Do I need an insteon thermostat?

[ingeborgdot]

I have insteon light switches, lamp lincs etc. I was wanting to get a different thermostat that has a variety of programming options. I am buying an isy99 pro to use with my system. Do I need an insteon thermostat? If not what do you recommend? Thanks.

 

[aartech]

The Venstar T1700/T1800/T1900 thermostats combined with a 2441V Insteon adapter would probably be best. I'm assuming you're using standard low voltage thermostat. You do need to have power supplied to the Venstar thermostats from the HVAC system so might want to check your wiring first.

 

[ingeborgdot]

As far as I know. I have the honeywell right now. It has a red, green, blue, yellow, and white. The blue is not connected on either end.

 

[mbarland]

If memory serves, that's the exact configuration I had before installing my Venstar thermostat. I used the previously unused wire (I think I used blue as well) as the common by routing it to the common terminal at the furnace.

Weather in the great north has been far too cold to try the A/C since it's been installed, but the heat works spectacularly well. I haven't dug too deep into the thermostat, but from reading the manual it is quite powerful, especially when teamed with the ISY.

 

[ingeborgdot]

My blue is not tied in on either end. What do I need to do? Will I need to use the blue? I need to check with my furnace guy I guess to check where the common on the furnace is.

 

[mbarland]

I'm certainly not the expert. I followed my line from the thermostat into the furnace. Behind the panel was a connecting block that had the same labels as on the thermostat (Y, W, etc). One of the screws on the connecting block was common. Verified it with the multi-meter and then stripped the unused wire to tie into the new thermostat.

It would probably be best to have a specialist look at it if you're not electrically handy or just to be safe.