RE: xAP enabling Honeywell heating controller

["Paul Gale" <groups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes - had thought about the Generic Serial route (although it's still
not a=
released product and the beta has just expired without extension - again!!=
!)- very frustrating.

Hadn't thought it through properly - yes, xAP could be utilised further up
=
the chain without getting in the way - and as ultimately I want to
view/con=
trol the data in ML primarily, the generic serial plugin may be the best
be=
t (as long as it's useable). There are a number of limitations of this
plug=
in though and the developer isn't very responsive to bug fixes/new
features=
at all it seems :(  (not like all you great xAP developers!).

>From the serial protocol I've seen from Sensible Heat, looks like it
may wo=
rk OK with the plugin.

Paul.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: xap_automation@xxxxxxx
> [mailto:xap_automation@xxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Kevin Hawkins
> Sent: 20 January 2007 15:41
> To: xap_automation@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [xap_automation] xAP enabling Honeywell heating
controller
>=20
> 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
>=20
> MainLobby<>HomeSeerPlugin<>HomeSeer on
> PC<>xAPPlugin<>xAP<>xAPHoneywellConduit on
> PC<>HoneyWellController<>RadioLink<>Thermostat/Valve
>=20
> 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 ;-)
>=20
>     Kevin
>=20
> 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=92ve 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=92s company
> >>>
> >> (sensibleheat)
> >>
> >>> have developed an interface to the Honeywell controller
with web
> and
> >>> other interface options.
> >>>
> >>> http://www.sensibleheat.co.uk/
> >>>
> >>> I=92m keen to get this in and maybe xAP enable it. From
the protocol
> >>> docs I=92ve seen, it looks fairly simple (although I=92ve
not gone in=
to
> >>>
> >> 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=85
> >>
> >>> Cheers,
> >>>
> >>> Paul.
> >>>
> >>> _
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Yahoo! Groups Links
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>=20
>=20
>=20


=20