Install X10 on Home Assistant on Raspberry Pi-Instructions

[petera]

Further to an earlier post I used the following links to successfully install Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi and setup X10 using the CM11/CM12 controller. The instructions assume a basic knowledge of Linux and the ability to SSH into a Raspberry Pi from another computer. There's quite a lot of tutorials on installing Raspbian Stretch on an SD card available on the net if you need to look around.

This installation was carried out on a Raspberry Pi3

1. You will need a fresh copy of Raspbian Stretch Lite (not the desktop version) written to an SD card. Details to achieve this here https://hackernoon.com/raspberry-pi-headless-install-462ccabd75d0

2. Now that your Raspberry Pi setup and have SSH into it from another computer you will see the a prompt. Now its time to install Heyu on the Raspberry PI. Follow these instructions exactly as they are presented in this link. NOTE when you get to the section where it asks you who you want this to be available to select option 3 and NOT 1 as mentioned in the instructions https://blog.wouterspaans.nl/2017/02/23/control-your-x10-lights-from-a-raspberry-pi/

3. Now it's time to install Home Assistant. This is the manual install which is what you need here
https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/installation/raspberry-pi/

4. Now that you have Home Assistant up and running you need to configure it to run X10. The following link will demonstrate how to configure it by editing what is called the configuration.yaml
https://www.home-assistant.io/components/light.x10/

All I ask here is that we keep this on topic and where possible I will be only too glad to answer any questions you may have on the above. The installation should be fairly straightforward and take approximately two hours 

[lviper]

Thanks petera, I will give this a try as soon as I get my RPi.

Question. I noticed that Heyu supports the W800RF32A. Have you any idea if it will work with Home Assistant? I'm actually using the W800USB which is just a newer version that connects via usb instead of serial. I was hoping to use my W800USB for my palm pads and security sensors.

Second question. Heyu also supports the CM17A. If HA can use it then one could setup HA to arm the x10 security console.

[petera]

Thanks petera, I will give this a try as soon as I get my RPi.

Question. I noticed that Heyu supports the W800RF32A. Have you any idea if it will work with Home Assistant? I'm actually using the W800USB which is just a newer version that connects via usb instead of serial. I was hoping to use my W800USB for my palm pads and security sensors.

Second question. Heyu also supports the CM17A. If HA can use it then one could setup HA to arm the x10 security console.

I couldn't confirm that for you. All I can say is if it works in Heyu I imagine it will work with Home Assistant. I'm only using the CM11/CM12 unit because I've one lying about. I will get around to trying the Home Assistant Mochad module option on the CM15 at some stage. Someone else might like to experiment with that in the meantime.

As above. If it works with Heyu give it a try.

Good luck when you get started and if you do get stuck feel free to ask for help.

Don't forget if all you'll be plugging into the Pi is an x10 controller you could always use the Pi Zero W. That unit is worth playing with too.

[lviper]

I couldn't confirm that for you. All I can say is if it works in Heyu I imagine it will work with Home Assistant. I'm only using the CM11/CM12 unit because I've one lying about. I will get around to trying the Home Assistant Mochad module option on the CM15 at some stage. Someone else might like to experiment with that in the meantime.

As above. If it works with Heyu give it a try.

Good luck when you get started and if you do get stuck feel free to ask for help.

Don't forget if all you'll be plugging into the Pi is an x10 controller you could always use the Pi Zero W. That unit is worth playing with too.

I just ordered my RPi 3 B+. No prime day specials but giving it a go. Time to get off the fence.

Anyhow, since I'm currently using my CM11a with my current setup, I'll use my spare CM15a I have with Mochad. I'll use your instructions but instead of installing HeyU I will use Mochad.

[petera]

I couldn't confirm that for you. All I can say is if it works in Heyu I imagine it will work with Home Assistant. I'm only using the CM11/CM12 unit because I've one lying about. I will get around to trying the Home Assistant Mochad module option on the CM15 at some stage. Someone else might like to experiment with that in the meantime.

As above. If it works with Heyu give it a try.

Good luck when you get started and if you do get stuck feel free to ask for help.

Don't forget if all you'll be plugging into the Pi is an x10 controller you could always use the Pi Zero W. That unit is worth playing with too.

