Venstar EXPLORER, Quick Start Setup Manual

6

MAKING 4 WIRES WORK when 5 are required  
(without the optional Add-A-Wire accessory)

• If you have an all-electric heat system with air conditioning, this 
method is not an option. You must either pull new wire or use the 
optional Add-A-Wire accessory (ACC-0410).

• If you have a 

single stage fossil fuel heater with air conditioning

, 

and you would like install the Venstar EXPLORER using only 4 wires, 
follow the directions below. You will need a screwdriver along with  
a 3” or 4” long piece of thermostat wire to use as a jumper.

1.  Make sure the power is off as step 1 on page 4 instructs you.

2.  Follow step 4 on page 9 “Label and Disconnect Wires” at the 

thermostat. Please note the color and the corresponding wire 
designator with each color. An example is the R wire is red and the 
W wire is white and so on. You will need this for the next step at 
the HVAC equipment.

3.  At the equipment end of the thermostat wires, locate the 

terminals that the wires are attached to.

A.  Remove the “G wire” from the terminal marked G.

B.  Place the “G wire” on terminal C.

C.  Place one end of the jumper on terminal G.

D.  Place the other end of the jumper on terminal Y.   
     Please note that there will be more than 1 wire on terminal Y.

4.  Connect the wires to the terminals on the EXPLORER backplate 

taking care to make sure that each wire from the HVAC equipment 
is connected to the same terminal designation on the EXPLORER 
backplate. For example: the “C wire” from the HVAC equipment 
should be connected to the “C” terminal of the thermostat. The 
“R” wire on the equipment terminal should be connected to the 
“R” terminal on the EXPLORER backplate, and so on.