Re: xAP enabling Honeywell heating controller

[Kevin Hawkins <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul Gale wrote:
> Thanks Kevin.
>
> I think I want a solution where I can use the (dependable) supplied
controller for day to day functioning etc - and then be able to program
that through Main Lobby (and xAP I guess). Plus be able to display
setpoints and temp in ML.
>
Would the MainLobby generic serial plugin handle that maybe ?? -
talking myself out of xAP here but your proposed route would  be

MainLobby<>HomeSeerPlugin<>HomeSeer on
PC<>xAPPlugin<>xAP<>xAPHoneywellConduit on
PC<>HoneyWellController<>RadioLink<>Thermostat/Valve

Anything is do-able but cutting down the intermediate steps is
beneficial. - direct to ML takes 5 steps out.
You could still update HS with the info from ML and hence it would be
available on xAP
> I agree about the reliability aspects - I'm currently struggling with
a couple of areas in my HA system that need constant re-setting and
maintenance. Oddly enough, HomeVision is currently one of these
mis-behaving systems and occasionally locks up! We think it's down to
interference but I've got limited room ATM to properly troubleshoot, so am
really waiting for the new, bigger Node0 to iron out the problems
(hopefully).
HV is so rock solid for me it's a joy.  I have seen the posts re serial
link issues and the awkward solution that CSI are suggesting to work
around it. It would be nice to fix the route cause.
> Heating has to work reliably though, so a system that has xAP or any
other PC link as a REQUIRED link in the system is out. Data reporting and
the ability to set everything within ML is a different matter though as I
wouldn't see that as 'dangerous' :)
>
Any tool in the wrong hands can be dangerous ;-)

Kevin

PS Sending you an offlist message re another possibility too...
> Paul.
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: xap_automation@xxxxxxx
>> [mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Kevin Hawkins
>> Sent: 20 January 2007 12:39
>> To: xap_automation@xxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: [xap_automation] xAP enabling Honeywell heating
controller
>>
>> The heating system is an ongoing project here. I keep looking at
what's
>> available and what I already have and in the end always come
around to
>> thinking a 'do it myself' approach is probably going to be the way
to
>> go.  I know there's a lot of  things to learn here and Neil is a
guru
>> on
>> the subject. Actually I approached Sensible Heat when they were
>> exhibiting at the NEC and although I thought there would be some
>> difficult issues  with my particular  setup (large rambling
property
>> with solid 3 foot stone interior walls) it was agreed they would
come
>> and do a site survey - but they never followed up on this so I
lost
>> interest.   At that stage the external automation control
interface was
>> not quite ready and they didn't have any RF repeaters so
everything had
>> to be within range.  It looked a promising system though with lots
of
>> possibilities.
>>
>> I have since zoned a lot of my rooms and individually control
these
>> with
>> room thermostats / timers but I haven't gone much further than
that -
>> some of the zones are controlled by xAP Netiom outputs .  I still
would
>> like to play with proportional control  in some form of loop
feedback
>> system - although again I'm told the practicalities of this may
not
>> reap
>> the apparent benefits (loop latency). I'd like to benefit more
from
>> optimum start in a couple of the rooms too.  This whole topic
interests
>> me though and I would love to reduce my gas bill . In fact when I
typed
>> the current electricity and gas figures into uSwitch the other day
it
>> complained they weren't 'residential' consumptions and I was a
business
>> user .... and so I had to reduce them to see the best supplier.  I
fell
>> for joining PowerGens 'business' tariff a couple of years back and
gas
>> was indeed about 10% cheaper but they then added full VAT on the
bills,
>> and insisted this was mandatory on a business tariff  - despite
their
>> sales person assuring me that as a private user I would still
enjoy the
>> lower VAT rate
>>
>> I think it would be useful to think through exactly what you might
want
>> the xAP part of the integration to do and what (if any)
dependencies
>> you
>> introduce there.  I have tried to ensure that all the fundamental
>> functions of the house can work autonomously from any HA things I
layer
>> on top, eg lighting, TV, heating  operate even if the HA PC has
died.
>> Some extra bits may not happen like lights coming on as you enter
a
>> room
>> or the hot water circulatory system stopping when you leave the
home.
>> If the HA fails whilst I'm away I need everything to still work
>> reasonably. If you've ever had to deliver those lines ' Sorry, 
I'll
>> fix
>> it when I get back but in the meantime you'll have to sit in
darkness
>> and watch Coronation Street without sound' then you know where
that
>> leads... . Here I'm also trying to go 'embedded' and do away with
PC's
>> wherever possible except for the very fancy stuff (emails , TV
listings
>> etc).  In the past PC's are usually where my problems have arisen
from.
>>
>> Happy to be an interested party here but time is my obstacle at
the
>> moment (so type shorter messages I hear you all say). So many
things on
>> the todo list...
>>
>>     K
>>
>>
>>  Paul Gale wrote:
>>
>>> I?ve been speaking to Neil Ball (from UKHA_D) about their
Honeywell
>>> Hometronic system for my loft conversion. The Honeywell system
look
>>> really good and can have wireless radiator controllers along
with
>>> supporting a wide range of HVAC options. Neil?s company
>>>
>> (sensibleheat)
>>
>>> have developed an interface to the Honeywell controller with
web and
>>> other interface options.
>>>
>>> http://www.sensibleheat.co.uk/
>>>
>>> I?m keen to get this in and maybe xAP enable it. From the
protocol
>>> docs I?ve seen, it looks fairly simple (although I?ve not gone
into
>>>
>> it
>>
>>> in depth).
>>>
>>> Is anyone interested in looking at this? I think Neil would be
happy
>>> to provide loan kit or maybe discounted kit etc??? Anyone
planning to
>>> replace or supplement their heating system?
>>>
>>> Alternatively, I may be interested in paying someone to
develop
>>>
>> something?
>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Paul.
>>>
>>> _
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
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