I’ve been working with Home Assistant for about six months now, so I’m still quite new to it. I’m also assisting with home automation projects, but I’m currently stuck trying to connect my Carlo Gavazzi controller (BH8-CTRLX-230) to Home Assistant.
To start with, my goal is quite simple:
Basic control of light switches through Home Assistant (being able to toggle them and see their on/off status)
Later on, I’d also like to control shutters
I’ve already tried a few things, but with my current knowledge, I haven’t been able to get it working. So my question is: What’s the best way to get started with this?
Any step-by-step guide or tips to help me get going would be greatly appreciated.
the device seems to be modbus compatible so use modbus to communicate with it.
You would need to setup a modbus connection either via rs232 or with an TCP/modbus or USB converter (check page 95 of the user manual link below).
This is sincerely not clear in the user manual, but I haven’t fully read it .
Home Assistant can use modbus, see below:
The device itself has a network connection, but it seems that it can’t be set to a static IP so it won’t be easy to manage it, as it might change IP while in DHCP every now and then.
I have just read FAQs and manual, I am not an expert of the device.
From your setup you need to know what are the registers or coils that you need to read/write for your switches/light/sensor, to do so you need to have the program mentioned in the manual or a clear setup description of your installation.
Something like:
Then, knowing the output/input from the table in the manual (page 101) you know what you should read write so, for example, Dupline A1 will correspond to register address 1280 to switch A1 on/off.
I would start with manual control and communication with something like qModbus software to understand if you can communicate and control the system.
Afterwards start integrating into your home assistant cause if you are not sure if modbus works can be frustrating, you might face issues and you never know if it is a problem of the connection, of the communication, a wrong command or an HA setup issue etc…
If you have experience with modbus it can be possible, probably not easy.
If Modbus for you is new I believe it will be a long journey, not impossible but you will have to work on it.
Second issue is the configuration software for the controller looks like running on Windows XP so, if you have the software installer, you will need a old working PC in order to enable Modbus communication and maybe retrieve project.
What’s the best way to get started with this?
