Integrating control systems with the OneControl platform and adding more components

[RoadKill]

So.... I found the debug window in Node-Red and saw that it was complaining about not being able to write to the dir.... so created the dir and got it to generate the .CSV (duh!). I sent you a PM with the .CSV shared.

[bob]

No worries, and thanks for the info. I'm going to bang away at it for a bit so I'll have better questions to ask. The auto-discovery sounds way better if it can work (I'm not a big fan of manually creating stuff). I was never able to find the .CSV - I think it's because I'm using HassOS and everything is containers. I think the SSH add-on only gives access to the /config for Home Assistant and the flow that creates the .CSV probably writes to the /config for the Node-Red container.

DEFINTELY get the Visual Code Server add-on - WAY WAY better for file editing!

I was able to get Auto Discovery working for tank sensors - I will need to edit the REST API flows to bring the info into the right MQTT topics, but I should be able to get that done soon...

Bob

[FirstAscent]

Hey Bob,

I just came across your post from various google searching, good to see all the work you've done so far I have a 2021 381M and recently started down a similar path. I want to rip the one control system completely out instead of controlling it

In your past research did you ever look into replacing the one control with a PLC of sorts and using HA as the front end? I haven't done a ton of digging yet but my initial thoughts are that one control is already controlling everything, meaning it has wires going out to each device already, basic I/O. Replacing with a PLC from a wiring perspective should be pretty straight forward. Connect the right wires to the I/O terminals, program the PLC, get it talking with HA, and done.

Obviously a little more involved than that but just thinking high level at this point. In any case, I like what you did and I may settle on something similar, but I'd prefer to completely gut one control. Fairly certain HA will be my front end no matter what path I go down though.

Thanks!

-Jaime

[bob]

FirstAscent I actually started trying to insert home assistant into the CANbus system used by the OneControl system to completely bypass the OCTP. Unfortunately, it is proprietary, and would take too long to reverse engineer....

I started redoing my system to automatically add OneControl components to Home Assistant using MQTT auto discovery. I started on it yesterday, and will need a few more days to get the kinks worked out, but it's coming along quite well. I found today that defining the type of sensor/device is a little harder than expected, as one OneControl node can have several different HA entity types - forward progress

I'll post it all on GitHub as soon as I get it working

Bob

[FirstAscent]

bob Thanks for the quick update. Maybe you'll have it all figured out by the time I get to that point haha I'm still deciding how I want to install HA, between that and the solar project I'm in the middle of you I'm in no rush. The only rush is I'm so tired of OneControl and how slow the screen is. Luckily the mobile app is fairly quick but haven't got it tied into my personal network quite yet, it doesn't want to connect

[RoadKill]

bob how's it going with the auto-discovery piece? I haven't had much time to play so I've been holding off on getting all the devices set up in HA since I would likely just re-do it all with the auto discovery. Do you have anything at this point that I could help you test?

[bob]

bob how's it going with the auto-discovery piece? I haven't had much time to play so I've been holding off on getting all the devices set up in HA since I would likely just re-do it all with the auto discovery. Do you have anything at this point that I could help you test?

Funny you should ask. YesterdayI cleaed a major milestone - the alpha version is just about ready for release There are a few limitations: physical components like the awnings and the slides are not included (they are controlled by Lippert in a different way that will require deeper integration) and RGB lights are not included due to a limitation in how Home Assistant treats lights (they split HSB values between two separate MQTT topics which makes the need for a "translator")

Here are a few things I am kinda proud of:

1. When you run the discovery process, you can have it send to MQTT for discovery, and/or you can have the tool write out the YAML (to use without discovery) or JSON (if you want to customize any of the info before discovery)
2. The tool will connect to the OneControl bridge and "download" all the devices, and automatically create the Home Assistant entities, including the diagnostic components. See screenshot
3. One of the biggest pain in the ass things to get working is the thermostats - but they are working! There are a few limitations (thanks again, Home Assistant) in how some simple info is displayed, but I built workarounds so we are still good to go...

I am sure there is room for improvement, but i am pretty happy with it so far! I am planning on putting it up into Github so i can track issues. etc.

Unfortunately, I am limited in the equipment I have to play (test) with so I am sure there are things that will need to be tweaked. SergeantBort has been a big help but more sample info is needed!

[RoadKill]

That's awesome, looking forward to playing with it!

[bob]

That's awesome, looking forward to playing with it!

Ironically, I just pushed this to Github last night

https://github.com/rperciaccante/Hom...trol_Discovery

[wudwork]

bob Short note to say thanx for your sharing of knowledge. I am another HA hacker and will eventually mount a touch screen over the control panel. That touch would run HA that would talk to my HA at home, cameras at home as well as controlling the rig. Excellent work! Thanx, Tom

[bob]

bob Short note to say thanx for your sharing of knowledge. I am another HA hacker and will eventually mount a touch screen over the control panel. That touch would run HA that would talk to my HA at home, cameras at home as well as controlling the rig. Excellent work! Thanx, Tom

That is how I have it set up actually

I just pushed an update that I am pretty close to calling version 1.0 - just need to get the documentation pinned down, and that is the part I hate the most It generates a LOT of entities - in my installation almost 400 into dedicated devices in the MQTT Integration.....



