Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Posted on
Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:46 am
Jimbo offline
Posts: 14
Joined: Mar 30, 2010

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Ben,

You rock. I was about halfway into an effort to do just exactly this (thinking almost the same way, but trying to collapse the 3 modes into a single variable representing current state, and moving the times to csv after each cycle). I'm real slow - taking a rapid crash course as I try to move from newbie and non-scripter to having my Indigo setup finished in about 3 days :-) I popped this in, and I suspect you saved me a precious 5 hours or more.

Just to clarify in this thread, this really is an attachment script. If you have a Venstar (v1 or v2) just put it in the attachments folder, restart Indigo, and wait for your thermostat to cycle your HVAC. No triggers necessary. But if you want to save the data, use the "reset" script with a trigger so that it runs once a night, and it will put a .csv file in your docs folder.

Ben, BTW, I've tied to this another script that adds up the total AC, Heating, and Fan time every time the reset script runs, and adds that total to another variable (hvacFilterUse). One a day I check that variable to see if it has exceeded my threshold and send an SMS with Adium it is time to change my filter (script over here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5667). For anybody else wanting to do this, Ben's script doesn't create the variables until the "state" of the HVAC runs (Heating, cooling, fan), so if you're adding them up, either check the variables exist, or create them yourself.

Thanks again, this is superbly useful.

Posted on
Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:42 am
bschollnick2 offline
Posts: 1355
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Location: Rochester, Ny

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Jimbo wrote:
Ben,
You rock. I was about halfway into an effort to do just exactly this (thinking almost the same way, but trying to collapse the 3 modes into a single variable representing current state, and moving the times to csv after each cycle). I'm real slow - taking a rapid crash course as I try to move from newbie and non-scripter to having my Indigo setup finished in about 3 days :-) I popped this in, and I suspect you saved me a precious 5 hours or more.

Ben, BTW, I've tied to this another script that adds up the total AC, Heating, and Fan time every time the reset script runs, and adds that total to another variable (hvacFilterUse). One a day I check that variable to see if it has exceeded my threshold and send an SMS with Adium it is time to change my filter (script over here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5667). For anybody else wanting to do this, Ben's script doesn't create the variables until the "state" of the HVAC runs (Heating, cooling, fan), so if you're adding them up, either check the variables exist, or create them yourself.
Thanks again, this is superbly useful.


Always glad to be helpful.... :D

Feel free to make any suggestions or improvements... If you'd like to roll your filter time into the script, just let me know, and we'll either setup someway to coordinate, or just send me the changes, and I'll be happy to add them to the script.

------
My Plugins for Indigo (v4, v5, and v6) - http://bit.ly/U8XxPG

Security Script for v4 - http://bit.ly/QTgclf
for v5 - http://bit.ly/T6WBKu

Support Forum(s) - http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/userforum/viewforum.php?f=33

Posted on
Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:22 am
Jimbo offline
Posts: 14
Joined: Mar 30, 2010

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Always glad to be helpful....

Feel free to make any suggestions or improvements... If you'd like to roll your filter time into the script, just let me know, and we'll either setup someway to coordinate, or just send me the changes, and I'll be happy to add them to the script.


Ben,

I'm preoccupied with some complex email parsing at the moment, but I'm also interleaving a look at integrating these scripts. Basically, I'll set up filter usage tracking in your script, including variable creation, etc. I may also tie in a call out to an Adium SMS texting script from the reset script, if the user has Adium installed and the Indigo variables defined.

All dependent on how my mail parsing is going ;-) PM me if you have other thoughts.

Posted on
Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:37 am
matlock offline
Posts: 41
Joined: Apr 17, 2009
Location: Atlanta Georgia

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

An annoyance I've discovered with the Venstar INSTEON adapter -- or maybe I'm losing INSTEON signals somewhere...

If Indigo changes the thermostat set points and it causes the HVAC system to turn on/off immediately, the INSTEON adapter doesn't send out the on or off signal when it happens.

I'm trying to figure out if the thing just doesn't send them out -- or if it receiving the signals from Indigo is blocking the transmission of the on/off.

I suppose this would be kind of easy to work around - if the setpoint raises/lowers above/below the current temp, assume the HVAC system will turn on/off because of the change... but I really hate "guessing" like that.

It's really really irritating that SmartLabs won't let you just query the damned thing for the current operating status. :x

Posted on
Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:37 am
matt (support) offline
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Location: Texas

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

I think you are experiencing a signal problem or some other anomaly. Whenever my HVAC compressor/furnace turns ON I receive commands from the Rev2 thermostat adapter, even if it is because I just increased/decreased the set points.

You do have the rev2 version of the adapter, correct? And you had the older adapter, you re-did the Define and Sync process with the new one, correct?

Are the equipment ON/OFF messages only missed after an Indigo initiated change in the set points?

Image

Posted on
Sat Apr 17, 2010 11:23 am
matlock offline
Posts: 41
Joined: Apr 17, 2009
Location: Atlanta Georgia

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

I'm only missing the on/off immediately after Indigo adjusts the thermostat and the system turns on or off. If I do it manually from the thermostat, Indigo sees the signal. I just programmed a KeyPad to turn on/off the system, and Indigo sees the on/off resulting from that, too.

I'm sure Indigo sends a lot more data than a KeyPad does (actual commands vs a scene), judging on the amount of 'blinkiness' I see on other devices, and the signal is somehow getting lost on the way back to the PLC... ?

Since you're seeing the signals on yours (I've also got a Rev 2), I guess that means I've got some sort of RF signal collision going on... I'm betting the thermostat adapter doesn't retry sending like some devices do, right?

