Given a standard 6 button IR remote (Power, Timer, Fan, Mode, Temp+/-).
I understand that there no way to provide feedback to HA without an external sensor (such as a door open sensor).
Hence I am assuming to keep HA and the AC in sync that I will use the “hide the remote” strategy. I have also read that the Generic Thermostat can only control one function at a time (heat or cool) hence to control both functions two thermostats are required.
Given all of that…
Questions
The “Generic Thermostat” requires a Switch to control the device. Since there is no switch - the codes will simply be sent via an RM4 Mini - what should the Thermostat be controlling?
Specifically should I dedicate an unused switch somewhere, just so that the thermostat can turn it on an off - then use an automation attached to that switch to send the IR codes?
I have looked into using a helper (Input Boolean) for this purpose, but if I try to set it to anything other than a fan or switch I get the error:
Entity input_boolean.test belongs to domain input_boolean, expected [‘fan’, ‘switch’]
What is the recommended way of using the Thermostat without an actual switch?
Thank you, I searched the Helper menu, but I didn’t realize there was a bunch of additional options (Templates) under that option. The template switch is exactly what I needed.
I think I now have a working solution with two Generic Thermostats (one for Heating and one for Cooling).
However as you point out, it requires quite a bit of work to cover all the edge cases, specifically I now have:
Two Thermostats
Feeding into two Template switches (respectively demand for heat and cool).
Which merge into a single Input.Select “mode”: Off, Heat, Cool
Which drive two Input.Booleans (one for power and one for mode: heat/cool).
Changes to those final two booleans actually fire the IR commands to the AC.
I know that sounds like a lot, but the only simplification I can think off would be to replace all the "Input"s with Template versions, since they can fire their own actions instead of needing to have separate automations.
I have tested restarting HA and it maintains the full state and will fire the required events when it comes back up.
I should probably add one more protection, in case both thermostats are demanding heat and cool at the same time (i.e. do nothing) but thats a minor feature.
Maybe you have already have done this or at least thought of it, but I’d connect the HVAC through a smart power metering outlet/relay so that you can at least detect whether it is actually doing something. Also depending on which settings it retains after a power loss you may be able to also reset it to a “known state” by briefly cutting the power.
Also have you looked into whether the HVAC supports more IR commands than what is actually on the remote? Many TV remotes only have a single power on/off button, but still have support for discrete on and off commands. Figuring them out however won’t be easy without some sort of documentation or access to a universal remote manufacturer’s database.
It’s an apartment (rental) so I can’t change the in wall wiring, so any monitoring or control would need to be an inline plug.
Unfortunately its a 20 AMP circuit with a special NEMA 5-20R receptacle (the one where the pin is sideways). I have found an inline 20A switch (box) that can be used inline to cut/restore the power, but I haven’t been able to find any way to monitor the load (without installing a circuit inside the wall).
I also tested cutting the power for a short period of time (30 seconds) and the AC seems to have an internal backup (maybe its just a capacitor) so it remembers it’s state, hence when the power is restored, it just starts again.
TL;DR - Unless anyone has any idea for that very specific NEMA 5-20 form factor power monitoring device, the only options I would have for monitoring it would either be a camera / light sensor to detect if the display is on or a mic to pick up the sound.
Again the AC is owned by the landlord so I can’t cut into it to hook up any kind of monitoring on the internal circuit.
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With respect to the commands yeah I analyzed the IR protocol its a three byte code where the first byte is fixed and the second and third bytes are just inverted versions of each other.
I generated all 256 possible code and tried them.
The 6 corresponding to the buttons all worked flawlessly (even though they were generated not recorded). However the other 250 did nothing.
So unless there are other codes with different patterns I don’t think there is any way to lock in a given state (it necessary to simply toggle power and mode).
I don’t think it needs an AI model, the Beep for the On and Off are different.
On is a double quick beep.
Off is a single long beep.
So a mic along with basic tone recognition would probably be sufficient. I have done similar sound analysis (for work) before so it might be an option - just a bit worried about background noise / other tones.
