Domoticz beta now has in core support for Evohome web API

[gordonb3]

After having converted evohomeclient to C++ I've been working on adapting this code for insertion in Domoticz. Meaning no more scripting, cronjobs and other external fiddling. I've also made use of the opportunity to add some direct feedback, although this does require some guess work for modes 'Away' and 'Day Off' as these can be reconfigured on the main controller but do not seem to be exchanged with the web portal. I do have something of a learning feature in place for 'Away' mode, but this will currently not survive a Domoticz restart.

There's also a bonus for Honeywell in this because since the client now runs a service I do not need to perform requests for information that rarely changes. Something funny about the web portal though: it drops user sessions after a set time from when it was initiated rather than when it was last used. As a result I do need to renew some of that information every hour and I've chosen to renew everything at that point. You may see that when enabling display of the next scheduled switch point and you change schedules on the main controller. Or you change the name of a zone. It can take up to an hour for Domoticz to pick up such changes.

Enjoy,
Gordon

[dty]

To clarify, is this a replacement for the Evohome scripting integration? Does it in any way impact the Evohome HGI80 integration?

[gordonb3]

It does not impact HGI80 integration. The original combined code for HGI80 and scripting was already split up some time ago to allow this new implementation to be added. It is also not a replacement of script, which remains as a separate connector, but you can switch between the two without losing any data.

[DBMandrake]

It does not impact HGI80 integration. The original combined code for HGI80 and scripting was already split up some time ago to allow this new implementation to be added. It is also not a replacement of script, which remains as a separate connector, but you can switch between the two without losing any data.

Does your C++ version include the changes I made to the script (updated on the wiki by DanD) to query high resolution zone temperatures using the old V1 API ?

[gordonb3]

No. This implementation uses UK/EMEA API only.

[bruce_miranda]

Is the web client worth considering for people using the HGI80? Having said that, I rarely use Domoticz to change anything. It's soooo much quicker to make changes on the controller and I still live in house where I can walk to the controller faster than the app takes to reconnect.

[gordonb3]

Don't think so, but opinions may differ. The main issue with this would of course be that there will be two instances for every zone in your Domoticz view: one for the HGI80 and one for Script or Web API.

With regards to quick changing of settings, I did have a one touch shortcut to the stand-alone client last winter to fire up the heating in the children's bedrooms for five minutes as they would be preparing to go to bed. This would be sufficient to make the radiators hot enough to warm up their rooms from as low as 15⁰ to 20⁰ or higher, even after the setpoint had already moved back to night mode. Having moved to internal Domoticz I'll probably recreate that app with the feedback to Domoticz stripped from it. It worked very well and is definitely quicker than doing the same on the main controller.

[bruce_miranda]

Oh don't get me wrong. There are several reasons why another controller interface might be better than the actual controller itself. You gave a great example. Another one I use a lot is a modified Eco that takes all Setpoint down by 1-2C rather than the stupid 3C that doesn't work if the zones are already close to 15C.

I use an Amazon Dash button in 2 bedrooms to provide a 1 hour boost function. Fires up the boiler for an hour to 20C.

[gordonb3]

Hmmm.... interesting thing you just said. Does 'Eco' not set below the 'Away' setpoint? What if the actual setpoint is already below that value?

[DBMandrake]

No. This implementation uses UK/EMEA API only.

Well that's a shame. No use to me then - I wouldn't want to go back to temperature readings that are biased half a degree towards the set point and then rounded to the nearest half degree on top of that. (Like the controller display itself)

The main reason I run Domoticz at all is to view the dashboard with accurate, non biased, non rounded two decimal place temperature readings!

[bruce_miranda]

ECO only works until 15C. There is a bug however that causes any zone' s setpoint that is just 1-2C over 15C to be unaffected by ECO. So you can have a zone sitting at 17C before and after ECO was clicked.

[gordonb3]

Well, I'm still fine-tuning the installation so I could add this to the wish list. Current priority is to make the direct feedback in the 'Temperature' view as accurate as possible. And then there's also a little matter of allowing system triggers and notifications.

[gordonb3]

ECO only works until 15C. There is a bug however that causes any zone' s setpoint that is just 1-2C over 15C to be unaffected by ECO. So you can have a zone sitting at 17C before and after ECO was clicked.

I did some testing and I actually have my 'Away' setpoint reconfigured at 14C. having changed the schedule on one zone to have 17C as the normal setpoint the Eco value came out as 14C, so it is definitely related to the 'Away' setpoint. Funny thing is that 'Away' itself is unconditional, i.e. it will raise the setpoint for zones that have a lower value in their schedule.

[DBMandrake]

Funny thing is that 'Away' itself is unconditional, i.e. it will raise the setpoint for zones that have a lower value in their schedule.

Yes this is one of my pet peeves too.

The away action is supposed to be for leaving the house, I have away set down to 10 degrees because if I left it on the default of 15 then it would actually turn up spare rooms that are normally scheduled below 15 degrees when I am leaving the house. It should really reduce an zones that are set higher than the away temperature and leave ones that are lower alone, but it doesn't work that way.

[paulockenden]

Maybe that's a good thing, though. The rooms with very low set points will usually be kept at > mildew temps by absorbing warmth from your heated rooms. But if the other rooms are all cool then your zones with extremely low setpoints will get colder than they normally do.

Perhaps.