So I'm using VT to manage some high power inline fans to cool some rooms to a temp lower than the main house HVAC. Works beautifully. The rest of the house is roasting at my wife's preferred 71 degrees, and I can get some rooms down to 65 if I so choose.
The problem is this, and it's fairly simple. The VT app turns on the 400cfm inline fan to boost cooling, but it doesn't take into account whether or not the main HVAC is running. So if the temp rises the fan will kick on and bring room temp from other rooms up the pipe. What I want to do is set it up so VT only activates its chosen outlets when the main HVAC is running, and then shuts off its chosen outlet when the main HVAC shuts down. I know it's possible, but how in the world could I pull that off? Is there another therm app that does something like this?
Do you have a method to detect whether the main HVAC system is running? You could create a pretty straightforward rule that just shut down the virtual thermostat (turn it off at the device level) if the HVAC is off, and turn it back on when the HVAC comes on.
I tried that. It's so odd. I had created three rules to watch the Ecobee and turn the VTherm on and off accordingly. They just don't work. One to turn on and set to heat with the ecobee "heating" state, cool for cooling, and off for the ecobee "idle".
I just stopped all three rules, and tried creating one through Sharptools. Because the Sharptools icon displays are always correct, so it's definitely getting the correct status for the devices. So the rules might work there. If not, on to IFTTT.
Which ecobee integration are you using? I am using the HE native one and I definitely have conditions that use the status. Not sure I've tried it with an event.
....so about that version. I'm using the native one alright. In fact I believe I set it up the day I first plugged in Hubitat. The username and password have been the same with Ecobee for almost a decade, as thermostat security just isn't on my radar.
Somewhere along the line Ecobee must've logged it out. Isn't it amazing how well 3rd party connections work when they're properly authenticated? +1 for a "logged out" alert to show up on the top right when 3p's kick us out
Cooling and Idle rules tested and working fine. The heat rule is gonna have to wait. THANKS, Brad for having me check the app. That's what identified the login issue.
The heat rule is gonna have to wait. THANKS, Brad for having me check the app. That's what identified the login issue.
