Home Easy Group Commands

[Clabs1]

Hi,

I'm new to Domoticz and am just having a play at the moment really.

I've got a set of HomeEasy plugs which I use to control lights in my living room and I've got these working individually fine using an RFXCom 433 MHz transceiver.

I've then got 2 identical groups (for the WAF) one called "Lights" and one called "Lounge Lights". These can all be controlled through the web interface or android app. I've also got them working using an amazon echo dot and ha-bridge.

My minor quibble is that when using the group command it sends 3 separate commands about 1 second apart so my 3 lights switch on over the course of about 3 seconds. The Home Easy remote has group switch which does them all simultaneously.

I've bodged a workaround for turning them on by using a doorbell and setting this to send a group on command. I've then added this doorbell to both my groups at the top of the list. This turns all the lights on simultaneously. This doesn't work to turn them off; the doorbell is essentially skipped and the lights turn off over about 3 seconds.

I'm sure there is a better way that I can't find; I have scoured the forum and the net in general with no luck. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated.

[sion]

Are you able to just learn the group command from the remote?
On the switches panel, click learn new switch - then press the button on the remote. You should now have a switch in domoticz that emulates the group on the remote.

[Clabs1]

Thanks for the idea Sion.

That was one of the first things I tries. Domoticz doesn't see the group command in devices. I think probably the unit id doesn't match what is expected.

[sion]

If the sockets are like mine, each one can lightly learn more than one rf code.

Try manually adding a switch in domoticz ( rather than learning one).
Set it as on/off switch.
HE EU
And make up a unit code.

Now put socket 1 in learning mode.
Then turn on your new switch in domoticz.

Repeat this with the other sockets you want activated by this switch.

Now, hopefully , they will all turn on / off together with this switch. - while still remembering the individual codes.

[Clabs1]

Great idea; I'll try it when I get home and let you know.

Cheers.

[Clabs1]

Sion that's worked! Thank you.

Only issue is that the individual devices get a bit out of sync now with their on/off states. I don't think this will be a major issue but could affect in the future if I start making blocky rules etc.

[sion]

You could probably fix this with something like the following:
( there's probably better ways doing this)

Create a new group "groupB" with the 3 sockets / lights in it.


Set the on delay and off delay to 1 second. ( this will make sure the new other group command goes through first )

On the on action of the other switch you created ( the one that turnes them all off at the same time ) set a Json command to turn on groupB.

Do the same with the off command, but to turn them off.

So now when you turn the other switch on, all the sockets turn on at the same time. - then a second later they are turned on again, but this time individually - thus updating the individual switches.

Bit long winded, but should do the trick.

Ps. You may also be able to achieve it with master/ slave switches?? But I have never used them - so don't fully understand the ins and our of it.

[sion]

Thinking about it....
just put the new switch ( that turnes then all off at the same time) in a group with the 3 lights.
Make sure it's first in the group
( I'm only guessing that works - if it doesn't then set the 1s delay on the individual lights ).

Now just turn the group on and off

[Clabs1]

I did a bit of research and master/slave is the way to go.

I've added the 'group on' switch to the sub/slave devices on each of the individual ones. The on/off status is now updated when the group status overrides it.

Thanks for all your help; this is exactly what I set out to do. Solved!