I have a Samsung split unit airco. 2 inside units, 1 outside unit.
I’m trying to automate the behaviour of the 2 inside units based on the room temperature. (and humidity).
However three challenges:
how do you use a temp sensor of a airco unit that is sleeping?
temp sensor is mounted at the air intake of the inside unit, hence not correctly measuring room temp
humidity can’t be used as automation parameter.
I could solve all of those if I had one sensor (temp and humidity) in each room that could be read by SmartThings and used in the automation part of the app.
My question: Is this rocket science? What do I need to achieve this (within a reasonable budget)?
RBoy
(www.rboyapps.com - Making SmartThings Easy!)
2
It sounds like a fairly straight forward scenario with the right sensors and apps. There are a couple of sensor available which have temperature and humidity in them. Three popular ones are Monoprice 4 in 1 sensor and the ZooZ 4 in 1 sensor and the Aeotec Gen 6 multi sensor. These have humidity, temperature, lux and motion sensors built into them. You can reduce the sensitivity of sensors you don’t want to use to increase the battery life (which can vary from 3 month to a year depending on the sensors in use).
Since these are split A/C units I’m guessing they aren’t integrated into SmartThings as a HVAC or thermostat unit. If so, you’ll need to connect some Z-Wave or ZigBee outlet to the power sockets which can then be used to turn on / off. You’ll need an app which support managing climate using switches rather than thermostats to use these units to manage your temperature and humidity.
Here are some example of apps which can manage climate using a Thermostat or a Switch, each one has a slight different functionality based on what types of automation you’re trying to create for your climate control. Some have advanced features such using a motion sensor to trigger the climate control (your multi sensor motion sensor can be useful here).
OK, I’m still not really into this.
I understand that I need to get a couple of sensors (preferably from within EU) I was thinking of BlitzWolf. I guess I will get a gateway from the same vendor.
How to I get the Blitzwolf stuff into SmartThings?
I would like to be able to use the reading from the sensor in the logic that I’m using now. see pic
RBoy
(www.rboyapps.com - Making SmartThings Easy!)
5
I believe that Blitzwolf has WiFi devices. If so the only way to add them would be if SmartThings and BlitzWolf have a C2C connector which allows you to add them. Open the new SmartThings app, click on + -> Devices -> Search by brand name and see of BlitzWolf shows up. If not then you’ll have to get a different brand of WiFi which connects to SmartThings or a Z-Wave/Zigbee sensor (for which you’ll need a SmartThings hub).
It looks like your Samsung A/C is already integrated into SmartThings.
Not device wise but you might want to look at webCoRE to create your rules.
BTW, you can use the weather app for a light sensor. It tracks sunrise and sunset. The Zooz 4-in-1 does humidity, temp, motion and light. The light sensor isn’t that great though but the other 3 sensors are awesome and fast!
So I buy the ZOOZ sensor, hook it up to my WIFI, add it as a device in SmartThings. And then I would be able to do things like:: When humidity is 60% switch on AC in dry mode?
Zwave frequency varies by region in order to avoid interference with local ambulance frequencies. And the frequency of each device you use must match the frequency of your hub exactly.
Zooz devices are only made for the US. So you won’t be able to use those, unfortunately.
Aeotec, Fibaro, Qubino, and Sensative All make zwave sensors In each region, so you would be able to use any of those as long as you get them on the EU frequency. The frequency is set at the time of manufacture and cannot be changed afterwards.
(In the future, make sure you specify that you are in the EU in your posts so that people can make recommendations that will work for you.)
I’ve bought a Smartthings HUB v3 and and Aeotec Multi sensor 6.
I was able to add the HUB to the Smartthings App.
Then I’ve added the sensor to the HUB.
And finally I’ve added the Sensor to the Smartthings App.
I noticed that the Sensor is only updating every 30 minutes even when using USB power.
I know I can change that by using an interval code. However I have no idea how to send that code to the sensor.
Can you help?
I’ve actually connected mine to a different system now, and I can’t remember how to do it in SmartThings now, sorry But I think it was doable… Maybe it has to be done online, in the Groovy IDE. I think rather than specifying intervals, you specify how much a reading needs to change by before it reports.
Looks like my lag of knowledge of the Smartthings Hub V3 is the first thing I need to work on.
Basically I bought the two devices. I was able to hook them up to each other and I was able to hook them up with the SmartThings App. I can use the readings of the sensor in the automation part of the app. However I have no clue when, or where the automation is being triggered. What can I do with the HUB? How do I access it? (Http, telnet, or only through the smartthings app…).
Come to think of it. What I really need is a “Smartthings for dummies” kind of guide.
But I think it was doable… Maybe it has to be done online, in the Groovy IDE. I think rather than specifying intervals, you specify how much a reading needs to change by before it reports.