The adapter is fine to use. Basically what you could have done was trace the wire back to the thermostat with say a continuity tester and using an extension cord long enough. You would say wrap the black wire on the round grounding prong. And then bring the extension cord over to the thermostat. Now connect a continuity tester with a beep function turned on. Connect to the brown wire at thermostat and then the other continuity test wire to the extension cord opening for the ground hole. That should have a beep if the circuit completed. If not you could test other wires. It is possible whoever rigged the two different wires, never really connected any of those other colors since they were not used. But by chance they did you would have found if Orange was a complete circuit that was unused and functional for ac wire implementation. Then you would use your labels to mark those wires so the next person had enough understanding what that wire is.
Wyze just wanted the most proper setup for you to not cause future confusion mainly. But you got it and that’s good. I’ve had mine now two months and love it for scheduling and no need to go set it up if I’m cold, just open the app and I can run it for 20 minutes hold. Or I can adjust it and forget it. Wyze rocks for producing a decent product at a reasonable price for someone like me that will never pay $200 not even $150 probably not even $100 just for convenience sake.
I purchased two and had two different electricians try to install installing. It doesn’t work. I have been trying to send them back for a refund and no one answers me.
Did you try asking here for help? There are some wyze exclusive issues that the people you hired might not have known about.
Assuming we’re mentioning the thermostat. I am no electrician myself and I installed mine on my 1970s furnace. While I am also not and hvac technician either. I used to be a mechanic. An electrician is typically for home wiring and main power only, not hvac knowledge. I would find a handyman or whoever has serviced your system to advise if you have no one else to do it for you. They would say whether or not you can install on your system per the instructions. I mean I love it enough that I just changed my schedule to drop Wednesday and it created a separate day schedule for Wednesday so I can modify to warm up three hours earlier to get ready tomorrow for my daughters surgery for a broken arm. I can wake in comfort as it warms up the house. I expect they can do refunds but they really want like any company does, a happy customer and not just a return because someone else couldn’t install it.
I got mine installed and I luv it!