thermostats

hi,

this is probably an obvious question, but i know nothing about x10 yet, and thermostats are not specifically mentioned in the indigo help, so, does indigo support x10 enabled thermostats?

seth.ness@mssm.edu

[matt (support)]

This is probably an obvious question, but i know nothing about x10 yet, and thermostats are not specifically mentioned in the indigo help, so, does indigo support x10 enabled thermostats?

Hi Seth,

Great question, and one I've been wondering when someone would ask. Using Indigo's plug-in architecture, it should be fairly easy to write an attachment plug-in for supporting X10 compatible thermostats. However, no one, including myself, has written one yet. If someone has one of the thermostats and has some knowledge of AppleScript, then I'd love to offer my assistance in writing the attachment. If I don't get any takers, then I will eventually get around to writing it myself. But it isn't at the top of the feature list at the moment.

regards,
matt

Hi,

I do own a Marmitek Digimax 210 thermostat and I'm perfectly willing ti try it out but I have no clue how to write the script for it. It works with my SC2800 Maxicontroller alarmsystem but don't ask me how.

If anybody would write something I can try it.

Cheers,

Rien Doorn

[matt (support)]

I do own a Marmitek Digimax 210 thermostat and I'm perfectly willing ti try it out but I have no clue how to write the script for it. It works with my SC2800 Maxicontroller alarmsystem but don't ask me how.

From glancing at the Digimax 210 manual online, it looks like the thermostat itself does not send X10 commands, but the controller (SC2800) sends simple on/off X10 commands. So you could define a Trigger Action in Indigo that does some action in response to this on/off X10 command.

However, it does not look like this thermostat or its controller broadcast the current temperature, or allows setting of the current temperature via X10. Devices such as this X-10 bi-directional RCS thermostat have this capability:

http://www.smarthome.com/3049b.html

regards,
matt

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the investigation.

What happens at the moment is that the controller 2800 sends an on/off command depending on the temperature I've set in the thermostat. So the thermo does send something to the controller somehow.

Rien

[matt (support)]

What happens at the moment is that the controller 2800 sends an on/off command depending on the temperature I've set in the thermostat. So the thermo does send something to the controller somehow.

Yes, from what I can tell the thermostat communicates with the controller wirelessly (not X10), then the controller can send an X10 on/off signal, but does not broadcast any preset dim or extended X10 codes that would correspond to the temperature.

regards,
matt

However, it does not look like this thermostat or its controller broadcast the current temperature, or allows setting of the current temperature via X10. Devices such as this X-10 bi-directional RCS thermostat have this capability:

http://www.smarthome.com/3049b.html

Has anyone tried using this thermostat with Indigo? I am interested in figuring out how to control my HVAC in my house. Seems like this is the right widget to get. But I haven't seen much discussion on this device. Plus, I am not Applescript proficient (just a hack), so I am a bit gun shy to venture out on my own

I think I read somewhere in this forum that temperature control may be something that comes in 2.0 (UI etc). Am I better off holding out?

[matt (support)]

Has anyone tried using this thermostat with Indigo? I am interested in figuring out how to control my HVAC in my house. Seems like this is the right widget to get. But I haven't seen much discussion on this device.

I just ordered a TempLinc and will be writing an AppleScript attachment to automatically define and set Indigo variables based on X10 commands coming from the TempLinc module (such as current temperature).

It appears the TempLinc uses the same basic RCS protocol as TXB-16 thermostat. There are some obvious differences, since the TempLinc doesn't actually connect to your HVAC system directly, but I think once I have the basic TempLinc script written it won't be too far of a jump to extend it to handle the TXB-16.

I'm hoping to add native UI into 2.0 to handle the TXB-16, but I'm not 100% positive it will make it into 2.0. But we can definitely write an AppleScript attachment to handle controlling it for the time being.

Regards,
Matt

A few things to know about this thermostat. It has a controller unit box that sits next to your heater and it has a wall mount that goes where ever you put your normal thermostat. It requires 4 wires to go from the wall mount and the controller box.

Unless you have or can run those wires you cannot use this.

A few things to know about this thermostat. It has a controller unit box that sits next to your heater and it has a wall mount that goes where ever you put your normal thermostat. It requires 4 wires to go from the wall mount and the controller box.

Unless you have or can run those wires you cannot use this.

Do you know why it needs to sit next to the heater? Sounds like a show stopper to me... my heater is in the attic, existing thermostat (where I would like the TXB-16 to live) is downstairs. I'm not to eager to start a drywalling project too.

Bummer.

The controller box has a wall wart for power, it has a TW523 for X10 and it has wires to go to the heater unit. You don't need to put it near the heater but you need to put it somewhere where there is power outlets.

You might already have 4 wires running to your heater, check it out to make sure.

Howdy all,
I have a TempLinc now fully integrated into the cooler-part of my environmental control system. Actually, the TempLinc is talking to Indigo and the cooler controls are paralleled with universal modules allowing Indigo to exert it's influence.
All that is missing is the code.
If anyone has anything that needs to be tested, I am a willing guinea pig!

Blue Skies!

Eric

[matt (support)]

I got my TempLinc from Smarthome today, so I finally had a chance to put the attachment script together. It is now included in the Indigo application and can be found in your folder:

~/Documents/Indigo User Data/Scripts/Attachments(Disabled)/templinc attachment.scpt

If you have a TempLinc, then copy the script over into your non-disabled Attachments folder. Inside the script you'll need to modify the AppleScript variable tempLincNameHouseCodeMap to tell Indigo the variable name you want to use for the temperature, and the house code of the TempLinc. The scripts supports multiple TempLincs -- just add a new pair entry into tempLincNameHouseCodeMap for each one you have.

Additionally, there are a couple of useful function the attachment script defines: SendTempLincSettings() for downloading settings to the TempLinc, and RequestTempLincStatus() to request the current temperature from a TempLinc. Read the comments at the top of the attachment script for notes on how to use these functions.

Note that if you send a status request to the TempLinc (for example, via the RequestTempLincStatus() function), you will see a timeout error message in the log. This is because Indigo waits a couple of seconds for a X10 status response code after it sends the status request code. The TempLinc never sends status response codes though (it sends a preset dim code instead), so Indigo reports a timeout error. For now just ignore the error, it is harmless and just being a bit too verbose in this case.

On an unfortunate note, I downloaded the protocol instructions for the TX15/16. I was hoping that I could repurpose a lot of what I did with this TempLinc script, but other than the temperature decoding they aren't compatible. So, I'll have to write another attachment script for the TX15/16.

Regards,
Matt

Would any of the hardware mentioned work in a house with multiple zones? I have 6 heating zones in my house. Since I am in VT, I don't need any A/C. Would I need to buy 6 of the thermolincs?

[matt (support)]

Would any of the hardware mentioned work in a house with multiple zones? I have 6 heating zones in my house. Since I am in VT, I don't need any A/C. Would I need to buy 6 of the thermolincs?

I don't know of any X10 thermostats that support multiple zones -- I believe the RCS TX15/16 only supports a single zone.

That said, it would seem possible to use a single RCS thermostat, multiple TempLincs, and multiple motorized dampers (controlled via X10) to put a system together. Anyone have any experience doing anything like this?

Regards,
Matt