Remotec IR Controller and Input Slider

Configuration Z-Wave
1

Still a bit of a newbie at all this HA stuff but getting there slowly but surely (much to my wife’s amusement).

Ok so I have added a Remotec ZXT 120 IR controller to my Z Wave network and it works as intended with my split system wall AC unit. I think I’m still on FLiRS mode as the temperature it reads only updates when I trigger the unit to perform an automation. I’ve got it powered by USB so will change it to Always Listening Mode in an attempt to fix that issue but hopefully that will not be any problem.

My question or quandary here is, I would like to use a input_slider and input_select to allow me to change the mode and temperature from the web UI when I need to instead of going back to the config yaml and having to restart (or use the bloody remote from the ac unit).

I’ve setup the slider and select items and can see them in my UI in a group I made for them. What I’m hoping I can do in an automation is make it look at the current value on those inputs to affect what info goes out to the IR unit to tell the AC unit what temp and mode I want. Does that make sense?

I already have automations working where the heating or cooling is turned on at certain times and temperatures. But I’m hoping those could be updated to look at the input slider and select to get the values. That way if I want to change the mode from High to Auto for example or the temp from 20 to 19, I could set the inputs and just trigger one of the automations.

I’ve seen other automations for similar ideas here in the forum but nothing really has worked for me. Any ideas on how to get this into the automations? Is it in the action part or do I need to add conditions to read them?

2

Did you ever get anywhere with this? Would be good to see examples of this functionality rather than (say) automating the AirCon with specific triggers such as “change to heat after 8pm and set to 24deg” etc.

I too, was looking for a way to manually turn the aircon on, or off, to cool or heat mode and manually set the temp using sliders, buttons etc; wonder if anyone has a working example of this?

3

Here’s what I have created so far.

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I have automations to run automatically and the manual heating and cooling triggers can be fired off at any time based on the sliders and inputs.

It all works really well although sometimes it takes two or three times triggering it manually to get the remotec to fire off the command to the wall unit but I can see (even when not home) that it goes on over on the left side of my UI (currently says off).

4

Nice work!

Would you be willing to share your config on how you achieved the above? I’m interetsed in the Inputs panel where you can manually turn on and off heating, cooling, modes, and temperature!

5

of course, sorry I did not include this before, Here is the manual cooling automations

#Turn on HVAC manually
- alias: Turn on cooling manually 
  trigger:
    platform: state 
    entity_id: input_boolean.manual_hvac_cooling
    from: 'off'
    to: 'on'
  action:
    - service: climate.set_operation_mode
      entity_id: climate.remotec_zxt120au_cooling_1
      data_template:
        operation_mode: '{{ states.input_select.hvac_mode.state }}'
    - service: climate.set_fan_mode
      entity_id: climate.remotec_zxt120au_cooling_1
      data_template:
        fan_mode: '{{ states.input_select.hvac_fan_mode.state }}'
    - service: climate.set_temperature
      entity_id: climate.remotec_zxt120au_cooling_1
      data_template:
        temperature: '{{ states.input_number.hvac_temp.state }}'
    - delay: '00:00:02'
    - service: homeassistant.turn_off
      entity_id: input_boolean.manual_hvac_cooling

Just to note on the remotec, as I’ve mentioned before, sometimes take a few goes to register the command. Thus the whole delay and rest at the very end of my config. Just saves turning it off only to turn it back on again plus it turns off the trigger anyway even if it hits first time.

6

Awesome stuff! I’m still not so good with HA and yaml so I’ll figure out how to get this working by turning it on first…good work with the config, hope I can get something like that working too

7

just let me know what issues you run into, happy to help out to get it working.

I’ve also setup an automation to send me a text message if the temp gets to high in summer (or too low in winter) inside the house so I know to go online and turn it on. When you’re at work and in a controlled climate you don’t realise how hot or cold it gets in your home but being able to turn it on before you actually arrive home is really nice. Seems silly to heat or cool your house when you’re not there but it is actually more efficient to do it slowly then try to crank it up when you get home.

8

Thanks! How did you set up the “input_boolean.manual_hvac_cooling” input boolean?

9

it’s literally just a switch to allow you to trigger an automation. as in when it goes to on, do this that and the other

manual_hvac_cooling:
  name: Manual Cooling Trigger
  initial: off
  icon: mdi:air-conditioner

Input Booleans are great for this. Just set up an separate yaml file for them and reference it in your config yaml.

10

so then you go back to my automation and I made the trigger that the input boolean went from off to on, thus the manual triggering of the automation.

This does require you literally clicking the switch on the UI of course

11

This is some pretty cool stuff…Managed to get it turning on and off. Will play around to see what else is possible with this. Thanks a bunch!!

