Help with Ecobee Suite Manager, V 1.8.56 (author: storageanarchy / SANdood)

[user2527]

This post is similar to one I saw from 2019:
Ecobee custom comfort setting? - Rule Machine® - Hubitat

I'm hoping someone, perhaps @storageanarchy can set me on the right path (i.e., help me get my head screwed on right )

Problem summary:
I can't get the suite to do anything, even though I think it is fully installed properly. I may misunderstand how to use it correctly.

Ultimate Goal:
I would like to use the suite to set my Ecobee 3 thermostat, on demand, to any of the three built in
Ecobee comfort settings, Home, Sleep, Away in response to Hubitat virtual switches turning ON that are named Ecobee-Home, Ecobee-Sleep, Ecobee-Away without utilizing the Ecobee's scheduling facility (I hope that is possible). However, I am content to use Ecobee's app or web site to manage all of the typical thermostat parameters, such as Fan mode, Heat/Cool/Auto/Off mode and parameters for the comfort settings.

Ecobee Suite Installation summary:

• Installed 13 app codes comprising the Ecobee Suite
• Installed 2 Ecobee Suite driver codes
• Enabled OAUTH for Ecobee Suite Manager App code (App code list shows as "enabled")
• Authenticated and connected my Ecobee account to Ecobee Suite Manager (shows as [connected])
• Created instance of Ecobee Suite Thermostat hubitat device and called it Ecobee
• Created three hubitat virtual switches called Ecobee-Home, Ecobee-Sleep and Ecobee-Away
• Created three Ecobee Suite Mode/Switches/Program Helper child apps that connect to the three hubitat virtual switches mentioned above. Example:

Example Mode/Switches/Program helper app definition:
Name: Ecobee Away
Ecobee Suite Thermostat: Ecobee
Trigger: Switch(es) On/Off
With any of these switches: Ecobee-Away
Is turned on: true
Turn the switch off after running the action: true
Switch to this Ecobee program: Away
Note: all other helper parameters left at default values

Observations:
I expected to be able to turn on one of the virtual switches from the hubitat device page, for example Ecobee-Sleep, and then see my Ecobee thermostat (hardware) change to the Sleep comfort setting. Nothing happened, no change to the thermostat hardware settings.

I tried changing thermostat settings from the hubitat device page for the Ecobee Suite Thermostat, examples: fan mode: on, thermostat mode: cool, press the cool button, press the away button, etc. None of these produced any hardware state changes. Note: I waited several minutes to account for polling frequency.

Here are what are shown for the Ecobee Suite Thermostat device instance state variables:

I also tried using the SetSchedule custom command in RM: SetSchedule("home") on Ecobee per the 2019 post I cite at the start of this post. This did produce an event entry for the thermostat device instance, but it didn't do anything to the thermostat hardware state.

[storageanarchy]

It looks like you created your device manually, instead of using Ecobee Suite Manager to select and create your devices. Try deleting your existing devices, and then go back into ES Manager to select first your thermostat(s), and then your sensors.

Once installed properly, you don’t need the virtual switches, just use the Smart Modes helper to automate changing programs based on Ecobee Mode changes…

[user2527]

Thank you so much!

You are correct, the problem is that I didn't realize that the Suite Manager app can and must create the thermostat device instance in Hubitat. I had just created it manually (as I'm accostomed to do for most things in Hubitat). So apparently my thermostat device instance wasn't connected up to my actual thermostat. Following your comments everything works perfectly.

I do still need my 3 virtual switches and three instances of the mode/switch helper rather than using the smart mode helper because I want to change the physical thermostat selected comfort setting in response to things happening in Hubitat, not the other way around.

One example is when Hubitat detects that my security system disarms, I set the physical thermostat's comfort mode to Home. To do that, all I needed in my RM rule that is triggered by security system disarm event is to turn on my Ecobee-Home virtual switch that is connected to the mode/switch helper of the Suite Manager.

Thanks again. Fantastic job with this very comprehensive and well thought out suite.

[storageanarchy]

@user2527

when Hubitat detects that my security system disarms, I set the physical thermostat's comfort mode to Home. To do that, all I needed in my RM rule that is triggered by security system disarm event is to turn on my Ecobee-Home virtual switch that is connected to the mode/switch helper of the Suite Manager.

I do the same, except I have the Rule change the Hubitat Mode to "Home" when the alarm disarms. My Ecobee Mode Helper sees the mode change, and changes the thermostat to the "Home" program.

Your way is fine too, just not sure you need the complication of switches for Ring integration. But if it works for you, c'est la vie!

[john18]

Hi sorry to hijack the thread, but for some reason I can't adjust the mode on my thermostat from Rule Machine. Whenever I try to pick a fan mode or thermostat mode, it doesn't stick and just goes back to "click to set".

Any clues? It seems I can change the temperature setting for the Ecobee, but not the modes. I can change either (temperature and/or mode) on my other (non ecobee) thermostats.

Thanks