Chat Heating control

Hi everyone

Whats the best way too give openhab controll over my cental heating ON/OFF

I’m after replacing the Thermostat atm not individually controlled radiator valves that comes after

Im like 99% sold on the hive or nest thermostat doing this job but sadly there is no local control that a big downside for me I don’t mind cloud based devices but they should have a local control option so openhab can controll the devices if the servers are down or shutdown forever

Is there better solutions too this looking forward too the chat

this is a rented house so can’t install too much

Using hue sensors in every room so I already know the room temps

I have a mqtt solution in my home.

I use Openhabian (thus on a raspberry pi) for my Openhab server.

I have a separate Pi that is the mqtt broker and Openhab connects to it for updates on the temperature from each control zone.

Each zone has an mqtt client based on an ESP32 with a temperature/humidity sensor (DHT22) and an OLED display. This is my replacement for the Nest or other thermostats…ESP32, DHT22, OLED = $20.

Each zone publishes mqtt and openhab decides whether the zone is within hysteresis of the set point.

At the TACO zone controller in the basement there is an SSR connected to each thermostat input (thus replacing the original thermostats). The SSR’s are controlled by a Pi (actually, I’ll probably replace this with an ESP32…) with hardwired IP connection and receives on/off commands from Openhab.

1 Like

I recommended using a SSR to someone here on the forum was that you?

@Sharpy I agree with @drmacro you can have a nice setup for way less than a store bought t-stat. Take a look at some of the programmable t-stat’s and notice the different settings such as hysteresis, short cycle prevention, off set temp, etc… You can do all of this with OH rules.:wink:

One thing I would add to Mac’s post is get more than one sensor, maybe three, and control off of one them. Average the others and have a rule to alert, or do something, when the average and the control temp has a large delta. That way a faulty sensor doesn’t leave you in the cold.:wink:

I would also keep a cheap basic t-stat on hand just in the event everything goes to crap. Nothing more reliable than an old school set the temp yourself t-stat.:smile:

@drmacro @H102 thanks for the replys

I have still not got this working on my openhab server :frowning: it’s something I need too work on too be able too use mqtt

Me too but thinking about moving too a dedicated VM for a more powerful system (TTS Mainly)

Room?

I already have philips hue motion sensors reporting temperature in every room I would like too use these as a temperature gauge

… as for the rest of your post there are quite a few words and abbreviations I do not understand will have too look again with google :wink:

I just want too add the ability for openhab too turn on/off the heating at set moments depending on the state of openhab eg in bed I then wanted too add radiator controls too try and balance the rooms there’s quite alot of difference throughout the rooms in my house atm like I say I have hue sensors in every room I was planning on using these as the temperature gauge, haven’t realy considered many other solutions

I also can’t make major changes this is a rented house I have got permission too install something like a nest

I don’t actually understand how this turns the heating on? Or is that just a temp sensor? Maby you could explain more?

I don’t actually care about anything the nest does screen, temp reading anything I only care that I can make it turn my heating on/off using openhab so it’s expensive for what I actually want/need

I think a simple relay would keep me happy but getting someone too install it could be a problem this is not my house its rented so I can not modify much anything I do will have too be done by a professional

Here’s an idea, if you don’t own the property…

If the radiators have TRVs, then it’s a quick and easy installation for smart TRV actuators.

AVM Fritz do some. https://en.avm.de/products/fritzdect/fritzdect-301/

Netamo TRV

Danfoss

Max!

Hi MDAR

yes I have seen them I like them and I’m planning on adding them but they don’t actually give the ability too turn the heating on/off only radiators in each room

The heating has too be turned on them too work

I also need the ability too turn the heating fully off I usually just turn the standard thurmostat too 0c or to 25c when I want the heating on

The esp32 is a microcontroller with wifi. The oled is a display connected to it.

It only monitors it’s the temperature and reports it to openhab. Openhab can then do whatever is desired. Turn heat on/off based on presence, time of day, etc.

A relay or ssr can be connected to the same wires the nest would use, doesn’t need to be at the controller in the basement (or, in an apartment, the utility room).

So that’s what I need thanks for that I knew I was missing something

Getting someone too install just a relay could be tricky as I don’t own the property but someone would happily install a nest :frowning:

SSR: SOLID STATE RELAY?

Yes ssr =solid state relay

I understand the sentiment but if you end up going with a thermostat like a Nest or Echobee, all of the “smarts” are really implemented on the device itself. All OH will be doing is making the sorts of adjustments you might be making by hand anyway. So what is the real impact if the Nest servers on offline for an hour, or a day? And in my experience as a Nest user for about seven years now the servers are basically never offline. And in the rare events that it does goes offline, the device itself continues on happily running with what ever it’s been programmed with already.

If you are looking to replace the smarts of the Nest thermostat in OH, then you should probably be looking at a more “dumb” thermostat with Zwave or Zigbee for example.

With something like the Nest, OH doesn’t so much control it as set the parameters. The Nest is fully in control.

My overall home automation philosophy actually follows this as well. The devices themselves should be smart enough to continue on and function and provide manual control whether or not OH is running or able to connect to any cloud services. So I personally like devices like the Nest. All OH does is turn on the house fan or adjust the target temp. And if the Internet is offline or the Nest services are offline for a couple of hours, the impact is pretty low, it may take a little extra time to adjust the target temp.

Hi again Rich sorry about the bad post i completely messed it up

rlkoshak:

you are looking to replace the smarts of the Nest thermostat in OH, then you should probably be looking at a more “dumb” thermostat with Zwave or Zigbee for example.

When my house is @13c I turn my heating on when @16c I turn it off manually using the thermostat on my wall I turn it too 20c or 0c

I was thinking set the nests temperature range at 10c turn heating on @ 20c turn off ,
this is too cold and too hot so nest would not realy change the heating then I was thinking when the house temp changes reported by hue sensors openhab could send the on/off command at 12c and 16c just like I do now

rlkoshak:

what is the real impact if the Nest servers on offline for an hour, or a day

It’s more servers shutdown forever that’s the worry once servers are down openhab can’t talk too the device making it an expensive brick at that point

My goal here is too use my hue motion sensors too report room temps too OH and openhab can then decide if too turn on/off the heating based on other rules like at hom

So indeed you are bypassing any smarts built into the Nest. I’d recommend getting something cheaper. Why pay more for something you will not be using?

i agree with you rich its just getting a professional to install a cheaper less known devices

he probably wont want too install a relay or something for fear of something going wrong but he would happly install a device like nest/hive as they a reputable names

on top of the high cost of a nest i have been quoted £150 $200 for install :open_mouth: so yes at this point it would cost £450 too install a nest just too turn on/off a simple combi system

What about the hive it hasn’t got the learning stuff and is quite abit cheaper

I can’t recommend any pecific alternative. I’ve only used Nest.