Mitsubishi WiFi Heat Pump Control

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Mitsubishi WiFi Heat Pump Control

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

60 posts

Master Geek

#1087651 12-Jul-2014 11:32

I got my Mitsubishi wifi adaptor working last night. My heat pump guy supplied the WiFi adaptor and did the retrofit install on my FB series for $250 all up.

- I only have Apple Airports at home, which aren't supported; A Mitsubishi support rep I emailed suggested this $15 (!!) router from PB Tech, which *is* on the supported devices list:
http://pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=NETMIC9161&name=Micronet-SP916NE-802.11-N300-11n-Wireless-Broadban

- I bought one of the above and have set it up as a straight access point on a different SSID, just for the heat pump. Works fine.

Everything now works as advertised, though as already mentioned it is quite slow as _everything_ goes through a remote server. I have done a packet capture and can see whats happening:

- Exactly every minute, the heat pump does an HTTP POST to this URL: http://reg.melview.net/SOME_ID/

- The POST data is sent on port 80 in the clear (GARGH!)

- The request body is XML, which contains a single key which is a base64 encoded payload:

<LSV>BASE64 DATA</LSV>

- The request payload itself, when decoded, is lots more XML; see here: https://gist.github.com/jonathanhoskin/9f7784cc031e7d7caf05

- The response body is XML which is a single key with a base64 encoded payload:

<CSV>BASE64 DATA</CSV>

- If there are no new commands for the unit, the response payload decodes to this:

<COMMAND><CMDTYPE>response</CMDTYPE></COMMAND>

- However, if there is some pending command for the unit (e.g. increase fan speed):

<COMMAND><CMDTYPE>response</CMDTYPE><UPLOAD><CODE><GROUPCODE>01</GROUPCODE><DATA><VALUE>fc41013010010800000000060000000000000000006f</VALUE></DATA></CODE></UPLOAD></COMMAND>

It's a bit of a concern is that the WiFi adaptor is communicating in the clear, but the data it sends is quite boring.

As for the mobile and web apps, they appear to send sensitive data over HTTPS. The web app is hosted on a non-SSL site, but uses AJAX over HTTPS for the actual sensitive data. I'm still pulling those bits apart.

By the looks it is all pretty straight forward, so it would totally be possible to hijack everything that is being done over the wire to build all the automation locally.

richms

28175 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1087656 12-Jul-2014 11:44

And this is why I'm glad I still have not decided on air con for home.

Minute lag. Clear text. Inexcusable IMO

Richard rich.ms

nickrout

219 posts

Master Geek

#1090269 16-Jul-2014 21:24

I am getting a couple of heat pumps soon and going with a bit of home automation on other fronts (lighting etc). I got pretty excited when I saw the Mitsubishi WiFi heatpumps on the back of buses. However this thread leaves me a little disappointed at the technology.

Why the f*** do Mitubishi need to involve their servers to make this work? An ssl connection and an ssh tunnel is sufficient. It seems that the people who promote these type of apps go to extraordinary lengths to ensure that people don't have to be intelligent enough to configure a firewall to let a connection in from outside, or work out how to set up an ssh tunnel from their cellphone to home.

Besides, not even documenting the protocol is just rude these days. Philips seem to have that right with HUE. There is a big community around that. I can turn my lights down when a movie starts on XBMC. I bet it'll be a while before I can set my heatpump in a similar fashion.

You'd be better to get a raspberry pi and an IR transmitter and hack the IR protocol these things use (which is pretty well documented for most major brands).

SumnerBoy

2074 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1090349 17-Jul-2014 08:13

Totally agree Nick - having something 'connected' is only half the battle, it needs to be an 'open connection' that 3rd parties can interface with, otherwise you just end up with 48 different apps on your phone, each one controlling a single device in your home. Some companies just seem to be 'ticking the box' with things like the WIFI control - it looks good on their blurb sheet and there are probably a lot of customers who are bamboozled by the salesmen enough to buy without really understanding how restrictive it is.

But then that is another problem of home automation - making this sort of device interoperability available and usable by the general public. This is definitely getting more attention now, especially from the big players, so it will be very interesting to see what comes from it.

BTW - What are you using for your home automation control software? I have written an openHAB binding for Daikin heatpumps which gives me full (local!) control of my unit.

nickrout

219 posts

Master Geek

#1090524 17-Jul-2014 10:37

To tell the truth I have so far only bought a set of Philips Hue lights which I turn on and off via XBMC. I have been researching systems but find it all rather confusing.

There is a lot of vague info, and alot of gear that only seems to work at 110v.

Still the wall linings are off and I have to make some decisions soon. Not sure how far I want/need to go with this.

Control software I want tobe as open as possible, and to run off a linux server (which will also be my mythtv backend etc)

SumnerBoy

2074 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1090533 17-Jul-2014 10:48

Definitely check out openHAB (www.openhab.org). It will run on Linux (Java based) and is completely open. There is a very active community using this software with literally hundreds of different devices and protocols - including Hue, XBMC. Very flexible piece of software once you get the hang of it.

