Thermostat Fan Recirculate

Thanks @midyear66 - New test version of the App is exactly what I was looking for!!

Having some trouble installing virtual switch to get the app to run though. Tried your code and SmartThings ‘On/Off Button Tile’ and neither show up in the app as a switch available to control operation. Have to admit I am new to working with IDE but steps I took was My Device Types -> +New Smart Devices -> From Template -> On/Off Button Tile -> Create -> Publish for Me
Again its not showing up on my devices or under app setting as switch available to control. Am I missing a step?

Almost there!
The next step in the IDE is to goto My Devices -> +New Device

Fill in the Name.
Device Network ID (any alphanumeric)
Type (Should be the device you just published)
The version should be Published
Location should be a drop down with only one entry
Hub should be the name of your hub.
Click create.
You should end you with a ‘blue #1’ by the plus sign at the bottom of the app panel.
touch the + with the blue one and there should be a ‘Not configured Item’. Choose that and walk through the steps.

Next install the Recirculate and choose your just created switch during the install steps.

Hope this helps!

Works! :smile: Thanks again Bob! Functions perfect for me so far.

I also didn’t like using Ecobee (thermostats I use) automatic recirculate settings as I was forced to choose min fan run (5min intervals) / 1 hour… and that would run 24/7. Not ideal when I am away from home. Allowing me to choose what ‘mode’ the app is operational under (night for me) is perfect as it allows me to circulate the air at night

You are the man Bob! Works perfect! Glad you helped jotto out as I needed the same help. Cheers!

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Bob, the virtual switch isn’t working for me now. Whether I have the switch on or off it is controlling the fan forcing it into auto or circulate. I tried uninstall and reinstall and it’s still doing it. I can’t control the fan manually in the device type at all. Any ideas?

Yup. Good catch! Improperly (actually missing) brackets.

Try it again please. New code in github.

https://goo.gl/V2cTLf

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Thanks Bob, I’ll try it out.

Bob,
This is still not working. Even when the switch is turned off, the fan recirc app still is controlling the device, turning the fan off when I have it set to on via the device. Here’s the log of the device:

4:05:23 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:fanAuto, name:thermostatFanMode, displayed:false, isStateChange:true, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat fan mode is fanAuto]]

4:03:17 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:fanOn, name:thermostatFanMode, displayed:false, isStateChange:true, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat fan mode is fanOn]]

3:57:29 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:76.5, unit:F, name:temperature, isStateChange:false, displayed:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat temperature is 76.5°F]]

3:57:29 PM: warn Unexpected zwave command ThermostatFanStateReport(fanOperatingState: 1, reserved01: 0)

3:57:28 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:76.5, unit:F, name:temperature, isStateChange:true, displayed:true, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat temperature is 76.5°F]]

3:57:28 PM: warn Unexpected zwave command ThermostatFanStateReport(fanOperatingState: 1, reserved01: 0)

3:52:28 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:fanAuto, name:thermostatFanMode, displayed:false, isStateChange:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat fan mode is fanAuto]]

3:40:24 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:fanAuto, name:thermostatFanMode, displayed:false, isStateChange:true, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat fan mode is fanAuto]]

3:35:24 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:fanOn, name:thermostatFanMode, displayed:false, isStateChange:true, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat fan mode is fanOn]]

3:29:26 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:idle, name:thermostatOperatingState, isStateChange:false, displayed:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat operating state is idle]]

3:29:24 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:fanAuto, name:thermostatFanMode, displayed:false, isStateChange:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat fan mode is fanAuto]]

3:29:22 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:auto, name:thermostatMode, isStateChange:false, displayed:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat thermostat mode is auto]]

3:29:19 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:76, unit:F, displayed:false, name:coolingSetpoint, isStateChange:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat cooling setpoint is 76°F]]

3:29:17 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:68, unit:F, displayed:false, name:heatingSetpoint, isStateChange:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat heating setpoint is 68°F]]

3:29:15 PM: debug Parse returned [[value:55, unit:%, name:humidity, isStateChange:false, displayed:false, linkText:Z-Wave Thermostat, descriptionText:Z-Wave Thermostat humidity is 55%]]

