New Velbus binding

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

Hey @Geert_Verbist

Did adding the V1 serial binding from within PaperUI solve the problem?

Cédric says…

I defined a dependency on the serial binding, so when installing the binding from the official distribution I expect the serial binding to be installed automatically. However, using a jar file to install the latest version of the binding might bypass this dependency check. Once the VMBELx en VMB4AN modules are integrated I should make some time to merge all changes of the 12 months back to the official branch

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

@benhels

Hi Ben

There is a development version of the Velbus binding available which has experimental support for the VMB1TS.

Would you like to to try it and give some feedback?

You’ll need to completely remove all traces of the current binding (obviously not your Things and Items etc), including double checking in the Karaf console

openhab-cli console

bundle:list -s | grep elbus

bundle:uninstall {number of existing Velbus binding}

Then simply run this script to pull down the development binding.

wget http://www.mdar.co.uk/dl/openhab2/update-velbus-jar-dev.sh

sh update-velbus-jar-dev.sh 

If you’re using PaperUI, you might have to temporarily delete a Velbus Thing and add it again so that new functionality can be profiled.
(Items will (should) be automatically re-connected with the Thing)

[matthijsfh (Matthijs)]

Hello,

Are the (relative new) edge lit glass switches also added? The VMBEL4 I purchased some and am I now discovering these are not supported?

Help would be appreciated!

Greetings matthijs

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

Hi

I’ve been working on some widgets for use primarily with the Velbus hardware, but there’s no reason why they couldn’t be used with other hardware.

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I’ve created two versions of the Widget, one that uses the default names that are created in PaperUI when Items are added to Things, and one that requires Items to be named according to the Widget requirements.

My thoughts are that either will work, but just depend on how people want to work.

They are both in this zip file - http://www.mdar.co.uk/dl/forum_assets//VelbusThermostatStreamlined.widget.zip

These are the notes that are in the zip file, to help with naming conventions

All elements are taken from the Room name with following suffixes

Where Items are Numbers only, not Number:Temperature (or strings and switches)

IE, Room name = Lounge

Current Temperature = Lounge_CurrentTemperature
Current Target Temperature = Lounge_CurrentTargetTemperature
Operating Mode = Lounge_ThermostatOperatingMode
Current Mode = Lounge_ThermostatMode
Heating Relay = Lounge_HeatingRelay
Cooling Relay = Lounge_CoolingRelay
Heating Mode Antifrost target = Lounge_HeatingAntifrostTarget
Heating Mode Night target = Lounge_HeatingNightTarget
Heating Mode Day target = Lounge_HeatingDayTarget
Heating Mode Comfort target = Lounge_HeatingComfortTarget
Cooling Mode Antifreeze target = Lounge_CoolingSafeTarget
Cooling Mode Night target = Lounge_CoolingNightTarget
Cooling Mode Day target = Lounge_CoolingDayTarget
Cooling Mode Comfort target = Lounge_CoolingComfortTarget

Notes for Streamlined Thermostat with Velbus Default Names, where Items are Numbers only, not Number:Temperature (or strings and switches)

Heating Relay = Lounge_HeatingRelay
Cooling Relay = Lounge_CoolingRelay

Current Temperature = Lounge_CurrentTemperature Watch out for this one, as default would be Lounge_Input_Lounge

Current Target Temperature = Lounge_Thermostat_CurrentTemperatureSetpoint
Operating Mode = Lounge_Thermostat_OperatingMode
Current Mode = Lounge_Thermostat_Mode
Heating Mode Antifrost target = Lounge_Thermostat_HeatingModeAntifrostTemperatureSetpoint
Heating Mode Night target = Lounge_Thermostat_HeatingModeNightTemperatureSetpoint
Heating Mode Day target = Lounge_Thermostat_HeatingModeDayTemperatureSetpoint
Heating Mode Comfort target = Lounge_Thermostat_HeatingModeComfortTemperatureSetpoint
Cooling Mode Antifreeze target = Lounge_Thermostat_CoolingModeSafeTemperatureSetpoint
Cooling Mode Night target = Lounge_Thermostat_CoolingModeNightTemperatureSetpoint
Cooling Mode Day target = Lounge_Thermostat_CoolingModeDayTemperatureSetpoint
Cooling Mode Comfort target = Lounge_Thermostat_CoolingModeComfortTemperatureSetpoint

A widget for the Alarm Times can be found here, but you will need to add the rules that restrict the hours and minutes

Individual Alarm clock for each Day of week, with adjustable duration

Hi I’ve managed to tweak this widget to suit the Velbus alarm times, [image] it can be downloaded here http:/ /www. mdar. co. uk /dl/ forum_assets/ Velbus_Alarm.widget.zip – Removed It requires the following naming convention, Where “AlarmName” is the only variable that has to be set in the widget. AlarmName_Enabled AlarmName_Wake_H AlarmName_Wake_M AlarmName_BedTime_H AlarmName_BedTime_M Update 2020 Jan The widget has evolved quite a bit, if anyone wants to try it, the zip file is here …

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

Hi

The developement version of the Velbus binding has limited support for the Edge Lit panels, if you want to give it a try, please follow these instructions

Velbus binding for OpenHAB

@benhels

This new version addresses an issue with the VMB1TS too, can you give it a try and confirm that it is working correctly please.
(I have 1 x VMB1TS on my test rig which seems to be fine)

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

Hello everyone

I’ve finally taken the time to get my head around how text based Item files work, because we’ve got a fun installation in the pipeline and I think it will save some time.