Here is my updated HA control panel for my RV (on a Lenovo M8 dock) - havent touched my OneControl panel in i could not tell you how long....



Making progress!

Would love more folks to try it out and give me more ideas, chase bugs, and document HA stuff!

[wandering_fun]

Bob,

I just had to register now to explain my partial excitement about finding your post & git.

I’m a year into HA and barely scratched the surface, but did manage to grab a spare Pi and get some cheap window/door sensors to keep an eye on the RV. It’s home unless we’re in it the usual 2-10 nights a month, and we have some unusual neighbors down the road, so I thought it’s the least I could do. Still need to link it to my home HA instance.

Tonight while at a state park I thought I’d google HA + Lippert.. and lo and behold… your amazing work!

Alas, I don’t have the same fancier system you have. This 2 month old 2022 Reflection 28bh has Compass Connect via Bluetooth, and I think I’ve also used the One Control app once for the TireLinc (which I ditched for my existing TireMinder), and I have no touchscreen. The button panel in a cabinet is it.

I’m imagining I’d need the net bridge, but not even sure if my system is compatible and I could add it. Any ideas?

Thx!

[howson]

wandering_fun -- first, welcome! Please read the Welcome Letter. One of the things you'll learn about is "tagging" (what I just did to you) so there's a message flag sent to the recipient that there's a post for them to read.

bob ... over to you. See post 27.

Howard

[bob]

Bob,

I just had to register now to explain my partial excitement about finding your post & git.

I’m a year into HA and barely scratched the surface, but did manage to grab a spare Pi and get some cheap window/door sensors to keep an eye on the RV. It’s home unless we’re in it the usual 2-10 nights a month, and we have some unusual neighbors down the road, so I thought it’s the least I could do. Still need to link it to my home HA instance.

Tonight while at a state park I thought I’d google HA + Lippert.. and lo and behold… your amazing work!

Alas, I don’t have the same fancier system you have. This 2 month old 2022 Reflection 28bh has Compass Connect via Bluetooth, and I think I’ve also used the One Control app once for the TireLinc (which I ditched for my existing TireMinder), and I have no touchscreen. The button panel in a cabinet is it.

I’m imagining I’d need the net bridge, but not even sure if my system is compatible and I could add it. Any ideas?

Thx!

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your perspective, I am trading in my Momentum next week for a new Solitude 391DL-R, which has the OneControl syste, but in a much scaled-back format compared to the Momentum.

The Mo has the X4 board, which pretty much controls everything. I don't know which board is in the Solitude, but it does NOT have 80% of the capabilities I am used to, and I use the remote control features of Home Assistant a LOT with my RV. Things like I have my AC turn on when I am about an hour away, using the Life360 integration, etc. A lot of the things I rely on are not in the new rig, so there will be a steep learning curve. I am not sure what I have in the Solitude just yet, so we will have to see. I also have a spare X4 board that I am contemplating installing, but again,we will have to see.

Since I expect that there will be a lot of things that will need to be done, I have started building side-projects to bring some of the missing features over to the new rig through other means. For example, in the current Lippert system, you can use their propane sensors to bring that info into OneControl. I built a propane monitor that will connect to Lippert or Mopeka propane sensors and see that on a small wireless screen, to bring it into Home Assistant (https://github.com/rperciaccante/MopekaLCDDisplay). I am also working on a water management system that will control the water going into the rig through the Nautilus panel, report on the flow rate and gallons used, ad shut water off entirely if it detects water - either with a local sensor (so it cal all run standalone) or if Home Assistant tells it to run the water off (in csae of remote water sensors, or if you are not in the camper based on presence).

I would love to get my hands on some of the Lippert hardware to set up a test bed so I can work on this more easily, so if anyone has anything they want to donate to the cause, please let me know (I will make sure you see the gear being used for testing - I am not just looking for free gear!).

[wandering_fun]

bob I just found your other post from today about all of this, only read a few lines so far. Should I continue replies here or there?
I bet you’re getting the system like I have. I definitely wonder where mine is, I think I’ve read that it’s under my stairs. Maybe I will open a wall soon and check it out.

I’m very interested in how you are integrating the Mopeka sensors. I have that also, from our last RV that was totaled by hurricane Ian. I haven’t put the sensors on these tanks since it’s open air to the ground underneath them on this fifth wheel. But I would like to and to integrate them. Are you using a USB DVB RF stick to read the signals? I have 3 of them laying around…