MelCloud plugin

[manjh]

I installed the MelCloud plugin to control my Mitsubishi Electric airconditioning.
The plugin installs OK, and I can see a number of devices reflecting the current status of the machine.
But when I try to change a setting, the Domoticz log shows:

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MelCloud: MELCloud receive unknonw message with error code 500

The setting does not change in the device.
Does anyone have experience with this plugin? Any clues as to what might be wrong?

I cannot find a way to report this error in the plugin's Github entry.

[FlyingDomotic]

Error code 500 means "Internal server error". Otherwise said, the remote server (here MelCloud) has a problem...
You may perhaps contact them to ensure they know there's a problem

[manjh]

Is anyone else using this plugin at all? Or am I the only one trying to control the Mitsubishi Electric machine from Domoticz?

[FlyingDomotic]

Some people don't like to much using external servers (like MelCloud) and do prefer having a direct, local control on AC, working without Internet access.

Some, including me, are connecting an ESP8266 into CN105 AC connector (https://github.com/SwiCago/HeatPump), and use Domoticz plugin (viewtopic.php?t=28365&p=295429) to control it

You'll find more details at https://chrdavis.github.io/hacking-a-mi ... mp-Part-1/

However, generally 500 errors are only temporary ones, and are often fixed by server reboot.

[manjh]

Some people don't like to much using external servers (like MelCloud) and do prefer having a direct, local control on AC, working without Internet access.

Some, including me, are connecting an ESP8266 into CN105 AC connector (https://github.com/SwiCago/HeatPump), and use Domoticz plugin (viewtopic.php?t=28365&p=295429) to control it

You'll find more details at https://chrdavis.github.io/hacking-a-mi ... mp-Part-1/

However, generally 500 errors are only temporary ones, and are often fixed by server reboot.

Do you know of any ready-made units available?

[FlyingDomotic]

Personally, no, but you have only to solder 4 wires to an ESP8266, and plug the connector in A/C.

[Truffe13]

Could you try this plugin version, which works well for me ?
https://github.com/truffe13/domoticz-python-melcloud

[manjh]

Could you try this plugin version, which works well for me ?
https://github.com/truffe13/domoticz-python-melcloud

Works!

How many Domticz devices are you seeing? I got 7, not sure if there are any more!

[Truffe13]

Great
I have got 7 devices per unit : Mode, Fan, Vane Vertical, Vane Horizontal, temp, temp set point, info
JP

[harrykausl]

@truffe13
I installed your plugin, it works fine. I have 2 questions. The devices are updated ba a timed trigger (4 minutes). Would it be possible, to call the update directly. So when I change something in like temperature of the ac in domoticz, I would start the update immediatly by a update switch, which calls a lua and there the python. Second question: Mitsubishi will switch to a new cloud platform, the new app is mecloud home. Will your plugin work with this platform too? Thanks a lot.

[Truffe13]

Hi harrykausl

Yes, I put 4mn as the period to update data in domoticz, it is to avoid to overload the melcloud server with messages.
However when you change something in domoticz like temperature, vane position or switch on/off ,it is sent immediately to melcloud (but some domoticz information will be updated within 4mn max and not immediatly). I can try to change that to force a display update right after... I will try soon.
For your second question I was not aware and I really dont know. My plugin version is just a fork of other similar plugins managing the communication with melcloud server. If the interface change, I suppose that we will have to adapt ... if possible.. let's see
best regards

[harrykausl]

Thanks for your answer, I will try the new home app in the next weeks!

[Truffe13]

Hi harrykausl

One question about the 4mn delay you observe and you would like to shorten : is it when you change something in the air conditioner with Domoticz or with the remote control. Because if you change something with the remote control, the only way to reduce the delay to refresh information in Domoticz is to reduce the "refresh interval" in the domoticz plugins setup, I don't see other means (because no "change message" is sent to Domoticz when you change something with the remote control).
best regards

[harrykausl]

Ok, I understand, thanks!

[harrykausl]

@truffe13
On my heating thermostats I do some automations. When window opens, I store the heating settings and stop heating. When window closes, I restore the saved setting. I'd like to do this with the ac too. My problem ist, that the settings may not be correct (because of the 4 minutes timer). Is there a way, to start the update outsite of the timer?
It would be nice, if I have a switch (MelCloudRefresh) in Domoticz. if I want to update the devices immediateley, I set the switch to on. The plugin checks at the starting of his timer loop, if the switch is on. If yes, the plugin works immediateley and the switch ist set to off again.
Would this be possible to integrate?

[Bastien13]

Hi,

I've been using the MELCloud plugin for a while (gysmo38's, later picked up by schurgan) and I've changed quite a bit of it for my own needs. It started as a couple of small fixes and ended up with me adding local control.

