CBUS to MQTT using cmqttd Home Assistant add-on developed by Samsonite

Hi all,

I have recently installed CBUS to MQTT using cmqttd now available as a Home Assistant add-on developed by Samsonite
See Here: https://github.com/MtSamsonite/ha-cbus2mqtt

I have installed the cmqttd add-on & Mosquito Mqtt connected via a PCI (5500PC) serial to USB cable into the pc hosting HAOS. All my cbus lights have been discovered and they turn on and off on the HA web interface (dashboard) i.e. you switch a light entity on the the bulb turns yellow and the boolean says “ON” and conversely the opposite when I turn it off, but the lights in the house don’t physically change state, nor is their actual status showing on the dashboard. I have confirmed that my serial to USB cable is ok as I can turn lights on and off using the cbus toolkit directly.

See video here:
https://youtube.com/shorts/njzHSc_QndA?feature=share

I’m at a loss as to what to do next, does anyone have any suggestions?

Log File from cmqttd:
Importing the add-on configuration options as script variables

Completed importing addon configuration options

The following variable values were passed through via the Home Assistant add on configuration options

MQTT_USER = mqtt-user

MQTT_PASSWORD = NOT DISPLAYED IN LOG FILE

MQTT_SERVER = core-mosquitto

TCP_OR_SERIAL = Use a serial connection to CBUS

CBUS_CONNECTION = /dev/ttyS0

MQTT_USE_TLS = null

MQTT_PORT = null

CMQTTD_CA_CERT_PATH = null

CMQTTD_CLIENT_CERT_PATH = null

CMQTTD_CLIENT_KEY_PATH = null

CMQTTD_PROJECT_FILE = /share/HOME24-Mar-2012.cbz

CBUS_TIMESYNC = null

CBUS_CLOCK = null

CMQTTD_LOG_LEVEL = null

Creating file /etc/cmqttd/auth

Using serial PCI at /dev/ttyS0

Disabling TLS support.

Using MQTT login details in /etc/cmqttd/auth

Using C-Bus Toolkit project backup file /share/HOME24-Mar-2012.cbz

Local time zone: Australia/Sydney

Current time: Sat, 11 Jan 2025 17:02:23 +1100

Running cmqttd with flags: --broker-address core-mosquitto --timesync 300 --serial /dev/ttyS0 --broker-disable-tls --broker-auth /etc/cmqttd/auth --project-file /share/HOME24-Mar-2012.cbz

2025-01-11 17:02:23,435 Transport security disabled!

2025-01-11 17:02:23,440 Connected to MQTT broker

 

I've been running this automation for a few months now, this behaviour happens if the interface disconnects (and there isn't any obvious indication that its disconnected). You would have to restart the integration but otherwise its fairly stable day to day.

I recently had to edit the logic in the container as I discovered the code does not properly issue the ramp command (it sends an ON command with a ramp to OFF) but otherwise its functional.

Happy to help trouble shoot if your didn't get it working.

I was thinking about branching the code, the original author isn't active anymore and there is a few things to fix up such as committing the container changes back to the original container (my changes are just local), adding a watch dog to actually auto-restart and report the disconnection, and dealing with new HA requirements on color. I also have seen on rare occasion it can't handle some types of messages so making the recovery code a bit better was in my mind, plus a better naming of the entities.

BTW given you did get the entities generated then I'm pretty confident you got a connection through, otherwise there is no way HA could have mapped the entities in the first place.