HVAC controller with diagnostic alerts

An HVAC controller configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the HVAC system comprising a heating stage and/or a cooling stage, the HVAC controller comprising:

• a housing;
• a user interface including a display;
• a memory;
• an I/O block for receiving one or more signals from the HVAC system and for providing one or more control signals to the HVAC system;
• and
• a controller coupled to the memory, the user interface and the I/O block, wherein the display, the memory, the I/O block and the controller are housed within the housing, the controller programmed to accept a sensitivity factor via the user interface, wherein the sensitivity factor represents a sensitivity of the controller in detecting and/or in alerting delta T faults, the controller further programmed to monitor one or more signals received via the I/O block to determine if a delta T limit of the HVAC system has been violated indicating a delta T fault, the controller is further programmed to display a user alert on the display only after a number of delta T faults are determined by the controller, wherein the number of delta T faults is identified based on the sensitivity factor, the controller is further programmed to query a user via the user interface for one or more conditions for the heating stage and/or cooling stage that specify when a detected delta T fault is not to be displayed on the display of the HVAC system.

A method of monitoring a performance of an HVAC system including one or more HVAC components that are controlled, at least in part, by an HVAC controller having a user interface including a display, a memory, and a controller, the HVAC system including a heating stage and/or a cooling stage, the method comprising:

• accepting at least one user specified delta T limit via the user interface of the HVAC controller;
• accepting a sensitivity factor via the user interface of the HVAC controller, wherein the sensitivity factor represents a sensitivity of the HVAC controller in detecting and/or in alerting delta T faults;
• the controller receiving an indication of a current delta T value for the HVAC system;
• the controller determining a delta T fault for the HVAC system based, at least in part, on the received current delta T value and the at least one user specified delta T limit;
• and
• the controller displaying a user alert on the display only after a number of delta T faults are determined by the controller and recorded in the memory, wherein the number of delta T faults is identified based on the sensitivity factor;
• and
• wherein the HVAC controller is configured to accept one or more conditions for the heating stage and/or cooling stage that indicate when the user alert is not to be displayed on the display.