Glassboy

850 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1090564 17-Jul-2014 11:29

SumnerBoy: Sounds good - is there any public API or REST interface that you can access that you know of? For example if you wanted to integrate into another home automation system.

I have a Daikin heat pump in my place and I was struggling for ages to integrate it with my HA system. However after a lot of research I discovered Daikin have an 'Online Controller' (http://www.daikinme.com/products/index.jsp?singleprv=KKRP01A) which I was able to source from a firm in Australia. This has the option of 'connect to cloud' or 'local IP', which suits me much better (would rather keep everything local if possible).

You don't happen to know if it would work with a FVXS50FV1A do you?

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

SumnerBoy

2074 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1090602 17-Jul-2014 11:59

There is a list of compatible units here - http://www.onlinecontroller.eu/media/downloads/List-of-compatible-INDOOR-and-OUTDOOR-units-4.pdf

I found 'FVXS50F' which looks like it could be yours?

I have the 'FVXS50G' which is listed and is definitely compatible.

Glassboy

850 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1090631 17-Jul-2014 12:35

Thanks I'm very very tempted. Luckily running cable is currently really low on my list of jobs to do in the weekends :-)

SumnerBoy

2074 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1090633 17-Jul-2014 12:39

If you do decide to get one of those controllers this is the only place I could find that stocked them this side of the world...the guy Rod was very good to deal with...

https://www.penair.com.au/

If you are running wires, make sure you run a CAT6 to the back of the indoor unit! I didn't when I built 3 yrs ago and wish I had now!

Glassboy

850 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1090637 17-Jul-2014 12:49

SumnerBoy: If you do decide to get one of those controllers this is the only place I could find that stocked them this side of the world...the guy Rod was very good to deal with...

https://www.penair.com.au/

If you are running wires, make sure you run a CAT6 to the back of the indoor unit! I didn't when I built 3 yrs ago and wish I had now!

I watched the Abode dudes install it. It's mounted on the wall above the skirting board, it would be fairly easy to bring another cable up the same way. If I'm running cable I need to run one for an AP and move two TV aerials. I'm feeling far to old to be crawling around under the house in winter. Last time I did that I think I got fairly close to hypothermia.

nickrout

219 posts

Master Geek

#1090652 17-Jul-2014 13:03

openhab looks very impressive and thorough. Already I see things I have at home that can be controlled with it:

Philips Hue
Squeezebox
Raspberry Pi GPIO
XBMC

As far as general control hardware is concerned, sockets, etc what do you recommend? Spmeone mentioned Insteon, but your experience would be valuable on this point.

SumnerBoy

2074 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1090653 17-Jul-2014 13:12

Ha - of the 4 things you listed, I wrote the openHAB bindings for 3 of them. Squeezebox, XBMC and the PiFace binding.

My advice would be Z-Wave - I use it extensively in my place for lighting control, integration with a legacy security system (i.e. has no IP module), and energy monitoring. It is robust (via the mesh networking) once you have a few mains powered nodes around your house, it is very reliable, and it
is relatively easy to install and it is invisible once installed. Plus it can be taken out if you move home and used elsewhere.

There are 1000's of Z-Wave devices available and they pretty much all work with one another. Just got to be careful to ensure you buy AU/NZ frequency devices.

I also use the RFXCOM USB transceiver which I imported from the UK. Not the cheapest, was about 100E from memory, but I was able to get hold of some cheap UK RFXCOM sockets which can be controlled by openHAB via the RFXCOM transceiver. These things are no where near as nice to use as the Z-Wave switches however, can take a few seconds for commands to get through and the range isn't the greatest. Not bad for sensor monitoring as you can get cheapish RFXCOM temp/humidity sensors, but most Z-Wave sensors have temp and/or humidity sensors built in these days so I am finding less and less use for the RFXCOM stuff.

DISCLOSURE: I run the www.smartthingsnz.co.nz website (as I am sure you are aware) which specialises in Z-Wave so take my advice with that in mind ;).

NeilG

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1354602 29-Jul-2015 16:39

Hi all, I just received and installed the pebble wi-fi controller from www.pebbleair.com took me all of about 4 minutes to set up and get running, no wiring and the wi-fi set-up is incredible also can have un-limited users and works on my old model (15 years old).

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/c452afa33a226706b36cf2738954d062.jpg

Kickinbac

427 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1354632 29-Jul-2015 17:00

I have a pebble too. The Pebble is great for heat pumps if you want to add wi-fi control and your heat pump is too old and/or can't work with a factory Wi-Fi controller. But the pebble doesn't give any feedback from the heat pump back to the app. They only show the room temp from a sensor in the pebble. For example, if you set it to heating at 24 degrees and someone at home turns it off, you won't know.
The Daikin and Mitsubishi Wi-Fi adaptors work two ways and have other functions such a temp limits, time scheduling etc.

That being said, the real benefit is being able to turn on your heat pump as you leave work and home is toasty warm when you get there! Then the pebble works fine.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5