Temperature control

#1

1) Give a description of the problem
TEMPERATURE CONTROL

2) What is the expected behaviour?
TRIGGER HEATING

Hi everyone,
during the night my heating is turn-off but I would like to turn-on it when the temperature is less then a certain temperature (I have one aeotec multisensor 6).
I think to have two solutions:

  1. one piston that every 10 min check the temperature (but I don’t like this recursive routine)
  2. one piston that use the aeotec device to trigger the heating if the temperature is less then … (will be reliable?)

In your opinion what’s the best solution ?

#2

Depending on the location of the sensor (and whether your sensor sees decimals), a trigger based on “temperature changes” can easily fire 5-20 times an hour.

For example, any trigger containing “Aeotec’s temperature” will execute the piston on every single temperature change… whether it’s going up or down at the time.

(I forget if Aeotec uses integers or decimals for temperature, but that has a huge impact)

You could make a test piston, and let it run for awhile to better understand your specific environment.

IF Aeotec's temperature changes
    Then log to console [Aeotec : temperature]
END IF

Let it run for at least 24 hours, and then come back and examine the log. You will quickly see how often it fires each hour, and will be better equipped to make the real piston.

Pro Tip:

For less frequent triggers, you might use a less sensitive sensor (integers only)…
or base it on longer time duration (IE: Every 30 minutes)

Either way, this may be a piston worth auto-pausing 98% of the time… and only auto-resuming if the forecast calls for cold weather while you are asleep.
(with that logic in another piston entirely)

#3

Ok,
thanks for the tips, I’ll make some test …
(yes, Aeotec uses decimals for temperature)

#4

This means, when traveling from 56° to 57°, it may very well fire ten times!

#5

Now I set one piston to control how many time the temperature changing, but it is clear that is how you write …
Probably, one piston that every 10 min check the temperature is the solution less demanding …

#6

I try to avoid over-active pistons, whenever possible.
My example above was really just so you would see real-world results.

As you discovered, setting a timer keeps the checks precise and methodical.
(although personally, I would likely reduce to 15 or 20 min, unless the piston is very short & simple)

#7

Ok,
also to pause the piston during the day and enable it only the night can be interesting …

#8

Well, a little report …
I set the Aeotec device to send the data every 5 min but the piston start only when the temperature changes, I also add one numeric counter in my piston …
After 12 hours (00:00 -> 12:00) the piston fires 65 times (because the temperature don’t change every 5 min), probably in 24 hours fires approximately 130 times.

It’s many times? (after all one piston that every 10 min check the temperature fires 144 times).

#9

In my opinion, this is an acceptable amount.