Homematic and Eq3 Max! Cube

[swifty]

I have the Max! thermostats and a Max! cube to control them, but like many others here I have issues with the cube forgetting it’s configuration often… I’d like to resolve this before winter!

After some investigation I found that the cube can be re-flashed with CUL firmware very easily, which turns it to a generic RF device as far as I can tell…
This can then be used with Homematic software to pair the thermostats with the newly flashed cube, and then the homematic component can be used to add the devices to Home Assistant.

Has anyone already managed to get this working ? - I searched and found some old posts, but it seems there is now a homematic addon for hassio, so I’m hoping it may not be too hard!

Interested to know if anyone attempted / succeeded with this approach, or if anyone with Homematic experience can spot any error in my intended plan ? (I’ve not used Homematic before!)

[weber114 (Brian Weber Haagensen)]

I also would be interestet in hearing peoples results in flashing the cube with CUL firmware.

[swifty]

Good news… I spent some time this weekend working on the max problem, and I have successfully got the cube running a-culfw.

I have also managed to setup homegear and pair a few of my thermostats in the software, and now have these displaying in home assistant.
I can set temperatures in home assistant and instantly see thermostat update

I’ve also recompiled the a-culfw with the credits system disabled, so you can update the devices often without running out of credits!

I’ll be testing this week to ensure everything is working as expected, then I’ll put together a write up here to anyone else in the same boat as I was!

[driesken (Dries)]

I’m also interested! I’m considering buying one since they are one of the cheaper ones around.

[Nuick]

Very interested to have some guide on how-to flash Max Cube !
I only found until now documentation in german

[Klagio]

@swifty

I’ll be testing this week to ensure everything is working as expected, then I’ll put together a write up here to anyone else in the same boat as I was!

YES! Thanks a lot

[sutyagin]

Hi, very interesting, could you send us a list or provide guide please?

[swifty]

Sure, I am happy with the integration so far - hopefully I will get some time to write up the steps this weekend.

[AndrejDelany (Stefan)]

This sounds really cool @swifty! Would be happy to be able to abandon the buggy MAX! Cube / Client Software and replace it with CUL/HomeAssistant. I’m looking forward to your tutorial.

[swifty]

Sorry for the delay… finally got around to writing up the process and have added here:- Converting a MAX! Cube to CUL/CUN to use with Home Assistant

Hope it helps!

[Angelo_Santagata (Angelo)]

mmm this sounds interesting. I wonder though two things

• How does one setup the TRVs timing etc? do you use the homematic apps?

[swifty]

There are multiple options:

Use homematic apps like home manager
Use HA automations with valves set to manual
Use node red with valves set to manual
Use max wallstat unit paired with one or more valves

[Angelo_Santagata (Angelo)]

@swifty

Use homematic apps like home manager

mmm 2,3,4 I get but alas they wont be “wife” approved. For #1 Do you mean the ootb apps like the ones listed here is so then this could be an awesome solution… I dont mind using the ootb apps but love the idea of having “extra” control…

https://www.homematic.com/homematic-apps.html

[swifty]

I’ve not tried the linked apps but meant apps like homematic manager, they interface with HomeGear and allow you to send schedules to the trvs.

[Angelo_Santagata (Angelo)]

@swifty

homematic manager

ok I’ll look into them… Alas given the flashing of the cube is oneway job I need to be sure its gonna work… I might try and find a cheap cube to experiment on…

[Angelo_Santagata (Angelo)]

just to be clear when u say homematic manager you mean this one https://github.com/hobbyquaker/homematic-manager

[swifty]

Yep that’s it, there are some other tools you can use too, but that’s what I currently use.

See the guide at :

Converting a MAX! Cube to CUL/CUN to use with Home Assistant

I have recently managed to successfully flash my Max! EQ3 Cube with a a-culfw firmware. Once running the new firmware, I expose my EQ3 radiator thermostats to Home Assistant via homegear and the built in component. This guide will talk through the steps involved - but please heed the warnings, I take no responsibility if you break your kit! Note that flashing the Max Cube is a one way deal, there isn’t currently any way to restore the default firmware. Having said that, my c…

This talks through how homematic manager comes into play.

[Angelo_Santagata (Angelo)]

thanks…

The b***dy valves where playing up today too … I no longer connect it to HA or my own homebrew heating but still they’re playing up… I was gonna buy tado or something else (wife approved) but geeze not cheap

[weber114 (Brian Weber Haagensen)]

Hello swifty. I followed you guide and flashed the cube. I installed homegear on a other Rpi. and it is running. I modifyed the max.conf. But i can´t see the Cube Cul/Cun in homegear RPC. When i try to connect thermostats in Homematic manager, nothing shows up. What am i doing wrong. Please help me. Kind regard weber114

[Blaz_Komat (Blaž Komat)]

Do you have some working repostry for homegear? I have try several but no one has working