I’ve been working on creating a reliable heating schedule for my home using Home Assistant, and I wanted to share my experience in case it helps others. My setup involves controlling a Millivolt thermostat-controlled gas heater, and I wanted to ensure that the system could handle variable temperatures based on the time of day and occupancy.
Objective:
- Create an automation that adjusts the heater based on a predefined schedule.
- Allow manual overrides that temporarily override the schedule.
- Ensure the system is resilient and doesn’t reset during Home Assistant restarts.
Solution: Schedy and Lovelace Integration
After some research, I decided to use Schedy by hass-apps. It’s a powerful tool for scheduling and has proven to be very reliable. Combined with Lovelace’s thermostat card, it provides a user-friendly interface. Here’s how I set it up:
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Device Setup:
- Shelly1 Relay: This serves as the switch for the gas heater. It’s versatile and can handle both AC and DC power, which was a big plus for my setup.
- Xiaomi Temperature Sensor: Integrated with Combee II and deconz, it provides accurate temperature readings.
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Home Assistant Configuration:
- I set up a climate entity using the generic_thermostat component. This allows me to define the heater and target sensor, along with temperature tolerances to prevent frequent cycling.
- Input Selects and Booleans: These were used to create modes like “Normal” and “Home Early,” allowing me to override the schedule when needed.
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AppDaemon and Schedy Setup:
- Installing AppDaemon was straightforward using the hassio add-on. The key was ensuring the correct Python packages were included.
- Schedy was then configured to watch the input selects and booleans, adjusting the temperature accordingly. The rescheduling_delay feature was particularly useful, as it allows manual overrides to persist for a set period before reverting to the schedule.
Advantages of Schedy: - Instant Changes: Unlike some other automation methods, Schedy applies changes immediately without waiting for state changes.
- Continuous Polling: It constantly checks the state of temperatures, times, and user inputs, ensuring the system stays responsive.
- Manual Override Handling: After adjusting the temperature manually, Schedy will automatically revert to the scheduled mode after the specified delay, preventing unintended energy usage.
Future Enhancements: - I plan to add more temperature sensors in different rooms to create a zoned heating system.
- Integrating voice controls through Google Home would make adjustments even more convenient.
Overall, this setup has been a game-changer for my home heating automation. It’s reliable, customizable, and integrates seamlessly with other Home Assistant components. If you’re looking to enhance your heating system’s efficiency and convenience, I highly recommend exploring Schedy and the Lovelace thermostat card combination. Happy automating! 