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Venstar - Mode & Home/Away Syncing


paulbates

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Posted

Hi io_guy

 

This is a request for NodeLink for Venstar to offer options to sync the Mode, and also Home/Away between multiple Venstar Thermostats. If one thermostat changes mode or home/away, the other participating thermostats follow suit. 

 

Thanks

 

Paul

Posted

Hi io_guy

 

This is a request for NodeLink for Venstar to offer options sync the Mode, and also Home/Away between multiple Venstar Thermostats. If one thermostat changes mode or home/away, the other participating thermostats follow suit. 

 

Thanks

 

Paul

Wouldn't that be better handled by ISY?

 

OTOH if it was implemented, make it a controllable option. Cutting ISY out of the picture would make one less device, and all the communications that go with one more device, out of the insecurity ring for stat co-ordination.

Posted

Sorry, remember you asking for that before. Will try to get in the next release.

 

Do I sync watching changes on the Venstar side, ISY call, or both?

Posted

I certainly don't wan t sync modes. That's why I have zones. But, I do use the ISY for home/away.

Posted

Sorry, remember you asking for that before. Will try to get in the next release.

 

Do I sync watching changes on the Venstar side, ISY call, or both?

 

In my house, there are times that changes are made at the stat, but the way the house is laid out, both should be in the same mode. My use would be to catch changes on the Venstar side. Personally I wouldn't use it from the ISY side. 

 

Thank you!

 

Paul 

Posted

I certainly don't wan t sync modes. That's why I have zones. But, I do use the ISY for home/away.

Maybe some confusion. Zones are not Modes.

 

If I understand this request, syncing them could allow you to set Away, Heating, Cooling, Off,  on one stat and the rest would switch also It would be bad for one stat to be in a different mode. If all were away and one wasn't it would attempt to heat the whole house for one zone and never shut off. The common problem is all in heating mode and one zone still in A/C fighting each other. Of course this is  dependant zone isolation too..

 

My existing system co-ordinates all zones by sharing schedules and  profiles, of which Away is just another profile. Each stat does it's own thing based on a time schedule of it's choosing, usually a common one for all.

Posted

I understand the difference between zones and modes. I have a few of each.

 

There are times of the year, locally, where one drives to work with the car heater on and returns with the A/C on. Our home can experience those differences in the front and back. Although we may not need heating and cooling concurrently (it has happened), for a good portion of the year when weather control is needed/wanted, only a potion of the home needs conditioning. Why else have several zones?

 

For example, on hot nights, we cool only the sleeping area; on very, very hot nights, the rest of our home is cooled to a lesser degree than is the sleeping area. The same is true during some days because the sun rises in the back and sets toward the front. So we cool only the back in the morning, both mid-day and the front exclusively in the afternoon. I need the option to NOT synchronize the mode--based on the zone.

 

During colder weather, once again, we don't need to warm the front as much as the back. Then there's the third zone that's only one somewhat isolated room that needs conditioning only when occupied B)

Posted

That is just difference set points in different zones, except for the case of cooling in one and heating in another.

 

My sleeping areas are always set cooler at nights than the common room zones, but all stats are on the same schedule and change ToD at the same time, as well as changing modes together.

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

I have this code written and will release this weekend.  Let me know if it works - I only have one Venstar so I can't test it myself.

Posted

I have this code written and will release this weekend.  Let me know if it works - I only have one Venstar so I can't test it myself.

 

Great, thank you. I'll keep a look out.

 

Paul

Posted

I have this code written and will release this weekend.  Let me know if it works - I only have one Venstar so I can't test it myself.

I may have two workable Venstars , soon. Would love to test this out, also.

Posted

Hey io_guy, thank you. A couple of things to report

  1. Home and away works exactly as expected
  2. Mode change works exactly as expected, when program mode is off
  3. Didn't think about this one; based on how the stat operates, mode won't / can't change with program mode is on.  

Is it possible that program mode changes could be detected and controlled too? It would need to account for both program and mode changing and then being detected at poll time. Program mode has to be turned off first when going from cool/heat to off. Program mode has to be turned on last when going from off to to on.

 

Again, many thanks for your support.

 

Paul

Posted

io_guy

 

Good point, that is true.  When I simulated it last night, I didn't try that combination. I did that now and you're right

 

Thanks

 

Paul

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Hey io_guy

 

One small follow-up on mode sync. I set all 3 check boxes for mode syncing for both of my thermostats. When the pi reboots, Enable Schedule Sync always comes back as un-checked for both thermostats. Reboots are rare and usually self inflicted, so it took a while for it to surface. 

 

Thanks.

 

Paul

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