Grid Connect tips, tricks and help

[CSParnell]

Hi all,

I thought it may he good to have a feed where we could share any tips and tricks to do with any of the Grid Connect Range being Arlec, Deta, Verve, Orion.

I am learning from trial and error and really just accident so sharing with others and sharing back we may be able to create some good learning information for us all.

Please post below starting with what the trick is as the title then how to do so as the body of information.

Carl 

[CSParnell]

@sam00 I just had a thought, if you deletethe device (garage remote) in GC then set it back up and don't setup a pin then do a reconnect across to Google that might resolve the issue.

[sam00]

@CSParnell Yep tried that unpaired deleted all data re paired left voice control off with no pin but still the google home app requires a PIN. Very frustrating because I have several Google home hubs around the house and a Pixel phone which has a Google home shortcut key on the lockscreen where I can access all my smart devices without unlocking my phone. I have recently come across from the Sonoff platform which didn't need a PIN I changed cos Grid Connect has many more products available at my local Bunnings. I do thank you for trying 

[CSParnell]

@sam00 you may need to venture up into the world of home assistant where you have much more control over all types of devices.

[CSParnell]

 

On my outing today to my local Bunnings I was in the market for a couple more smart plugs for my man shed when I walked past these on a clip strip and when I saw the price then I saw Tuya I though you beauty these are going to integrate straight into my Grid Connect system and also Google Home and for under $10.00

I grabbed 4 which would have been the price of 2 of the Arlec plugs, got them home threw them straight into AP mode instead of EZ mode as I find things always connect better in AP mode.

 

 

 

 

And bingo connected to Grid Connect with standard options of ability to set timers (schedules)

 

And countdowns 

 

You can also setup scenes and automations in Grid Connect, Google Home, Alexa, Smart Things, Smart Life.

Hopefully they last a while and not just a promo item that goes in a few weeks.

[MitchellMc]

Good find @CSParnell!

Thanks for sharing.

Mitchell

[GreenHouse]

Getting Scenes to Trigger other Scenes:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Grid Connect Scenes can enable Automations, Automations can trigger Scenes BUT Scenes cannot trigger other Scenes.

I have a few cases where I require a Scene to perform a number of tasks including triggering several other Scenes.

What I ended up doing was writing a simple Scene to enable a particular disabled Automation and then change some condition that would force this newly enabled Automation to run.

Upon activation, this Automation would then perform all the required actions, including triggering all the required Scenes and then finally disabling itself so that the Automation only ran once.

As a very simple example, I wanted to have a Scene called "News" that would turn my TV ON, turn my headphones transmitter OFF, switch to free to air TV, change to channel 70 and then turn my TV speakers ON.

This Scene can then be activated with 'Tap to Trigger' or with the verbal command "Hey Google. Activate News".

(Now I'm set to watch the 6:00pm news on channel 70 with one tap or a simple command!)

The Scene "News" first enables an Automation called "7 News" (to do all the work), and then, in my case, switches my passage light ON then OFF which then triggers the "7 News" Automation to run.

The following is rather specific to my installation . . .

The "7 News" Automation when triggered by my passage light being turned OFF will . . .

• Trigger a Scene to turn my TV ON

• Switch OFF my FM Transmitter (for my headphones)

• Trigger a Scene to switch my TV to free to air TV

• Trigger a Scene to change to channel 70

• Turn my TV speakers On

• Disable the "7 News" Automation    (Note: The final 'disable' command can only be added once the Automation has been saved.)

Obviously, in this simple example, only three Scenes were triggered BUT, using this method, you could trigger as many Scenes as you like from a single Scene.

Note:

All the included time delays are required in this case as time must be allowed for my TV to perform one Scene before progressing to the next Scene. 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @GreenHouse. It's marvellous to have you join us, and many thanks for sharing your Grid Connect experience.

It sounds like you've been able to get the system to perform some fairly advanced triggers. I'm sure you and our resident expert @CSParnell will have plenty to discuss. You two just need to work out how to automate putting the garbage out for collection, and we'll be all set!

We look forward to hearing about your smart projects around your home and garden. Please keep us updated and reach out if you need any assistance.

Mitchell

[GreenHouse]

Antsig Smart IR Universal Remote Controller Trick:

Manually 'teaching' the IR Controller the various buttons with your remote provides you with the opportunity, if required, to use multiple remote controllers to control multiple devices from the one Smart IR Controller screen on your phone.

eg. I programmed all the required IR Controller buttons to control my DVD with my DVD remote controller AND THEN, using my TV remote Controller, I programmed a couple of 'spare' buttons on the DVD screen on my phone to turn my TV On/Off etc.

This saves me from having to switch back and forth between the DVD screen and the TV screen on my phone. A GREAT feature! I was super pleased with this additional functionality. 👍

Also . . .

I found that the devices being controlled by the Smart IR Controller didn't have to be in line of site of the IR Controller as I expected.

I located my IR Controller next to my TV on top of my timber TV cabinet. My DVD player is located on a shelf UNDER the TV (not in 'line of site' of the IR Controller). Because of this, I didn't expect the Controller would be able to control my DVD - BUT IT DID ! ! ! 😀

Obviously the IR light bounces off adjacent walls etc and back to the DVD and, to my GREAT surprise, it controls it perfectly!

[GreenHouse]

Grid Connect App On Your Windows PC:

I find using the Grid Connect App on my phone or tablet a little clumsy and I far prefer using the Grid Connect App on my PC.

I found a Windows program called BlueStacks 4, which is a free Android Phone Emulator. (There may be an Apple version as well?)

It's easy to install and run!

(You can download BlueStacks 5 or BlueStacks 10, but I think these are more suitable for on-line gaming.)

Once downloaded and installed, under 'Settings' - 'Devices', you can select from a range of Phone profiles but I use the default OnePlus 5 phone.

As I understand it, it runs as a Virtual Machine on your PC and emulates the ARM-instruction set.

(Best run on a Windows 10 or 11. Windows Subsystem for Android enables your Windows 11 device to run Android applications BUT I don't think Grid Connect is available in the Amazon Appstore.)

Once installed, you can download the Grid Connect App from the Google Play Store in the 'My Games' tab.

Sign in to the Grid Connect App, and you should be up and running. 😀

I have found that it can't do some of the more fancy stuff associated with the graphical requirements of some of the newer smart devices, but for run-of-the-mill stuff, it appears to work fine.

If you want to give it a go, I suggest you test it out first, making sure it does what you want, before you commit to any 'serious' programming.

If you know of any better Android Phone emulator to run Grid Connect, please let me know! 

AND, now that you have BlueStacks running, you may wish to try some of the other Android Apps from the Play Store - but no guarantees. 🤔

Below are some screen shots of my Windows 10 computer running BlueStacks and the Grid Connect App . . .

[GreenHouse]

Grid Connect App Problems Solved:

I was having all sorts of problems with my Grid Connect App.  They were becoming worse with time.

Sometimes, carefully placed 'Time Delays' would be 'moved' by the App and some of my older tablets (Nexus 7) became virtually useless.

I contacted Arlec and their advice was:  "Please delete the app, reinstall the latest version (not update – this is important)"

And so, I deleted the Grid Connect App on all 7 of the devices I was using (including on my PC under BlueStacks), did a fresh download and install . . .

Problems solved ! ! !

Buy the sound of it, older 'updated' versions of the Grid Connect App are NOT the same a fresh NEW install. 😀