Basically the plugin now talks to the units directly over the network, through the MAC-577IF-2E adapter, without going through the Mitsubishi cloud. The cloud is still there as a backup if a unit stops answering locally, but it means it keeps working even when the internet is down, and commands are almost instant instead of waiting on the servers.

While I was at it I added a few other things:

• the setpoint is now a proper thermostat with half-degree steps, instead of the one-degree selector
• real power in watts and kWh counters, per unit and per outdoor group
• the option to have a unit regulate on a room thermometer instead of its own sensor
• a per-unit remote-control lock
• a UI that switches between French and English depending on the language you pick
• and I fixed the crashes, and the unit that kept switching itself on and off on its own

Here it is if it's useful to anyone: https://github.com/Bastien1307/domoticz-python-melcloud

Thanks to gysmo38 and schurgan for the original work. If you try it I'd be glad to hear how it goes, especially on multi-split setups or hardware different from mine, I only have two units to test with.

[harrykausl]

I have 2 Mitsubishi Electric air conditioner MSZ AY42 VGKP with included WIFI, connected to Melcloud and the Melcloud Plugin. Does your plugin work for local access with the standard wifi module of have I to change it?

I'm not sure how to install the plugin. Can you explain it a little bit more as in your Readme, thanks!

[Bastien13]

I have 2 Mitsubishi Electric air conditioner MSZ AY42 VGKP with included WIFI, connected to Melcloud and the Melcloud Plugin. Does your plugin work for local access with the standard wifi module of have I to change it?

I'm not sure how to install the plugin. Can you explain it a little bit more as in your Readme, thanks!

Hi harrykausl,

About the WiFi module, it should be fine. I actually have a MSZ-AY35VGK, so the same series as your AY42, and it's controlled locally without any trouble. It's the original MAC-577IF2-E module, there's nothing to modify on the hardware side, the plugin just talks to it directly on your network instead of going through the cloud. Still worth checking the reference printed on your module, but if it's a 577IF2-E you're good.

Also worth keeping in mind, the cloud stays there as a fallback. So even if local control didn't work at your place, the plugin would behave like the one you're using today.

About the install, you're right, it was too vague. I've just updated the README with the actual commands and the Domoticz steps. Basically:

1. Clone the repo into your plugins folder:

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cd domoticz/plugins
git clone https://github.com/Bastien1307/domoticz-python-melcloud.git

2. Then the python dependencies. There's a requirements.txt that lists them (requests and pycryptodome), to install in Domoticz's python:

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sudo pip3 install -r plugins/domoticz-python-melcloud/requirements.txt

On recent Debian you sometimes need to add --break-system-packages. And if you're on Docker, it's a docker exec to the container's python, it's detailed in the README.

3. Then restart Domoticz, enable "Accept new Hardware Devices", and add the MELCloud plugin hardware with your MELCloud email and password.

If you already have the existing MELCloud plugin, remove or rename its folder first, two plugins with the same key can't coexist.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes, I'm curious whether the units are found on the network at your place. If they aren't, the log will tell you and it'll just carry on with the cloud.

[harrykausl]

I renamed my old plugin directory, renamed the old plugin in domoticz and deactivated it. Then I installed the new one and the add ons, restartet domoticz, devices were createt. Replaced all my old devices, then I deleted the old plugin in Domoticz. But I have the problem, that when I change the hardware settings (30 s, 5 min), I don't get it stored. When reopening the panel the 2 points are empty. So I can start the device from domoticz, but when I start it from my remote, I don't get my device in domoticz updated.

[Bastien13]

I renamed my old plugin directory, renamed the old plugin in domoticz and deactivated it. Then I installed the new one and the add ons, restartet domoticz, devices were createt. Replaced all my old devices, then I deleted the old plugin in Domoticz. But I have the problem, that when I change the hardware settings (30 s, 5 min), I don't get it stored. When reopening the panel the 2 points are empty. So I can start the device from domoticz, but when I start it from my remote, I don't get my device in domoticz updated.

Thanks for the detailed feedback, it really helps.

First, about the setting that won't save, I found a spot in the code where an empty interval could cause trouble, and I've just fixed it (version 2.1.1). Do a git pull in the plugin folder and restart Domoticz to get it. Honestly though, I don't think that's your main issue, your devices were created fine, so the plugin did start correctly, so that's probably not where the state-update problem comes from.

For the real problem (you can command from Domoticz, but a change made on the remote doesn't come back), it looks like local control not finding your units on your network. The only way to be sure is to look at the log.

Could you:

1. edit the plugin hardware and set the Debug parameter to a verbose level
2. restart Domoticz
3. let it run for a minute or two, then copy me the plugin log lines (especially the ones about "Local", network discovery and MAC)

The log should show directly whether your units are found locally or whether it falls back to the cloud.

If you prefer, you can send them to me by PM rather than posting here, that way you don't put any details about your network in public.

Thanks for testing, and nice job reinstalling everything cleanly.