I have been looking for a way to determine if power to my home is coming from the grid or my backup generator.
@JDRoberts’s remarks here 12v dc switch about the RGBW Controller from Fibaro gave me an idea and after consulting the manual, I’m convinced that the device could be a perfect solution.
The controller of my generator has various outputs which are powered depending on the current state/condition of the generator. Some of the outputs are even constimizable to report specific information, like “Generator is running”.
Since the RGBW Controller has 4 inputs, it seems that all I have to do to get information on the state of the generator is to connect the outputs of the generator’s control panel, to the inputs of the RGBW controller. If e.g. I connect the “generator is running” output of the generator controller to input 1 of the RGBW Controller, it would mean the generator is running if input 1 of the RGBW controller is powered. That would enable me to set up webCore pistons which could turn off the hot water geysers while on generator power, or turn of the Philips Hue lights 15 seconds after grid power has been restored.
Since the RGBW controller will probably also report the input voltage (I hope there is a ST DH which will be able to report this info), it would mean I could also use it to check the condition of the generator’s starter battery.
Could someone who has experience with the RGBW controller perhaps confirm that I understand the ability of the controller correctly?
The manual of the RGBW controller states that the maximum (analogue) input voltage of the controller inputs, is 10V. I expect the output voltage of the generator controller will be 12V. Does that mean my idea to use the RGBW controller as above, will not work?
Edit: After some further studying of the manual, I understand it to say that the Inputs of the RGBW controller could either be 1-10V analog for devices like temperature sensors, or “potential free”, which I understand to mean “any voltage”?
Or would the Fibaro Universal Binary Switch be a better solution? It seems that people are having a hard time configuring these; they have some reliability issues with them and it seems that one will have to attach some load to the output before it would register the input voltage - all of which make me believe that the RGBW controller would be the better solution for me.