There are a few examples of making gate controller smart. It is especially important to be able to safely open or close the gate remotely e.g. via google assistant without seeing the state of the gate. A simple controller with step-by-step control does not allow to just close or just open the gate, it will act depending on the previous state of the gate. By adding Shelly Plus i4 I’m able to know if the gate is closing or opening, with additional reed switch I know when it is fully closed and based on the time it takes to open I know when it is fully open. Controlling the gate is simple, I’ve connected the external switch input to an esp8266 board running esphome. Using the same board to connect the reed switch for the fully closed position. With that I’ve configured the cover component in esphome:
button:
- platform: template
name: Gate
icon: "mdi:autorenew"
id: gate
on_press:
- switch.turn_on: d5_switch
- delay: 1000ms
- switch.turn_off: d5_switch
switch:
- platform: gpio
pin: 14
name: "Gate GPIO D5"
id: d5_switch
binary_sensor:
- platform: gpio
pin: 4 #D2
name: "${friendly_name} closed"
id: gate_closed
cover:
- platform: template
name: "Brama"
device_class: "gate"
lambda: |-
if (id(gate_closed).state) {
return COVER_CLOSED;
} else {
return COVER_OPEN;
}
open_action:
- button.press: gate
close_action:
- button.press: gate
stop_action:
- button.press: gate
Shelly Plus i4 is connected as per below diagram:
Shelly can’t be directly connected to the motor phase wires as it will heat a lot and won’t sense the state correctly. To make it possible a resistor of approximately 500kΩ to 1MΩ in series to Shelly‘s input has to be used. With such connection the state of inputs in Shelly i4 is reversed (when motors are running it shows OFF and when motors are off the inputs are in ON state). The logic can be reversed in Shelly i4 configuration. I have used the following resistors soldered in line with connecting cables:
Resistor: thin film;SMD;0207 MELF;560kΩ;1W;±1%;Ø2,2x5,9mm
Manufacturer: Viking; OEM nr: CSRV0207FTDT5603;
Now having all the required information I have created a template cover in HA which is more smart than just the cover from esphome:
cover:
- platform: template
covers:
gate:
device_class: gate
friendly_name: "Gate"
value_template: >
{% if states("binary_sensor.gate_left_closing") == "on" or states("binary_sensor.gate_right_closing") == "on" %}
closing
{% elif states("binary_sensor.gate_left_opening") == "on" or states("binary_sensor.gate_right_opening") == "on" %}
opening
{% elif states("cover.brama") == "closed" %}
closed
{% else %}
open
{% endif %}
position_template: >
{% if states("cover.brama") == "closed" %}
0
{% elif states("input_boolean.gate_open") == "on" %}
100
{% else %}
50
{% endif %}
open_cover:
service: script.gate_open
close_cover:
service: script.gate_close
stop_cover:
service: script.gate_stop
and the 3 scripts to control the gate:
gate_close:
alias: Gate Close
sequence:
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: open
- condition: state
entity_id: input_select.gate_last_action
state: opening
sequence:
- service: cover.close_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: opening
sequence:
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- delay:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 2
milliseconds: 0
- service: cover.close_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: open
- condition: state
entity_id: input_select.gate_last_action
state: closing
sequence:
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- delay:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 2
milliseconds: 0
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- delay:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 2
milliseconds: 0
- service: cover.close_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
default: []
mode: restart
icon: mdi:gate
gate_open:
alias: Gate Open
sequence:
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: closed
- condition: state
entity_id: input_select.gate_last_action
state: closing
sequence:
- service: cover.open_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: closing
sequence:
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- delay:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 2
milliseconds: 0
- service: cover.open_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: open
- condition: state
entity_id: input_select.gate_last_action
state: opening
- condition: numeric_state
entity_id: cover.gate
attribute: current_position
below: '100'
sequence:
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- delay:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 2
milliseconds: 0
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
- delay:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 2
milliseconds: 0
- service: cover.open_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
default: []
mode: restart
icon: mdi:gate
gate_stop:
alias: Gate Stop
sequence:
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: or
conditions:
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: opening
- condition: state
entity_id: cover.gate
state: closing
sequence:
- service: cover.stop_cover
data: {}
target:
entity_id: cover.brama
default: []
mode: restart
icon: mdi:gate
There are two helpers which allow to know the last action (input_select.gate_last_action) of the gate and if the gate has been fully opened (input_boolean.gate_open), those helpers are set by simple automations:
- id: '1659002340623'
alias: Gate - last action
description: ''
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id:
- cover.gate
to: closing
id: closing
- platform: state
entity_id:
- cover.gate
to: opening
id: opening
condition: []
action:
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: trigger
id: closing
sequence:
- service: input_select.select_option
data:
option: closing
target:
entity_id: input_select.gate_last_action
default:
- service: input_select.select_option
data:
option: opening
target:
entity_id: input_select.gate_last_action
mode: single
- id: '1659004921882'
alias: Gate opening for 30 seconds
description: ''
trigger:
- platform: state
entity_id:
- cover.gate
to: opening
for:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 28
id: open
- platform: state
entity_id:
- cover.gate
to: closing
for:
hours: 0
minutes: 0
seconds: 0
id: closing
condition: []
action:
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: trigger
id: open
sequence:
- service: input_boolean.turn_on
data: {}
target:
entity_id: input_boolean.gate_open
default:
- service: input_boolean.turn_off
data: {}
target:
entity_id: input_boolean.gate_open
mode: single