However, there is a small issue.

I think I have added the Alexa and Google assistant metadata correctly, but I don’t have any Alexa devices so can’t test it.

If anyone is feeling adventurous and generous, would you mind trying to create an Items file from the template in this ZIP file
Then letting me / us know if it plays nicely with Alexa?

I’ve included 4 updated widgets and a couple of rules in the zip for completeness. (as well as some example Items files that I’m trying in my own home)

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best wishes,

Stuart

[Kim_Andersen]

I´m not fully sure, but I think I read somewhere, that you can test Alexa <-> Openhab with a Alexa app. (I have no idea where you should find it, perhaps at Google Play. I havn´t got any Alex devices either).

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

The Alexa app is available and I’m certain I could create an account and run my phone like an Alexa device.

play.google.com

Amazon Alexa

Use the Amazon Alexa App to set up your Alexa-enabled devices, listen to music, create shopping lists, get news updates, and much more. The more you use Alexa, the more she adapts to your voice, vocabulary, and personal preferences. DISCOVER MORE • Get more out of your Echo device through personalized feature recommendations from Alexa • Discover and enable recommended Alexa skills • Pick up where you left off directly from the home feed with lists, shopping, or recently played Music and Books ...

Free

(That’s what a Velbus distributor does with his iPhone)

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Random thought time…

Can we run the Alexa App on an Android wall tablet in the background???

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In fact, we were testing Alexa yesterday with his home Velbus setup.

I think we’ve nailed everything other than changing Velbus Thermostat Modes from the Alexa.

We can change operating mode from Heating to Cooling, but it’s the 4 setpoint modes that I can’t seem to map to Alexa.

I’ve tried creating a metadata entry for the ThermostatMode that maps

• Alexa Off to Velbus Night
• Alexa Eco to Velbus Day
• Alexa Heat to Velbus Comfort

But all that comes up in Alexa app is “customised” and we can’t figure what to do to get Alexa to change the mode.

Update

Yes, I can load the Alexa app on my Android device and link it to openHAB2.

So all I need to do now is completely remove all the old style tagging that I’ve been using and replace every entry with metadata

That won’t take long… Ha ha ha ha

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

Hello everyone

I’m certain that most of you will know about the cleaning mode in the Velbus Oled panels, but just in case this is news.

Here’s a short video

[Kim_Andersen]

Hmm, no matter how many times I set the cleaning mode, she does not start cleaning

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

Maybe you’re pressing too firmly, or like most men, you’re off target by a few mm / nm ?

[Kim_Andersen]

Thats not what she usual say

[MDAR (Stuart Hanlon, UK importer of Velbus hardware)]

@MDAR

If anyone is feeling adventurous and generous, would you mind trying to create an Items file from the template in this ZIP file
Then letting me / us know if it plays nicely with Alexa?

With the fabulous assistance of @jeshab the Alexa Skill can now set BOTH the Velbus Operating Mode and the “Presets” for that mode, or as Velbus refers to them, the thermostat modes.

Be aware that the voice instruction do have to be extremely precise.

As an example

@jeshab

Alexa, set the back bedroom to heat
Alexa, set the back bedroom to cool
Alexa, set the back bedroom preset to safe
Alexa, set the back bedroom preset to night
Alexa, set the back bedroom preset to day
Alexa, set the back bedroom preset to comfort
Alexa, what’s the back bedroom set to?
Alexa, set the back bedroom 20 degrees
Alexa, set the back bedroom up 5 degrees
Alexa, set the back bedroom down 5 degrees
Alexa, what’s the back bedroom preset set to?

I’ve updated the Items template in the ZIP

Jeremy’s solution can be found here Alexa Smart Home Skill V3 is now live! - #337 by jeshab

[thieuv (Mathieu Velghe)]

Hello,

i was wondering if somebody got the Velbus binding working in openhab 3?

i want to switch to openhab 3, but tried already the binding but not everything works.

Mathieu

[LukasCoppens]

Hi All

I have a vmb1rys. I can import it into Openhab and the relay works fine, but I also use the input on this module for a sensor. As far as I can’t see the input is not showing in Openhab. I can work around id by just having a relay follow the state, but this uses a virtual relay (and I might need it for something else in the future). Are there any plans to support this in the future?

[roelwelters]

Yes!
I did, and it works, and I installed the apple homekit support and never looked back!

[Daniel615be (Daniel Rosengarten)]

Hi,

I’ve developped an update to the Velbus binding with the possibility to simulate the PRESSED and LONG_PRESSED messages.

I’ve just added the VMB1RYS to the last release.
Feel free to test and to give me feedback : Releases · Rosen01/openhab-addons (github.com)

[LukasCoppens]

I’m also moving to Openhab 3. I am however not upgrading my old installation. I’m reinstalling with a clean Openhab 3. But so far everything I use works!

[Daniel615be (Daniel Rosengarten)]

New release with fixed channel name bug : Release Fixed channel name not correctly assigned · Rosen01/openhab-addons (github.com)

Description of the bug here : vmb8pb Name request channel #8 is not processed correctly. · Issue #34 · cedricboon/openhab-addons (github.com)