power if it is wired separately from the unit or if it is battery-powered.
-
Step 2: Remove the Thermostat
Take the thermostat off the wall. Most of them are easy to take off, for some you have to remove the cover and unscrew the two screws. Most of the time you’ll look around and find some clips at the bottom and if you grab and remove it, it should come right off.
-
Step 3: Aftermath
Once you have the cover off, you will have the baseplate remaining and you will see your thermostat wires that are connected to the furnace into the control board.
-
Step 4: Turn the Power On
Now I know I told you to turn the power off but for this test you want to turn it back on just to check if you have voltage going through your thermostat. Using a voltmeter you can check the power supply of your thermostat.
-
Step 5: Take out the Jumper Clips
Using mini alligator clips and or a piece of thermostat wire to use as a jumper cable. If you don’t have alligator clips, simply take piece of a thermostat wire, snip both ends off and leave some insulation in between and you have your DIY jumper wires.
If you don’t have any wire laying around you could also just use a paper clip and it will work just fine.
-
Step 6: Jump the Thermostat
Put one end of the jumper wire on R and then put the other end on Y and turn the furnace switch back on to jump thermostat for cooling.
I hope this guide has been of help in understanding how to jump thermostat wires for heating and cooling. Should any further assistance be required, do not hesitate to contact a professional for more advice.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, jumping thermostat wires for heat is a useful skill to have when troubleshooting heating issues in your home.
By following the step-by-step process outlined in this blog post, you can confidently bypass any faulty components and restore warmth to your living space.
Remember, safety should always be your top priority, so make sure to turn off the power before working with the wires and consult a professional if you’re unsure about any step.
