RCS thermostat attachment is now available

Posted on
Fri Jan 16, 2004 4:35 pm
bobeast offline
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RCS thermostat attachment is now available

A new Thermostat attachment for the bi-directional RCS thermostats is now included in the Indigo download (see download page). Just move the RCS attachment.scpt from your folder:
Code: Select all
~/Documents/Indigo User Data/Scripts/Attachments(disabled)
(Indigo 1.x users look here)

/Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 2/Scripts/Attachments(disabled)
(Indigo 2.0 and 3.0 users look here)

/Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 4/Scripts/Attachments(disabled)
(Indigo 4.0 and higher users look here)

into the non-disabled Attachments folder, and then select "Reload Attachments" from the Indigo script menu. As you might expect, the file called "RCS example.scpt" contains code that you can paste into your own scripts in order to exercise the attachment.

enjoy.

Bob

Support Addendum: Here are some additional instructions for after you've moved the script to the Attachments folder.

First, you need to modify the attachment script with the house code you have assigned the RCS. Open up RCS attachment and look for the property rcsNameHouseCodeMap near the top. Replace "spa" with the name you want to use (ex: "centralHVAC") and "H" with the house code you've assigned to the RCS. Next, as mentioned above make sure the RCS attachment script is in the active (not disabled) scripts/attachments/ folder and then choose the Scripts->Reload Attachments menu item.

Next, create a Trigger Action in Indigo of Type Indigo Server Startup. Give it the action type Execute AppleScript, and copy/paste this into the embedded script edit field:
Code: Select all
InitializeHVAC("H")
SetAutoSendMode("H", "on")

where "H" is the house code letter you are using. Next, manually execute that script using the Run button in the dialog (or quit and relaunch Indigo). The second line above (SetAutoSendMode) really only needs to be sent once. It probably is not necessary to do it every time Indigo starts, but shouldn't hurt.

You should now see a new Variable name in the Indigo Variable window (choose the Window->Variable List menu item to show Variable window). This Variable will automatically update as the RCS reports temperature changes to Indigo. You can use that Variable in Trigger Actions (ex: Variable Changed becomes greater than a specific temperature value) or inside Conditionals. You can also view the Variable value using the built-in Web server or add a control to a Web Control Page that shows the variable value.

Now that we have a way to see the current room temperature as reported by the RCS, let's use Indigo to change the current Setpoint value. We'll create a Time/Date Action that sets the set point to 68 degrees. Use the Action type Execute AppleScript again, and copy/paste this into the edit field:
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SetSetpoint("H", 68)

Open the AppleScript file RCS example.scpt for examples of other commands you can send to: change the RCS mode, increase/decrease setpoint values, etc.

Matt (Indigo Support)

Posted on
Fri Jan 16, 2004 4:42 pm
matt (support) offline
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Re: new RCS thermostat attachment is now available

Let me be the first to publicly say, "Thanks Bob!"

Regards,
Matt

Posted on
Fri Feb 20, 2004 8:52 pm
gregjsmith offline
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I got my RCS set up and running. I'm wondering how's the best way to set it up in Indigo? pardon my ignorance if it was already explained elseswhere.

Posted on
Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:06 pm
gregjsmith offline
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Not to mention that something isn't right with the scripts.

Code: Select all
   RCS                safe command mode is now off.
   RCS                safe command mode is now off.
   RCS                echo command mode is now off.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 25 (not supported by device)
   RCS                Indigo's control of thermostat on housecode H is now enabled.
   RCS                Ack mode is now off.
   RCS                Thermostat on housecode H has been initialized
   RCS                auto-send mode is now on.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 25 (not supported by device)
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 23 (not supported by device)
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 16 (not supported by device)
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 21 (not supported by device)
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 26 (not supported by device)
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 0 (not supported by device)
   Received X10       "RCS" preset dim val of 11 (not supported by device)
   RCS                The spaTemperature is 79 degrees.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 1 (not supported by device)
   Received X10       "RCS" preset dim val of 12 (not supported by device)
   RCS                The spaTemperature is 80 degrees.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 2 (not supported by device)
   Received X10       "RCS" preset dim val of 1 (not supported by device)
   RCS                The system mode is set to Heat.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 3 (not supported by device)
   Received X10       "RCS" preset dim val of 5 (not supported by device)
   RCS                The fan is off.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 4 (not supported by device)
   Received X10       "RCS" preset dim val of 7 (not supported by device)
   RCS                Setback mode is not active.
   Sent X10           "RCS" preset dim val of 5 (not supported by device)
   Received X10       "RCS" preset dim val of 4 (not supported by device)
   RCS                The spaTemperature is 8 degrees.

