python-velbus 2.0.32

Python Library for the Velbus protocol

python-velbus: A python library to control the Velbus home automation system

This library was created to support the Velbus protocol in my home automation efforts.

It is currently being used by the Velbus component in home assisstant but can also be used indepenently.

The latest version of the library is published as a python package on pypi

I would like to extend this module to support all Velbus modules, so feel free to submit pull requests or log issues through github for functionality you like to have included.

API documentation is available here

Example usage

The library currently only supports a serial connection to the Velbus controller (either through USB module or through RS-232 interface). In order to use the library, you need to first initialize the controller and can then send and receive messages on the Velbus. The library currently does not validate if a message is supported by a certain module (e.g., you can send a blind up message to a relay)

import velbus
import time

# serial (or USB over serial) device connected to Velbus controller
port = "/dev/ttyACM0"

connection = velbus.VelbusUSBConnection(port)
controller = velbus.Controller(connection)
controller.subscribe(_on_message)

# set module address
module_address = 0xdc
message = velbus.SwitchRelayOnMessage(module_address)

channel_number = 1

message.relay_channels = [channel_number]

controller.send(message)

def _on_message(received_message):
    print("Velbus message received")
    print(received_message.address)

time.sleep(5)

connection.stop()

Installation

You can install the library with pip (pip install python-velbus) or by checking out the github repository and running python setup.py install at the root of the repository.

Supported modules

The following Velbus modules are currently supported by this library:

Module name	Description	Status	Comments
VMB1BL	1 channel blind module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB1RS	Serial interface	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB1RYNO	1 channel relay module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB1RYNOS	1 channel relay module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB1TS	1 channel temperatue sensor	SUPPORTED	Temperature supported
VMB1USB	USB configuration module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB2BL	2 channel blind module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB2BLE	2 channel blind module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB2PBN	2 channel input module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB4DC	4 channel 0-10 dimmer module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB4RY	4 channel relay module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB4RYLD	4 channel relay module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB4RYNO	4 channel relay module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB6IN	6 channel input module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB6PBN	6 channel input module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB7IN	7 channel input module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMB8PBU	8 channel input module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMBDME	1 channel dimmer module	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported
VMBGP1	1 channel glass panel	SUPPORTED	Input and Temperature supported
VMBGP2	2 channel glass panel	SUPPORTED	Input and Temperature supported
VMBGP4	4 channel glass panel	SUPPORTED	Input and Temperature supported
VMBGPO	72 channel glass panel with oled	SUPPORTED	Input and Temperature supported
VMBGPOD	72 channel glass panel with oled and thermostat	SUPPORTED	Input and Temperature supported
VMBMETEO	meteo modules	SUPPORTED	Temperature, wind, rain and light sensor supported
VMBRSUSB	Configuration module with USB and RS-232 interface	SUPPORTED	All messages are supported

Adding support for other modules

The velbus website contains an overview of the different available modules and their protocol documentation. In order to add support for an additional module, read through the protocol documemntation and add support for missing messages (many messages are shared between modules so make sure to check if a message already exists or not)

Steps to add support for an additional module:

• Look up the protocol documentation of the module you want to include at the velbus website: Select the module, go to Downloads and search for the info sheet with protocol information.
• Go through the messages directory and look for messages in the protocol information sheet that are not yet supported. Create a new file in the messages folder for each unsupported message. Every new message should inherit from the Message object and reuse common functionality.
• Implement constructor method for each new message
• Implement the populate and data_to_binary methods for each new message
• If the message has other than low priority or no RTR set (which are defaults), then re-implement set_defaults method
• Add new messages to the init.py file in the messages folder
• Test and iterate
• Update the Supported modules section of the README.md file
• Submit a pull request on Github

Further development

The library currently offers only the lowest level of functionality: sending and receiving messages to modules. I plan to extend this library with more higher-level functionality such as:

• Modeling modules and their supported functions as entities
• Only allowing to send supported messages to modules
• Auto-discovery of modules
• Exposing the velbus controller as an external API so it can be shared between different consumers