Indigo Domotics

So, I've finally gotten around to trying to integrate my Bali Blinds into my Indigo system. I'm running the latest version of Indigo (7.1.1) on a 2017 iMac and a Gen 5 Z-stick. I've done the following steps:

1 Excluded each remote
2 Excluded each blind
3 Included each blind into Indigo

However, at this point I hit a snag. When I try to configure the blinds in Indigo (they show as "Motor Control Class C") I get the following results:

Code: Select all

 Z-Wave                          Syncing - started for "026 - Motor Control Class C"
   Z-Wave                          Syncing - retrieved module neighbors list: 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 17, 22
   Z-Wave                          Syncing - assigning return route to "026 - Motor Control Class C"
   Z-Wave Error                    Syncing - failed to assign return route
   Z-Wave Error                    Syncing - failed
   Z-Wave Error                    Timeout waiting for "026 - Motor Control Class C". Module might be asleep, or is unreachable.


I've tried various things to wake up the controller (press the manual up/down button, hold the controller button for a short or long time) thus far to no effect. Anybody got other suggestions?

Responding to my own post here just in case others have the same problem. I found I had to exclude and re-include the device. Apparently something went wrong on the original include. I had included four separate blinds and three of the four worked just fine on the first try.

Once I did that I'm now able to control the blind from Indigo treating it as a dimmable lamp. 0% is all the way down and 100% is all the way up. Yes, 50% seems to stop it in the middle.

...now to try setting up the original remotes as secondary controllers.

...And yet another update - it all works!!!!

Got all the blinds and controllers included on the Z-Stick and can see them all through Indigo. Got the controllers re-paired with the blinds so they can still be controlled manually. Set up a couple of schedules which should fire off tonight and tomorrow morning at appropriate times.

Still to do:

Integrate with WU data about incidence of sun and cloud cover so that they will automatically lower if the sun is glaring in.
Adjust sunrise/sunset schedules so that the extremes of winter/summer don't cause the blinds to be opened or closed at inappropriate times
Include in various scenes like watching TV or when the maids visit
Thinking of other interesting uses

All of that is pretty much standard Indigo stuff.

I did submit the z-wave info to indigo as the configuration dialog indicated they were unknown devices.

jalves wrote:

Integrate with WU data about incidence of sun and cloud cover so that they will automatically lower if the sun is glaring in.

Just an FYI--I don't have blinds, but I do have lights that are supposed to turn on when WU says the conditions are cloudy/overcast/rain, etc. I find that often, the actual condition has passed before WU reports it. I wish WU was faster.

Also there's a "Sun" plugin that might do this faster than WU, and is specifically designed for this. Though I have no experience with it.

Different Computers wrote:

Also there's a "Sun" plugin that might do this faster than WU, and is specifically designed for this. Though I have no experience with it.

It's actually pretty slick if you are referring to the Cynical Weather plugin. I use that to open and close my curtains during the summer so that there is never direct sun coming in and warming the house in the mid-day and to also open curtains during key times to shine on my plants.

Thanks for the suggestions DC & C4W. I've got the Cynical Plugin on my system but just haven't experimented with it much.

Colorado4Wheeler wrote:

Different Computers wrote:

Also there's a "Sun" plugin that might do this faster than WU, and is specifically designed for this. Though I have no experience with it.

It's actually pretty slick if you are referring to the Cynical Weather plugin. I use that to open and close my curtains during the summer so that there is never direct sun coming in and warming the house in the mid-day and to also open curtains during key times to shine on my plants.

I bet it is, but I was referring to the Sun plugin. http://www.indigodomo.com/pluginstore/110/ "Use this plugin to track the position of the sun in the sky. Use this to trigger activities based on sun angle such as adjusting shades, accurate twilight start and end times, etc."

I'm not recommending it or warning about it, it's just something I saw in the store. I don't have a smart thermostat or any motorized blinds.

jalves wrote:

Responding to my own post here just in case others have the same problem. I found I had to exclude and re-include the device. Apparently something went wrong on the original include. I had included four separate blinds and three of the four worked just fine on the first try.

Once I did that I'm now able to control the blind from Indigo treating it as a dimmable lamp. 0% is all the way down and 100% is all the way up. Yes, 50% seems to stop it in the middle.

...now to try setting up the original remotes as secondary controllers.

I had the exact same issue with one of my four Bali blinds. As noted, an exclude/include fixed it.

I had to install a plugin in order to trigger an action if a button on the remotes was pushed. This plugin allowed me to use one of the included remotes raise/lower all 4 blinds. I can't remember the name of it offhand, but I can look later if it's something you need.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the Bali zwave blinds. Well worth the additional cost!

Hi all, I just installed a trio of Graber binds which likely use the same motor as the Bali line. Both are from Spring Window Fashions. Purchased from Zebra Blinds, very great service and pricing.

So I un-paired one of the blinds from it's factory set remote. Also, I reset the remote per the instructions. Next step is to pair to the Aeotec Gen5+ stick. My thinking was that I would simply go into Indigo and set up a new Zwave device and per the instructions in Indigo, set the blind into inclusion mode. No dice after several attempts, it does not show up in Indigo. Still using Indigo 7.5 on a 2018 Mac with Catalina. (nervous about all of the warnings, I want to do a full backup first – my cams are DVRing from this Mac as well.) A thermostat is my only other ZWave device two stories away from the stick and it works fine.

Suggestions?


One more thing.... My Aeotec stick cycles colors between orange, red and blue. Not sure if that's a factor. And yes, it's connected via an extension cable. But it works with the thermostat...

I think the step you are missing is you first need to put the z-wave controller into inclusion mode. Do that in Indigo by selecting the menu item Interface>Zwave>Start Controller Inclusion Mode. Once you've done that then go to the blinds and initiate the pairing.

YOU are a great person. That was definitely it, THANK YOU. Not a lot of Zwave experience,but I have a feeling that will change. Still love Insteon, just wish the supply was there.

Best

Just wondering bout these blinds. I am looking for some guidance on pairing the zwave blinds with my wave controller. Do you need a gateway to do that? How many blinds can be on one gateway? Are there instructions that explain the pairing process?

Thanks, all, for the comments so far. I was able to include both a single shade (we only have 1 motorized) and the remote controller into Indigo.

I am able to control the shade by setting the brightness to 0%, 50%, 100%. However, the range of the shade is only ~6 inches, so I need to redefine the UP and DOWN positions, and need to do that with the remote. It seems that I can no longer control the shade with the Plus (3-button) remote. I tried re-pairing the remote with the shade according to the instructions, but no luck.

From page 60 of the motorized-shade-owners-manual:

If you want to be able to control your shades with remotes as well as with your home automation system, follow these steps.

Pair a Shade with a Standard Remote or Plus Remote

1. On the remote, press and release the program button on the back.
The remote LED will flash green.

2. On the shade, press and hold the program button for 3 seconds. When the shade LED flashes green, release the button.
The LEDs on the remote and shade will turn green, then turn off, and the shade will jog.

3. Repeat steps 1–2 for each shade you want to control with a remote.

Any suggestions?

there may possibly be different versions of the manual online. if you refer to this one, you'll find starting on p. 13, a procedure for setting the upper and lower limits. it's easiest if you have a "premium" remote, but you can do it with a standard or plus remote also. mine have always come set at the factory and i don't recall ever having to adjust them.