Indigo, Venstar and INSTEON

A collection of information about using a Venstar thermostat with INSTEON and Perceptive Automation's Indigo home automation software.

Links

• SmartHome Venstar WiKi
• Advanced Thermostat Script
• Usage Monitor
• MRTG with Venstar
• Battery Backup

Dictionary

You can tell the thermostat to run in programmed mode (the program set up in the T1900) by using the following applescript:

set hvac mode of device "YOUR THERMOSTAT" to runProgramAuto

Available words via the AppleScript dictionary are:

• fan mode: fanAlwaysOn or fanAutoOn
• hvac mode: offMode, heatOn, coolOn, heatCoolOn, runProgramHeat, runProgramCool, or runProgramAuto

INSTEON Commands

Relevant Features

When using the AC to dehumidify the "running" LED flashes every 8 seconds. Indigo also sees an INSTEON device "off (button 1)" and "on (button 1)" every 8 seconds.

It appears that a temperature set point change from Indigo or manually at the Venstar holds until the next scheduled program set point change or until midnight.

Circuit Board

Photo references capacitor C4. The battery backup project referenced above has not been tried by this author. It could destroy the thermostat.