I plan to build my new home and am planning to use OpenHAB, MQTT and some Arduinos to steer it (lights, switches, blinds, heating, watering). As I really like Niko design I would like to use NHC just as physical switches to controll lights and shutters just.
So I plan to buy Niko 550-00508 and I think I need 550-00050 as well to connect the switches. Do I need anything else?
To switch, dimmer, and controll the shutters I would like then send to mqtt command to arduino. But is NHC able to change status of item?
So something like this:
Switch switch1 “Switch1” { mqtt=">[mosquitto:Arduino/switch1:command:ON:ON], >[mosquitto:Arduino/switch1:command:OFF:OFF]", autoupdate=“false” } {some NIKO binding code??? changing status of switch}
@Robert_Bobro, you will now need the Connected Controller to be able to do anything, see here. The separate controller and IP-interface have been discontinued. Anyway, you would always need a controller for it to work with the Niko Home Control binding.
In theory, you could use NHC switches and drive something else with it through openHAB (either by linking two items to the same thing or through a simple rule). I do think this will get expensive though. The controller is only worth it if you make full use of it. Also the switches are not cheap. Also note that I don’t know how you could then use the switches as dimmers or to control blind or rollershutters.
There are switches with the same look and different technology from Niko. You could use simple pulse switches you connect over 24V to relais or teleruptor, or even dimmer modules. That is probably more cost effective.
When I created the binding for Niko Home Control, I did this to give extra inputs to the NHC system or to drive things not controlled by NHC directly through openHAB. However, I still see my NHC system as the primary system which should work independent of openHAB. For instance, I integrated astro triggers to influence lights in the system, and I would send an alarm alert if someone in my house pushes a NHC switch which is configured as a panic button. But my lights would still work without openHAB.
Dear mark,
Really thanks for answer. I will then have a look on to switch stuff way as you suggested, as I am not much into electrics am really grateful for your suggestion.
Did not know NIKO has such switches. One more question how I would then connect them to Arduino as they operate on 24V?
Thanks
I am not an expert at all in MQTT and Arduino. So not sure how it all fits together. however, what I can tell you is that any normal 220V switch or pulse can actually operate as an input to a relay or teleruptor. You could most likely directly connect them to Arduino inputs or RPi GPIOs. How you the, switch 220V is the question. That’s what NHC does for me.
