Electronic Thermostat STELPRO STE241 | Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, South Shore and North Shore

Many Quebec homes are heated by a forced-air electric furnace, often still controlled by an old dial or bimetal thermostat. The Stelpro STE241 is a simple upgrade: a precise, three-wire 24 V low-voltage electronic thermostat that adds an automatic daily setback without changing the existing wiring beyond the usual terminals.

A 24 V thermostat designed for electric heating

Compatible systems

The STE241 controls electric furnaces as well as electric heating units connected to Stelpro RE series heating relays. It is a heating-only thermostat with three wires, R, C and W: it has no terminal for air conditioning, a fan or a heat pump. For a system that includes a central heat pump, air conditioning or dual energy, we will point you to another model. Unlike line-voltage thermostats, the STE241 runs on low voltage: 0.5 A at 24 VAC, with a C (common) wire.

Cycles matched to your type of heating

The STE241 offers adjustable cycles for convection or forced-air heating. A forced-air system does not handle cycles that are too short very well, while convection heating benefits from more frequent cycles for more even heat. Setting the thermostat to match your system gives you a steady temperature in the house and gentler operation of the equipment.

An automatic daily setback

The single programming mode lowers the temperature once every 24 hours, usually overnight. It is not full weekly programming, but a daily setback that is easy to set and easy to understand. In an electrically heated home during a Quebec winter, that night setback, applied every day without you thinking about it, reduces the furnace's running time during the hours when everyone is asleep under the covers.

Precision and protection

Thermistor sensing provides an accuracy of ±0.5 °C (1 °F), which avoids the big swings of old mechanical thermostats. The setting range goes from 3 to 30 °C (37 to 86 °F), and the digital display reads in °C or °F. The freeze warning alerts you when the temperature gets dangerously low, a valuable feature for a cottage, an empty unit or a house left alone during a trip in the middle of winter. Safety mode lets you lock in a maximum set point, which is useful in a rental unit or a shared residence.

Who it's for

The STE241 suits owners of a home heated by an electric furnace who want to replace a worn-out thermostat with a precise electronic model, without moving to complicated programming. It also suits buildings where electric heating units are controlled by RE relays, for example when the load is too high for a line-voltage thermostat. Property managers like its safety mode, and cottage owners like its freeze warning.

Day to day

Once the comfort set point and the daily setback are set, the thermostat does the work on its own. You only need to adjust the temperature now and then as the seasons change. The digital screen shows the temperature clearly, and electronic control avoids the swings that used to make the furnace start and stop too often.

Where the STE241 fits in the Stelpro lineup

Most Stelpro electronic thermostats, like the STCP, STCNP or CONCERTO floor heating models, run directly on line voltage and switch the load themselves. The STE241 is different: it sends a 24 V signal to the furnace or to an RE relay, which then switches the electrical load. It is the right choice when a central system or a relay is already in place and you want a precise electronic thermostat without major electrical work.

Technical specifications

• Systems: electric furnaces and electric heating units controlled by Stelpro RE series relays; convection or forced-air cycles
• Power supply: low-voltage, 0.5 A at 24 VAC
• Three-wire connection: R, C, W
• Single programming: automatic setback once every 24 hours
• Adjustable cycles for convection or forced-air heating
• Freeze warning
• Safety mode: maximum set point lock
• Accuracy ±0.5 °C (1 °F), thermistor sensing
• Setting range: 3 to 30 °C (37 to 86 °F)
• Digital display, °C or °F
• White moulded plastic housing

Replacement and installation by AirGreen

What our technicians check

Before the replacement, our technicians identify your equipment: electric furnace, RE relay or another control. They check for a 24 V transformer and a C wire running to the thermostat, since the STE241 connects on three wires. If the old thermostat only used two wires, we look at adding the common conductor. The new thermostat is then connected, the cycle is set for your type of heating and the daily setback is programmed with you.

Startup

We test the call for heat, make sure the furnace or relay responds properly and check the temperature reading. If you like, we turn on safety mode with a suitable maximum set point. You get a clear explanation of the night setback and the freeze warning.

Maintenance tips

The thermostat itself needs little care: wipe it with a dry cloth and keep it away from heat sources and cold drafts, which would throw off the reading. Focus instead on furnace maintenance: replacing the filter regularly, inspecting the elements and keeping the return air grilles clear. A well-maintained system lets the thermostat hold an accurate temperature with less energy.

Why AirGreen

AirGreen Inc. is a family-owned Montreal HVAC company, in business for more than 15 years, with an RBQ licence and a showroom in Boucherville. We know electric furnaces, central and wall-mounted heat pumps and electric heating in all its forms. That lets us recommend the right thermostat for your system, not a one-size-fits-all solution.

To buy the Stelpro STE241 electronic thermostat and have it professionally installed, contact AirGreen. We serve Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore and the South Shore.

Stelpro documents

Stelpro spec sheet (PDF) · Stelpro user guide (PDF)