kp-bit / xblinds Goto Github PK

Hi!

Might it be possible to format xblinds MQTT Messages into JSON, and/or implement Home Assistant Auto-Discovery?

I'm using Domoticz myself, but a recent Domoticz release has support For HASS Auto-Discovery, which should help getting it into Domoticz as well i reckon.

I think part of the problem is; i've sniffed xblinds's MQTT traffic and it does not seem to be JSON formatted. This is the MQTT formatting Domoticz supports and expects, but i reckon HASS Auto-Discovery should help as well with that.

Further i read that it might be possible to "convert" xblind's MQTT messages to a JSON format with the help of Node-Red, but i'm not to handy with it and i rather don't want to use tricks into getting it to work via some sort of translation layer.

Thanks in advance!

Hi kp-bit!

Thanks for your software. I have a few suggestions which i'm giving their own topic so there won't be any garbage.

Is it possible to adjust the + and - behavior when setting up the blinds, or perhaps add another + and - for the bigger adjustment increments?

It is a pain to roll out a 160cm blind for setting its position with such small increments. I think it would be better to add (or adjust it to) a +, - and STOP.

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

Thanks for the great work!

I have v0.6 now fully integrated in my OpenHab2 installations. OpenHab2 uses the open/closed/half/full mqtt status info to display the status in de UI.

I noticed this was changed in v0.7/0.8.

Would it be possible to make the behaviour like open/closed or full detailed status info selectable in setup? So it would be able the upgrade to the next and possibly future versions for also the OpenHab users?

thanks!

I have less than a 50/50 chance of one of these being able to connect to my wifi network after entering the ssid and password after flashing. It works on about 30% of the d1's I purchase the rest do not work. However there is a difference in the terminal screen info that might help you figure out the ussue (see the 3 terminal screens below and my comments between them.
The Terminal screen shows (cr-lf removed)

Reading stored values from EEPROM...
xBlinds
on
1883
xblinds/all
xblinds
0
0
0
0
0
0
512
Turning on AP
WIFI_AP
Setting soft-AP ... Soft AP ready
Soft AP configured
Soft AP IP address: 4.3.2.1
HTTP server started
Setup ended!

It then shows this after entering the wifi info

Setup ended!
Default
Default
Updating EEPROM...
Confirming EEPROM...
xBlinds
cecg_private
******** ******** (password was here)
on
1883
xblinds/all
xblinds-3160c0
512
Connecting to cecg_private
..................................

it never connects however the ones that work look like this

eading stored values from EEPROM...
xBlinds
cecg_private
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx (password was here)
off (note this whatever it is is off and the ones that don't work it is on)
192.168.16.68
1883

xblinds/3
xblinds-70d7e2

0
0
0
0
0
0

512

Connecting to cecg_private

Any info how to solve this would be appreciated

Thank for for the current state include the switch.
I took some time to build first with breadboard, i want to check first before build all thing and i look to the power consuming.

After first start of the D1 Mini Clone will get 0.08A so around 0.4W but after first turn it get up to 0.28A and 1.37W.
From then it will stay at this point even it it is running or not, it seems the IN1 and IN2 from the ULN2003 is permanently on and get signal.
When i hit the reset button from ESP D1 will go back to 0.08A.

Is it possibel to set all pins the Pins to low after the work from the stepper is done, so it will not heat up also after?

Hi,

would it be possible to publish the original CAD files from the tool you created them in?

I'd like to add another button for up and down.

I'm sorry I don't know how to direct message you, but I have an Idea.
I use your firmware for my own blinds configuration and there are the complete electronics are on the window and I thought it would be nice to attach a switch or reed contact to the window connected with the d1 mini which is sent via Mqtt to home assistant to display the status of the window if its open or closed. Unfortunately, I didn't know anything about coding, so I thought you maybe can add this feature. 

I would also pay for a coffee :)

My Automated Blinds Version with your Firmware: https://www.printables.com/de/model/383885-automated-blinds

everytime Home assitant reboots i have to type in the Mqtt paswwort on the Web Interface of each blind then it works but its everytime

A great project in advance! Is it possible to use a stronger engine? I wanted to automate external blinds with it. (In principle, the same system but only with a cord) The 5v engine is a little too weak for that, I guess. I'm building an attempted drive with a Nema17 stepper and an A4988 stepstick stepper driver.

Normally there is a way for getting a pulse if a stepper motor misses a step (it can't execute it).
I'm not sure if the board listed is capable of this without modifications, but here is my reasoning for a nice feature:

When a power loss or boot has occurred (or the user request a full open- or homing)
move motor so the blinds up, when it detects this 'step missed' pulse (for X times), stop and remember that position as 'fully open'

PS: I was just curious and found this on Thingiverse. I Still want to make something similar, so I'm just a bit scouting around. I also think that a version 2 can be way smaller with a custom PCB

Hi There,
Is there a way to have the D1 retain it's settings after reboot? I'm setting it up though the GUI and it is working perfectly but I'd like to be able to have it plugged in with the rest of my AV equipment which all turns off when not in use, I'd just have Home Assistant turn the plug on a while before it is scheduled to open or close and then turn off again when it is done. Is there a way to get the source code and bake the wifi, mqtt and calibration settings into the flashed file?
Cheers
Michael

hi thanks for perfect project . How we can add apple HomeKit integration without any hub

Hi, I found a hardware hack to give more power to the small stepper motor. However, this must then be addressed via another controller. Instead of ULN2003 it is then a L293D, which is also available in small designs.

I would be happy to integrate this controller into your code if you make the source code for it available to me. If possible, I would make it so that the controller type can be selected via the configuration.

Thanks already, if you let me help.

Hi There, I am very interested in using this project as a base for my smart blinds project. Would you be able to add the source into the repo? Would like to be able to look in to doing Alexa or IFTTT integration.

