Netatmo NAC-FR is a device that allows you to turn your traditional air conditioner into a smart air conditioner, controlling the temperature and other settings from your phone, anywhere in the world.
Why does Netatmo NAC-FR have such a price?
Netatmo is a French company that offers different smart devices at a higher price than other exotic devices in the smart home market but which meet quality and durability requirements.
Advantages and disadvantages of Netatmo NAC-FR
Advantages
- Omni-directional infrared emission: You can easily install Netatmo NAC-FR without necessarily having it in front of your air conditioner thanks to its omni-directional IR emission.
- Ecosystem: Given its alliance with the Legrand company, you can use different “With Netatmo” compatible devices with the same “Home+ Control” App.
- Compatibilities: NAC-FR is compatible with multiple air conditioners on the market and you can also use it with HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
- Ease of use: Netatmo offers a simple device that you can install in 5 minutes, with a very “User Friendly” App.
- Design: Netatmo takes care of the details with its different products and NAC-FR is a device that also has an attractive design.
Disadvantages
- You need one device for each air conditioner: You cannot use the same device for different air conditioners. You have to buy one for each air conditioner.
- Price: The price of Netatmo NAC-FR is higher than other models on the market but Netatmo offers quality and durable devices.
Netatmo NAC-FR usage tutorial
If you have an air conditioner and you want to optimise your energy consumption, you should know that, in a few minutes, without any building work and without monthly instalments, it is possible to give it intelligence.
This way, you can have control from anywhere in the world on your phone and also create time routines with different temperatures depending on whether you are at home or not.
So today, we are going to discover how to have a smart air conditioning while keeping our current installation, thanks to the Netatmo NAC-FR device.
General characteristics of Netatmo NAC-FR
Netatmo is a French company that has been creating different quality devices for the smart home since 2011.
Buying Netatmo is buying ease and peace of mind, proof of this are other users who have had Netatmo devices since 2015 and are still working a decade later.
We have already seen in other content a part of the installation of a user who has a weather station.
And also a rain gauge and an anemometer, all from Netatmo.
Now, we discovered the installation of a new user who has different Netatmo products such as a smart thermostat.
And thermostatic heads in different areas of your home.
Moreover, since Netatmo has been acquired by the giant French company Legrand, we have an ecosystem that is compatible with different products.
So the user also has a Legrand by Netatmo home automation hub.
And switch modules to control your different blinds.
And it also uses smart switches for its roof windows.
This time, these switches are from the Velux brand.
At the heating level, you have almost complete control of the temperature in your home from your phone and with routines.
But it lacked the intelligence to make its air-conditioning system intelligent and thus be able to make energy savings.
For this, given that he already has a Netatmo ecosystem, he has logically chosen the Netatmo device that allows him to control his air conditioning.
This Netatmo NAC-FR device has dimensions of 125x65x20 mm and weighs 79 grams.
It is made of plastic and metal, in black and white.
On the back, we can see a non-slip base if we want to put this device on a table or a piece of furniture.
And also a bracket to fix it to the wall thanks to a plug and screw included in the packaging.
We have a Reset button in case we want to reboot the device.
We can also see 2 QR codes, one for information about the device such as its user manual and technical details, and the other for its integration with the Apple HomeKit ecosystem, allowing the device to be used with the Home app.
This device connects to an electrical socket thanks to its micro USB port with an included adapter.
And you may ask: how can this device give intelligence to my air conditioner?
It is very easy. This Netatmo NAC-FR device integrates 2 technologies: WIFI and Infrared.
Infrared technology will allow you to simulate the commands of your traditional remote control that controls your air conditioning.
And a very interesting detail is that the Netatmo device works with omnidirectional infrared, which makes it easier to install as you don’t necessarily have to place it in front of your air conditioning.
Unlike radio frequency technologies such as Zigbee or Z-Wave, infrared cannot pass through walls.
So you must have the Netatmo NAC-FR device without obstacles, or, as in the case of the user, you can have glass as an obstacle and it should not be a problem in this case, although I recommend testing to make sure it works correctly.
This Netatmo NAC-FR device is compatible with all models of air conditioners or air-to-air heat pumps that integrate an infrared control with a display showing the parameters.
Netatmo takes care of every detail as you have a compatibility page https://check.netatmo.com/ to check if your air conditioner is compatible with this device.
The WIFI technology allows this Netatmo NAC-FR device to be linked to your internet router and, therefore, to have remote control, from anywhere in the world, of your air conditioning on your phone.
In terms of temperature, it can measure from 0°C to 50°C with an accuracy of ± 0.1°C and you can control the temperature of your air conditioner from 15°C to 40°C. And in terms of humidity, it can measure from 0 to 100% with an accuracy of ± 3%.
This device is compatible with the Home + Control application as we will see below.
