I had this same model for about 20 years from Beutler, and recently, one of the zones stopped working. After some research, I opted to buy this as a drop-in replacement rather than trying the newer alternatives such as the Honeywell HZ311 and the Ecojay SmartZone-2X.
- My home was made for 2 zones, so I do not need to consider more zones.
- The damper motors did not need to be replaced, and even if they did, I saw a way to modify this board to allow for 3 wire damper motors. (It was a Belimo LMB24-3-T retrofit that I found on the Internet that had the instructions to hack this RCS ZTE2S board)
- For the Ecojay, I would need to buy a new 24V 40VAC transformer and attach a Discharge Air Temperature sensor.
The installation was extremely simple since I was replacing the exact same model. Once I dropped it in and wired everything, the zoning system began working fine again. Since this is a simple 2 zone board that generally only allows a 2-wire damper motor (except for the possible diy hack), I am not sure it is the best board to buy if starting a new zoning system, but it is a pretty good system for my home since that's what it originally came with.
Compared to the cheaper Honeywell HZ311, I paid $70 more, especially because one of the reviews on Amazon for the Honeywell HZ311 describes how to replace this RCS ZTE2S with a Honeywell HZ311 without adding a new transformer, but since it would be a bit more work, I opted for the simpler option of just replacing the same model. But if you looking to cut costs, you might do just as well with the HZ311.
| Manufacturer | RCS Technology |
|---|---|
| Part Number | 001-00242 |
| Item Weight | 14.4 ounces |
| Package Dimensions | 8.74 x 6.38 x 2.32 inches |
| Item model number | 001-00242 |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
