Virtual low and high limit devices

[emarquis1]

I've been trying to set up a virtual thermostat using a DS1920 and the Events Thermostat actions control loop. I have gotten it working for the most part but would like to be able to change the low and high limit settings from the Homeseer main page.

I can't find any device type that will allow me to set up setpoints (like the devices used with RCS thermostats) where I can use a pulldown temperature selection.

I can reference my RCS thermstat setpoint within the event action and that works fine except that I only have a single setpoint reference and I would like to use separate temperature settings.

Would it be possible to have a setpoint virtual device within the devices setup in MCSTemperature? I did see one listed as Thermostat and tried to use it but had no control over the data displayed.

This would be a very useful addition to MCSTemperature.

Thanks,

Ed

[Michael McSharry]

The control limits are already setup to be varied by the contents of a Homeseer Device. The DeviceSting is used to contain the limit because DeviceValue is limited to integer values. The problem that you have, however, is that Homeseer does not support a GUI that changes the DeviceString.

I can see where I could look at the string and if it is null, then use the value. This would allow you to use the Dim value of a dimable device to specify the limit.

Another approach is to make a new device type unique to mcsTemperature that will be controllable via a pulldown and have integer values in the range 0 to 99. When the value is selected it will make a copy to the DeviceString of the device.

Can you provide some opinions on this?

[emarquis1]

Virtual Low and High Limit devices

The problem with using dim values is that the pulldowns in HS are limited to 10% increments.

I think that adding the device in MCSTemperature as you suggested would be the ideal way to do it.

Another thought I had was to have a single set temp for LL and a deadband "addition" for the HL setting for the shutoff temperature.

Perhaps it could be set in the Event Action Control as follows:

LL ]3
HL ]3+2

Thus, If LL=68 then HL=70

It would be quicker to change setpoints if you don't need to change corresponding shutoff temps and you could still customize your deadband settings.

Thanks,

Ed

[Michael McSharry]

I understand your suggestion. I just did a generalized expression analyzer for my Main Lobby interface which I should be able to implement here as well to allow expressions to be entered for the limits.

[emarquis1]

Control.gif

I noticed that the file control.gif was missing from the images\sensors folder when mcsTemperature created the thermostat control, so I made one that kind of matches your temperature icons - attached.

Thanks,

Ed

[Michael McSharry]

Thank you,
I'll add it to the updates.

[Michael McSharry]

I put in both the Thermostat device and the use of expressions for the rates and limits on both trigger and actions. The attached is extracted from the updated manual to explain the new features. It does show a brief example of your setpoint scenario. Posted at the top as V4.43.0. Document segment is attached here.

[emarquis1]

[Michael McSharry]

Enable the General Debug from the setup page. There is info in the control loop as part of the debug output to the hs log. Likely you will not be able to make sense of it, but copy a segment of ah.log and post it so I can look at it. Of interest is about 3 minutes starting before you trigger the Temperature Action Event and about 2 minutes after it.

The 0+hs.DeviceString("[38")) is fine, simply [38 will do the same thing.

[emarquis1]

Enable the General Debug from the setup page. There is info in the control loop as part of the debug output to the hs log. Likely you will not be able to make sense of it, but copy a segment of ah.log and post it so I can look at it. Of interest is about 3 minutes starting before you trigger the Temperature Action Event and about 2 minutes after it.

The 0+hs.DeviceString("[38")) is fine, simply [38 will do the same thing.

The log is attached.

I noticed a DoAction: on line 160 Invalid character
so I removed the The LL 0+hs.DeviceString("]38") and replaced it with ]38

Then I stopped and restarted the control and got a DoAction: on line 230 Invalid character.

I had UL 2+hs.DeviceString("]38") so I replaced it with just ]38 and the control started.

Seems the DoAction doesn't like one or more of the other text characters being added.

[emarquis1]

I also set the UL to 2+]38 and the control wouldn't start with it either.


Ed

[emarquis1]

There is something else strange happening with the control. The control will go active, turn on the heat pump and then will seem to freeze with the last reading that it used to turn on the device.

I've made a screen shot of the Homeseer status screen showing the control and the sensor used for temperature readings (\4). Note that the control is showing the sensor as 68.9 when it is actually at 70.7. The control turned on the basement heat pump when the sensor WAS at 68.9 and it never seemed to look at the temperature again.
Ed

[Michael McSharry]

[emarquis1]

[Michael McSharry]

At least you got your new thermostat device.

The handling of the Limits is something that will need to be added to HST's problem list for HS2. I'll submit a help desk ticket and describe our observations. Do confirm again that you are really getting truncation of the data entered as this was not the problem we were investigating. I know on the HS1 GUI I sometimes need to put the cursor in the box and then right arrow to get it to scroll through the remainder of the text. The "End" key does not get me there.