OPiie and automating zwave thermostats

[ckg1999]

Hello all -
 
I have an OPiie with the VRC0P (updated to the latest firmware on both).  I use TZ45 stats with the system.  I am able to adjust temps indivudally just fine (thru HaikuHelper and console).
 
However, when I write in automation rules to say, at 7a set the upstairs stat to 75 and the downstairs to 73, both get set to 73.  It's like the HAI pushes out the rules to both stats.  Drives me nuts that I can not have automation for my thermostats.
 
Down is Zwave Node ID - 7
Up is Zwave Node ID - 8
 
Example automation code below:

13. TIMED 5:05 PM MTWTFSS
THEN Up COOL SETPOINT 75
THEN Up HEAT SETPOINT 69
14. TIMED 5:01 PM MTWTFSS
THEN Down COOL SETPOINT 73
THEN Down HEAT SETPOINT 71


 

 

[ano]

I haven't seen that with the HAI Zigbee thermostats. I'd let them know.  They seem to have done very minimal testing with non-HAI Zigbee devices. I've found some bugs while controlling non-HAI Zigbee devices and they fixed them.

 

[ckg1999]

This is speaking to ZWave, not Zigbee.  Although, I wish Nest would unlock the Zigbee chip on their stat....

 

[HAI_fjh]

A couple of things to check:

1. Verify the node IDs and that the configuration in PC Access has been written to the controller.
2. Next try to change the setpoint of one thermostat from the console, touch screen or PC Access. If this works then the controller can control the thermostats and controlling it in automation should work.
3. Verify that an internal programming in the thermostat is disabled. If you are going to let the Omni control the thermostat then make sure the internal programming in not overriding or conflicting.
4. Verify that you do not have contradicting programming in the Omni.
5. When sending commands to the thermostat make sure hold is off. Most thermostats will not actually accept a setpoint change if hold is on.

In short if it is configured properly and the Omni can control the thermostats through the user interface, then it should be able to control it from automation. Commands sent from a user interface or from automation go through the same internal command processor which sends the command to the actual device.

I hope this helps.

 

[ckg1999]

A couple of things to check:

1. Verify the node IDs and that the configuration in PC Access has been written to the controller.
2. Next try to change the setpoint of one thermostat from the console, touch screen or PC Access. If this works then the controller can control the thermostats and controlling it in automation should work.
3. Verify that an internal programming in the thermostat is disabled. If you are going to let the Omni control the thermostat then make sure the internal programming in not overriding or conflicting.
4. Verify that you do not have contradicting programming in the Omni.
5. When sending commands to the thermostat make sure hold is off. Most thermostats will not actually accept a setpoint change if hold is on.

In short if it is configured properly and the Omni can control the thermostats through the user interface, then it should be able to control it from automation. Commands sent from a user interface or from automation go through the same internal command processor which sends the command to the actual device.

I hope this helps.

 

1. Yes - everything is written to the controller; actually pulled from the controller to make 100% sure
2. I am able to change the setpoint of one Stat from the console and from HAIKU.  Works well - does not change the setpoint in the other stat
3. Internall programming has never been set up and is disabled.
4. In reviewing the rules, there are no conflicts within PC Access
5. The HOLD function is set to OFF for both stats.
 
I am not sure if it is the ZWave controller or HAI.  Looking more and more like the communication between HAI and ZWave during automation commands is doing it.  Driving me nuts...

 

[HAI_fjh]

It sounds like you have everything set up correctly, so I am not sure what is going wrong either.

If you can set the cool setpoint to 80 from the console and it only changes the cool setpoint on the intended thermostat, then an automation command that sets the cool setpoint to 80 should work. They both dump into the same command processor.

Try using an extreme value as in my above example. Also add a log message command to each block so that you can see that it actually executed in the log.

If all else fails, make user you have everything backed up in PC Access then try resetting the RAM and EEPROM and reloading everything back into the controller. You might also want to make sure you are running the latest firmware. You should do the firmware update before resetting everything.

 

[ckg1999]

It sounds like you have everything set up correctly, so I am not sure what is going wrong either.

