Home assistant integration

marko2276

Hi all

Just to let you know that I have implemented a home assistant integration for unipi devices. Compared to other solutions that you may find on the net (in most cases using MQTT as as a client/broker architecture), I have done a more direct integration in HA with EVOK and websockets. Thing are working really fast and provide good user experience (at least for me :).

Functionality wise, the integration supports bare minimum (multiple device instances, lights, binary sensors and covers) so that my home-assistant project works - and it does. I have all my lights and blinds hooked up to HA (running server on a NUC).

Anyhow, you can check it here https://github.com/marko2276/ha-unipi-neuron.

Martin Kudláček

Hi @marko2276,
great job!

Peli

Well done! I am thinking about using Unipi and HA as well.

I was wondering whether you could share with us some details. What unit do you use? Which image did you install? Do you think that it would be possible to run HA on a Unipi device or NUC is a better option?

I would like to have just one device for my home automation project.

I have been searching for more information about Unipi and HA integration. I have found these repositories so far

I find this https://community.home-assistant.io/t/modbus-tcp-integration/64395 topic useful as well.

Would you recommend a combination of Unipi and HA? Did you try to integrate some zigbee devices?

Thank you, Martin.

marko2276

@Peli

Hi Martin

Due to relatively large number of inputs (All my switches are hooked to a DI on a Neuron device, the same goes for motion sensor. Then I have each light connected over a relay output or digital output for PWM control. Then there are blinds, each requiring two relay outputs. ...) I have three Neuron devices installed. 2 x L203 and 1 x M203.

I am running Neuron OpenSource OS image from May last year I think.

In the beginning I did intend to run my HA server on one of the Unipi devices, but have ultimately decided to rather use a separate NUC server that I had laying around. But I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work on the integrated RPi (especially if you plan to use only one device).

I also did start with some of the links that you are mentioning. But all of them eventually came to the questions how to lower the latency of getting a signal change state from Unipi device to HA. All solution are designed around polling (MODBUS registers) - and this is already being done by EVOK SW layer running on unipi device, so why introduce another layer on top of that that would do the same. So then it is just a question how to hook to EVOK. With number of standard interfaces EVOK luckily also exposes asynchronous one (websockets) and this is where the performance increase (compared other polling mechanisms) comes handy.

I am running HA with Neuron device for a while now and I haven't had any stability issues so far. So yes, I would definitely recommend trying it out.

I don't have any Zigbee devices installed but there are standard integrations available in HA so this should work out of the box, if you ask me.

Regards
Marko

joe_at_home

Hi marko,
thank you for your efford, creating this custom integration.

I have two UniPi 1.1 boards (with RPI 4 - 2 GB version) to control my garden watering.

With your integration, I_m now able to control both devices from HA, running in a docker container together with EVOK, not running in a container but installed on Pi-OS (buster) on one of these RPIs.
The only flaw was the built in configuration validation, done by the regex check for the port value (in lights.py, line 36 vol.Required(CONF_PORT): cv.matches_regex(r"^[1-3]_[0-1][0-9]"),

The port number scheme differs for UniPi 1.1 ("/relay/1") from Neuron ("/relay/1_01").

I managed to add an regex alteration, thus both variants could be passed to Evok ,but only one will work, of course ("1" for UniPi or "1_01" for Neuron).

vol.Required(CONF_PORT): cv.matches_regex(r"^[1-3]_[0-1][0-9]|[1-8]"),

One might add some if else code depending on the so far unused type parameter ("L203", "M203", "S203" ) and addd "UniPi" to this list.
But I'm not used to program with python, thus I'm happy with this little hack.

