Fibaro Smart Insert FGBS-222 Setup Question

[K-bert]

This is my first z-wave device. I purchased it with the idea of using its two inputs on the alarm wiring to detect when the front and back doors to the house are open. I do not have an alarm installed but I have installed door sensors that are closed when the doors are closed.

Adding the smart insert to the ISY was straightforward and several nodes appeared in the device tree on my admin console. I had no problem changing the Input 1 and 2 to Normally closed alarm input. The manual (https://manuals.fibaro.com/content/manuals/en/FGBS-222/FGBS-222-EN-T-v1.2.pdf) states that parameter 20 and 21 both need to be given a value of 0 for this behaviour.  When I tried grounding the input to test it out two new nodes appeared in the device tree, both labelled at Intrusion Alarm 1 with different addresses. They both act how I would expect them to.

I would like to use one of the outputs from this device to control the humidifier attached to the furnace. I can't control it directly as the humidifier uses 24VAC and the implant has a max rating of 20VAC, but that is an easy issue for me to solve with a simple circuit. The issue I have is right now the implant's outputs are directly tied to the inputs. Meaning that if an input is triggered the corresponding output is activated.

As per the same manual linked above this can be changed by changing the Protection Command Class from Local State 0 to Local State 1. Doing some searching on the internet I have found that other home automation software can switch this with a GUI button and I have even found one that can do it using a script. My question is: does anybody know how to do it with the ISY?

Thanks,

K-bert

[K-bert]

Well, I never did find a way to do this. The advice I received elsewhere told me to buy another controller and use that to program it and then put it back into my network. I'm not going to do that as it seems silly to me, but I have created a work around. I describe it below, probably a bit more detail than needed/wanted.

I set up a state variable that is set to 1 when the humidity needs to be increased and 0 when it doesn't. This variable is set using the outside temperature and the reported inside humidity from the thermostat. There is a program that is activated when this variable is 1 that sets one of the Implant's outputs to on and turns on the furnace fan through the thermostat.

I have another program that is activated when the Implant's output is on and the humidity variable is 0. This program then turns off the same output. So when a door is opened that output goes active and then the program deactivates it. This takes about two to three seconds. Not ideal as this would turn on the water solenoid to the humidifier every time a door is opened and then off again a few seconds later.

As stated before the Implant outputs have a maximum rating or 20VAC and my humidifier uses 24VAC. I dug around in my electronics drawer and found just what I needed to fix both problems.

I have a solid state relay that uses a 5VDC power and trigger signal. The contacts on the SSR can handle up to 240VAC. I am also using an Adafruit Trinket board. I would have used an ATiny, but this board has the 5VDC regulator that I am using to power the SSR already built in. I am using one pin on the Trinket as an input that is pulled high using the internal pull-up. This is connected to one of the outputs of the Implant. The other side of the output is connected to the Trinket ground. Another pin is connected to the input of the SSR. For testing I wrote a sketch that simply put 5VDC on the pin connected to the SSR when the pin connected to the Implant is grounded. This worked fine to turn on the humidifier.

I wrote a second sketch that turns the Trinket into a state machine with three states. The first state is simply input and output inactive. When the input is activated it moves to the second state which is a waiting state. It waits for five seconds. If the input is deactivated at any point in this state the machine goes back to the first state. If the input remains active the machine enters the third state which activates the output and turns on the SSR. At any point in this state if the input is deactivated it returns to the first state.

I mounted these parts inside a spare project box that is larger than it needs to be, but I mounted the original humidistat that came with the house onto it. This unit is simply set using a dial and when the humidity drops below the set point it closes its contacts. It is very inefficient as it does nothing to turn on the furnace fan. I am using a double pole double throw switch that allows me to switch control between the ISY via the Implant and the old humidistat. I don't foresee ever using the humidistat again but having a way to over ride it does increase the WAF.

If anyone wants more details I would be happy to share them.

 

K-Bert

Edited November 9, 2021 by K-bert