FAQs

Technical Q&A

Q.When I register my gateway I get the message “Invalid serial number or unreachable Gateway.” How do I fix this?

This usually means that the Gateway is unable to connect to the Internet through your Firewall. In this case you will need to contact your IT department and provide the following information.

The Founten Wireless Gateway requires the ability to make outbound TCP connections from the local network to the Internet. By default the Gateway will request a local IP address using DHCP. This is identical to any standard computer or laptop which is attached to the local network. Alternatively the Gateway can be given a static IP address (Contact Founten Technical Support for assistance in setting a static address). The Gateway does not require a public IP address and does not require any inbound ports to be opened on the Firewall. The Gateway will need to initiate 2 outbound TCP connections through the Firewall. The first one is on port 9742. The second one will be assigned to the Gateway once it makes its first connection to the Founten Servers. This second port will be in the range of 9800-11000.

Founten recommends modifying the firewall configuration to allow unrestricted outbound connections based on the MAC address of the Wireless Gateway. The MAC address is printed on the front of the Gateway.

If network security policy is more restricted, the firewall configuration can be modified to either allow outbound connections on the range of ports listed above or to restrict the connections to ports 9742 and the assigned port. Once port 9742 has been opened contact Founten Technical support at to find out the unique port which has been defined for your site.

Q.I would like to run the Fan during the day and switch it to Auto at night. How do I set the thermostat to do this?

Each set time in the thermostat schedule can be independently set to adjust the Fan setting. To enable this: Go to Admin->Thermostat Setup and change the “Multiple Fan Settings” to “Yes”. Then when you go to your schedule settings the Fan choice will be settable for each schedule set time.

Q.How can I tell if I have conventional system or heat pump?

It is best to consult the documentation from your equipment manufacturer, however if your heat is either gas or oil then your system is typically conventional and if your system is all electric then it is usually heat pump.

Q.We have heat pumps and your color coding numbers match up with the wiring in the existing thermostats. They have a small jumper wire between Y and W1 do I need this jumper with your thermostat?

No, do not install a jumper between “Y” and “W1″. Generally thermostats with “Y” and “W1″ jumpered also have a separate “O” or “B” connection. In this case, the wire from the “Y” terminal on the old thermostat should be connected to the “Y” terminal on the Founten thermostat and the wire from the “O” or “B” terminal should be connected to the “W” terminal on the Founten thermostat.

Q.Does my Internet connection need to be always connected?

Internet connectivity is not required at all times. It is used for 3 things:

1. To store historical temperature and usage data on the Founten Site Manager servers.
2. To gain access remotely from your smartphone or web browser.
3. Initially on power up to retrieve the current date and time.

The thermostat will continue to operate normally even without Internet Connectivity.

Q.Is there a back-up default built into the thermostats and if so, is this programmable?

All settings are stored in the thermostat and a backup of those settings is stored automatically in our server’s database.

Q.Our current thermostats have a battery back-up. Following a power outage do the Founten thermostats automatically reset or do they have an internal brain?

They have an internal brain and remember all settings. They also automatically retrieve the current day and time from the Internet once they start up.

Q.Will thermostats create their own identity within the system and can they have unique names ie front office, conference room, etc?

Yes, initially they will be identified by serial number (which can be found on a label on the bottom edge of each thermostat). The first thing you will be asked to do when a new thermostat is detected is configure the new thermostat. Then you will be able to assign them easy to remember names.

Q.Will each thermostat log itself on as I install them?

Yes, thermostats are automatically added to your site as you install them.

Q.How does the cycles per hour work?

The “Cycles per Hour” setting only applies to Heat and Cool. It does not apply to the Fan. This setting is a target “maximum”. If the Heat or Cool are not needed there will be no system cycles during an hour. The “Cycles per Hour” is designed to limit systems from turning on and off too many times per hour and it should generally be set to the manufacturers recommendations. For example, some manufacturers recommend not cycling the system more than 3 times per hour. To keep the temperature near the thermostat set point the thermostat may prefer to run the system for a shorter duration more often. The thermostat “learns” over time how the installed system runs and automatically increases the duration it runs (and thereby decrease the number of times it needs to run) in order to achieve the target “Cycles per Hour”. Of course this means that the actual temperature range the thermostat maintains will be wider. If there is no limit on the number of cycles per hour, setting it to the maximum of 6 will allow the thermostat to maintain the temperature within the narrowest margin.

Q.What is the range of the wireless signal?

The unobstructed range of the wireless signal is 300 feet. However, each thermostat operates as a wireless repeater. Since thermostats are typically spread evenly throughout a building they will automatically form a mesh network and forward wireless messages to distant thermostats. This allows successful communication over thousands of feet without problems. In the event that a thermostat is unable to communicate with the wireless network because of distance, Founten offers Wireless Repeaters which can be installed to bridge long distances.

Q.How do I use the Group Name in the thermostat configuration?

Group Names are a simple way to group multiple thermostats together. When Group Names are used, the Site Manager main menu will show each Group. Selecting that group will bring up all of the thermostats sharing that group name on the next page. If the Group Name is left blank, the default menu item shown on the main page will be “Climate Control”. For sites with less than 5 thermostats we recommend leaving the Group Name’s blank for all thermostats. Then all of the thermostats will be viewable under the heading “Climate Control”. NOTE: When adding or deleting group names, the main site manager menu will not show the correct list of group names until you Reload the Site Manager display.

Q.How do I use the Group Name in the thermostat configuration?

Q.Why are my thermostats shown in red on the Network Map?

The color shown on the Network Map for each thermostat identifies it’s reachability. If the Icon is white then the thermostat is able to communicate over the wireless network. If it is red, then the thermostat appears unreachable. Statistics about the network are accumulated over several hours. Therefore, newly installed thermostats may appear red even though they are functioning correctly. The network statistics just haven’t had enough time to update. Please allow several hours for these statistics to properly reflect the status of a new thermostat.

Sales Q&A

Q.Do I need to order a different thermostat depending on whether my system is conventional or heat pump?: A.
No, the same thermostat handles both conventional and heat pump systems. The system type is selected during the thermostat setup.
Q.How many thermostats will one Gateway support?: A.
Generally only one Gateway will be needed for an entire site. A single gateway can support up to 2000 thermostats. For extremely large sites multiple Gateways may be installed and linked together under one site.
Q.How do I place an Icon on my android based smartphone home page for using the Site Manager App?: A.
Start by adding a bookmark to the Founten Site Manager using your browser. This is done by pressing the “Menu” button on your smartphone while viewing the main “Founten Site Manager” screen or by selecting the bookmarks icon. Select “Add bookmark…”. Once you have created the bookmark, go to you phone’s desktop. Long press on the desktop. Click “Shortcut”, Click “Bookmark” and then select the bookmark you created.
Q.How do I download the Founten App to my iPhone?: A.
The App for managing your thermostats loads automatically by accessing your site using the browser on your iPhone. The Web App is written in JavaScript and therefore can be used on most new smartphones. To run in native App mode on your iPhone, access your Founten Site Manager using the browser. From the Founten main menu, press the add icon at the bottom of your screen (this is a small box with an arrow coming out of it). Then select “Add to Home Screen”. This will add the Founten Icon to your iPhone’s Home Screen. Any time you want to access your Founten Site Manager using the native App, just select the Icon on your Home Screen.