If you can set the cool setpoint to 80 from the console and it only changes the cool setpoint on the intended thermostat, then an automation command that sets the cool setpoint to 80 should work. They both dump into the same command processor.

Try using an extreme value as in my above example. Also add a log message command to each block so that you can see that it actually executed in the log.

If all else fails, make user you have everything backed up in PC Access then try resetting the RAM and EEPROM and reloading everything back into the controller. You might also want to make sure you are running the latest firmware. You should do the firmware update before resetting everything.

I added the log messages and it does show both being executed at the same time in the log.  However, the Upstairs stat ALWAYS gets pushed the Downstairs stat command (ie: Set Cool 80).
 
I don't want to ditch these stats and go Zigbee, but it looks like I may have to.

 

[HAI_fjh]

Just clarify: Assuming both stats are set to something normal like 73 to 75. If you set the downstairs stat to 80 from PC Access the down stairsstat is set to 80 and the upstairs stat is still at its previous value. If you then set the upstaris stat to 78, then both stats would go to 78?

If this is the case then I don't know what is going on. By the way what is the firmware version in your Omni?

 

[ckg1999]

Just clarify: Assuming both stats are set to something normal like 73 to 75. If you set the downstairs stat to 80 from PC Access the down stairsstat is set to 80 and the upstairs stat is still at its previous value. If you then set the upstaris stat to 78, then both stats would go to 78?

If this is the case then I don't know what is going on. By the way what is the firmware version in your Omni?

Yes - but ONLY happens during automation events or when I make a quick adjustment to both stats via Haiku.  To me, it seems if events happen at a rapid pace, the Zwave contoller gets confused. 
 
I am on 3.11D.

 

[HAI_fjh]

The fact that it only happens when you send multiple commands in rapid succession is an important clue. I bet if you reversed the order of the automation blocks both stats would get the upstairs settings. Perhaps it is some sort of buffer overrun?

Since this is a timed event, a quick and dirty work around might be to set the upstairs stat at 5:00 AM then the downstairs at 5:01 AM. I'll do a quick search and see if anyone else has encountered something like this.

 

[ckg1999]

The fact that it only happens when you send multiple commands in rapid succession is an important clue. I bet if you reversed the order of the automation blocks both stats would get the upstairs settings. Perhaps it is some sort of buffer overrun?

Since this is a timed event, a quick and dirty work around might be to set the upstairs stat at 5:00 AM then the downstairs at 5:01 AM. I'll do a quick search and see if anyone else has encountered something like this.

I attempted to do this in the interim, but it still fires off the changes to BOTH stats, even if one is specified.
 
Ie: at 5:00 set cool to 80 on DOWN stat (sets both to 80)
At 5:05 set cool to 78 on UP stat (sets both to 78)
 
Very odd behavior to say the least...

 

[HAI_fjh]

I may have something for you. For testing purposes I don't think the trigger is significant so here is what I would like you to do:

1. Name a button TSTAT_TEST
2. Create an automation block:
 

WHEN TSTAT_TEST
THEN Up COOL SETPOINT 80
THEN Down COOL SETPOINT 78


 
3. Write everything to the Omni
4. Make sure the setpoints are not already a the above values, then run the button.

What I am trying to see is whether the problem is actually caused by multiple commands to different tstats, or multiple commands to the same tstat. It may sound funny, but just do the test exactly as stated above and let me know what happens.

Thanks.

 

[ckg1999]

I did as noted and UP went to 80, DOWN went to 78

 

[HAI_fjh]

This is great news. The guy I need to talk to won't be back until Monday, but I might have a fix.

In the interim try staggering the commands like I suggested, but set the cool setpoints at 5:00 and the heat setpoints at 5:01.

Thanks.

 

[ckg1999]

This is great news. The guy I need to talk to won't be back until Monday, but I might have a fix.

In the interim try staggering the commands like I suggested, but set the cool setpoints at 5:00 and the heat setpoints at 5:01.

Thanks.

Will do.  Thanks for the input!