Thermostat Integration - WIFI

[TedDev]

Thread got nuked by accident.

What WiFi UMAX cards are you currently running? We looked into it and the API control looks pretty straightforward. We may roll out w/ the WiFi Thermostat support in our next beta.

[pfletch101]

Pity about the thread! Don't you have a backup system for the forum?

I have the WiFi card that RTI sells with the CT-80 - see http://shop.radiothermostat.com/product.sc?productId=4.

[TedDev]

Pity about the thread! Don't you have a backup system for the forum?

Its backed up once a day. We'd have to roll back to a time where more threads would be lost (anything after the backup).

I have the WiFi card that RTI sells with the CT-80 - see http://shop.radiothermostat.com/product.sc?productId=4.

Cool. That's the card we are looking at developing against.

[pfletch101]

I have the WiFi card that RTI sells with the CT-80 - see http://shop.radiothermostat.com/product.sc?productId=4.

Cool. That's the card we are looking at developing against.

There is an issue that you may run into, at least with people that are already communicating with their thermostats locally across the network, as many probably will be. It appears that it can only be controlled/communicated with by one locally networked device at a time - i.e. if you are (in my case) controlling it from one computer on the network, you can't connect to it from another one, even to just read its 'heartbeat' transmissions. This may be a router issue, but it is certainly seen consistently on my network. If this applies generally, it will be important to have an 'off switch' for TED's connection to it - I would not be happy if TED disconnected my software from the Thermostat!

[stanar]

I have a 3M filtrete model 3M50 which is a rebranded CT50 from Radiothermostat

http://www.radiothermostat.com/filtrete/products/3M-50/

it looks like this:
http://store.radiothermostat.com/CT30-with-WiFi-USNAP-module-CT-30-H-K2.htm

the Wifi USNAP module is

http://shop.radiothermostat.com/product.sc?productId=4&categoryId=1

@pfletch101 - I am able to access  the tstat over the network from my iPod and my android phone simulataneously, didnt have any issues.

[pfletch101]

@pfletch101 - I am able to access  the tstat over the network from my iPod and my android phone simulataneously, didnt have any issues.

Do you/can you control the thermostat from either or both devices while monitoring it from both?

[stanar]

@pfletch101 - I am able to access  the tstat over the network from my iPod and my android phone simulataneously, didnt have any issues.

Do you/can you control the thermostat from either or both devices while monitoring it from both?

if I understand your question correctly, yes.  I had the app open on both the devices and just changed the temp settings on the ipod and changes are updated on android app on my phone., vice versa.

[TedDev]

@pfletch101 - One of your apps you are running may not be closing the connection after doing the read. What I've noticed is that it will keep the connection open even after the initial data is sent. It will then send the data again (updated) across the same socket. If its an app you can modify, you may want to set a receive timeout (for 3 seconds) after the payload is received to free up the connection so another thread/app can read it. 

If an app keeps that connection open, then no other apps can access the wifi module.

[pfletch101]

@pfletch101 - One of your apps you are running may not be closing the connection after doing the read. What I've noticed is that it will keep the connection open even after the initial data is sent. It will then send the data again (updated) across the same socket. If its an app you can modify, you may want to set a receive timeout (for 3 seconds) after the payload is received to free up the connection so another thread/app can read it. 

If an app keeps that connection open, then no other apps can access the wifi module.

You've probably put your finger on it! My app does asynchronous I/O by processing each packet and then waiting (in a thread separate from the app's main one) for the arrival of the next one. This is almost certainly keeping the connection open. I am not sure that I want to rewrite the code to do things differently for my current purposes, but it is good to know what is going on.

[sandeen]

I have both the CT-80 and the 3M-50.  They're slick!  Now that they have a formal API released I imagine all sorts of cool things will pop up around them.

[Jonnyc]

Ted Dev,

   Question on the use of the RTA CT-80.  I keep having a TED lock up (only in regards to the thermostat) if I access my thermostat(s) with the RTA app on my iPhone after TED has posted to the stat.  Any access will do it, wether it's a change or just an update of current conditions.  Is this a known issue or something unique??

  I really just want the TED to post data to my thermostat, showing Kw current and Kw Mtd and prefer to use my phone for controlling the stat.  I keep reading about one device not releasing the stat properly, allowing another device to access it.  This appears to be what is happening. 
  Is there a way to only post data to the CT-80 and turn off control??

  I've been using TED for about Two years, and recently installed a 10KW solar system that I'm monitoring.  The system is working well performing as advertised, showing my net usage, as well as monitoring a stand alone hot water load.  Having this info post to the CT-80, and knowing how recently the info posted would be helpful.  Currently I can't tell on the stat how recent the post occurred, but after further follow up, the posted data freeze coincides with RTA app operation.
   

[TedDev]

The TED is releasing the connection to the /stat but with both competing for access to it, it they may be locking each other up. We've ping'd RTA about this issue and it will hopefully be addressed soon.


What you may want to do is increase the "Poll Rate" variable on the System Settings page (right under where you enter the IP address for the thermostat). This will make the gap between data posts and /stat requests larger and may prevent it from locking up connection to the USNAP card.

[Jonnyc]

Ted Dev,

  That seemed to do the trick.  I think default was something like 5 seconds.  I had tried 30 sec, and 45sec.  After your comment I tried 2 minutes.  Seems to be functioning.  I will certainly keep an eye on it and let you know if it continues.  I did try my iPhone app, which still works, and TED did post after that!!

  Next question..  Could you explain what info you have set up to post to the thermostat??
The first post seemed to have two (2) lines of data.  A "Now" line which included current NET power from TED and a second line included "TDY" which I'm assuming to means "Today".  The KW numbers matched TED for daily power.  Then what seemed like 6-8 cycles through (2 min update cycles now) the bottom line changed to "MTD" which I'm assuming again to mean "Month to Date".  This time the numbers did not match Ted.  They were close, as TED reported 22.7kw consumed and 19.4kw reported.  Also the dollar value for both were off.  Just wondering if you could clarify for a non-programmer.

Thanks for the quick response.


 

[TedDev]

The first post seemed to have two (2) lines of data.  A "Now" line which included current NET power from TED and a second line included "TDY" which I'm assuming to means "Today".  The KW numbers matched TED for daily power.  Then what seemed like 6-8 cycles through (2 min update cycles now) the bottom line changed to "MTD" which I'm assuming again to mean "Month to Date".  This time the numbers did not match Ted.  They were close, as TED reported 22.7kw consumed and 19.4kw reported.  Also the dollar value for both were off.  Just wondering if you could clarify for a non-programmer.

TDY does stand for Today and MTD does stand for "Month to Date". Any differences are probably just due to the delay's in when the data was sent to the thermostat.  It also sends the current rate in effect which is displayed in the top left hand corner of both the CT-80 and CT-30. Footprints would be the most up to date w/ the thermostat being slightly behind.

[Jonnyc]

TedDev,

  I spoke too soon.  I watched it for about two (2) hours and it was working great.  I had been checking it online through my iPhone app and the Ted posts continued to the stat.  Then I made the mistake of trying to adjust the temp from the Ted page.  Full crash.  Posts stopped from Ted and iPhone app reported "Thermostat returning errors"
  It seemed to drop off of my network.  I had to re-provision it.  


Model CT80 V2.18T
Firmware 1.04.64