Working z-wave motorized drapes on the cheap

[holyhell5]

Just wanted to share my results with automating my curtains since i don't see a lot of posts on the topic.  

 

I've been searching around the web for a long time trying to find the best way to have motorized traverse curtains and control it from my ISY.   The somfy solution with the zwave controller and rts was confusing and way to expensive.   Found a non-smarthome related forum about creating your own motor curtain system and everyone seemed to agree on one thing.  Just buy the Dooya motor and track assembly from aliexpress. I was a bit wary about getting a decent product with the dimensions right from China but it worked out great.  Here's the link i bought from.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.html?spm=a2g0s.9042647.6.2.TYVGQu&orderId=85262777540811&productId=32217406062

 

This guy will custom assemble the tracks to your length and specifications including the Dooya motor and its all only about $150.  I received mine in only 8 days and its really good quality.  (if you get one remember you have to attach the belt on the drive end before you start playing with it.  I thought mine was jammed at first but i just didnt follow the instructions)

 

This Dooya motor does not come with a controller, which in my case is great.   Its a 4-wire open/close motor which evidently is standard and widely compatible so I ordered a $50 Qubino flush shutter z-wave module (part #ZMNHCD3)   This, like many open/close controllers is intended to be wired behind an existing wall switch.  I dont have one but since its an AC motor and the curtains will hide any wire I decided to wire the controller inline between a cut extension cord and the motor.  

 

I put my ISY z-wave inclusion mode and plugged in my contraption.   The controller immediately joined my network as 3 separate devices: an energy meter, a binary controller and a motor controller.   The energy meter seems a bit pointless since this motor's duty cycle is so short but whatever.    Presumably the binary controller is for simple open/close  while the motor controller would be for adjustable open percentage.   Unfortunately ISY only shows Open/Close/Query buttons for both nodes so its all open or all closed

 

...at least i thought so.  I sent an open command and the motor quietly rotated the entire length and stopped.  Same with the close command, so far so good.  I tried to send a 2nd open and close command while it was traveling to see if it would stop the travel part way but it did not.  Knowing the zwave controller I bought accepted incremental open states I created an IFTTT applet between my google assistant and my ISY via webhook with a number ingredient.   The applet was designed so if I say OK, google curtains # percent the ISY would command the curtain controller as if it were a dimmable light bulb.  

 

I gave it a try, "OK google curtains 30%" and sure enough the track opened 30% of the way!  So ISY can do partial open/close commands after all, it just doesnt show the buttons for that in the admin interface.  

 

It wasn't until the time of writing this post that i realized there exists an insteon micro open/close module. Oh well I needed another zwave device in my weak mesh network anyway.    I am curious how it performs though.  There ya have it, my Google Home to IFTTT to ISY to ZWAVE to Dooya motor automated curtain setup for $208 total

 

 

 

 

[JayC]

208 per blind?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[holyhell5]

I have one gigantic 10 foot drape that closes over my 5 section bay window. Not blinds

[holyhell5]

Also since my last post I decided to buy the insteon 2444 micro open close module hoping it would be more flexible with the ISY since it is native insteon and not zwave. Stupid ISY adamantly declares it to be an on/off device only when it certainly is not.

 

I paired a remotelinc as a controller and holding the on or off buttons down like you would to dim a light opens and closes the drape partially as you would expect. Not an on/off device which frustrates me about ISY. Im actually going back to the Zwave controller since ISY will at least let my IFTTT Applet set it by percentage. The portal recognized this insteon module as binary and won't even let me make a web hook that isn't on or off. Grrrrrr. Come on UDI

[stusviews]

holyhell5,

 

Before I offer an explanation, I need a bit more information. If you partially open (or close) the window covering and then press the same button a second time, does the covering continue in the same direction or does it reverse the direction it was traveling in?

[holyhell5]

Pressing the same button has no effect. It continues to travel in that direction. Pressing the opposite button mid-traverse reverses direction

[stusviews]

The Open/Close Module is truly only on ans off. Holding the button on an Insteon device is like holding a push button, that is, the device continues to send an on signal and the Open/Close Module responds (i.e., stays on). Releasing the button stops sending the on signal. If it were behaving as a dimmer, each press would reverse the direction.

 

If you want preset positions, then you can create a program for each. I have two presets, one at one-third open and one at half-way. Here's how:

 

Measure to time from fully open to fully closed. It'll be easier if both times are very close to the same interval. Create a program for each preset you want. Usually one or two is adequate.

 

If

        trigger of your choice (e.g., remote button)

Then

       send an On to the Open/Close sensor (up or down, your choice)

       wait (time to fully open or close plus a few seconds, this is the starting point)

       send an Off

       send an On to the desired direction (opposite of where the window covering is, fully open or fully closed)

       wait (time to reach desired position)

       send an Off

[Venicenerd]

I’d like to bump this threat to see if the Micro Open/Close module can please support native “Dimming” from within the ISY control. Pleeeeease!