Any info on the RCS TZB20 Thermostat?

[linuxha]

Did you get anywhere with this? I have 2 ZigBee tstats sitting here, and trying to decide if I should invest in more Z-Wave hardware so I can interface my Radioshack one (identical model, just Z-Wave), or try again with the ZigBee version, since in theory, I should be able to use it directly with an ELK M1 XSP.

Hey Dan, I've just gotten tied up in a few other things. I have the 6 TZB20's. I've got the TR16 manuals (that should help setup the devices) and I need to sit down and program one for ID 0. Then I can drop that into my USB carrier. Then I can start the 'attack'. Right now I'm a bit tight on time.

 

[linuxha]

Did you get anywhere with this? I have 2 ZigBee tstats sitting here, and trying to decide if I should invest in more Z-Wave hardware so I can interface my Radioshack one (identical model, just Z-Wave), or try again with the ZigBee version, since in theory, I should be able to use it directly with an ELK M1 XSP.

Hi Dan, the answer is yes and no. The last 2 months have been interesting. I lost my job then found a new on and I'm now learning the ropes on some rather complex testing. This has been taking up a lot of time (12 hour days) so I'm not getting much done on the HA front. I did do my HA presentation in April but the ZigBee thermostat was not part of it (rats). I didn't have time to get that hooked into the presentation. :angry:

What I did find was a book using the very XBee chip (Series 2 - XB24-Z7WIT-004)that the TZB's use. I've updated the links on my TZB20 web page to include that information as well as my notes from the book.I may have a test setup sometime this week to determine how the XBee for the PC needs to be setup. Later I'll figure out how the XBee for the thermostats are setup too.

I've also picked up two TZB43s, which I'd guess are similar to the TR40s.

 

[linuxha]

Okay I just picked up one TZB43 (the bigger RCS ZigBee thermostat that Dan has) and it has a few more features than the TZB20, that I was unaware of. I'm still busy reading about the ZigBee networking (the Building Wireless Sensor Networks: with ZigBee, XBee, Arduino, and Processing ) and taking classes for my new job (sleep is not an option!). I think this new RCS information will come in handy for working with these Thermostats. Sorry I can't work faster on this.

Here's what I think I know: we need 1 coordinator (the PC's ZigBee interface) and some software that talks the RCS protocol.The thermostats either need to be End Devices or Routers. That may mean I need an upgrade to the thermostats firmware. I'm not sure we need them to be routers but it reads like it won't cause a problem. The thermostats themselves probably don't talk to each other as each unit has full HVAC control. My intention is to use each thermostat to reach my furthest rooms (using the full-mesh concept of ZigBee but to control each thermostat from the central program (ie. each thermostat is independent of the others except for using the full-mesh to communicate)

As always, more info on my TZB20 web page

 

[linuxha]

WooHoo! I've got communication (no really this time I have)!

I'm using a XB24-B with ZigBee AT Coordinator firmware and the TZB43 is still using it's default ZigBee AT Router firmware.

Thermostat
TZB43 - 0013A200 403ABB28
XB24-Z7WIT-003 revA
Coordinator
USB - 0013A200 4064EFF3
​

ATDL 403ABB28
OK
ATID FFFF
OK

Tx: A=1 O=00 R=1 Rx: A=00 O=1 Z=1 T=78 (seems to take a while to respond, maybe 10 seconds)

Okay that didn't work. Seems you shouldn't send the <CR>. Just send the string 'A=1 O=00 R=1' and then the correct response appears (see below).

More stuff:

Tx: A=1 O=00 R=1
Rx: A=00 O=1 Z=1 T=78 (seems to take a while to respond, maybe 10 seconds)

Tx: A=1 O=00 R=1
Rx: A=00 O=1 Z=1 T=78 SPH=62 SPC=82 M=H FM=0

Tx: A=1 O=00 R=2
Rx: A=00 O=1 H1A=0 H2A=0 H3A=0 C1A=0 C2A=0 FA=0 SCP=00

Tx: A=1 O=00 R=6
Rx: A=00 O=1 TZB43=V02.00.20/TZB43=V-2.00.20

 

[linuxha]

Okay, I've done some further playing and I've found that the commands sent will work with the <CR> on the end. I've found that the only command I needed to send to the XBee Coordinator is the 'ATID FFFF' to set the PAN ID. I figured this when my laptop went to sleep and the XBee lost power. I check the router settings (ATDH / ATDL) and they're not set. Previously I 'Installed the ZigBee network' on the TZB43 with the PAN ID set to FFFF. I also did an ATWR to save the PAN ID. I set the Air Conditioner temp. to 74 (it was 82) and the unit responded and turned on the air (the room is at 77).

Tx: A=1 O=ME SPC=74
Rx: A=00 O=1 Z=1 SP=62 SPH=62 SPC=74
Rx: A=00 O=1 H1A=0 H2A=0 C1A=1 C2A=0 FA=1 SCP=20

So as you can see it works. I'll try adding in one of my other thermostats to the ZigBee network (these are the TZB20s) and setting it's ID to something else.

The one thing that bothers me is that I don't know how to change the address of the TZB43. It's currently 1 and I can't seem to figure out a way to change it to anything else. So I won't be getting a second TZB43 (but I don't need one as I have the TZB20s ;-) )

Now that I think I understand what's going on I'll document it better on my TZB20 web page. Hmm, I still haven't gotten the ZBPLM into this, maybe later.