I've got an access point about 4 feet away from the thermostat, so it's probably not full signal loss...

I'll move some LampLincs and my AP's around today and see if that helps. This also gives me an excuse to get the newer dual-band PLM since I'm still using the old school PLC. :)

Posted on
Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:15 pm
jingai offline
Posts: 127
Joined: Apr 03, 2007

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Just to clarify, this requires the Rev.2 adapter, right?

I really wish I would have gotten in on the discounted price Smarthome had earlier this year if so :(

-j

Posted on
Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:32 pm
bschollnick2 offline
Posts: 1355
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Location: Rochester, Ny

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

jingai wrote:
Just to clarify, this requires the Rev.2 adapter, right?

I really wish I would have gotten in on the discounted price Smarthome had earlier this year if so :(

-j


It'll work best with the Rev. 2 adapter [, but even the Rev 1 adapter will work to a limited extent.]

Opps... A small mistake there... I forgot that Rev 1 adapters don't establish a 2way communication link... So they will not transmit the state changes to the Controller... So Rev 1 adapters won't work with the script... (Since I have never owned a Rev 1 adapter, I never had to deal with that limitation...)
Last edited by bschollnick2 on Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

------
My Plugins for Indigo (v4, v5, and v6) - http://bit.ly/U8XxPG

Security Script for v4 - http://bit.ly/QTgclf
for v5 - http://bit.ly/T6WBKu

Support Forum(s) - http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/userforum/viewforum.php?f=33

Posted on
Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:58 pm
jingai offline
Posts: 127
Joined: Apr 03, 2007

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

bschollnick2 wrote:
jingai wrote:
Just to clarify, this requires the Rev.2 adapter, right?


It'll work best with the Rev. 2 adapter, but even the Rev 1 adapter will work to a limited extent.


Will I at least see fan, cooling, and heating time? That's all I am really interested in, but I'm curious also what else I'd get from your script if I had the rev 2?

Thanks,
-j

EDIT: The reason I asked instead of just trying it is because I'm not seeing the fan/compressor on/off messages. I've placed the scripts in "/Library/Application\ Support/Perceptive\ Automation/Indigo\ 4/Scripts/Attachments", added a time/date action to run thermo_reset.scpt at midnight, and restarted Indigo, but I see no new messages from the thermostat..

Posted on
Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:38 pm
jingai offline
Posts: 127
Joined: Apr 03, 2007

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Is Fan_dailymins supposed to update when the A/C is used? With the Rev 2 adapter, I see the messages about the A/C turning on and off, but nothing for the fan. Is it only transmitted for the furnace?

-j

Posted on
Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:49 am
bschollnick2 offline
Posts: 1355
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Location: Rochester, Ny

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

jingai wrote:
Is Fan_dailymins supposed to update when the A/C is used? With the Rev 2 adapter, I see the messages about the A/C turning on and off, but nothing for the fan. Is it only transmitted for the furnace?

-j


The codingis there to support the fan, from memory, I recall that the Venstar doesn't send the fan signals if the fan is set to Automatic.... (Which doesn't make sense to me)....

But the real answer is, check your log.. Do you see any Fan commands being received? If so, then there is an issue. If not, then there is no way that the script could track the fan state since you are not seeing the signals...(assuming they are being sent).

At this point, I see AC & Heat, status reliably...

------
My Plugins for Indigo (v4, v5, and v6) - http://bit.ly/U8XxPG

Security Script for v4 - http://bit.ly/QTgclf
for v5 - http://bit.ly/T6WBKu

Support Forum(s) - http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/userforum/viewforum.php?f=33

Posted on
Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:40 am
jingai offline
Posts: 127
Joined: Apr 03, 2007

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

bschollnick2 wrote:
The codingis there to support the fan, from memory, I recall that the Venstar doesn't send the fan signals if the fan is set to Automatic.... (Which doesn't make sense to me)....


That appears to be the case. Which doesn't make sense to me either.. but oh well. I guess they figured that if the compressor is on then the fan is on, and vice versa. Which is true, except that you can delay turning off the fan as well, so it may run a little longer than the compressor.

-j

Posted on
Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:01 pm
ELWOOD offline
Posts: 225
Joined: Feb 11, 2007
Location: Ramsey, NJ

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

Just started using this script so far works well.
Thanks bschollnick2 for all your work.
Just a quick question, will it work with multiple
thermostats. If so does the variables indicate which
thermostat is running.

Thanks

Posted on
Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:44 pm
bschollnick2 offline
Posts: 1355
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Location: Rochester, Ny

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

ELWOOD wrote:
Just started using this script so far works well.
Thanks bschollnick2 for all your work.
Just a quick question, will it work with multiple
thermostats. If so does the variables indicate which
thermostat is running.

Thanks


The historical graphing plugin will handle multiple thermostats, but the Applescript Plugin won't.... It's only designed for a single thermostat...

If there is demand for it, I can take a look at it, but I've been very busy lately....

- Ben

------
My Plugins for Indigo (v4, v5, and v6) - http://bit.ly/U8XxPG

Security Script for v4 - http://bit.ly/QTgclf
for v5 - http://bit.ly/T6WBKu

Support Forum(s) - http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/userforum/viewforum.php?f=33

Posted on
Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:25 pm
eme jota ce offline
Posts: 618
Joined: Jul 09, 2009
Location: SW Florida

Re: Venstar Thermostat Plugin v1.00 released...

bschollnick2 wrote:
...
If there is demand for it, I can take a look...
....


Plus one indicating there is demand for it, but with the caveat that I'm very thankful for all your efforts so far and appreciate your many contributions as provided at your pace.

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