I just ordered my RPi 3 B+. No prime day specials but giving it a go. Time to get off the fence.

Anyhow, since I'm currently using my CM11a with my current setup, I'll use my spare CM15a I have with Mochad. I'll use your instructions but instead of installing HeyU I will use Mochad.

As I said earlier I haven't tried the CM15/Mochad combination but let us know how you progress. Be careful what version of Mochad you use too. As you know you'll have to build it yourself so the later the version the better.

You'll need to set it up as a Systemd service too.

[bkenobi]

I tested Mochad when I initially got my first RPi and it worked very well with the limited testing.  The question here is really how well it can be integrated into the HA setup.

[HA Dave]

…. I just ordered my RPi 3 B+. No prime day specials but giving it a go. Time to get off the fence.

I thought the same when I  ordered my Pi 3. It didn't work out... maybe I was ahead of the curve by a few months. But if this works out for you guys.... I'll order a  RPi 3 B+ and follow.

[petera]

I tested Mochad when I initially got my first RPi and it worked very well with the limited testing.  The question here is really how well it can be integrated into the HA setup.

Heyu is working fine so I don't see Mochad being an issue as Home Assistant has its own platform for Mochad. Once you're comfortable in the Linux environment it shouldn't be a problem. You should give it a try as Home Assistant has extensive documentation to help you.

[petera]

…. I just ordered my RPi 3 B+. No prime day specials but giving it a go. Time to get off the fence.

I thought the same when I  ordered my Pi 3. It didn't work out... maybe I was ahead of the curve by a few months. But if this works out for you guys.... I'll order a  RPi 3 B+ and follow.

Best to hold back if you're not comfortable in the Linux environment and wait for a few others to try it. You'll probably need things as automated as possible. There's a bit of work to do before you get there. You use the Homeseer Hometroller so it's not unlike that environment.

My system now boots straight to Home Assistant and can be accessed from any web browser. What you could do is read up on Home Assistant and familiarise yourself with it in the meantime.

[HA Dave]

Best to hold back.... and wait for a few others to try it...…. What you could do is read up on Home Assistant and familiarise yourself with it in the meantime.

Makes good sense.

[dhouston]

Best to hold back.... and wait for a few others to try it...…. What you could do is read up on Home Assistant and familiarise yourself with it in the meantime.

Makes good sense.

In the meantime you might read this.https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2018/07/16/release-73-2/

[lviper]

…. I just ordered my RPi 3 B+. No prime day specials but giving it a go. Time to get off the fence.

I thought the same when I  ordered my Pi 3. It didn't work out... maybe I was ahead of the curve by a few months. But if this works out for you guys.... I'll order a  RPi 3 B+ and follow.

I'm by far no expert with linux but on the same note I'm comfortable with it. I do know my way around the basics so that will help. I admit I had a huge learning curve when I first touched a linux system. Heck, my first time installing a linux system I had no idea how to answer the hostname prompt.

[bkenobi]

Can HA record data and display it in a table?  I'm envisioning a way to record a temperature sensor for example and see a chart and tabulated data.

[petera]

Can HA record data and display it in a table?  I'm envisioning a way to record a temperature sensor for example and see a chart and tabulated data.

I'm sure you can using compatible sensors. Just Google Home Assistant sensors to find ones compatible with it. Everything is recorded in the logbook so I'm sure you could extract the relevant information to formulate your chart.

I've been working on and off for the last week setting up and configuring Home Assistant and the more I dig in the more I'm adding to it. It's a lot easier to set up than some of the commercial alternatives too. Scripts and automation are its strengths.

[petera]

…. I just ordered my RPi 3 B+. No prime day specials but giving it a go. Time to get off the fence.

I thought the same when I  ordered my Pi 3. It didn't work out... maybe I was ahead of the curve by a few months. But if this works out for you guys.... I'll order a  RPi 3 B+ and follow.

I'm by far no expert with linux but on the same note I'm comfortable with it. I do know my way around the basics so that will help. I admit I had a huge learning curve when I first touched a linux system. Heck, my first time installing a linux system I had no idea how to answer the hostname prompt.

Me too when I first tackled it. The Raspberry Pi has opened up Linux to many recently. It's practically all cut and paste now. Very little can go wrong now if you follow the instructions exactly as advised.