And here is the log of the switch:

f4ac73ae-93c6-428a-8d52-e8f17d7c938e 3:52:24 PM: info Running Switch Off Event
f4ac73ae-93c6-428a-8d52-e8f17d7c938e 3:52:24 PM: debug off
f4ac73ae-93c6-428a-8d52-e8f17d7c938e 3:17:17 PM: info Running Switch On Event
f4ac73ae-93c6-428a-8d52-e8f17d7c938e 3:17:17 PM: debug on

Any ideas on what’s going on? I did a full uninstall/ reinstall of the app.

Thanks.

Hey @eicher_ian are you using the SmartThings On/Off Button Tile device or the code developed by Bob? I use SmartThings On/Off Button

Thanks for your help! I made some changes to the switch handler. It now unscheduled/schedules the recirc function. I have been running it since yesterday afternoon and seems ok now.
Please let me know!

I can’t seem to get this to work. I don’t think it knows what to turn on???

@Hanselljlh Can you explain what you have tried? I can guide you if you’ll let me know where you are at in the install process.

Bob

Ok I think I have the apps and switches installed correctly but the switch doesn’t seem to want to actually turn on the fan. My goal is the have the fan turn on when the temperature outside is cooler than inside. When I press the button logging shows the App saying on/off but the actual button never shows up in the devices that generated actions.

I think where the problem is… is simply how does on/off function know where to go function on/off at??? when does it affiliate it’s self to turn on something or off something?

If it is in the “Run circulate in HVAC” app then the app isn’t relaying the info to the Nest.

Also what does "minimum define i.e. min that it will take the temp down to or min temp it has to be to trigger it? What is the difference between the two delectable minimums?

Here’s a quick rundown.

The scheduler inside the app will start the fan if the system has been idle for ‘Time between circulations’ and will run the fan for ‘length of circulation’. In other words, no heating or cooling cycle activated during that period of time.

The ‘minimum run temperature’ is a value that you to choose to control the recirc cycle. Example; if you set the temp to 73 and if the temperature sensor chosen (could be thermostat, outside temp, etc) drops below that value, recirc will not run even if the ‘time between circulations’ is exceeded.

I think the switch operates a differently that you would like it to. The virtual switch only provides feedback to the Recirc app. In other words, if the switch is off, the recirc app will not start the fan no matter if the ‘time between circulations’ is exceeded and if the temp is above ‘minimum run temperature’.

The switch was added as a request. If you do not want the virtual switch, there is a version in my Github that does not use the switch. Everything else works the same.

To achieve the recirc cycle when cooler outside than in, the logic of the app would need to be altered.

I hope this helps! Also, you are more that welcome to take a look at the code and play with it! I’ll be glad to help explain things in more detail.

bs

I had a similar need and was reading this thread. Wanted to post my solution so it may help others:

I have a two level home and wanted to turn on the furnaces fan to circulate air when the 1st floor temperature is over X degrees different than the 2nd floor temperature. My thermostat has the ability to turn the fan to ON or AUTO (Go Control Thermostat from Lowes). I was able to use Rule Machine to accomplish this - it has the capability to compare one temperature sensor to another including an offset. I set this up last week and it has been working great. This obviously doesn’t have all the settings that may be needed but is a quick way to recirculate air without the need to write your own custom code.

I need an smartapp that turns switch on and off based on 2 temperature sensors difference. For example, one temp sensor gets hotter than another by X degrees- switch turns on. If it is hotter less than X degrees- switch turns back off.
Can you share your program, that seem to do it? Or help/guide me to create one? thanks

I followed instructions in this thread, but it looks like the source code has been removed. That is unfortunate.

@midyear66 Just got my Zen Thermostat and this app is exactly what I needed to get the circulate function I wanted. Setup was a breeze, thanks!

I just set this up - much easier than the one I had setup in CORE. Thank you.

I have been running this for awhile and have noticed that it turns the fan from auto to on even when it’s heating or cooling. Did I set something up wrong?