Cheers

Hi!

I'm using your project for my roller blinds. With the help of Gears the 28BYJ-48 holds up pretty well, but not enough.

I noticed the Stepper skipping/struggling when at full speed, but it works fine when it is accelerating or is decelerating up to a certain point, so the speed/torque tradeoff is the issue here.

Can you implement a feature to adjust the max RPM the Stepper accelerates to? That way everyone can decide this tradeoff for themselves.

Thanks in advance!

Love your project and will start with it soon.

I have three windows (80 cm x 175cm) and want to use your project for this.

Would it be possible to connect alle 3 units to the same powersupply so i don't need 3x wirring and seperate power supplys to all units but combine them so i can use 2 main power wires that i can connect to all 3 of them.

Any recommendation for a powersupply the feed all 3.

Hi first of all Great design!
Printed and modifyed the pulley. all fits great.
But i have a problem.
The motor skips and stutters when trying to pull up the blind.
Is there any solution for that.
I already put wd40 on the blinds and they run realy smooth.
I use a 5v 2000 mah powersupply splitted to the motor control board and the esp8266.

I used the motor from the link to amazon.

Hope you can help me.

Hello, first of all great praise, great product what you programmed.
I have the following phenomenon after I controlled the XBLIND for the first time via MQTT, the web interface is no longer accessible. I see the blind in the network and can ping them too. Only when I start the MQTT broker can I access the web interface. Would it be possible to program the free inputs as up, down and stop. If you have called up, the motor will run until stop is pressed and the same in the other direction. Then I can control the blind regardless of the network or MQTT.

Hi,
First of all, thank you for you project, I am loving it!
But it seems that when the blind gets operated, the ESP gets disconnected after a short while with the MQTT message "xblinds-xxxxxx not connected".
The complete blind open or close procedure finishes correctly, but at the end I get the MQTT messagage "rebooted".
So the open or close status does not get updated in Home Assistant. Untill a short time ago, not a big problem, but now after HA was updated, the blind keeps on openening and closing.
I have tried several D1 mini's, all give the same result.
Is there something you can do in the Firmware to solve this issue?

Thanks very much.

With kind regards, Dennis

With the new version v0.7 i have a problem.

When I try to switch from the closed position to the half position, nothing moves.

But if I change to half position in the open or fully open state, then it works without any problems.

Hello, I have a problem with mqtt configuration. I really like your project but I can't deal with it. In mqtt explorer only exposes xblinds/window/status but it does not change when I move the blinds through the website. After connecting to homeassistant, sending payload comments does not work, and additionally, after adding the code to configuration.yaml, the device does not appear as an entity. Please help

Hey, I would love to use this project but my blinds are slightly different.
Could you share the design files so I could modify the stls accordingly?
Thanks!

Hi thanks for the great project. I am using it on string operated vertical handing blinds that open horizontal across the window. It takes about 30 seconds for them to open. When I access it through the IP address they work fine. I have now set up MQTT control with home assistant and Mosquito. When I send the close command they close fine, pause for a few moments then open again. I notice the log shows I initiated the close command but not the open. There is also a time out between each line. This is my first attempt at using MQTT so I expect I'm missing something obvious. Do you know what setting I would need to change to stop this happening. Thanks!

Hi, I have blinds that move up and down. Would you happen to recommend a more powerful motor to move the blind up and down? If I was to get another motor would it just work or would the code need to be written?

Thank you

Ben

hello could i have the code please i would have to change a few things for me

Hi, I have made two of these xblinds for my living room and now i;m stuck on the MQTT part... don't seem to understand how it works exactly... i have made a https://node02.myqtthub.com/ account but i can only find Domain, clientID, add device...
no "MQTT group" so i don;t know where to subscribe...
please help!

Hello, is there any easy way to run the code with esp32 board?

To support state_opening and state_closing on the integration, the xblinds/window/status should respond with "opening" or "closing" when the blinds are opening or closing.

See [(https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/cover.mqtt/)]

I see images and readme, but no code.

Do you think that the L293D motor driver could be added instead of the 2003 for more torque? I saw something interesting here :https://lastminuteengineers.com/stepper-motor-l293d-arduino-tutorial/
Or even turning the 28BYJ-48 bipolar might do the trick for heavier rolls.
But i guess the libraries would need to change...? (advanced noob in arduino and electronics)

P.s. Amazing work you are doing here!!! Thank you a thousand times for myself and others that did not take the time but used your work.

Hi,
I have flashed my D1 mini with v0.6 and it works fine with the setup I can connect to it's AP and open it's setup page but when I enter my wifi details it will not connect to it.
Terminal says only this:

[21:51:34]xBlinds
[21:51:34]dom
[21:51:34]my_wifi_password
[21:51:34]on
[21:51:34]
[21:51:34]1883
[21:51:34]
[21:51:34]
[21:51:34]xblinds/all
[21:51:34]xblinds-7c9fa2
[21:51:34]
[21:51:34]0
[21:51:34]0
[21:51:34]0
[21:51:34]0
[21:51:34]0
[21:51:34]
[21:51:34]Connecting to dom

Please let me know what can I do to properly connect this device to my home wifi.

First of all, thanks for the great project!

Could you add license to this project - to make usage / development etc clear on this.

Thanks!

Wouldn't it be easier to use the power supply from the D1 Mini USB port? I tested the assembled unit with the D1 Mini connected to my laptop with USB, and it seems to work just fine that way. I was able to control the unit.

Either this LED should be disabled, or a ability to configure it off.

Hi, I've a problem with the release 1.0 with my nodemcu, when I connect my phone with the AP gets stuck obtain IP Address. I flashed the version 0.9 and works fine without problems.