"Smart" or geofencing how does it work?

[ericmark]

I would guess it works in increments of 5 miles and will allow heating to reduce or increase temperature so by time you arrive home again the heating has returned to comfort setting, clearly heating can't be allowed to cool as much if your only 5 miles from home as if 50 miles from home.

But can't find anything to confirm that, in fact if I stop 10 miles from home or 50 miles from home it seems to cool to the same point. However the house does not cool that quick, so maybe I am wrong.

If it does not vary temperature depending how far away you are, then a simple sonoff switching supply to basic thermostat could do same thing.

 

[Wayneox]

You can even get a sonoff that powers on and off based on temp. In my old rental I had one. Ive now got one wired into an extension th16 for a heater in kids rooms

SONOFF TH16 Smart WiFi Switch Monitoring Temperature Humidity with DS18B20 Waterproof Temperature Sensor,Compatible with Alexa/Google Home/Nest/IFTTT,APP Remote Control Switch,15A 3500W https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0813CN56X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fPzqEb9X5WG11

Fyi this can be controlled by Google assistant, which I'm sure you can configure to turn on and off if your mobile device is within set distances too.

"Ok Google. Turn on/off kids heaters"

 

[oldbutnotdead]

I suspect it'll be an on/off function rather than an optimised delta. It'll work fine for a long distance regular commute, might be a bit flakey if you lead a more random and local life.
PS Sonoff and EWElink...app not as useful as it appears

 

[Wayneox]

.
PS Sonoff and EWElink...app not as useful as it appears

Link it to Google assistant and it is far more useful

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Link it to Google assistant and it is far more useful

As long as that doesn't involve an Alexa or similar i'll give it a go...ta

 

[Wayneox]

Alexa or similar

I just use my mobile phone. "ok Google . Turn on/off xxxx"

It's also linked to my Amazon and can be controlled with my fire stick voice remote

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Might try that, see if the lag is less than the time it takes to fire EWElink up. Problem I've got is trying to use a Sonoff thermometer as a heating controller during time ranges (so between 21.00 and 01.00, if temp <=15 then energise relay 3 on card 2). Doesn't trigger at the start of the time range even when temp test is true...

 

[Wayneox]

Did you upgrade the firmware. They do get updates. I find it near instant switching. ...

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Did you upgrade the firmware. They do get updates. I find it near instant switching. ...

Yes, both 4 channel cards & the thermometer thing are on the latest version available.
Once the app is loaded then yes switching is instant but even if the app is actve on the phone in the background (Android) it takes about 10 seconds to refresh when you switch to it- fine if I was on a train an hour from home telling it to switch the heating on, rubbish if I'm at the back door wanting the outside lights on

 

[Wayneox]

You don't need the app open for Google. Google contract ewelink servers which them push direct to the device.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You don't need the app open for Google. Google contract ewelink servers which them push direct to the device.

Which is why I'm going to give it a try thanks to your tip. What I really need is Google to have the voice of HAL9000 (I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that)

 

[Wayneox]

that would be funny.

 

[ericmark]

My Nest Mini does that all the time, hay google switch off radio 4 and it replies switching off 5 switches, and turns off the lights, turn lights back on gets I don't know how to do that yet, so removed the lights and switches, and it has as yet not worked out how to alter heating, only how to read out temperatures.

But on setting up Nest it did not ask where to set as the fence, so assume it some how works out how much it can allow the temperature to drop based on distance, I only work a mile or less from home, and the home has been within acceptable limits on return, but most times wife is home so times when we are both out of the house and I am close is not that often.

Never got Nest to use geofencing or occupancy detection, got it so could control both CH and DHW with just two wires, but if the geofencing and occupancy detection works may as well use it. The follow command for the TRV heads failed, so even if Nest tried to heat house to 50°C all it would do is cause boiler to cycle. So even if the Nest Mini went mad it can't really cause much damage or problem with heating, same is not true with lights.

I see Nest Mini as a toy, but Nest thermostat is a tool. However why it allows me to select a temperature not sure, swapping Eco to Comfort yes, but why when 50 miles away I would want to change the Eco setting from 17°C to 14°C I really can't work out, once set to automatic then forget, OK I did wonder and looked at current temperature of TRV head to see if temperature had been dropped, but that was being nosey, I really didn't need to know, and also didn't need to alter it.

 

[Wayneox]

I did name the night light "night light" but Google didn't understand it. So I renamed it to "the hall light". I've found unambiguous name are easier for Google to understand.

Maybe the same...

Is radio 4 a socket name, or does it play BBC radio 4.

If a socket try to remember to "living room radio"

 

[oldbutnotdead]

@Wayneox that TH16 thermometer etc is the one i'm having problems with. It is fine for controlling its own socket by temperature but I'm using that socket for the electric blanket & the thermometer to open a 2 port valve on the heating zone (via a different eWelink 4 channel card).
Manusl triggering works fine, timed events via scenes not so fine. Will have a play with Google later