And also, as I mentioned, it’s HomeKit compatible, and you can use it with Siri, Amazon Alexa or Google Home voice assistants to change the temperature by voice.
How to install the Netatmo Intelligent Air Conditioning Controller
Now that we have seen the technical details of the Netatmo air conditioning device, we will be able to install it.
In the user’s case, he has his air conditioner on the stairs, in a corridor, and directly opposite, he has a window with a room.
So you are going to install the device in the room, in front of this air conditioner, although, as I mentioned, you should avoid obstacles and test to see if everything works correctly in your environment.
To install it, the user plugs the device into the mains and fixes it to the wall using the plug and screw and its bracket.
Done, you will now be able to link it from your phone.
How to configure the Netatmo Smart Control
To begin with, we will scan the QR code on the instruction sheet included in the packaging with our phone.
We are redirected to an installation guide for the device, so we will be able to follow the different steps.
It tells us which accessories are included with the product.
Then we can see instructions on the infrared remote control that we must have for our air conditioner.
We have indications on locations to avoid for the installation of the device, such as near windows where there is a long exposure to outdoor light or sources of heat or cold that could impair the temperature and humidity measurements.
Then we have a recommendation to install the Netatmo NAC-FR device near a socket and the air conditioner and more than 50 cm from the floor, avoiding obstacles between this device and our air conditioner.
We must indicate the installation option we have decided on: on top of a piece of furniture or on the wall.
Now, we have the instructions on how to install the device with the necessary accessories.
We can see a video of the installation of the device, first installing the plug and screw.
Then, by plugging the device into the mains.
And, finally, by fixing it to the wall, as is the case in the user’s installation.
Now that we have the device installed and connected to the mains, it prompts us to download the Home + Control application to be able to link it.
In this application, go to “Settings”.
And click on “Add product”.
Let’s choose the Netatmo brand.
If you have an Apple phone, you can scan the QR code on your device to link it to HomeKit.
This can be interesting for managing different smart devices from different brands, all with the HomeKit ecosystem.
Now, to link our Netatmo NAC-FR device, we must give it access authorisation to our local network.
We must choose its location in the house.
We must have our traditional infrared remote control of our air conditioner close to our Netatmo device, 1 metre away.
We must choose the brand of our air conditioner.
And now, we can press different buttons on our traditional infrared remote control so that they can be correctly detected by our Netatmo device.
Ready, our controller has been correctly detected.
Now, we must turn off our air conditioner.
And we must verify in this step if our Netatmo device has turned on our air conditioner.
If this is the case, we need to confirm it.
And, conversely, the Netatmo device has now switched off the air conditioning and we need to confirm this.
We have our device correctly configured, so now, we no longer need to use the traditional infrared remote control.
We will have control of our air conditioning from our phone and with routines.
Netatmo Smart Control detailed functions
To begin with, we can see the temperature and humidity measured in real time.
And we also have access to historical records to track these measures over time.
If we click on the air conditioning icon, we can activate it by choosing the temperature.
We can also choose the fan speed.
We can choose until what time we want a manual setting until the fan returns to the programme.
And we can choose an automatic or manual mode for the vertical and horizontal direction of the fan.
Then, if we go to “Settings”.
“Programmes”.
And “Temperature”, we can create a calendar with different schedules where we will be able to have an automatic adjustment of the temperature.
This is very interesting when it comes to optimising energy savings, as we can create different modes according to our activities at home.
The user has been able to plan different temperatures in different areas of his home according to defined schedules.
For example, it has 3 modes called Eco, Comfort and Night, and these modes are activated according to schedules: Night mode from 22:00 at night to 6:00 in the morning, when users are in bed; “Comfort” mode from 6:00 in the morning to 8:30am while all users are at home having breakfast and getting ready; an “Eco” mode from 8:30am to 17:00pm while users are away from home; and again a “Comfort” mode from 17:00pm to 22:00pm while they are at home having dinner and doing their daily chores.
And, of course, on weekends they have different schedules, being more present at home, so they have a “Comfort” mode from 6:30 in the morning to 22:00 at night and “Night” mode the rest of the time. Although if they leave home, they can modify the temperature of each zone in real time at any time.
It should be noted that even if there is an internet outage, the Netatmo device that controls your air conditioner will continue to operate locally, based on your settings.
We can also use the Eco-Assist function, which is based on our geolocation to turn on the air conditioning when we are at home and cut it off when we leave.
And by having thermostatic heads of the same brand Netatmo, you will be able to unify your programming in a single interface.
So thanks to this solution, the user has total control over the temperature in his home, being able to optimise his comfort and, at the same time, making energy savings.
One last interesting detail is that, if you have other more complete home automation systems such as Home Assistant or Jeedom, you will be able to integrate this Netatmo device and thus unify your installation.
In short, if you are interested in a reliable, easy-to-configure, long-lasting solution with no monthly fees, Netatmo is a very interesting bet.
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