Some Questions about GEM/Dashbox and Home Assistant

[daudet]

Hi Everyone,
I am back to the forum after 3 years of absence..
My GEM and Dashbox are still running fine.
I have been doing Home Automation with Wink since day one as Beta Tester but now it seem to be way behind.
I have ask them for an API key to integrate Wink with Home Assistant and never heard from them.
And also depending on external network to control everything is not always reliable.
I have played with OpenSourceAutomation for awhile. Then i got a SmartThings Hub which the community is very active then lately
i installed Home Assistant Hassio version on a RPi3 added up the Zwave and ZigBee USB key. There is ton's of integration with HA and it is open community.
So i saw that GEM could be integrated to HA.
So here I am...


Here are some questions?
First i would like to get up to date on GEM and Dashbox.

• Presently GEM is at COM 4.0 and ENG 1.49, What is the benefit to update to COM 4.33?

• Any new feature of only bug fixes?

In the Dashbox I see Updater Version: April, 2016 DashBox Version: 4.2.3c5d. In Software download section i don't see any link or Firmware available for Dashbox.

• So how to i get update for DashBox?

• Also is there a way to know what space is left on SD card thu Web Gui or SSH.?

Home Assistant

For Home automation i am moving gradually from WINK Hub to Home Assistant and SmartThings.
I would like to integrate GEM with HA.
So far the instructions says i need to get GEM to send packet to my HA server.
https://www.home-assistant.io/integrati ... e_monitor/ but instruction does not give much details

My GEM is already sendind data via IP to my Dashbox.

• Can i set up GEM to send thru IP to Dashbox and to HA at the same time? I don't see how i could do it.

• Do i have to feed the Dashbox with serial 2 from GEM and use the IP to point to HA and were i put the port 8000?

My GEM is near the Electrical entry at one end of the house and all my Data Servers are at the other end about 35'.
I know Serial could be extended thru Cat5 or 6 cable but would like to stay IP all the way.

I have try in DashBox to Packet Forward to my HA on port 8000 but i don't see anything coming IN the HA. Dont event know what format i is sending packet from DashBox.

• is there a way to see if Dashbox is sending info to HA?

• Or is there a software or application i could run on a laptop to received whatever Dashbox is sending to my laptop IP on port xxx?

11-Jan-20 12-37-16 PM.jpg (16.08 KiB) Viewed 8156 times

Also in HA when i validate my configuration.yaml i have this
# Example configuration.yaml entry
greeneye_monitor:
port: 8000
monitors:
- serial_number: "01234567"
channels:
- number: 1
name: main
- number: Main
name: Dryer
net_metering: false
- number: 9
name: Data Rack
- number: 10
name: Fridge

[ben]

Hi Everyone,
I am back to the forum after 3 years of absence..
My GEM and Dashbox are still running fine.
I have been doing Home Automation with Wink since day one as Beta Tester but now it seem to be way behind.
I have ask them for an API key to integrate Wink with Home Assistant and never heard from them.
And also depending on external network to control everything is not always reliable.
I have played with OpenSourceAutomation for awhile. Then i got a SmartThings Hub which the community is very active then lately
i installed Home Assistant Hassio version on a RPi3 added up the Zwave and ZigBee USB key. There is ton's of integration with HA and it is open community.
So i saw that GEM could be integrated to HA.
So here I am...


Here are some questions?
First i would like to get up to date on GEM and Dashbox.

• Presently GEM is at COM 4.0 and ENG 1.49, What is the benefit to update to COM 4.33?

• Any new feature of only bug fixes?

In the Dashbox I see Updater Version: April, 2016 DashBox Version: 4.2.3c5d. In Software download section i don't see any link or Firmware available for Dashbox.

• So how to i get update for DashBox?

• Also is there a way to know what space is left on SD card thu Web Gui or SSH.?

With the GEM, if you're at the 4.XX series and aren't experiencing issues, don't update it right now. It's mainly fixes to packet formats you're not using, timing changes that can help with temperature sensors.

Once we release the B series on the DashBox, there's a couple new commands in the 5.XX series that are used for Live Data. Not necessary to install it but if you want those features you can.

I put 4.2.4a18 back up (https://brultech.com/software/files/dow ... 2_4a18.img). We were going to release the B series but there looks to be some bug fixes that need to be made first as per our beta testers.

Under the Status page should show the disk space in that version. In the newer firmware it's always present in the header.

If you haven't ran a backup on the DashBox in awhile, I'd suggest doing that given how long its been running.

Home Assistant

For Home automation i am moving gradually from WINK Hub to Home Assistant and SmartThings.
I would like to integrate GEM with HA.
So far the instructions says i need to get GEM to send packet to my HA server.
https://www.home-assistant.io/integrati ... e_monitor/ but instruction does not give much details

My GEM is already sendind data via IP to my Dashbox.

• Can i set up GEM to send thru IP to Dashbox and to HA at the same time? I don't see how i could do it.

• Do i have to feed the Dashbox with serial 2 from GEM and use the IP to point to HA and were i put the port 8000?

My GEM is near the Electrical entry at one end of the house and all my Data Servers are at the other end about 35'.
I know Serial could be extended thru Cat5 or 6 cable but would like to stay IP all the way.

I have try in DashBox to Packet Forward to my HA on port 8000 but i don't see anything coming IN the HA. Dont event know what format i is sending packet from DashBox.

• is there a way to see if Dashbox is sending info to HA?

• Or is there a software or application i could run on a laptop to received whatever Dashbox is sending to my laptop IP on port xxx?

