Node-Red GUI for home automation

[Brent]

Updated GUI with SteelSeries-Canvas Gauges;

download new flow at end of post.

Here is a Node Red GUI that I have been working on;

The configuration ‘Tab’ allows configuration of the Number and Name of each room/sensor, and the Register Value for each. I am currently using this with a Temco Controls Tstat8, but the same flow could be used with other controllers by configuring the registers for the device. This Node-RED ‘flow’ is currently configured to work via Serial Modbus RS485.

But it is fairly simple to change this to a TCP Modbus connection by adjusting the settings of the Modbus Connection - click on the arrow in the upper right of the Node-RED user interface, and select ‘Configuration Nodes’;

then double-click on the ‘Modbus Connection’- this will bring up the following configuration settings;

I will be making the Serial/TCP an option available in the configuration tab and updating the flow within a few days.

The look of the GUI is a little boring so I am also working on improving the appearance and optimizing the code updates coming soon.

home_gui_serial_modbus.json (67.8 KB)

home_gui_serial_modbus_v2.json (87.6 KB)

[Mike]

I have a node-red system hooked to a tcp modbus unit and sometimes (average: once a week) the modbus reading is disconnected (for unknown reasons).

Do you know a good method to restart automatically the entire flow when this is happening ? I receive a warning when a value doesn’t change for a while but I need to access the NR flow and restart it manually.

So, an automatic restart would be far easier.

Thank you

[maurice]

If I understand it correctly, node-red runs on a Pi which is not a real time embedded system for the most part. We do have a ‘T3-Router’ item which is not on the website but we have sent out a few samples for testing. It has a watchdog, real time clock and a few other features for embedded control applications. If you’re interested you can send an email and we’ll give you what (little) documentation we have so far.

[Mike]

In my case, the node-red program is running as a jail in my TrueNas system. Normally enough power to run in real time. But send me more info about the T3-router.

In the meantime, I solved my problem by testing the modbus connection status (Connected vs Disconnected) and restart the entire flow in case of a Disconnected message. Obvious when you know how to do (Node Red forum was helpful on that).

[maurice]

The T3-router isnt up on the web site yet but we’ll get it up there soon. Its basically a raspberry Pi 3 ‘compute’ module on a base board plus a few addons to make it suitable for embedded control: LEDs, real time clock, watchdog, RS485 ports.

And sure, definitely you should have some retries and resets in there to make the system more robust.