Using Alexa to set a variable

Third party integrations Node-RED
1

Hs anyone had any success in using Alexa to set a variable? I am along with another section using node-red to perhaps controll climate etc. I am looking for a suitable thermostat but I have a feeling that my technology challenge partner would like to use Alexa to be able to say “make temp 23” or whatever and have that numeral set a variable.

Ideas?

2

Use a dummy bulb . Alexa can set , this gives you a hundred trigger values

I use it for this

1 Like
3

Im using this Node-Red you can specify any device name (handled as bulb) and will have

  • Turn on / off
  • set %

I’m using the % value as numeric for various requirements

4

Thanks xx_Nexus_xx

I tried that one last night. I just added it to a flow and then told Alexa to Discover devices. I saw its state change to discovery but Alexa didnt find it. I have the latest Echo Dot

5

yes, the discovery can have a problem sometime. Below are the things I do in case the discovery fails

  1. Delete all devices
  • Delete all devices in Alexa prior to discovery
  • I usually do the delete via the online portal as I had more success this way
  1. Rename the device
  • Some device names have issues therefore I usually do rename the device (Capital Letters, spaces in names,etc)
  • For some flows I have created 2 devices (sometimes it discovers one but not the other, next discovery it is the other way arround) … Example: Fan in Kitchen has currently 3 devices (Kitchen Fan, Kitchen AC, Kitchen Cooling) which all feed the same node flow
6

Just an update. I purchased a couple of Echo dots 2nd series and they work well for the system. The 3rd edition are not discoverable as yet but the 2nd edition works fine and thats a great help. Thanks all