Velux Integra Roof Windows

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  • Nad
    Automated Home Guru
    • Jul 2008
    • 145

    Velux Integra Roof Windows

    Hi all,

    Just wondering if anyone has looked into how to control these roof windows via Cortex? I'm guessing this is going to be another item that will need to be done via the API.
    It looks like they seem to come with their own remote control and does offer the good old wall switch which would be easy to integrate.

    Thanks,
    Nad

    Just found that they do have an interface unit called the KLF 050 which they seem to keep quite well hidden. I've found it for sale in some European sites but not much is mentioned in the UK. It would have been nice if the had a control port that you could just plug stuff into but i guess that's hoping for a bit too much in this day and age of wireless everything

    This is the only PDF I've found for it ...
    Last edited by Nad; 4 June 2015, 02:04 PM.
  • chris_j_hunter
    Automated Home Legend
    • Dec 2007
    • 1713

    #2
    not much detail available - for our motorised beds, we wired in-parallel with the remote control's switches ...

    one-way of course, no feedback, 'though we may yet add our own reed-switches ...

    is the motor-unit accessible, for wiring into it, maybe ??
    Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 4 June 2015, 02:49 PM.
    Our self-build - going further with HA...

    Comment

    • Nad
      Automated Home Guru
      • Jul 2008
      • 145

      #3
      I'm planning to hack the ceiling fan remote to control them but unfortunately the standard Velux controller is a fancy touch pad unit.
      I really like your idea about the reed switches for the feed back circuit, didn't even really think about that.

      I don't know if the motor unit is accessible as I haven't got our 1st window yet. Should get my hands on one in a few weeks time.

      Thanks,
      Nad

      Comment

      • Karam
        Automated Home Legend
        • Mar 2005
        • 863

        #4
        Yes it looks like the wall switch interface could be the simple solution and Cortex does have a dedicated object for managing that kind of appliance (using relays in place of the buttons). If Velux are releasing a web based REST API for their stuff then Cortex will pretty soon be able to communicate via that route (spoilers ;-) ), though the proof will be in the specifics..

        Comment

        • chris_j_hunter
          Automated Home Legend
          • Dec 2007
          • 1713

          #5
          our bed's remote was wired to the motor-unit, so all we had to do was take the remote apart to decipher how the wires (few) were connected to the various button switches (many), then cut the cable & reconnect the two ends via Idratek relays ...

          so, easier than with the wireless Velux touch-panel - OTOH, their receiver has to interface with their motor-unit in some way, and page two here seems to show the receiver unit wired to the motor-unit ... :



          so, maybe the same trick could be applied in your case, too ... ?
          Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 6 June 2015, 10:25 AM.
          Our self-build - going further with HA...

          Comment

          • Karam
            Automated Home Legend
            • Mar 2005
            • 863

            #6
            That's a good point Chris. If the receiver unit is not integral then there may well be access to the motors and perhaps even feedback. On the other hand one might have to be careful to check that the motor control in the receiver is not doing something a bit more sophisticated than simply on/off, e.g if doing current sensing to check for stall in the receiver electronics rather than this being in the window. I suppose if it has been a simple add on evolution from older mechanical switches you'd think it would be the latter.

            Comment

            • Nad
              Automated Home Guru
              • Jul 2008
              • 145

              #7
              These things are not cheap so I'd also like to keep my warranty in tact for as long as possible
              Still haven't ordered the 1st one yet, will update once i get my hands on one of them.

              Thanks,
              Nad

              Comment

              • chris_j_hunter
                Automated Home Legend
                • Dec 2007
                • 1713

                #8
                IIUC, they communicate with the controller by radio - 868MHz, the brochure mentions - wonder if that means they could be compatible with HomeEasy (& so the Idratek modules of that ilk) ... ???
                Our self-build - going further with HA...

                Comment

                • paulockenden
                  Automated Home Legend
                  • Apr 2015
                  • 1719

                  #9
                  I have the older Velux solar powered blinds, which come with a simple RF remote control. There must be some kind of encoding/binding process because you can assign a particular blind to a given remote control (I have mine all operating from the same one).

                  I'd assume that the newer kit still uses the same RF and control protocols.

                  Comment

                  • tizwaz
                    Automated Home Sr Member
                    • Aug 2007
                    • 59

                    #10
                    We're just getting some quotes in for an extension that will have 3 Velux roof windows. I wrote to their sales team asking about integration to an existing home auto system. They wrote back very quickly and said "We have an Interface that you can wire directly into (KLF 100) if your products are IO home control compatible. I have attached a link for the fitting instructions below for you".



                    This looks promising.

                    Comment

                    • Karam
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Mar 2005
                      • 863

                      #11
                      IO Home Control appears to be an 868MHz band RF control protocol - looks to have been concocted by Honeywell but not adopted by so many. Honeywell themselves use other protocols. Anyhow it is not a simple protocol of the HomeEasy, Lightwave RF ilk (which operate in the 433MHz band BTW). So I think its going to have to be via the KLF 100 or preferably the simpler looking KLF 050 since the other features in the KLF 100 are probably not needed.

                      Comment

                      • Nad
                        Automated Home Guru
                        • Jul 2008
                        • 145

                        #12
                        I've looked at both the KLF 100 and the KLF 050. The former is readily available in the UK but the latter seems less so and will probably need to be bought from someone on the continent, which would make them around the same price.

                        I agree with Karam with regards to the functionality of the KLF 100, total overkill for the requirements but there doesn't seem to be may other options.

                        Also, I may now have 4 windows of which only 2 will be in a group so I would need to get 3 KLF 100s. Again not the end of the world but I was hoping for something a bit more elegant. It's a good thing these are wireless so they can be hidden away, I don't know how I would have explained these huge ugly boxes to the wife ... lol

                        Comment

                        • chris_j_hunter
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Dec 2007
                          • 1713

                          #13
                          looks like a KLF100 plus a couple of Idratek relays to provide the potential-free contacts would enable all that's needed, especially given Cortex's v.sophisticated range of control options ...

                          interesting that HA seems to have caught-on sufficiently for such a mainstream product to have such a set of interfaces readily available ...
                          Our self-build - going further with HA...

                          Comment

                          • pbj
                            Automated Home Sr Member
                            • Jul 2004
                            • 57

                            #14
                            I used an older WMG 520 motor (http://www.loftsolutions.co.uk/shop/.../velux-wmg-520) which is a simple 24v switched polarity unit. Works nicely with the Cortex motor object and a pair of change over relays (QRH001 in my case). You'll need the amusingly named "flap bracket" for retrofitting to a standard velux window - an easy 10 minute job

                            Comment

                            • Nad
                              Automated Home Guru
                              • Jul 2008
                              • 145

                              #15
                              Originally posted by pbj View Post
                              I used an older WMG 520 motor (http://www.loftsolutions.co.uk/shop/.../velux-wmg-520) which is a simple 24v switched polarity unit. Works nicely with the Cortex motor object and a pair of change over relays (QRH001 in my case). You'll need the amusingly named "flap bracket" for retrofitting to a standard velux window - an easy 10 minute job
                              Thanks pbj! That is a very interesting solution indeed.
                              Not only does it allow me to connect the opening of the window to Cortex but looking at the size I'm after I can potentially save £170 per window!!

                              Comment

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