[Alpha] MQTT application

Kevin...would love to get access to the alpha/beta. I have an MQTT broker running in HASS and would like to try connecting HE to it.

Hi,

I'd like to try your MQTT client, I've an RV with a fairly involved Victron electrical system (12v and 230v) which at it's heart has a display unit which is essentially a small Linux computer (the OS is compiled to run on Rasperberry Pi's as well) called Colour Control GX (Color Control GX - Victron Energy).
The CCGX runs (or can run) an MQTT broker.

My use case is a number of things:

  1. When shore power is disconnected (powercut at the campsite - quite frequent) then use HE + MQTT to detect this from the CCGX and alert via pushover.
  2. When shore power is disconnected then load shed via zigbee/z-wave switches to extend battery.
  3. The CCGX has an auto generator start stop facility that's reasonably fully-featured (multiple triggers, quiet times, etc.) but because of a few limitations in both the design of the CCGX (only 1 relay whereas my generator - an onan - needs 2 wires) and placement (getting wires down to where they would be needed) can't easily control the generator, however, the "State" of the single relay IS published via MQTT, so this + a 12v zigbee switch, in theory, would allow the CCGX to start the generator effectively via HE/MQTT if it takes a while for the power to come back.
  4. Anything else I can think of.

There is already a number of custom nodes available for Node-Red (many of the same MQTT inputs and outputs are also published via Modbus-TCP), but it's a little buggy and TBH having to run Node-Red on something as well is a little faffy.

Hey, I've been following your development and finally bought my own Hubitat Hub and made an account here. I have plenty of python, MQTT, and HASS knowledge. So if you run into any issues and would like a hand, let me know. For now, I would love to get access to the alpha as well to run on my personal setup.

Hi @kevin, when do you expect to release the Beta? I'm taking some time off during the holiday season and would love to do some testing lol.

Hi Huy, I was trying to get it out for Xmas but it's looking increasingly less likely. alpha4b is the current release and alpha5 will come first for testing and then be promoted to beta 1 all being well. I am still a few days off releasing alpha5 though. It has a lot of changes from alpha4. I worked through the night yesterday to try and get it nearer. Even if it has some bits 'pending' I will get alpha5 out before Xmas.

If you want to test then I recommend you join the alpha group and use whatever version is available when you have time, which should be alpha5 poss with hotfixes. This will become beta 1. There wont be an alpha6. There are around 100 testers currently although feedback is sparse. Maybe it just works :crossed_fingers: alpha4 is pretty stable and functional but alpha 5 might regress a bit ..

I am away for a few days (sans Internet) from Xmas Eve until 28th and I really don't want to post the first beta when I'm not here for support.

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Hi Huy, I have sent you an invite to alpha4 - and alpha5 is imminent which, when tested, will become beta0 or beta1 . If you're keen to play give it a try otherwise keep an eye out for the beta announcement on the forum.

If anyone want's alpha invites to try whilst off over the holiday break contact me now by PM.

Awesome @kevin I'll give it a shot over the break, likely not until after xmas though...

I would like to participate if possible. Trying to setup a reliable Hubitat <-> HA link.

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The HE<>HA linkage comes about as a bonus because of the HE<>MQTT support and auto disovery which was the main purpose of my HE app. Iā€™m focussing on the latter but the HE<>HA bit works well and is very popular, when I release the beta there will be a specific topic for that. Included are the more common device types and sensors and it just needs fleshing out a bit for any more unusual devices,

HA MQTT Auto Discovery is advertised by my HE app (HE > HA) and HA statestream is supported including control for HA>HE. The app supports homie discovery support bidirectionally too.

Have added you to the alpha and I am upto date with all outstanding alpha access requests.

Hi Kevin,

I am also interested on testing the app. I already have HA installed in a VM and I own 2 HE boxes therefore I have enough resources for testing/crashing the systems :slight_smile:

best regards,
Vali

Hi Kevin

I am running Home Assistant as my main home automation hub and have a handful of old ST sensors and a spare Hubitat hub. I would love to have a go with your app to see if I can get the ST sensors onto Hubitat and drop the ST hub, keeping everything local.

Nick

@kevin Iā€™d really love to try the alpha if your still accepting requests. Was going to hold out on the beta release but Iā€™m getting impatient. :wink:

Alpha 5 will be out in the next day or so - it will become beta1 after any reported bugs and associated hotfixes . There will not be an alpha6. So just hang tight a couple more.days.

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Awesome! Thanks for the update!

I have a very active pre alpha 5 test group these last couple of days keeping me busy.

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I would like to try it out the alpha if possible. Trying to link with OpenHAB. Too new to send a PM.

I was early in on the Alpha's and life got in the way. I would love to get in on Alpha5 as I still have ALpha4. Looks like the last commit was 19 days ago.

Scott

it's coming any day now - last commit on alpha5 pre was today and there have been 10 commits in the last week - so very active still.

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This is awesome. I'm building support for a legacy lighting system to MQTT, and had planned on using Homie3 for the schema. However, the schema seems to be somewhat flexible in your message structure. Does anyone have a sample of the messages in the Homie3 topics for openhab?

You mean of a Hubitat light device published to MQTT (homie) or something that OpenHAB handles correctly ?

The latter is a mystery as they don't really say anything about what they are expecting and required except a 'homie3/4 spec device', which is enough I suppose. They also don't support homie as a publish format from OpenHAB so have no example messages available.

Previously (OH2.4) HE<>OH has not been very robust - but now 2.5 is released they have fixed a lot of homie and MQTT bugs it should be much better. But I'm not a OH user so I haven't tried it yet.

I integrate my legacy C-Bus lighting system via MQTT and am very happy with that.