Automation, reset burner if stopped?

Configuration
1

I have a Kabola water heater in my Boat. Hot water gets pumped to my radiators.

The problem is when the Kabola stops, usually at startups, it stops with a fault code. To reset the burner I had to climb down in the engine compartment and press and hold a button for 1 sec and let go. This tends to happen every time the burner have been off for too long. So thats a morning routine I hate…

Wintertime, I use the Kabola to both heat and frostprotect. So if I’m home when it stops, I have a 45min drive to reset the burner (and use electric heaters as a backup).

Now I have installed a Switchbot that does the reset for me :slight_smile:

In Home Assistant I control the Kabola burner with 1 switch, heat on or off.
I also have a wall plug with a power meter so I know if the burner is working.
The switchbot is a on/off switch too, but it does the press for both states.

I need help with the automation. I do not understand how to make them.
But here is the logic I want.

If Heat switch is ON and Power usage is between 15-20W for more than 3mins
Then Toggle Switchbot.

How do I make that automation?

2

Something like this, probably-

trigger:
  - platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.burner_power_usage
    above: '15'
    below: '20'
    for: '00:03:00'
condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: switch.heater
    state: 'on'
action:
  - service: switch.toggle
    target:
      entity_id: switch.switchbot

OR

trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: switch.heater
    to: 'on'
condition: []
action:
  - wait_for_trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.burner_power_usage
        above: '15'
        below: '20'
        for: '00:03:00'
    continue_on_timeout: false
    timeout: '240'
  - service: switch.toggle
    target:
      entity_id: switch.switchbot

You will need to replace all entity_id

3

And how do I add that automation? Edit a file or GUI?
I only see the GUI version and no place to edit yaml code for the automation.

Why is the Automation GUI so complicated?

4

This is how I see it, in Norwegian, but still not able to understand it :wink:

image
image958×1469 56 KB

5

Go to Automation UI —> Create automation —> On the top right hand side there will be three dots —> Click on it —> Edit in YAML —> Copy the code.

image
image828×1792 159 KB

6

Thanks, found it:

trigger:

  • platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.power_16
    above: ‘15’
    below: ‘20’
    for: ‘00:03:00’
    condition:
  • condition: state
    entity_id: switch.2
    state: ‘on’
    action:
  • service: switch.toggle
    target:
    entity_id: switch.burnerreset
    mode: single

Now to test it :slight_smile:

7

Keep in mind that numeric_state only triggered if the sensor’s value crosses or entered your threshold range (and stay inside the threshold range for a minimum of 3 minutes).

It will not trigger the automation if since the beginning the power sensor already inside the threshold range.

8

Sounds good, since the sleep state of the burner is 2W, and when the burner fires up it spikes to 300W, then it blows the fan in the burner and that is +150W and if it ignites it goes to between 170W - 190W while burning.

When heating is active and burner has gotten the water to temp, the circulation pump keeps pumping, and that is at 39W, so the only time it drops below that is the sleep cycle at 2W or brurner error at 17W - 19W.

And how do I know all this?!? Because I love the thing as much as I HATE IT! 8kw of heated water, with very low diesel consumption. But when it needs that stupid reset I really hate it!

9

Awesome!

You will need to pay attention to switch.burnerreset. What happen after you call the service of switch.toggle?

It is turning on and then turning off automatically? If there are no such feature (hardware inching), you will need to create an automation to turn it off after you toggle it.

10

When I toggle the switch.burnerreset, the Switchbot does it’s magic, and presses the burner reset button and holds it for 1 second, then lets go.

If I toggle it manally, it presses the button on both on and off. Hence the toggle.
It really does not matter if the button is pressed for less than 3 seconds while working. That does nothing. 3seconds + starts the error code blinks.

11

Sure! But if you have spare time, I recommend you check the actual state changes. Is the on and off state actually reflected inside Home Assistant?

If yes, then you can let HA do its magic. If not, create an automation to turn it off.

Note: I am saying this because I have no experience in using Switchbot.

12

I did test a MagicSwitchbot first, but that thing does not have a programmable button press, and the Kabola needs that 1 second but less than 3 to reset.

So the original Switchbot is the one that works in this case.

13

It looks like this:
image

I would prefere it to be a button that goes on, then off. But it does work.
Is there a way to make it a reset button?

14

I can see the log if it has changed states (and yes I did reset this morning)

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15

Burner just failed to start again :slight_smile:

And for the first time, after 3minutes of beeing in error mode, the switchbot got activated and reset the burner :grin:

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