Versatile Thermostat: a full feature thermostat (energy, door/window, presence, motion, preset, ... management)

[Gregwelldone (greg)]

I plan to use Versatile with the Wiser solution (its integration within HA seems to work smoothly) for electric heater (thermostat + actuator) Does anyone already implemented that set up? I suppose I should configure a Vtherm over a climate to make it work.

[b4rRa]

Hi Daniel,

I have been using Versatile Thermostat for a few days now and I am facing similar issues with the Sonoff TRVZBs. One major problem is that the temperature adjustment through the external temperature sensor via the offset parameter is not working properly. In 4 out of 5 cases when I check, the value is either higher or lower than the actual temperature of my external temperature source. This results in either no heating or continuous heating. Additionally, the Sonoff TRVZB apparently randomly switches off (IDLE) within ~0.5 degrees of the target temperature while Versatile Thermostat still shows “heating”. Especially in the living room, where I use three thermostats, it constantly leads to one radiator being off, one being hot, and the other being lukewarm. The fact that the valve control is no longer properly addressed was not on my radar until now, but it is also a consequence.

I would like to test your workaround. So, if I understand correctly, I just need to create an automation that triggers when the hvac_action attribute changes to HEATING or IDLE. As a target, I then set the temperature directly in the thermostat to, for example, 30°C for heating and 7°C for IDLE. Correct?

What does the rest of your TRVZB thermostat configuration in the Versatile Thermostat look like? Standard? Or do I need to consider anything else besides the usual (e.g., not setting closing valves)?

By the way, is there no problem with the automation when Versatile Thermostat makes changes to the target temperature? Versatile Thermostat also writes this directly into the thermostat. For example, when switching from Eco to Comfort or when I manually adjust the temperature?

Edit: I just checked it. The automation seems to work in principle. However, Versatile Thermostat immediately overwrites the target temperature again with the “correct” preset temperature. The same thing happens, of course, when I switch to another mode (eco, comfort) or adjust the temperature. How did you solve this?

[b4rRa]

I have added the temperature of the Versatile Thermostat as an additional trigger in the automation. I now always increase the “Set Temperature” of the TRVZB directly by +5°C above the original set temperature. This ensures that the thermostat always heats and doesn’t go into IDLE 0.5°C before reaching the target temperature, while the Versatile Thermostat still thinks it’s still heating.

The initial tests are extremely promising. The automation ensures that the TRVZB states are now always consistent with those of the Versatile Thermostat. As a result, the temperature control via the valve now works perfectly. The target temperature is now maintained much more stably (+/- 0.1°C on average) and, more importantly, is actually reached. Also, all 3 TRVZBs in the living room now run “synchronously” and don’t completely diverge (one on, one off, one warm, another cold, another hot).

This must be a problem that every TRVZB user has. Why don’t others notice it? Is there perhaps some way to implement this workaround directly in Versatile Thermostat?

alias: WOHNZIMMER Temperaturanpassung TRV_WZ / VT_WOHNZIMMER
description: Temperaturanpassung für Heizung WOHNZIMMER
triggers:
  - entity_id: climate.vt_wohnzimmer
    attribute: hvac_action
    trigger: state
  - entity_id: climate.vt_wohnzimmer
    attribute: temperature
    trigger: state
actions:
  - delay: "00:00:05"
  - target:
      entity_id:
        - climate.trv_wz_1
        - climate.trv_wz_2
        - climate.trv_wz_3
    data:
      temperature: >
        {% if is_state_attr('climate.vt_wohnzimmer', 'hvac_action', 'heating')
        and state_attr('climate.vt_wohnzimmer', 'temperature') != none %}
          {{ ((state_attr('climate.vt_wohnzimmer', 'temperature') | float + 5) / 0.5) | round(0) * 0.5 }}
        {% else %}
          7
        {% endif %}
    action: climate.set_temperature
mode: single

[ojessie (Otto)]

Hi, I’m still fighting to migrate the logic from KNX to HASS. Perhaps someone can help me …
Current situation: On KNX a cover actor is controlling my 3 valve to mange the floor heating. There is logic that steers the target temperature based on a calculated heating curve.
Achievements so far:

• climate defined in configuration.yaml
• cover address defined in knx.yaml (id: cover.heating)
  Is there any chance to modify VT to accept a cover id? I tried also boiler in the settings, but no way.

Thanks,

[jmcollin (Jean-Marc COLLIN)]

@Perfect Heating Automation with Sonoff TRVZB

Ok. so I am going to reply to my own post as I have had a bit of a break through. Here are my observations. If the local temperature (i.e. TRV temp) is 20c, occupied heating setpoint is set to 30c with heating mode set to “heat”. I can then adjust the valve open degree and hear the valve changing. If the set point is below the local temperature changing the open degree has no effect. If the local temperature (i.e. TRV temp) is 20c, occupied heating setpoint is set to 15c with heating mode set …

Hello @danieljclark ,

Thank you for this very interesing post. In the french forum many people seems to not need this workaround, but others have.

Does changing the target temp to a high value have some drawback like display is wrong or somethink like that ?
I think the Sonoff climate on HA will display a “wrong” setpoint then. Does the TRV display also this “wrong” value ?

If it is “heating” then I don’t think the TRVZB accepts a new position that is less open than it’s present position (or 0 for closed).

[jmcollin (Jean-Marc COLLIN)]

Hello @Gregwelldone

Yes Wiser solution have been succesfully integrated. It has been done with an over_cliamte VTherm. I think you don’t have the choice.
If you read French I can send you the thread about this.

[jmcollin (Jean-Marc COLLIN)]

Hello @b4rRa,

@b4rRa

Versatile Thermostat also writes this directly into the thermostat. For example, when switching from Eco to Comfort or when I manually adjust the temperature?

Yes, When a setpoint is changed on VTherm it does two thing:

1. send the setpoint to the Sonoff climate (the underlying device),
2. send to valve openess percent to the valve through the opening degree number entity.

I think point 1 is useless for valve openness and does only display a correct value as setpoint.

Is there perhaps some way to implement this workaround directly in Versatile Thermostat?

This feature is not dedicated to Sonoff TRVZB. This is the point. I consider this hack like awful personaly (but I understand the point).

EDIT : one better hack is to force the calibration offset to something like -12°c to force heating. Can you check this with your hack (or direclty in the calibration entity) and remove the calibration offset from the VTherm conftguration.

Let me know. This could be taken into account into VTherm because it don’t beraks the setpoint.

[Gregwelldone (greg)]

Merci pour la reponse. Ou puis je trouver la discussion sur le sujet?

[jmcollin (Jean-Marc COLLIN)]

Hello if you don’t use closing degree, you should set it to 100

[jmcollin (Jean-Marc COLLIN)]

Search Wiser in this french forum or claim for help: Integration schneider Wiser à home assistant - Entraide Home Assistant - Home Assistant Communauté Francophone

Le thread principale de Versatile thermostat est ici : Nouveau thermostat type proportionnel avec gestion des presets / portes et fenêtres / détection de mouvement / gestion de présence et surconsommation - #2720 par Jean-Marc_Collin - Intégration - Home Assistant Communauté Francophone

On y parle de Wiser.