Tag: openhab

Categories
Velbus

Installing OpenHAB – Velbus binding

Log in to openhabian with ssh i.e.:

ssh openhabian@openhabian

Install snap:

sudo apt install snapd

Install velbus-tcp:

sudo snap install velbus-tcp

Get the script from mdar.co.uk page:

wget https://mdar.co.uk/dl/velserv-setup.sh

Make it executable:

sudo chmod a+x velserv-setup.sh

WARNING! The script doesn’t perform any checks) it’s work in progress) – read the script before executing. The script setups and runs velserv

Execute the script with:

sudo ./velserv-setup.sh

Add Velbus Bridge in openHAB bindngs

Set the Velbus bridge using server: localhost and port 6000. Wait a while – it will be off line for a few seconds. That’s how it looks:

Open VelbusLink

Select connect to network

Use your server Ip or hostname, port 6000

IMPORTANT: untick the TLS box!!

Troubleshooting:

From server terminal: “systemctl status velserv” shows the status. If the velserv restarts every few seconds – it might be caused by invalid USB gateway name.

Make sure the gateway is connected:

openhabian@openhabian:~ $ lsusb -d 10cf:
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 10cf:0b1b Velleman Components, Inc. VMB1USB Velbus USB interface


openhabian@openhabian:~ $ udevadm info -q property /dev/bus/usb/001/003 | grep DEVPATH
DEVPATH=/devices/platform/scb/fd500000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.3

That path should be the same as reported by “stemctl status velserv”. If it’s different it needs to be changed in “/etc/systemd/system/velserv.service”

Categories
Velbus

OpenHAB and Velbus gateway

Progress log:

  1. Installed power supply for OpenHAB server based on raspberry pi
  2. Installed Velbus power supply
  3. Installed raspberry pi, 4B with 4GB RAM
  4. Installed Velbus gateway

All cables need to be upgraded, but the initial setup works. Not all cables are shown – USB between RPI and Velbus gateway is missing.

Categories
Velbus

Velbus .. the beginning

I’ll be documenting here my Velbus journey. If you haven’t heard that name before – Velbus is the only one really open hardware home control platform. A “competition” to Velbus – KNX is an open standard, but there is no way of installing it and using without using proprietary ETS (Windows only) with an encrypted database. Velbus ticked all the open source software/hardware boxes. The configuration software VelbusLink doesn’t run natively on linux, but can be run under WINE/Lutris. The Velbus forum is fantastic source of information. There is a good set of modules – from lighting switches, through control panels (switch with display) and gateways to relays, dimmers, meters, occupancy sensors to a weather station. My plan is to retrofit an old house and use Velbus to control whatever possible – lights, window blinds, heating, air-conditioning, pool automation, energy generation, etc. The OpenHAB will be used for tasks that can’t be directly managed from Velbus. A great source of information about how to install Velbus is MDAR webpage: https://mdar.co.uk

Progress log:

  1. Bought and tested Velbus starter kit.
  2. Bought Finder 3 phase energy meter with pulse output and Velbus I/O module – it will be used to measure home energy production/consumption.
  3. Velbus cable from main fusebox to the external gate installed
  4. Velbus cable in bedroom installed.
  5. Velbus cable and CAT6 cable installed between the living room and the attic.