New Evohome kit compatible?

[karl8754]

Hi All

I currently don't have Domoticz setup, but have ordered an RFXcom transceiver and I'm looking to setup soon. I'm also looking at installing a 'smart heating' device asap and after some preliminary research I'd decided on the Honeywell Evohome which seemed decent and had compatibility with Domoticz via HGI80 / RFG100. I've just noticed however the new 3rd gen Evohome kits (i.e. http://www.vesternet.com/evohome-wifi-c ... ostat-pack) no longer come with the RFG100 because the control unit itself has Wi-Fi built in.

I can't find any info whether the new Wi-Fi ready units are compatible with Domoticz or whether they're more locked down. If anyone can shed any light on this, it'd be much appreciated.

Thanks
Karl

p.s. Bonus question: Should I be going with Evohome or has anyone got horror stories / know of better kit?

[StanHD]

The newer version is called the "Honeywell evohome Connected Thermostat "

I have this version working for 2 months now and it is connected to Domoticz via the HGI80.





I Like it a lot as a control system, I like it even more because of the Domoticz integration.

[karl8754]

Thanks for getting back to me - did you buy the HGI80 separately to use with the new kit and can I ask where from?
I'm sure I've read that HGI80 is hard to buy in Europe so may have to have one imported if I go down that route.

[StanHD]

Hi,

I am in the UK and was told by Honeywell distributor that this is a "European" item and not available to the UK. (I thought we were still classed as Europeans, but apparently not according to them)

Anyway I managed to get one through good old Ebay from here:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONEYWELL-HGI ... 1269169449

[dannybloe]

The newer version is called the "Honeywell evohome Connected Thermostat "

I have this version working for 2 months now and it is connected to Domoticz via the HGI80.

I Like it a lot as a control system, I like it even more because of the Domoticz integration.

I love your floorplan!!!

I am about to order and install EvoHome Wifi this year and I sure as h.l will make such a floorplan myself.

Btw: do we need this HGI80 module or is it possible to tap directly in the wifi-api of the evohome wifi controller?

[StanHD]

I think the only current methods are via script or HGI80.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[karl8754]

So, I'm just trying to get my head around this (Please excuse the crappy doodling). This is how I'm currently think it'll be working, but I'm not sure what the HGI80 is connecting to - is that an RF connection to the wireless relay or the thermostat? If it's to the relay, is it possible to control the TRVs? Or have I got that line wrong and the TRVs are actually controlled by the relay?



Cheers!

[StanHD]

The HGI80 sits on the Evohome Wireless network. It connects to the WiFi enabled thermostat.
This allows bi-directional communication via USB between the Domoticz Server and the WiFi enabled thermostat.
The wireless boiler relay is operated by the WiFi enabled thermostat in response to demand from the TRV's (or other room temperature sensors)

So on your diagram, an orange dashed bi-directional line between the HGI80 and the Wifi Thermostat.

[karl8754]

Awesome, thanks for the help. One more question now (sorry!)..
If I bought the cheaper non-wifi thermostat (ATP921G2080), I assume the HGI80 can still control/communicate that one via RF, but would that cause any issues or lose me functionality?

[StanHD]

I think then you will need the RFG100 to provide the connectivity to the HGI80. But I am not sure of that because I did not take that route.

[BasPost]

I just installed the new Honeywell Evohome Wifi system with 5x HR92 + HCE80 last week. Not connected with Domoticz yet. I thought it is possible to just use the script for Evohome. I don't want to buy a HGI80. I'm I correct? I going to try it coming weekend.

[karl8754]

I just installed the new Honeywell Evohome Wifi system with 5x HR92 + HCE80 last week. Not connected with Domoticz yet. I thought it is possible to just use the script for Evohome. I don't want to buy a HGI80. I'm I correct? I going to try it coming weekend.

From the Domoticz Wiki page it looked like you had to have either the HGI80 or the RFG100, but I'm still waiting for my kit to arrive so not sure about that at all.

[bellyd]

Any definitive answers yet? I'm about to buy the latest Evohome kit (order # ATP924G3010 in NL) and wonder whether I need the HGI80 or RFG100 or nothing beyond the ATP924G3010 to connect to Domoticz?

My starter kit is the "connected" set (4 zone radiator + heating unit on/off)

• Display/Thermostat (ATC928G3000)
• on/off module (BDR91)
• 4x radiator (HR92WE)
• Table stand (ATF800)

Honeywell order number # ATP924G3010 (in NL).

[karl8754]

Hi bellyd

I bought the new Wifi Evohome thermostat with relay. Tried briefly to setup without anything else but didn't work so plugged in the HGI80 and setup in Domoticz in a couple of minutes. Comes up as several devices, 'Evo Color' is the thermostat relay, has quick actions (same as the device) and logs temps, also got 'Evohome Relay' which seems to be the BDR91 and allows directly switching on/off boiler, and another device too, but I've not figured out what that is.

