I saw the plugin for integrating the Somfy RS485 motors with vera. However, I cannot find anywhere what interface is being used to do so. The only item I could find is from SomfyPro (see first link below) but that seems some custom solution (based on the second link), hence I assume that is not what this plugin is made for. So what do I need to interface my RS485 motors with vera?
It should be a USB to RS485 converter as shown by Somfy Pro. But I have one that Vera recognizes and one that Vera doesn’t, by different suppliers. It may be safer to use a USB to RS232 cable that you know works with Vera and then use an inline 232 to 485 converter to convert to RS485.(links below)
On an older Vera2, the newer Win8 compatible CommFront USB-485-1 cable I plugged into Vera didn’t get recognized (it has an FTDI chipset). But the older HXSP-2108G USB to 485/422 converter I have appears in Vera’s serial devices (it has a Prolific Chipset). The older one is one like this although I can’t guarantee it works with Vera since I didn’t test completely: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hexin-USB-2-0-to-RS422-RS-422-RS485-Converter-Adapter-Serial-Win7-64-Mac-PL-2-DG-/261665210024
I have a 3rd no-name USB to RS485 adapter that shows a FTDI chipset but is recognized by Vera. So it may be the difference of converters that were made to be compatible with Windows 8 and up may not be compatible with Vera’s drivers and anything Windows 7 and down may work with Vera’s serial drivers. Or it may be possible to update the serial drivers in Vera, but someone else will have to chime in on that.
The most compatible way I think is USB to RS232: (this works with Vera and is cheap)
Although I apologize, I have not tested the Somfy Plug-ins in a while and I don’t have time to test the RS485 transmission right now. But hopefully this helps you in some way.
RS485 needs to be hardwired both power and communication. You will wire them back to a somfy power/data panel. So there for you need 16/2 at the window for power and a cat5e cable for comm. All wires going back to the panel. From the panel you will run another cat5e to your Vera unit where you will need a usb to rs485 adapter. Make sure your keeping pin 1 as 485A and pin 2 as 485B and pin 7/8 as your ground for comm. You’ll be able to set each shade to specific levels ie 50%, 72% and so on. You will want to download the st30 config tool to set limits and set groups. You can at that point incorporate wunderground for Sun tracking like the Somfy Animeo system does.
Thanks for the replies. What mattfam0914 describes is pretty much what I did. I ran a 16/4 and an Ethernet to each window (you only need 16/2 and 4/21) so I could accommodate up to 2 motors (independent up/down + tilt or backup) per window. These cables were home-run to the power/communication panel. I was able to control them from my PC using a serial to USB cable. I used the Baitaihem USB to RS485 with CH340 chip. It’s not the best quality (I had to re-solder the connectors) but it worked fine after that. Having said that, my main question was about integrating it with vera. What plugin works and what are the settings? Btw, I am probably going to move to HomeSeer but maybe it helps others.
Somfy RS485 motor have a 6 digit Hex address as their individual address and can also be programmed with custom group addresses. AMX should have a module for Somfy motors to make integration easier, but you can always just send the RS485 Hex commands via a serial port on AMX to the shades. You can generate the Somfy commands using the Somfy Command Calculator where you put in the hex address (check either individual or group address) and it will spit out the hexadecimal command string for you to copy/paste into the AMX code. Then the Up button on an AMX interface will send a UP commands string to a particular motor or group address and that shade or shades will move UP.
Shady, do you know if it’s possible “piggy back” a Zwave blind controller onto Somfy tubular motors?
All of mine are controlled by Telios RTS, I have access to plenty of ZWave controllers at the right price and wonder if this could be an option?