HowDoI: Create a "Template" TRV and then instantiate for each physical TRV

Configuration
1

Hi

I downloaded HA today on a Pi3 with a bespoke MQTT client from here: https://github.com/gpbenton/engMQTTClient

Installing the MQTT Broker addon, I can read/set TRV with ID 8008. I have 10 other TRVs each with their unique ID but I dont want to have to create a config for each one.

Is there a cleaver config way to do this?
What I want to do is create a single “generic/template” for an Energenie eTRV and “instantiate” this for the 11 TRV physical devices in my home. I want to avoid having to duplicate all the effort to set up 11 TRVs when in fact I want all the same command and report topics (ref. that GitHub link above) - where the only aspect that will change is the eTRV ID. So somehow I’d need to pass the ID of the TRV , somehow.

MQTT Commands tree at /energenie/eTRV/Command/(command-as-below)/(device-id)

Command Payload Comment
Temperature 4-30 (Ascii) Set Target Temperature
Identify None Makes the MIH0013 flash
Exercise None Causes Valve to go up and down. Creates Diagnostic when finished.
Voltage None MIH0013 reports battery Voltage
Diagnostics None Causes MIH0013 to report diagnostics
ValveState “0”, “1” or “2” (ascii) 0=Set Valve Open 1=Closed 2=Normal Operation
PowerMode “0”, “1” 0=Low Power Mode off 1=On
ReportingInterval 300-3600 (ascii) Set the Reporting Interval (not tested)

MQTT States tree at /energenie/eTRV/Report/(report-command-as-below)/(device-id):

Report Payload Comment
Temperature Ascii string Measured Temperature in degrees Centigrade
TargetTemperature Ascii String Target Temperature set
Diagnostics 2 bytes byte 0 = low byte, 1 = high byte
Voltage Ascii String Reported Battery Voltage

So in other words, I want to define a single sensor “template” for a “template/generic” TRV , with (if possible) one set of topics I want to publish/subscribe to, ; and finally based on this , I want to create the 11 items to represent the physical TRVs in the home. I might need to rework how I do this but you get the idea?

p.s. I am a total newbie at this so please explain the solution - Ive read OH documents on Things and MQTT but clearly not capable of getting further with this.

2

If your TRVs do not support discovery you will have to create configurations for all 11 devices.

You can simplify this using YAML anchors.

3

errrr, that might as well be in Russian , for me.

I’m beginning to come to the view that HA is the preserve of geeky types who love to spend hours after work, tinkrring in the garage with computers.

mmm

All i want, is for my Energenie TRVs to show up on a home automation/smart home , system. i don’t mind using a program, but id it requires learning a language (YAML i belive) then one might consider learning French or German , both arguably more beneficial to ones life purpose.

Oh dear

There’s dominitcz or something, and openhab which look m much much easier?

4

By all means try the alternatives but no advanced home automation platform is going to work for you without a little learning effort.

1 Like
5

I see where you’re coming from, and there is always sone learning, such as a GUI, or setup, whatever.

But this is way beyond the realms of “sone learning” and i would argue it’s beyond the capabilities of anyone who isn’t a computer programmer, or system admin, or Linux or pyhton or docket or …
you get the idea

I’ll give those others a quick try

6

In the two hours between your first post and the last post you could have used copy/paste and search/replace to configure what you want.

7

Hi there, normal average person here.
Your setup is already more complicated than mine by you setting up and using MQTT.

I don’t know any programming, I have very little interest in learning proper coding at the moment (too busy with a 2yr old daughter). I do however like copying and pasting people’s configs and learning how they do things - I like the fact my house can do more than my friends house, I spent £200 total on my kit, my mate spent upwards of £1000…

By the looks of it, you want a commercial bit of software to do it all for you with a nice fancy GUI, everything automated when you click ‘GO’.
Expect a bill of thousands of your local currency, holes to be drilled in walls, cables ran, workmen visiting, a full fledged server buzzing away in your house and an auto-renewing maintenance contract.

I however will continue using a £30 Raspberry Pi (aimed at hobbyists remember), cheap components (maybe like a £30 trv?) and an hour of copying and pasting stuff, changing things that appear to need changing and maybe asking for help every so often if I get stuck.

Dont forget, nowhere does Energenie say it will work with Home Assistant, Nowhere does Home-Assistant list Energenie as a supported device. People have gotten them working on the forum themselves, through tinkering.