Guide for interrogating portable RF button only Air Conditioners
For Air Conditioners that are not able to get the most out controllers like Sensibo and Tado.
Please follow these steps once you have both Smartthings and Boardlink installed, hubs setup and remote for the Air Conditioner has been learnt onto the Boardlink hub . If you already have everything setup then just follow steps below.
-
Open the Broadlink app.
-
On the Broadlink home screen click the plus + symbol.
-
Click the plus button and select Add Scene.
-
Choose type of scene General Scene.
-
Set Scene icon and Scene name.
-
Add device and select the Air Conditioner device.
-
Select the function you would like to control on Air Conditioner (If you would like to increase or decrease the temperature by more than one degree then simply duplicate the command until its at the desired temperature.)
-
Click save once you have completed creating the scene.
-
This will now allow you to run the scene by clicking the play symbol in the bottom left, this allows you to test the scene and insure it runs correctly. (Note:If its not a power function insure the air conditioner is powered on and running. E.g increasing or decreasing the temperature.)
Creating the button on Smartthings
-
Open the Smartthings Classic app.
-
Click Automaton
-
Add a SmartApp
-
Scroll down until you see More
-
Virtual Device Creator
-
Choose what virtual device do you want to create in this case it will be a Virtual Switch.
-
Select the hub your current hub setup.
-
Enter virtual device name e.g Air Conditioner.
-
Click save this virtual switch will now appear on My home
Linking Broadlink and Smartthings in IFTTT
Please insure both Broadlink and Smartthings accounts are linked in IFTTT and insure you have added the virtual switch to Smartthings in IFTTT by signing out and then back in. This allows you to add new devices using the drop down list.
-
Open IFTTT.
-
Get More.
-
Create.
-
This search and select Smartthings.
-
Select Switched on.
-
Choose the Virtual Switch you created e.g Air Conditioner. and click Continue.
-
That search and select Broadlink.
-
Scroll down and select Scene control.
-
Select the Scene you created in Broadlink and click continue
-
Preview screen will allow you to rename and select to receive a notification when this runs.
-
Click Finish now come out of IFTTT and reopen Smartthings click the Virtual Switch and you should now be able to control your RF button only Air Conditioner within Smartthings.
This can be used to control the temperature of a room using a temperature sensor and the virtual button to control the Air conditioner e.g. when the room get to a certain temperature turn on the Air conditioner. (This is what I am using it for)
Notes
I am aware that within the new Smartthings app the Virtual Device Creator is not there, if anyone has a work around please feel free to add a guide below.
I am currently using the Broadlink RM-Mini3 Black Bean and works perfectly and can be picked up for £20 on sites like Amazon.
I hope this guide has been useful for people who have just started setting up their smart home to people like me who spend far to much time doing it.
