This driver was included about a month ago, the upcoming release will include integration with HSM.
1 Like
That is weird Mike, when I add the keypad it works but parcially, not sure if the problem is no HSM integration yet, when I click on the software Arm Away I see the keypads change the status, but I can't setup pins and dissarm the keypad with my preffered code. Any suggestions are very welcome and thanks for answering.
These devices don't store the pins in hardware (unlike locks)...
So the pin codes (for now) need to be entered into the driver prior to being able to use the code on the keypad.
The keypads work with hubitat. At least my iris keypads do.
Without the integration for HSM or other apps, there’s not much you can do with them though (maybe code an app yourself, I’m not able to do that though).
Ok, that means that we need the intregration of HSM, ok, thanks Mike. I will wait for the next firmware release to migrate them.
I just got hold of a Lowe’s Iris keypad whilst on vacation in the US so I’ll be playing with integrating it into HSM in the next couple of weeks. Once I get over returning to work. !!
The GE Fan Switch may not be "incompatible" but it certainly isn't "fully operational" with its named driver, either.
For instance, that driver seems to present to Alexa as a binary switch -- I can turn it off and on, but I can't set levels, as that is "unsupported" (per Alexa).
The GE Wave plus fan controller most certainly is fully functional.
Now if the Alexa integration isn't fully functional, or there is a bug there that needs to be worked out, that's a different discussion - one specifically about the HE Alexa integration.
But the device itself is completely 100% working IN HUBITAT as is.
1 Like
I think our definitions of fully functional are different.
Hubitat is not presenting the device correctly to external tools. This is a deficiency in Hubitat, and since there is no setting (that I've seen) to control how a "GE Smart Fan Control" device type presents to Alexa, the outcome is that this is a deficiency in the Hubitat programming around that device.
Furthermore, the fact that the device-specific driver includes speed settings for anything other than "off, low, medium, high" is incorrect. This driver includes "medium-low," "medium-high", and "auto" which make no sense for this device.
Hubitat "presents" devices to Alexa in the exact same way you see them in the Hubitat Interface. If Alexa doesn't have the same device options that you do in the Hubitat interface that's not Hubitat's issue.
1 Like
Actually, it is. Hubitat is presenting it, via the Hubitat-provided integration app, as a binary switch. At very least, it should be presented as a dimmer.
No point in arguing this further in my opinion. Everyone has their own vision of how things should work, and what is acceptable versus not.
If you want it to work differently, it would be productive to submit a support email. That way it gets in the system in a more official way.
You can work around this issue (for now) by changing the Driver type to a "Generic Z-Wave Dimmer" as this will present to the Amazon Alexa Skill a standard dimmer switch, instead of the fan. Of course, that also means that in Hubitat Apps, such as Rule Machine, you'll have to treat your fan like a dimmer switch, instead of a fan, but at least you'll have the control over the device using both Alexa and RM.
Inside the Alexa App, you could also create Alexa Routines that are triggered by phrases such as "Set Fan to Low" , "Set Fan to Medium", and "Set Fan to High". Then in each Routine set the dimmer level accordingly.
I agree that Hubitat has some details to iron out when it comes to Fan devices, especially with respect to their integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. I am fairly certain that they are aware of this. You could always submit a support case to the team via support@hubitat.com just to be sure.
No, it's not. If Hubitat is saying "Hi Alexa, I'm a fan controller with these capabilities" and Alexa is saying "Ok, you're a switch" then that's on Alexa.
If you want it to be a dimmer then change it to a dimmer in Hubitat.
Actually, Hubitat wrote and maintains the Amazon Echo Skill for Hubitat... so yea, it really is on Hubitat to give the Alexa Skill some attention and tweaks. We've been waiting quite a while for Hubitat's Alexa integration to support Motion Sensors, Contact Sensors, and Fan Controllers. Unfortunately, the developer who wrote the original Alexa integration is no longer with the company. They are a small company, however I am confident that they will get to it eventually.
1 Like
Actually the GE fan controller driver since being updated actually removed functionality from the device in Google Home or Alexa. Although the device did not show up in GH as a fan, at least you could adjust it as a dimmer to control fan speed. In its current form the driver only allows on/off.
So the device driver updates have made the device as seen by GH or Alexa LESS functional.
In fact Google Home at least already supports fan controller devices, but HE needs to add this support for GH or Alexa.
If you change the driver then Rule Machine would not see the device as a fan controller anymore either I suspect.
Yeah, and I could also make a virtual dimmer that is shown to Alexa and is the way I control the device from there. There are hacks to accomplish this, but they don't fix the problem that this device is not fully functional in the entire Hubitat ecosystem as it is claimed to be.
Yes, if that's what it's saying. That said, it seems that Hubitat is saying "Hi Alexa, I'm a switch."
If it is written with the fan controller approach, then it's also on Hubitat to provide documentation on what needs to be said to Alexa -- I can change my approach to say "set bedroom fan speed to low" instead of "set bedroom fan to 25%". But that doesn't appear to be documented anywhere that I can see.
It also wouldn't hurt to make the whole thing a bit more user-friendly by listening to all of these approaches.
Exactly my point.
Exactly. I have no problem telling Alexa to "set bedroom fan to 25%" in order to get low speed. Or if the magical incantation is "set mumbojumbo spill to supafas" that's fine too... but if it's not obvious, you'll need to document it.
Ugh. I finally hook up an Echo and install a GE fan dimmer, with the intent of being able to stealthily turn down the fan at night in "whisper mode" since my wife likes going to bed beneath a tornado, and THEN I actually research and find this thread!!
LOL on me. Anyway, my echo gives me an "ok" to "turn on bedroom fan", but as this thread seems to indicate won't respond correctly to anything like faster, slower, high, medium, low. Even when I say "turn off bedroom fan" the command will work, but then alexa responds with "sorry, bedroom fan is not responding" as it does with any of the speed setting type verbiage.
Ah well, I shall stay tuned!
Wait, why can’t you do this with Alexa routines? For faster and slower, trigger a virtual switch for faster, and one for slower that turns off after 1 second. Make a RM rule for each that adjusts the dimmer by a set amount up or down, depending on which virtual switch is triggered.
That's exactly what I did for my system. I have a CT-100 so I have a rule named 'Warmer' that increments the cool setpoint 1 degree, waits 5 seconds, and increments the heat setpoint 1 degree and the opposite for a rule named 'Cooler'.
I happen to also have a 'Google Home' so I can ask it: "Hey Google, what is Thermostat Temperature?" and it will say: "It's currently 75 degrees and heat cool mode is set to keep the temperature between 74 and 76 degrees" (it's in Auto Mode).
Not exactly the same thing, but...
1 Like