Maybe one will find this useful, too.

marko2276

@joe_at_home Thanks for the additional info for the Unipi1.1 devices (unfortunately I only have Neuron devices so I was not able to try this on anything else). I agree with you that the best (and simplest) solution to a proper fix (or support for Unipi 1.1.) should be designed around currently unused Type parameter.
If I find time, I will make the necessary changes on github and let you know (and also ask you to test it out :) )

Cheers,
Marko

anline

Hi @marko2276 , thank you for your great project. I have been testing it in my house installation since it was published, and it works bug-free and really fast (pressing buttons - DI Inputs -Automation HA - RO without noticeable latency). Can you possibly say whether there is the possibility of integrating Modbus in the near future , because I am now dependent on the extensions due to the installation(;.

Thanks in advance,
Manuel

petr.skvor

hi @marko2276,
Thank you for sharing your integration.

I am a beginner and now I used it for HA communication with NEURON M203 via EVOK layer. Installation of the integration and configuration of the LIGHT sensors (I used for DO and RO outputs) are fast and functional. Turning on/off the relay on M203 has a small response:

When I added the BINARY sensors (DI) configuration, the problem already arose => LIGHTs do not work at 100%:

I always check the configuration in Developer Tools before restarting HA:

#UNIPI NEURON via EVOK
unipi_neuron:
  - name: "neuron5"
    type: M203
    ip_address: 192.168.88.20
    reconnect_time: 30

light:
  - platform: unipi_neuron
    device_id: "neuron5"
    devices:
    - name: svetlo_garaz
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "1_02"
    - name: svetlo_dilna
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "1_03"
    - name: svetlo_vcelin
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "1_04"
    - name: svetlo_zidky_1
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_05"
    - name: svetlo_zidky_2
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_06"
    - name: svetlo_zidky_3
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_07"
    - name: majacek_svetlo_zelena
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_08"
    - name: blikac_fasadni
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_11"
    - name: svetlo_fasada_garaze
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_12"
    - name: majacek_svetlo_zluta
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_13"
    - name: majacek_svetlo_cervena
      device: relay
      mode: "on_off"
      port: "2_14"

binary_sensor:
  - platform: unipi_neuron
    device_id: "neuron5"
    devices:
      - name: tlacitko_svetlo_fasada
        device: input
        port: "1_01"
      - name: tlacitko_svetlo_garaz
        device: input
        port: "1_02"
      - name: tlacitko_svetlo_dilna
        device: input
        port: "1_03"
      - name: tlacitko_svetlo_vcelin
        device: input
        port: "1_04"
      - name: kontakt_dalkove_ovladani_A
        device: input
        port: "2_01"
      - name: kontakt_dalkove_ovladani_B
        device: input
        port: "2_02"
      - name: tlacitko_otevreni_vrat
        device: input
        port: "2_03"
      - name: tlacitko_zahradni_zalivka
        device: input
        port: "2_04"
      - name: kontakt_vrata_v_pohybu
        device: input
        port: "2_05"
      - name: kontakt_vrata_zavrena
        device: input
        port: "2_06"
      - name: kontakt_vrata_otevrena
        device: input
        port: "2_07"
      - name: kontakt_vrata_prekazka_v_zavreni
        device: input
        port: "2_08"
      - name: tlacitko_opusteni
        device: input
        port: "2_09"
      - name: kontakt_PIR_osoba_vgarazi
        device: input
        port: "2_10"
      - name: kontakt_kour_v_garazi
        device: input
        port: "2_11"

Could you advise me where the problem could be?

I would also like to use this integration on the NEURON L303 and L403, where I have connected analog inputs, analog outputs, and 1-Wire temperature, humidity, and lighting sensors. Will you please complete the configuration for these mentioned inputs and outputs as well?

I look forward to your reply
Petr

Walter

Hi @marko2276 , thank you for the implementation. I have been testing it in my house installation, and it works pretty fine!
I also successfully tested the your light component, the binary sensor component and the cover component.
Everything works, but I would like to ask for your help with one small thing:
When I operate the cover, no matter up or down, the status up or down stays active forever. It would be nice if the status is automatically reset. Unfortunately, do not find the error. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Is there a parameter I can set?
I would be very happy if you could help me.

Thanks in advance,
Walter