[dannybloe]

Since the evohome wifi has a wifi interface... I wonder if you could tap into that entrance instead of having the need for HGI80. I got the wifi version at home right now but haven't found the time to see if I can access the device.

[SevenW]

Since the evohome wifi has a wifi interface... I wonder if you could tap into that entrance instead of having the need for HGI80. I got the wifi version at home right now but haven't found the time to see if I can access the device.

I was having the same question. What seems to apply for all internet-connected smart thermostats (EvoHome, Tado, Nest, ThermoSmart, ....) is that there is a HTTP-REST-type of API using a company hosted webserver. So in the case of the EvoHome / RFG100, the scripts call the honeywell website (in the script:

Code: Select all

#connect to evohome web portal @ http://www.mytotalconnect.com

) to send a command, and then the external website controls your thermostat.

I trust that the new EvoHome Wifi makes use of the same web-api, so the RFG100 scripts can be used without additional hardware!

The (difficult to obtain) HGI80 interface is however a USB-interface that can be connected to your domoticz server. It talks RF 868MHz protocol to the evohome (see nice picture above). And everything going on stays within your home!

So my choice would be obvious and invest in the additional HGI80, so my home automation does not have to rely on my internet connection.

SevenW

[dannybloe]

Well, if there's a REST api then with some http traffic sniffing it should be possible to contact the evohome controller yourself (within your local network) without using the Honeywell online service. Unless it is heavily encrypted of course.

[dannybloe]

Today I got my HGI80 working in combination with the latest EvoHome Wifi. It took a while to get it to work on the Pi since the wiki was not really telling me how to get the usb drivers. Anyway, when I did get the drivers installed I saw the new devices in the list. However... there are a couple of things I do not get. I have 6 zones but I see 8 setpoints. With some trial and error using the App I figured out which setpoint was which zone. I did this by setting extreem target setpoints with the app and the one that changed in Domoticz was the zone that I changed. However, the temperatures where completely off after a while. I just restarted Domoticz and now the temperatures seems correct so hopefully they stay correct. But... what are these other 2 setpoints?

And...it is not clear to me what the relationship is between Domoticz and the EvoHome controller. I was expecting that when I change a setpoint in Domoticz that I should see this on the EvoHome controller and vice-versa. But that's not the case. The same applies for the Controller Mode switch in Domoticz. If I set this to some value in Domoticz, the EvoHome controller is ignorant of this. The other way round does seem to work. When I set a setpoint in the EvoHome controller, Domoticz shows this in the setpoints (but the switch is not updated btw).

And what is the DHW thingy? Something with water system?

So to summarize, in Domoticz I have 8 setpoints (6+2), a controller and the DHW thing. Should there be more devices? I was hoping to get more insight into the boiler activity and somehow know which zone is causing a heat demand. (Right now the EvoHome is doing weird things like turning on the boiler at regular intervals while all the zones are way below the target setpoints en long before schedule events).

Other than that: I finally have a warm bathroom in the morning while the rest of the house can stay cold. Yay!!!

[StanHD]

Hi, not sure about your additional zones, however the DHW you mention shows up as "Hot Water" on my system, which I do not use as I have a combi boiler.
Certainly I can change setpoints from either system, no problem. And I can also change setpoints using the json interface and dummy switches. The modes can be set by Domoticz, but some do not show as set for some reason. I got caught out a bit at first by the 5 minute "poll" time that parts of the system use. The radiator valves use this update period for battery preservation. Other parts like remote thermostats are shown almost instantly when adjusted.
I can't see when demand is enabled from the Evohome / Domoticz implementation, however, I have installed 1 wire sensors to each radiator flow, and to the main boiler Flow and return. As I do not have an opentherm connection, just a basic on/off relay to the boiler, the system appears to attempt a form of "modulation" which gets better and more accurate as the system "learns" all of the various characteristics. The Domoticz graphs clearly show optimisation is occurring and some pretty clever control of water temperatures to keep radiators gently maintaining achieved set points. BTW I am using Windows and HGI80.

[dannybloe]

Hiya Stan,
Thanks for you reply. Indeed a good idea to place these sensors. I'm planning to use esp8266 in combi with sensors for this. I guess I'll combine some window sensors with them as well. I saw that the radiator valves have a mini-usb port from which I suspect that just short-cutting some pins will tell it the window is opened.

I'm really curious what those two extra zones are for Couldn't this be related to the relais I have connected to the zone-valvue and the opentherm relais linked to the boiler? Can't imagine that it is though...wouldn't make any sense.