Posted on
Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:18 am
matt (support) offline
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Morning Greg,

Is the thermostat not responding to commands or not reporting back the temperature correctly? From the log info above, I cannot tell what is wrong. The "not supported by device" messages are benign. Indigo is just a big confused because the device "RCS" you have defined isn't set to support preset dim commands. It doesn't really need to be since the attachment script is handling everything at a lower level. In the device Options dialog for the RCS device you created, I would check:

Supports dimming
  Preset (Llightolier, PCS, SwitchLinc)
Supports "Status Request" command"
Uses entire house code

This will keep the log file from reporting the "not supported by device" message, and will show the "Get Status" button in the main window when the RCS device is selected.

Regards,
Matt

Posted on
Sat Feb 21, 2004 10:02 am
gregjsmith offline
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Setting the device options as you suggested eliminated the "not supported" messages. Only problem I see now is it says the fan is off even when it's running. But it's reporting the temp just fine.

Posted on
Sat Feb 21, 2004 10:48 pm
matt (support) offline
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gregjsmith wrote:
Setting the device options as you suggested eliminated the "not supported" messages. Only problem I see now is it says the fan is off even when it's running. But it's reporting the temp just fine.

I looked over your log file above, and it is difficult for me to tell what the problem is. I double checked the script and it appears to be sending the correct codes and decoding the correct values. Can you make a GetFanMode(houseCode) call and copy paste the resulting log file lines?

Regards,
Matt

Posted on
Sat Feb 21, 2004 11:31 pm
gregjsmith offline
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Code: Select all
10:25:41 PM, 2/21/04   Trigger Action   getfanmode("H")
10:25:41 PM, 2/21/04   Sent X10   "RCS" preset dim to 10
10:25:44 PM, 2/21/04   Received X10   "RCS" preset dim to 16
10:25:45 PM, 2/21/04   RCS   The fan is off.


I went out and checked and sure enough the heater was on.

Posted on
Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:25 am
matt (support) offline
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From my understanding of the RCS protocol, it is returning a status code that says the fan is off. What does the log look like if you manually turn off the heater and call GetFanMode() again? I suspect it will look the same. Maybe we are misunderstanding what the RCS means by reporting the fan on or off, although I'm not sure what else exactly they would be trying to report.

Regards,
Matt

Posted on
Mon Feb 23, 2004 10:36 pm
jvreede offline

which hardware voor rcs?

Hi,

can you recommend which hardware I should purchse to go along with the RCS scripts? I am located in Europe (Netherlands) if this makes a difference...

Thanks!

Jan-Bart

Posted on
Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:20 am
matt (support) offline
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Re: which hardware voor rcs?

Hello Jan-Bart,

The scripts are compatible with the RCS TX15 and TX16. I'm not sure if there is a 220V version of these or not. Anyone have any luck with RCS thermostats and 220V?

Regards,
Matt

Posted on
Wed Mar 03, 2004 1:32 am
Guest offline

Fan mode on RCS thermostats

I have just joined your little group, as I was getting SO tired of using that other kind of machine to do my home automation. My quick biography regarding RCS thermostats: I wrote the first non-polling control script for these devices for "HomeSeer" (on that aforementioned other kind of machine), so you might say I know a little about them.

Fan mode is never "off." It has two states:
"Auto" is the usual mode - the fan runs as needed when cooling or heating is active.
"On" means the fan is running continuously, regardless of whether cooling is active at that time.

Hope this helps!

Posted on
Wed Mar 03, 2004 6:22 am
matt (support) offline
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Re: Fan mode on RCS thermostats

Welcome to the group, and thanks for information. That makes much more sense.

Regards,
Matt

Posted on
Tue Apr 06, 2004 10:59 pm
ivoryjoe@optonline.net offline

RCS Zone Controllers

What about the RCS zone controllers like the ZC4? Can I hook all my TX16's up to one and control them with Indigo? Has anyone tried this?

Posted on
Wed Apr 14, 2004 2:47 pm
Guest offline

Embedded Support for RCS Thermostats?

Is there any chance of embedded support of the RCS Thermostats in Indigo? The current method, while it would seem to work, is rather convoluted and not very simple to set up or use.

A HVAC control panel window with temp settings, fan and mode control, and a query button to get the current settings would be nice.

I've been using an old LynX-10 box, an SE/30, and a Hypercard stack I wrote to do all my home automation, and I'll miss that easy-to-use temperature control interface I made.

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