Mqtt Alarm Panel Problems

Configuration
1

Hi

Am having a problem with the mqtt Alarm. It just doesn’t work for me at all. HA connects to my local broker and other mqtt lights work ok.

Here’s my setup.

My alarm panel publishes it’s status to this topic “barnet/alarm/stat”
I can issue commands to the panel at this topic “barnet/alarm”

I have confirmed with mqtt-spy that all is working well if I manually publish to “barnet/alarm”.

My config looks like this :-

alarm_control_panel:
  platform: mqtt
  state_topic: "barnet/alarm/stat"
  command_topic: "barnet/alarm"
  name: "Alarm"
  qos: 0
  payload_disarm: "[DISARM]"
  payload_arm_home: "[ARM_HOME]"
  payload_arm_away: "[ARM_AWAY]"
  code: "8161"

When I click on the icon, it says ‘Status Unknown’. Am I doing something wrong?

Kman :smiley:

2

There are two topics, one where Home Assistant is listening for state (the state topic) and one topic where Home Assistant will write it’s commands to. So you should publish state to barnet/alarm/stat.

3

Now Im confused :confused: . Isn’t that what I said I have done in my previous post LOL. Let me break this down a little further by explaining how I think the function works, maybe that’s where things are going wrong, my understanding of it.

My Alarm Panel has a 433Mhz keyfob and when I push the ARM button the panel ARMS and publishes it’s state to topic “/barnet/alarm/stat”. I would have though HA which is subscribed to that topic changes the Alarm icon to ARMED. I can then DISARM the panel by either pushing the button on the keyfob OR the icon on HA (enter a code) and DISARM the panel. HA will publish to “barnet/alarm” where my panel is subscribed to and DISARM itself.

Do I have that wrong?

I am assuming that I am controlling my Alarm Panel from HA. In other words HA acts as a remote control and visual indicator for the hardware panel that is installed in my home. If HA has some sort of Alarm feature built in it then I am mistaken (or unaware) how it works is triggered etc.

Kman

4

I am interested in getting an alarm system and am curious what system you have that is MQTT compatible?

Can you give me the brand and model and maybe where you purchased it?

Thanks

5

Hi Kman,

I read your post with interest as I’m having exactly the same problem, so assume this is a bug?

Hopefully one of the moderators will update this post soon with more information.

Best regards,

Mark.

6

Mark

Well I guess that’s good news and bad news really. It’s a shame, would have been good to show the status of my alarm system on HA. Good to see someone else has confirmed it :smiley:

Also I’m using a custom designed panel hence why it can talk mqtt.

Kman

7

For anyone interested the issue is solved. The component is a bit weird (or documentation) but in any case here is how to control the mqtt alarm component.

The component expects these commands in the state_topic: So your panel needs to publish it’s status as :-

[attachment=0]Alarm Codes.JPG[/attachment]
The component will control your panel by publishing to command_topic: as per documentation when you arm the system via the icon on screen. Basically ARM_AWAY, ARM_HOME & DISARM.

Hope this helps.

Kman :smiley:

10

There’s a little more to it than that. Your cameras on your Pi need to be able to respond to mqtt commands and publish their state as well after they’ve been activated. Unless that code is in your Pi then the Alarm Panel component will not work.

11

Im getting the Pi to connect to the mqtt server and responds when I change to armed_home and so on.
I can see the alarm panel when i start main.py, but the touchscreen do not work.
I can use the touchscreen when im in the “Os”.

What could i be doing wrong?