Homekit: irrigation system valve duration how to

Jacek_Kaczmarczyk · April 20, 2025, 11:06am

HomeKit Add-on - System Integrations | openHAB - base in this i have a problem with understanding the valve duration and the ducomentation which i condiser as uncomplete.

One irrigation system with 2 valve (groups)

1/ First one is with group valve with default config. Running 1 zone activates the first valve but i see timer is set to “0:00” and nothing happens.

value: Valve
config:
ServiceIndex: “1”

2/ Second valve is with group valve with
value: Valve
config:
ServiceIndex: “2”
homekitValveType: Irrigation
homekitTimer: “true”

Running the valve gives me “Waiting…” instead of 0:00 and sends different refresh commands to items. i tried to send a command with duration 300 when i get the refresh command but the “Waiting…” is still there.

maybe we can somehow improve the documentation to make it more clear?


12:57:08.867 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command OFF
12:57:08.870 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
12:57:08.872 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
12:57:08.874 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
12:57:08.876 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
12:57:17.753 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
12:57:17.757 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
12:57:17.762 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
12:57:17.765 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
12:57:17.768 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
12:57:17.772 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
12:57:29.612 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve1Active' received command ON
12:57:29.615 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve1Active' predicted to become ON
12:57:29.622 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve1Active' changed from OFF to ON

12:59:07.048 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command OFF
12:59:07.052 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
12:59:07.056 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
12:59:07.060 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:07.064 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:07.069 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
12:59:07.073 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300
12:59:07.080 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' changed from NULL to 300
12:59:11.896 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
12:59:11.902 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
12:59:11.907 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
12:59:11.912 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:11.916 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:11.919 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300
12:59:11.922 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
12:59:18.279 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command OFF
12:59:18.286 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
12:59:18.289 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
12:59:18.292 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:18.296 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:18.300 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300
12:59:18.304 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
12:59:21.636 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
12:59:21.639 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
12:59:21.641 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
12:59:21.643 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:21.647 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
12:59:21.651 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300
12:59:21.653 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent  ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
12:59:45.621 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent       ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300

yfre · April 20, 2025, 2:22pm

Hi Jacek,

you need to have a second item in the irrigation group for timer.
this is how it looks on my side

Jacek_Kaczmarczyk · April 27, 2025, 3:13pm

it is not working:

When i turn on the first valve (not timer enabled in metadata - switch is showing 0:00) when i turn on 2 valve (timer enabled in metada - switch is showing “waiting”

The valve is ON in both cases and i can operate them but the times is somehow not working

Jacek_Kaczmarczyk · May 9, 2025, 9:49am

additional info:
if i have remainingduration = 0 i get errrot message from starting the times, but when i put there >0 nothing happens in the homekit app the valve is active no countdown - only “wating”.

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ tail -f /var/log/openhab/openhab.log -f /var/log/openhab/events.log
==> /var/log/openhab/openhab.log <==
2025-05-09 11:32:47.632 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:32:47.643 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:32:56.574 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:32:56.580 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:33:17.952 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:33:17.963 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:33:17.972 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:33:17.979 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0
2025-05-09 11:33:25.806 [DEBUG] [nternal.accessories.HomekitValveImpl] - valve timer not started as duration = 0

==> /var/log/openhab/events.log <==
2025-05-09 11:33:27.899 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve4SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:33:27.899 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve4InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:33:27.900 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve4RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:38:59.071 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve1RemainingDuration' received command 0
2025-05-09 11:38:59.074 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 90
2025-05-09 11:38:59.077 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve3RemainingDuration' received command 0
2025-05-09 11:38:59.080 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve4RemainingDuration' received command 0
2025-05-09 11:38:59.085 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' changed from 300 to 90`Preformatted text`

==> /var/log/openhab/events.log <==
2025-05-09 11:39:24.130 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
2025-05-09 11:39:24.131 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:39:24.132 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:39:24.133 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:39:24.134 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:39:24.134 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300
2025-05-09 11:39:24.135 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become ON
2025-05-09 11:39:24.136 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
2025-05-09 11:39:24.137 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' changed from 90 to 300
2025-05-09 11:39:24.149 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
2025-05-09 11:39:24.193 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON

