Thermostatically controlled actions

Situation

You can use the temperature measured by the Niko Home Control thermostat as a condition in an action.

In this specific example we want to make the sun blinds close automatically once the temperature in the room becomes too high (due to strong sunlight) while the residents are absent. Furthermore we want the sun blinds to stay down at night and to be retracted in the case of strong wind.

Starting point

The starting point for this step-by-step plan is a project for which the Project information has already been entered and for which a drawn or uploaded plan is available.

Run through the steps in Add a new project and then Draw a plan or Upload a background image if there is no existing project.

Step 1: Adding a thermostat

Go to Creation in the menu at the top of the screen.
Click on add an input.
In the left hand side of the screen you can now see the floor plan of the home and, in the right hand side, a list of options.
Click on thermostat.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the input a name (e.g. Thermostat living room)
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined (e.g. Living room).

Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 2: Adding an analogue light sensor

Go to Creation in the menu at the top of the screen.
Click on add an input.
In the left hand side of the screen you can now see the floor plan of the home and, in the right hand side, a list of options.
Click on analogue light sensor.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the input a name (e.g. Light sensor South).
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined (e.g. Terrace).

Click on modify basic settings.
A pop-up window appears in which you can fill in the lower (0V) and upper limits (10V) of the light sensor.

Set the required lux values.
Click on save to close the pop-up window.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 3: Adding an analogue wind sensor

Go to Creation in the menu at the top of the screen.
Click on add an input.
In the left hand side of the screen you can now see the floor plan of the home and, in the right hand side, a list of options.
Click on analogue wind sensor.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the input a name (e.g. Wind sensor South).
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined (e.g. Terrace).

Click on modify basic settings.
A pop-up window appears in which you can fill in the lower (0V) and upper limits (10V) of the wind sensor.
Set the required range.
Click on save to close the pop-up window.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 4: Add a virtual output ‘Residents absent’

Click on add a virtual output. The virtual output appears as a flag on the floor plan.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the virtual output a name, for example Residents absent.
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined.
Click on OK to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 5: Creating an all-off function with a push button

Create an action All-off with a push button.
Click in the Players tab on the virtual output Residens absent.
In the basic behaviour tab you activate the virtual output in the start behaviour and you deactivate it in the stop behaviour.

Click on continue to go to the Conditions tab.
Click on continue to go to the Time automation tab.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 6: Creating an action ‘Close sun blinds when hot’

We create an action to automatically control the sun blinds based on the temperature measured by the thermostat, the light sensor, the wind sensor and the absence of the residents.

Click on add an action. The action will appear as a text balloon on the plan.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the action a name, for example Close sun blinds when hot.
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not yet been defined.
Click on continue to go to the Players tab.
Choose sun blinds as the only player. Do not add an input.
Click on continue to go to the Basic behaviour tab.
Close the sun blinds in the start behaviour and remove the stop behaviour.

Click on continue to go the Conditions tab.
Click on add a condition.
Click on no (automation).
Click on the thermostat, the virtual output, the wind sensor and the light sensor to add them as conditional players to the installation.
The inputs will be linked to the action on the plan via a black line.
For each conditional player fill in the values at which the sun blinds should be closed.

Click on Logic to complete the table. Let the start behaviour only take place when all conditions are true. Let nothing take place with all other combinations.

Click on OK and continue to go to the Time automation tab.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 7: Creating an action ‘Open sun blinds when windy’

Click on add an action. The action will appear as a text balloon on the plan.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the action a clear name, for example Open sun blinds when windy.
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not yet been defined.
Click on continue to go to the Players tab.
Choose sun blinds as the only player. Do not add an input.
Click on continue to go to the Basic behaviour tab.
Open the sun blinds in the start behaviour and remove the stop behaviour.

Click on continue to go the Conditions tab.
Click on add a condition.
Click on no (automation).
Click on the wind sensor to add it as a conditional player to the installation. It will be linked to the action on the plan via a black line.
Fill in the value which is to be used as a condition.

Choose in advanced settings the desired start behaviour for when all conditions are true and nothing in all other situations.
Click on continue to go to the Time automation tab.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 8: Creating an action ‘Close sun blinds at night’

Click on add an action. The action will appear as a text balloon on the plan.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the action a name, for example Close sun blinds at night.
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined.
Click on continue to go to the Players tab.
Choose sun blinds as a player. Do not add an input.
Click on add a player to the plan and click on virtual output.
Give the virtual output a name, e.g. Time automation sun blinds.
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined.
Click on continue to return to the Players tab.
Add the virtual output as a player for the action.
Click on continue to go to the Basic behaviour tab.
In start behaviour activate the virtual output Time automation sun blinds together with closing the sun blinds, and in stop behaviour deactivate it together with opening the sun blinds.

Click on continue to go the Conditions tab.
Click on add a time condition.
Click on no (automation).
Click on add a time condition.
Start the action daily at 20.00 and indicate a duration of 12 hours.

You can refine the time automation per day or season by choosing a weekly or yearly routine instead of a daily routine.

Click on OK to return to the Conditions tab.
Activate in advanced settings the start behaviour if the time condition is true and the stop behaviour if the time condition is not true.

Click on continue to go to the Time automation tab.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.

Step 9: Create an action ‘Open sun blinds automatically’

Click on add an action. The action will appear as a text balloon on the plan.
Drag the icon to a logical and appropriate place on the plan.
Give the action a name, for example Open sun blinds automatically.
Choose a location from the list or add a location if the location has not been previously defined.
Click on continue to go to the Players tab.
Choose sun blinds as a player. Do not add an input.
Click on continue to go to the Basic behaviour tab.
Open the sun blinds in the start behaviour and remove the stop behaviour.
Click on continue to go the Conditions tab.
Click on add a condition.
Click on no (automation).
Click on the light sensor, the virtual output Time automation sun blinds and the virtual output Residents absent to add them as conditional players to the installation. The inputs will be linked to the action on the plan via a black line.
For each conditional player, fill in the values at which the sun blinds should be closed.

Choose in advanced settings the desired start behaviour for when all conditions are true and nothing in all other situations.
Click on continue to go to the Time automation tab.
Click on save to return to the Creation start screen.
Go to Project information in the menu at the top of the screen to save the project.