Virtual Thermostat for radiator using Multi Sensor & Fibaro relay (help a newbie!)

[timmyk86]

Hi all,

I’m new to this home automation so please forgive any ignorance!

My home only has individual electric radiators, and their built in mechanical thermostats do not work. They only switch on and off at the wall socket (before you ask - not my own flat so can’t replace them!)

I’m going to fit the main radiator in the living room with a Fibaro relay so that I can turn it on and off remotely via a tablet/phone running ActionTiles.

This got me wondering if I could use a virtual thermostat to control the radiator coming on and off. I have a Smartthings Multi Sensor already that detects the temperature in the living room. I’m in the UK so I only need the thermostat to have a target heating temperature (in Celsius) - so for example, If sensor temp <22C - turn on radiator switch & if sensor temp >22C - turn off radiator.

I would like to have the target temperature adjustable via ActionTiles and a ‘master switch’ of sorts to turn the radiator on and off / override the virtual thermostat.

Is there anyone who can help with this? I know there are many recommendations not to use the internet to control heating but I am willing to give it a go at least. I have tried the Simulated thermostat but that seems to a) be in Fahrenheit and b) have a number of parameters I don’t need!

Thanks!
Tim

[Cobra]

I wrote a custom smartapp to do this with my conservatory electric underfloor heater.
The only extra bit I added is an optional contact so if the windows get opened the heating turns off
I live in the UK too so settings are in centigrade
You are welcome to try it if you wish.

CobraVmax/SmartThings

And this should help you to install it

FAQ: An Overview of Using Custom Code in SmartThings

So you're new to SmartThings, you asked a question, and someone suggested "custom code" as an answer. Or you were browsing the forums, and you found something that sounded like it would be perfect for what you wanted, but again, "uses custom code." What does that mean, how hard is it to do, and what's the difference between a "SmartApp" and a "Device Type Handler"? (Note: the official terminology has changed a couple of times. "device type handler," "device handler," "DTH," and "device type" all mean the same thing, and you will find all these terms used in the forums.) SECTION I: SMARTAPPS AND DEVICE HANDLERS: WHAT THEY ARE SmartAPPS: Tiny Programs to decide what a specific device should do when, or to collect the information from a specific device SmartApps, including the var…

[timmyk86]

Hi, thanks for this!

Is there a way to change the temperature target from a ActionTiles tile? Like a thermostat?

Thanks!

Tim

[Cobra]

Hi Tim
I’m sorry but this is not integrated with actiontiles
It was just a basic app I wrote to do a specific job

Have a look at webcore - this will probably give you more integration

[timmyk86]

No worries. Thanks for the reply.

I’ve actually started using your app and it seems to work quite well if you need the thermostat just to run at one temperature, so thanks!

So far I’ve only see it switch off the radiator if it gets too hot or I open the window. It will switch it on if the temp falls below what I set, right?

[Cobra]

It will.
I have been using this for quite a few months in my conservatory

[timmyk86]

Perfect!

I wonder if there’s a way to make the target temp easily accessible so it can be adjusted up and down? Any idea how to do that?

[Cobra]

I’m not sure this is possible because you are working with a switch not a thermostat
The ability to increase/decrease temperature is usually a function or capability of the device DTH not the smartapp.

I will have a look and see if there is anything I can do but I dont hold out a lot of hope without a complete rewrite and a thermostat DTH

[fido]

Andy, i just installed your temperature smart app with no issues, trying to set the apps parameters i get to the end and the app throws a red un expected error ?? any thoughts

My usage
We think we have a dodgy freezer stat
multi sensor in freezer
ST power socket

your app
set mode
ON
start time, end time, days of week skipped
temp sensor which = multi sensor
Desired temp 14
Control this switch = freezer ( name of st power socket attached to freezer plug )
switch off if contact open skipped

Hit save and i get ( an unexpected error occured ) any thoughts at all

[timmyk86]

Mine did this at first but it worked when I entered the start and end time (I put 00:00 and 23:59). Seemed to do the trick

[Cobra]

@fido
MJ
If you open the IDE at the Live Logging Page when you try to install, does it throw up an error?

@timmyk86 Thanks for this info, there is probably a typo somewhere (MJ’s log should tell me where) as this was originally just for heating, so parts are copy pasted and reversed for cooling.

Andy

[fido]

Hi Andy, sorry been a busy day… i dont see any issues in the ide live log BUT that is probably down to my as usual lack of experience

No errors are thrown up anywhere i can see except in your app Andy

Maybe i am looking in the wrong place ???

[Cobra]

I’m surprised that there isn’t anything in the ide live log when you try to install
If you put a start and end time in does it work for you?

[fido]

The low temps in the freezer are killing the battery so i am not using the app now Andy but i have just tested with the times set as Timmy mentioned and it seems to work and accept the time addition, without the time addition it throws the error, i did not set the days of the week that does not appear to be the issue, It does appear to be time related

[Cobra]

Thanks for the info

Are you guys using Android or IOS?

[timmyk86]

iOS for me

[Cobra]

OK Guys I have this sorted now - Thanks for your help
I had changed the way the app was inputting the time and it ended up being compulsory (without telling you).
A slight re code and everything should be OK now.
Just tested it in IOS and no error for me when installing

@fido
There was an error appearing in the Live Logging in the IDE but you needed to turn on the debug logging to get it to show.

I have updated GitHub with the new file (Now V2.2.1)

[Cobra]

@timmyk86
Tim
I have just finished an update to this app.
You can now use an optional virtual temperature controller to quickly adjust the required temperature.
It also has the option to use a presence sensor to enable/disable.

If you want to try this then just update the app from GitHub and create a virtual device using the DTH here:

CobraVmax/SmartThings

if you try it then please let me know.
It’s pretty basic at the moment but does work quite well for me.

You might be able to use this in ActionTiles (it will probably present itself as a temperature sensor)

[timmyk86]

Hi Andy,

That’s great! Thanks! Will give it a try this evening.

So I have the most up to date version of the smartapp ‘temperature-controlled-switch’ (2.2.1) and I’ve installed this as a device - but the two don’t seem to talk to each other. Am I missing something?

Thanks! this will be great

[Cobra]

@timmyk86
Tim, you don’t have the latest version of the app
Sorry, my bad… I forgot to upload the updated file to GitHub

Files updated on GitHub now.
Current Version: 2.4.0

CobraVmax/SmartThings