MQTT Lights

Configuration
1

I am having trouble with my led strip lights. So I have two led strip lights that are each being controlled by a separate NodeMCU due to them being on separate cabinets. I am trying to control both led’s by only using one light setting. So for example if I turn the power on both light strips come on or if I change the color both strips change to the same color. The problem I am having is that if they are both on only one will switch with the commands I send. If I power one off then it seems to work perfectly for the one that is on and visa versa. Is there a way to control both with the same commands? Basically I have the same code running on both NodeMCUs where the only difference is the number of LED’s.

Here is my light.yaml code:

- platform: mqtt
  name: "Kitchen LEDs"
  command_topic: "home/kitchen/ledstrip/setpower"
  state_topic: "home/kitchen/ledstrip/setpowerpub"
  rgb_state_topic: "home/kitchen/ledstrip/setcolorpub"
  rgb_command_topic: "home/kitchen/ledstrip/setcolor"
  brightness_state_topic: "home/kitchen/ledstrip/setbrightnesspub"
  brightness_command_topic: "home/kitchen/ledstrip/setbrightness"
  optimistic: false
2

If you unplug the working one, does the second led strip work?

Did you use 2 different client ID in your NodeMCU?
Because they must be unique! So if you carefully uploaded the exact same code, it cannot work ^^ (you need to change the clientID on one of the two)

3

Actually, if you define the client id in terms of the chip id, which is unique per 8266, then you can upload the same code. But it is definitely something worth checking.

4

That’s true, but most of the code laying around online use a fixed ID, and I guess it’s not different in grangemd code :blush:
Some also use the mac address, since it’s supposed to be unique.

5

Thanks for the help. That fixed it. I missed that when I uploaded it to the 2nd NodeMCU. I was using someone else’s code as I usually use the chip id to name my client id and didn’t realize they didn’t do this.

6

Hi all,

Just following this as I want to simultaneously control multiple rgb lights (8266 controllers) and operate them (on/off colour and brightness) as though they were just one light.

In the 8266 sketch is this the client ID you are referring to? (I’m borrowing code)

// MQTT
const char* MQTT_CLIENT_ID = “arilux”;

If I follow this thread, for each of my 6 lights I need to have a unique value instead of arilux?

Many thanks.

7

If you only make one connection to the broker, then you only need one client id.

I still think it would be good practice to include the chip id, to make sure it is unique.

8

Thanks for the reply.

I’m new to this, so forgive me if I’m missing something basic!

My understanding is that each of the 6 8266-based controllers will have their own connection to the broker (RPi Mosquitto), each with identical State and Command topics? Is that the correct understanding of the terminology?

9

Yes each client id must be unique on your network.

10

I misunderstood your situation, I thought all your lights were controlled from one 8266.

@touliloup is correct, you need the client id to be unique for each 8266. As I said before, the best way to do this is to use the chip id as this is intended to be unique.

11

@touliloup and @gpbenton many thanks to both of you.

I am awaiting some more controllers from banggood, and once I’ve everything set up I will report back on my progress!

12

OK - the result is this;

Set up 9 lights, with just one identical topic each is subscribing to. One, just one, entry to HAss, which means that I do not need to control each light independently. They all work in unison, perfectly!

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