Cheapest way to enable more scenes on eDLT

Looking for a way to get more scenes on an eDLT. Is there a way it can be done in software as I already have a server conencted to my C-Bus via a 5500PC.

I believe it can be done with a Wiser, but I really can't afford to buy one, this is only for my home and I've already spent a fortune on this project.

Thanks guys

 

The eDLT supports 8 scenes with a maximum of 64 groups contained in those scenes.
Adding more scenes to be controlled from Homegate would be possible but I personally think it would be confusing for the end user.
Possibly explain what it is you want to achieve in more detail, but remember that other people will use this switch and if you have to explain in great depth how it works then its probably not that good.
Take for example you may have a few scenes in your Dining/Kitchen area
Scene 1 Cooking
Scene 2 Meal time
Scene 3 Entertaining
Its probably easy for users to understand what these scenes do because they are simple.
Now add in
Scene 4 Bedtime (why a bedtime scene in the kitchen)
Scene 5 Clean the dishwasher
Scene 6 My scene
These are not intuitive and would need explaining hence not a good idea.

The Help file is useful in toolkit and there are training manuals that have been produced there's even Youtube video


Search C-Bus basic training manuals

 

To hack an integration with my Hive home thermostat I plan to scroll through scenes to set the temperature using dummy switches. It's horrible, but it's the only way I can think to make it work.

Scene 1 would be called 15°C, it would set a dummy lamp called "15" to turn on, and 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 to turn off.

Scene 2 would be called 16°C and would set a dummy lamp called "16" to turn on, and 15, 17, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 to turn off.

I would then set up an automation that when "16" is onnthen set the thermostat to 16°C and so on.

It's absolutely horrible, but that's the only way I can think to make it work. I didn't realise C-Bus didn't integrate with anything until after I'd spent thousands of pounds on dimmers, relays, and switches etc.

I can't think of another way to do it. I do have a server permanently connected vis a serial interface so if you have any other ideas I'm all ears mate.

 

How about two timer widgets, up & down, that stay on for 1 second then off.
In your homekit automation you can then trigger when the light turns on, get current setting, add/subtract, set target temp.

 

Interesting. With that method it wouldn't actually say on the eDLT what the temperature is set at though.

 

You could set up on the EDLT with one trigger group and a few action selectors. using scene cycle or scene select, and setting the action selector for the scenes as the setpoint value. This would give you a range of 8 values ( or however many scenes the EDLT can hold ) to nudge up / down for setpoint adjustment.

So the action selector value would be the setpoint value. And name / label the action selector in the edlt as you like

 

And then I wont have any room left for the lighting scenes...

 

Looks like some logic is the only way then. Something like setting the button up as shutter relay so left / right buttons send 0 / 255. ( or the shutter relay values, could be 1% / 99% I can’t recall of the top of my head )

255 triggers increase temp, 0 triggers decreas temp. ( with logic constraints around your min and max temps )

then write the temp value back to the group address to display on the edlt.

 

How would that work though? Would that present a value that I can read somehow in Google Home so I can make the automation there? And how would I send the temperature back down to C-bus for the display?

 

i dont use google home so i cant say.

You could also try setting the EDLT up with a dummy lighting group address like below and adjust the nudge values to 1. Then all the scenes are free.
This wont set limits, but should allow increase and decrease by a value of 1. You need something with logic so set an initilisation value, and some upper and lower limits. This can be in google home, and it writes back the value to the controlling dummy group ( again no idea on what google home can do ) or in some Pascal or Lua logic in a supporting c-bus device. In either case your going to have give some things a go and see what works with what you have.

 

That's what I had initially tried, but unfortunately it doesn't work as the information received on Homekit/Google Home from the eDLT is presented as a percentage rather than raw data (0-255), and there's no way round it.

 

Have a look at this post
https://www.cbusforums.com/threads/braemar-heater-control-relay-temp-sensor.10243/#post-55076
The suggestion I made and am still using requires something with a pascal logic engine.
Homegate would do and can run on a PC. or Wiser 2 if you can find one.

 

Try Schedule Plus
https://www.se.com/au/en/download/document/Schedule_Plus_V5_10_0/

 

Oh wow, that sounds perfect actually!

Now all I need is a crash course on logic programming and an instance of Schedule Plus. Is there a recommended version or anything like that?

 

Been searching high and low, and just can't afford the Shedule Plus software.

Is there another way to do logic without getting fleeced?

 

I don't remember what the restrictions are on Homegate without a dongle, does this allow logic?