11-Jan-20 12-37-16 PM.jpg

Also in HA when i validate my configuration.yaml i have this
# Example configuration.yaml entry
greeneye_monitor:
port: 8000
monitors:
- serial_number: "01234567"
channels:
- number: 1
name: main
- number: Main
name: Dryer
net_metering: false
- number: 9
name: Data Rack
- number: 10
name: Fridge

I think you'll need the 4.2.4b-series to get this working. We've added the capability of using the Bin-32-NET packet with the DashBox. The 4.2.4a series and below require the Bin-48-NET-Time packet format.

It's in beta, but I could send you over a copy. I'll PM you a link to it running on one of our DashBoxes first so you can look it over.

[Teken]

Daniel,

Welcome back and Happy New Years!

[daudet]

Daniel,

Welcome back and Happy New Years!

Hi Pat,
Happy New Years too!
I see that you haven't stop the progress in you project.

[daudet]

Ben i have try to do a backup with the Backup utility and it is failing
Getting this error below

The backup may take awhile to finish, do not close the window until finished..

Edit backup.bat with Notepad and remove the last line PAUSE if you'd like the window to automatically close next time backup.bat is run.

Closing the window early will only result in a corrupt backup. It will not affect your DashBox.


backup: [archiver (db)] connection to database "brultech_dash" failed: FATAL: no pg_hba.conf entry for host "192.168.1.208", user "dbbackup", database "brultech_dash", SSL off
backup: *** aborted because of error
Backup finished.
Press any key to continue . . .

[ben]

Ben i have try to do a backup with the Backup utility and it is failing
Getting this error below

The backup may take awhile to finish, do not close the window until finished..

Edit backup.bat with Notepad and remove the last line PAUSE if you'd like the window to automatically close next time backup.bat is run.

Closing the window early will only result in a corrupt backup. It will not affect your DashBox.


backup: [archiver (db)] connection to database "brultech_dash" failed: FATAL: no pg_hba.conf entry for host "192.168.1.208", user "dbbackup", database "brultech_dash", SSL off
backup: *** aborted because of error
Backup finished.
Press any key to continue . . .

Did you set a password?

Go to Settings->System->Backup Settings and set a password for the backup user.

If that doesn't do it, upgrade to 4.2.4a18, the update applies new settings to the Postgres database which may have not been in 4.2.3.

[daudet]

I have try with and without password.
Bought it on Dec 2016 so i may have an old release.
Should i shutdown and make an image of the SD card before upgrade just to be safe?

[Teken]

I have try with and without password.
Bought it on Dec 2016 so i may have an old release.
Should i shutdown and make an image of the SD card before upgrade just to be safe?

If you don't mind losing some energy data while that process is underway ~ sure! One thing to call out is the latest firmware takes a little bit longer to boot up upon completion. Be patient and let the system display a steady green LED with one regular (quick) red flash indicating a new packet has been received.

Good Luck . . .

[phoenixsecure]

Hi,

is it possible to send data to the Dashbox and also to HA at the same time?

Thanks.

[ben]

Here are some questions?
First i would like to get up to date on GEM and Dashbox.

• Presently GEM is at COM 4.0 and ENG 1.49, What is the benefit to update to COM 4.33?

• Any new feature of only bug fixes?

In the Dashbox I see Updater Version: April, 2016 DashBox Version: 4.2.3c5d. In Software download section i don't see any link or Firmware available for Dashbox.

• So how to i get update for DashBox?

• Also is there a way to know what space is left on SD card thu Web Gui or SSH.?

- Probably should push that up to the 5.XX that's available. Most of the bug fixes are minor but there were some memory issues that were resolved in 4.XX.
- Settings->System->Update DashBox. Try to update to 4.2.4a19. Let me know if you bump into any issues. Hold off a couple of days on the B-series as we'll have a new release this week.
- Check the Status tab. It's in the header also but I'm unsure what version that came into play with.

Home Assistant

For Home automation i am moving gradually from WINK Hub to Home Assistant and SmartThings.
I would like to integrate GEM with HA.
So far the instructions says i need to get GEM to send packet to my HA server.
https://www.home-assistant.io/integrati ... e_monitor/ but instruction does not give much details

My GEM is already sendind data via IP to my Dashbox.

• Can i set up GEM to send thru IP to Dashbox and to HA at the same time? I don't see how i could do it.

• Do i have to feed the Dashbox with serial 2 from GEM and use the IP to point to HA and were i put the port 8000?

My GEM is near the Electrical entry at one end of the house and all my Data Servers are at the other end about 35'.
I know Serial could be extended thru Cat5 or 6 cable but would like to stay IP all the way.

I have try in DashBox to Packet Forward to my HA on port 8000 but i don't see anything coming IN the HA. Dont event know what format i is sending packet from DashBox.

• is there a way to see if Dashbox is sending info to HA?

• Or is there a software or application i could run on a laptop to received whatever Dashbox is sending to my laptop IP on port xxx?

11-Jan-20 12-37-16 PM.jpg

Also in HA when i validate my configuration.yaml i have this
# Example configuration.yaml entry
greeneye_monitor:
port: 8000
monitors:
- serial_number: "01234567"
channels:
- number: 1
name: main
- number: Main
name: Dryer
net_metering: false
- number: 9
name: Data Rack
- number: 10
name: Fridge

The DashBox Packet Forward forwards whatever packet is being sent to the STS ports. If you're Ethernet or WiFi/Ethernet connected it won't be forwarded. Looks like it supports all binary formats.

Point it at the GEM Network Utility at a local PC (running in Server mode), check the Debug Tab. Should get illegable packets in.