Hubitat Thermostat Limitations - Mini Splits

[dJOS]

For context, this specifically affects mini split system integrations, as they support more features and modes than traditional AC systems.

I have a fork of the Sensibo App and Driver on my GitHub page - it's a port of a SmartThings integration and I have all of my supported fan speeds and modes.

GitHub - dJOS1475/SensiboIntegration: Sensibo Integration Optimised for Hubitat

Ignoring all the "climate react" stuff, It's Sensibo's "smart feature" for ppl without home automation systems, the important parts are the supported fan settings and modes.

Basically, Hubitat seems to choke on the Dry mode (dehumidify), mode fan, and the fan speeds like “quiet”, “medium low” or “medium high” etc.

The most obvious issue is when you try to use the dashboard thermostat tile - it basically doesn’t work at all, it will only show the current states.

It also means I can’t share my thermostat with Homekit as it comes up as unsupported.

I could be wrong, but it appears that the thermostat support in Hubitat was created with hard coded modes and fan speeds and isn’t flexible enough to accommodate modern mini split systems?

Oh and the thermostat tile doesn’t display humidity either.

So my ask is that Hubitat please make thermostat support more flexible. @bobbyD @bcopeland @bravenel

FWIW, my actual system is made by Daikin, Sensibo just make the IR to Wifi bridge.

metadata {
	definition (name: "SensiboPod", namespace: "joyfulhouse", author: "Bryan Li", oauth: false) {
		capability "Relative Humidity Measurement"
		capability "Temperature Measurement"
		capability "Polling"
        capability "Refresh"
        capability "Switch"
        capability "Thermostat"
        capability "Battery"
        capability "Actuator"
        capability "Sensor"
        capability "Health Check"
        capability "Power Source"
        capability "Voltage Measurement"
        
        attribute "swing", "String"
        attribute "temperatureUnit","String"
        attribute "productModel","String"
        attribute "firmwareVersion","String"
        attribute "Climate","String"
		attribute "targetTemperature","Double"
        attribute "statusText","String"
        attribute "currentmode","String"
        attribute "fanLevel","String"
        attribute "on","String"   // Added by request of NateG
        
        
        command "setAll"
        command "switchFanLevel"
        command "switchMode"
        command "raiseCoolSetpoint"
        command "lowerCoolSetpoint"
        command "raiseHeatSetpoint"
        command "lowerHeatSetpoint" 
        command "voltage"
        command "raiseTemperature"
        command "lowerTemperature"
        command "switchSwing"
        command "modeSwing", [
            [
                name:"Swing Mode", type: "ENUM", description: "Pick an option", constraints: [
                    "fixedTop",
                    "fixedMiddleTop",
                    "fixedMiddle",
                    "fixedMiddleBottom",
                    "fixedBottom",
                    "rangeTop",
                    "rangeMiddle",
                    "rangeBottom",
                    "rangeFull",
                    "horizontal",
                    "both",
                    "stopped"
                ] 
            ]
        ]
        command "setThermostatMode"
        command "modeHeat"
        command "modeCool"
        command "modeDry"
        command "modeFan"
        command "modeAuto"
        command "lowfan"
        command "mediumlowfan"
        command "mediumfan"
        command "mediumhighfan"
        command "highfan"
        command "quietfan"
        command "strongfan"
        command "autofan"
        command "fullswing"
        command "setAirConditionerMode"
        command "toggleClimateReact"
        command "setClimateReact"
        command "configureClimateReact"
	}

[dJOS]

PS, this is what those modes etc look like in the Sensibo app.

[bravenel]

@dJOS

So my ask is that Hubitat please make thermostat support more flexible.

If you're using a custom driver, you can make it as flexible as you want, and have all of the modes and fan modes that the thermostat supports. The only app that won't honor those that I know of is the dashboard thermostat tile. Making that more flexible is on the to-do list.

I will look into the HomeKit issue -- not sure why it would show as unsupported.

@dJOS

t appears that the thermostat support in Hubitat was created with hard coded modes and fan speeds and isn’t flexible enough to accommodate modern mini split systems?

Yes, there are predefined modes and fan modes, but these can be extended / modified with the supportedThermostatModes and supportedThermostatFanModes attributes. Your driver would need to set these appropriately.

[dJOS]

@bravenel

Making that more flexible is on the to-do list.

Thank you, that would be great.

@bravenel

I will look into the HomeKit issue -- not sure why it would show as unsupported

Much appreciated.

@bravenel

Your driver would need to set these appropriately.

I’m happy to update the driver, is there documentation with examples on how to do this? I’m not a developer, just a tinkerer so I really need an idiots guide.

[bravenel]

See this:

hubitat/HubitatPublic/blob/master/examples/drivers/virtualThermostat.groovy

The initialize() method there has 2 lines of code that set the two attributes.

[dJOS]

Cheers, I’ll take a look.

[dylan.c]

@dJOS

can’t share my thermostat with Homekit

From my very limited tinkering with an Ecobee and an iPad, I don't belive the HomeKit protocol has much flexibilty either. Although i do recall some specific functionality related to mini splits. My hope has been that the roll out of Matter would lead to some degree of integration standardization between the different types of systems.

UPDATE: It looks like you've gone down the same rabbit hole i did with HADB... the dev's of HADB were kind enough to humor my request to add support for climate devices (starting around post 219 of that thread) .

[RELEASE] Home Assistant Device Bridge (HADB)

@SmartHomePrimer Are you able to please extend the supported attributes for the "Generic Thermostat"? I have a "Mini-Split" AC and the Sensibo App/Driver for Hubitat is a bit of a kludge compared to the very reliable HA driver. However I noticed that when I brought my AC into Hubitat via your excellent HA Bridge Software, it's missing some key supported modes and functions. HA: [Screenshot 2024-02-13 at 2.10.40 pm] Hubitat: To summarise, it's missing: 6 of the fan modes Swing Mode Optio…

[dJOS]

I managed to get it into homekit via Home bridge, but I’d like to get rid of home bridge as I don’t have any devices being shared from Hubitat through it anymore.

[VeloWulf]

Hello @bravenel, any progress update or an ETA on extending the thermostat dashboard tile to be more flexible and use supported modes that don't feature in the standard thermostat device, i.e., include the DRY mode that @dJOS has called out at a minimum but ideally all supported modes as identified in the supportedThermostatModes attribute/object for the device? Same comment for the support fan modes on @dJOS 's behalf (I personally am less reliant on those). Thanks in advance

[sburke781]

Things like the DRY mode can get done via the driver, like Bruce explained. Have you been able add the code for that @dJOS ? I do it in my Mitsubishi driver as well.

[dJOS]

Gents I’m just recovering from eye surgery at the moment so I’m having a hard time reading the last couple of posts but the issue isn’t adding these capabilities to the drivers. The issue is if you add them to the drivers breaks the dashboard tiles and causes other issues because the dashboard tile cracks it when it doesn’t support particular options. I hope that’s clear. Sorry using voice to text right now as I can’t easily read.

[sburke781]

Wow, hope you get your eyes sorted soon Derek.

[kkossev]

Get well soon!

[VeloWulf]

Yes, please disregard my question. I have overcome that particular hurdle.

Gents I’m just recovering from eye surgery at the moment so I’m having a hard time reading the last couple of posts

Crikey!! Hope all goes well @dJOS

[dJOS]

Thanks guys, I had a muscle issue in my right eye fixed. It was successful, but recovery is not very fun. - I have to wait another 3 weeks before I can get fitted for new glasses, and I’m long sighted, so using anything with a screen is challenging.