==> /var/log/openhab/openhab.log <==
2025-05-09 11:39:43.138 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF valve3SetDuration. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:39:43.139 [DEBUG] [ternal.accessories.BooleanItemReader] - Unexpected item state,  returning false. Item valve3InUse, State NULL (UnDefType)
2025-05-09 11:39:43.140 [DEBUG] [ternal.accessories.BooleanItemReader] - Unexpected item state,  returning false. Item valve4InUse, State NULL (UnDefType)
2025-05-09 11:39:43.141 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF valve4SetDuration. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:39:43.142 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF irrigationSystemTotalRemaining. Returning default value 0
^C
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ tail -f /var/log/openhab/openhab.log -f /var/log/openhab/events.log
==> /var/log/openhab/openhab.log <==
2025-05-09 11:39:43.141 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF valve4SetDuration. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:39:43.142 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF irrigationSystemTotalRemaining. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:42:27.799 [DEBUG] [kit.internal.HomekitAccessoryUpdater] - Received duplicate subscription for TempSensor5_CurrentTemp (Type=NumberItem, State=17.5, Label=Temperatura aktualna, Category=temperature, Tags=[Room5, _DYNAMIC_], Groups=[gRoom5_TempSensor, gRoom5, gRoom5_termostat]) / TargetTemperature
2025-05-09 11:42:27.803 [DEBUG] [kit.internal.HomekitAccessoryUpdater] - Received duplicate subscription for TempSensor3_CurrentTemp (Type=NumberItem, State=17.5, Label=Temperatura aktualna, Category=temperature, Tags=[_DYNAMIC_, Room3], Groups=[gRoom3_TempSensor, gRoom3, gRoom3_termostat]) / TargetTemperature
2025-05-09 11:42:27.821 [DEBUG] [kit.internal.HomekitAccessoryUpdater] - Received duplicate subscription for TempSensor4_CurrentTemp (Type=NumberItem, State=19, Label=Temperatura aktualna, Category=temperature, Tags=[Room4, _DYNAMIC_], Groups=[gRoom4_TempSensor, gRoom4, gRoom4_termostat]) / TargetTemperature
2025-05-09 11:42:27.826 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF valve3SetDuration. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:42:27.827 [DEBUG] [ternal.accessories.BooleanItemReader] - Unexpected item state,  returning false. Item valve3InUse, State NULL (UnDefType)
2025-05-09 11:42:27.827 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF irrigationSystemTotalRemaining. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:42:27.828 [DEBUG] [ssories.HomekitCharacteristicFactory] - Item state NULL is UNDEF valve4SetDuration. Returning default value 0
2025-05-09 11:42:27.828 [DEBUG] [ternal.accessories.BooleanItemReader] - Unexpected item state,  returning false. Item valve4InUse, State NULL (UnDefType)

==> /var/log/openhab/events.log <==
2025-05-09 11:44:24.130 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command OFF
2025-05-09 11:44:24.131 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:44:24.132 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:44:24.132 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:44:24.133 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-09 11:44:24.134 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become OFF
2025-05-09 11:44:24.134 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2RemainingDuration' received command 300
2025-05-09 11:44:24.137 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
2025-05-09 11:44:24.157 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
2025-05-09 11:44:24.198 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF

yfre · May 14, 2025, 9:06am

one point to check.
homekit add in supports both

external timer, i.e. irrigation solution can count down
internal timer - openhab counts down

by default, external timer is assumed.
in order to enable internal timer, add to the group

homekitTimer="true"]

it looks like this on my side

Jacek_Kaczmarczyk · May 14, 2025, 12:24pm

Thank you
config:
ServiceIndex: “2”
homekitTimer: “true”
homekitValveType: Irrigation

when i turn on the valve it goes on and goes off after a while but the app is not showing the timer, its showing “Waiting”

so it’s working only partialy

yfre · May 20, 2025, 11:40am

sorry for delayed responses.

i have check source code and one things is done pretty strange - dont remember why i did it, but basically it creates a virtual RemainingDuration item.
could you please try to remove remaining duration item from the group and remove homekit tag on it?

Jacek_Kaczmarczyk · May 21, 2025, 11:59am

no problem,

ok config changed but the behaviour is the same:

the valve “Kroplujce” is Valve2 in my setup:

Event change when i move the slider

2025-05-21 14:01:40.631 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:40.632 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:40.633 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become OFF
2025-05-21 14:01:43.189 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.190 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.191 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.192 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.193 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.196 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.203 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.205 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.206 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.214 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.220 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.221 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
2025-05-21 14:01:43.223 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.224 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.225 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.227 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:01:43.228 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.229 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
2025-05-21 14:01:43.237 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
2025-05-21 14:01:43.245 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
2025-05-21 14:02:00.257 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command OFF
2025-05-21 14:02:00.259 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:02:00.261 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:02:00.263 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:02:00.267 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become OFF
2025-05-21 14:02:00.275 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF
2025-05-21 14:02:00.278 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command OFF
2025-05-21 14:02:00.280 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2Active' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:02:00.282 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2InUse' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:02:00.284 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemCommandEvent      ] - Item 'valve2SetDuration' received command REFRESH
2025-05-21 14:02:00.286 [INFO ] [penhab.event.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Item 'valve2Active' predicted to become OFF
2025-05-21 14:02:00.295 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from OFF to ON
2025-05-21 14:02:00.424 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'valve2Active' changed from ON to OFF

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