I was able to get it turning on, but not sure if it’s actually setting the fan to “On Low” correctly. I also wasn’t able to turn off the AC manually for some reason, but I’ll work on it again tomorrow! Thanks again!

1 Like
12

Looks like it IS a little hit and miss with sending the commands. I can get the AC to turn on and off most of the time, but there are times where it just wont turn on, or off properly or at all. I wonder if this is linked to the IR code? I have Mitsubishi Electric AC units and in the manual there are literally 20-30 codes. I picked the first code and it appears to work, but unsure if there could be a “better” code to use?

As per another post, I also hear multiple beeps when commands are sent. Sometimes 1 beep, sometimes two - which is a bit odd.

Strangely, my states always shows as “Auto Low” for operation even when I specify:

  data_template:
    operation_mode: "On Low"

If you get some time, would you also be happy to share your data_templates so we can see how you got the cool modes and slider?

Thanks again!

13

Here are the input_selects

hvac_mode:
  name: HVAC Mode
  options:
     - Cool
     - Heat
     - Off
     - Resume
  initial: Off
    
hvac_fan_mode:
  name: HVAC Fan
  options:
       - Auto Low
       - Auto High
       - On Low
       - On High
  initial: Auto High

and the input_number (formerly called slider)

hvac_temp:
  name: HVAC Temp
  initial: 21
  min: 17
  max: 25
  step: 1

and finally the Group in my config yaml

  hvacinputs:
    name: HVAC Inputs
    entities:
      - input_select.hvac_mode
      - input_select.hvac_fan_mode
      - input_number.hvac_temp
      - input_boolean.manual_hvac_heating
      - input_boolean.manual_hvac_cooling
      - input_boolean.manual_hvac_turn_off
14

Important to remember as well that you do not need to use data_template where you are typing in just the one operation_mode. data by itself is fine.

for example:

- service: climate.set_operation_mode
      entity_id: climate.remotec_zxt120au_heating_1
      data:
        operation_mode: Heat

Data_template is when you’re having it look elsewhere for the state, like and input_select or even just a reading off another sensor.

For example in this action I am getting TTS to announce good morning and tell me the current outside temperature. It get’s that from the sensor.yr_temperature

- service: tts.google_say
      entity_id: media_player.mini_speaker
      data_template:
        message: 'Good morning. The temperature outside is currently {{ states.sensor.yr_temperature.state }} degrees.'

Hope that all makes sense

15

Sorry - typo’d that. My config definitely has “data:” but still seems it never turns on as “On Low” however this isn’t so much of an issue - I do wonder if I need to change IR codes? It works on the current code I’m using but there are so many codes for my AC that I’m not sure a change would make a difference given it’s already working.

It does work on and off but isn’t as responsive as I expected.

Great help with the config, will see if I can get something like that working over the weekend! Thanks again!!!

16

Yeah I just don’t know why sometimes it seem to not respond unless you try it 3 or 4 times. Funnily enough on my automations where I trigger it at a time specifically it has never missed once.

When I do the manual trigger from outside home I just keep hitting it until I see it goes on. It’s not the worst thing in the world.

Good idea to try some of the other numbers though, that might just be this issue.

17

Thanks! Will give them a try over the weekend but for Mitsubishi Electric ACs there’s def a whole raft of numbers to try … so this could take a while.

Either way appreciate the help! Hope I can get the inputs and sliders working properly - that would be cool

18

let me know how it goes

19

Managed to get most of it working! Thanks for your help - do have some strange issues where it simply doesn’t like to turn the heat on which I’m trying to figure out, but it’s working a bit better now! thank you!

20

Have been wondering how you got the current temp and target temps on your panel - strangely I don’t seem to be able to use the slider to set a temperature, and I can’t see anywhere where it lists a “target temp”

My state looks like this:

new_entity_id: climate.remotec_ac_controller_master_bedroom_cooling_1
old_entity_id: climate.remotec_ac_controller_master_bedroom_cooling_1_16_2
min_temp: 7
fan_list: Unknown 5,Auto High,On High,Unknown 4,On Low,Auto Low
temperature: 24
current_temperature: 24
swing_list: Off,Auto
swing_mode: Auto
value_id: 72057594311655458
fan_mode: Auto High
value_index: 2
operation_mode: Cool
supported_features: 705
value_instance: 1
operation_list: Cool,Resume,Dry Air,Off,Heat,Fan Only,Auto Changeover
unit_of_measurement: °C
node_id: 16
friendly_name: REMOTEC AC Controller Master Bedroom Cooling 1
max_temp: 35

For some reason I can’t ever get it to set the temp to (say) 18deg or anything other than what the “last” setting on the AC was - did you ever run into this issue? It also seems like the fan modes don’t like to be selected, but I’m working on this now…as it always seems to just use the last settings on the AC unit