Velux Active (HomeKit accessory) control via Home Assistant?

Third party integrations
21

Just for info - official API is coming for the KLF 200

1 Like
22

This is nice but we are having the KIX 300.

23

Ok, here comes a bit of an update after a month of trying to get the following to work:

  • Open Velux Windows 4 times a day for a few minutes
  • Open Velux Windows when itā€™s too warm/ humid in bathrooms and apartment
  • Close Velux blinds when the sun is shining on the roof

How I did it:

  • created input_boolean for each of the windows and shared with HomeKit component
  • created 1 input_boolean for blinds
  • Aeotec Multisensors installed in both bathrooms (USB powered)
  • 1 Aeotec Multisensor installed in a ventilated tupperware on top of the roof (battery powered)
  • created temperature and humidity sensor driven automations in HA turning on and off the input booleans
  • Used Hesperus App to create outdoor dependent opening levels for the windows (fully opening when outdoor temperature is above 15 deg, 50% opening when above 5 deg and 7% opening else - I initially tried with just fully opening / closing directly with HomeKit automations

Conclusions:

  1. HA sensor reading and automations work like a charm after some trial and error
  2. HomeKit/ Velux Active is shit - neither HomeKit nor Hesperus automations work reliably. Sometimes some of them work, sometimes some of them donā€™t and Iā€™ve got no clue what is causing that randomness. May be caused by HomeKit or by the Velux Active bridge.
  3. I have to live with it till Velux provides an API and we find somebody capable to implement this into HAā€¦
24

Sensative Strip doesnā€™t fit my needs. Itā€™s temperature values make weird jumps to negative and the lux values go below 0 when theyā€™re supposed to be high. Iā€™ve moved it to indoors where Itā€™s providing nice to have information and replaced the outdoor version with a Aeotec Multisensorā€¦

25

what do I buy best ? The [

VELUX KLF 200 or the new 300 ?

26

Dependsā€¦

  • KLF 200 allows you to integrate in HA but needs wire connection (I donā€™t have experience with that)
  • the KLR 200 is through radio but doesnā€™t allow integration into HA - and itā€™s a bit cumbersome to use.
  • Velux Active set is possible to integrate into HA with above described work around but does not work reliably for me.
27

ok. thanks

28

Hello, I have the same controller (KIX300), have you been able to add it at the HA? (Without HomeKit)

29

Hi,
KLF200 does not need to be hard wired. A protocol has been published, which gives two way information.
I noticed the author of the pyvlx library is working on a release that supports the published protocol.
When that is ready the component should work.

It will then support activations on device level instead of scene level.

30

this would be super-great!

31

@Segarra: nope and with HomeKit itā€™s shit. Iā€™m about to throw it out of the window. Yesterday the scheduled opening worked, 15 minutes later nothing worked anymore for the rest of the day and we had to dig out the original controller to get it closed at 4 degrees Celsius outside. Same again today after getting it to work again last night.

1 Like
32

Sad to heard that, I hope weā€™ll be able to use in HA soonā€¦

33

Whoā€™s the author? Iā€™ll like to ask him if he is working in KIX300

34

Julius2342

35

Great! Thanks

36

And beginning of this week these bloody windows opened on schedule when it was pouring - new mattress was delivered today *&^%$%^^%$%^&

Iā€™d throw everything thatā€™s Velux out of the window if they werenā€™t.

37

Sorry to hear thatā€¦
Donā€™t they use an attached rain sensor?

38

Yes but that is failingā€¦

39

Hi Guys,

I finally got the KIX 300 installed and it seems to be working ok with HA using wmakerā€™s instructions on this thread - Thanks wmaker.

I believe the unreliability issue Juschk mentioned lies in the home hub.

If the Homekit gear hasnā€™t been used, it seems that the home hub (iPad in my case) goes into hybernation, so that HA to homehub commands does not trigger until the button is pressed several times.

Anyone experiencing the same? Iā€™m on the latest firmware for the KIX and IOS (12.1.1)

Cheers.

40

Just looking at getting these but want to be able to automate them as need to be able to open/close as part of the schedule for doing cooking (theyā€™ll aid the ventilation)

Recommended overall to go for KIK300 and link or to use a KLF200 which can then be integrated?

Are they compatible or are the new ones only compatible with KIK version and use the rain sensor - from trying to read up, itā€™s not clear to me.

I have Tado thermostats so can I take the temparatures from those to automate?
(on Hubitat currently but looking at if I should switch over or possibly run dual).

In terms of HomeKit, I had an old iPad, would you then need to have this running constantly to provide the bridge?

As I havenā€™t bought any kit yet - is a Somfy Tahoma an option instead of a KIK/KLF?

Or any progress with an updated driver?