Help implementing PowerToggle function for Daikin 17 series (Daikin128)

[Ixian]

I'm working on a custom ESPHome climate component using IRremoteESP8266.

Using Daikin128 protocol, I created a header file (this one, my repo ). My circuit is fine, IR is transmitting and the unit recognizes the codes, in fact I've gotten everything to work - modes, fan, temp, etc. changes - but I am stumped on how to handle the power state.

The Daikin 17 series is differential; it doesn't have discrete on/off, just one power command. The library includes two settings "getPowerToggle" and "setPowerToggle". The first is a bool value and the second sets the first.

I am fairly new to Arduino c++ and I can't seem to wrap my head around how to send the correct command. From what I understand, if "getPowerToggle" returns true, then the power command should be sent, false and it should not.

What needs to happen is, if a command is selected (say "set the mode to cool") it should check if getPowerToggle is true or false, if true toggle the power, if false just send the command to set the mode. I've tried multiple ways but can't get it to work. The power state does change but with each command i.e. if I am in mode Cool and I switch to Heat it turns the unit off. If I choose Heat again it turns it back on. I know these AC remotes send the entire state but that is what I think the Toggle setting is meant to help with. Implementing that is my challenge right now.

Would anyone be willing to take a look at my work and see if something obvious jumps out? Apologies if the code is a little rough, I am still early in the learning process and appreciate any help.

[Ixian]

Update: this is one of those situations where you finally decide to ask for help, write out the problem, and then some subconscious process gets set loose and you figure out the problem. I have it working, though I'm not sure if is supposed to look like that. If anyone could still take a look, particularly at my inline function starting line 20, I'd really appreciate it. With the code the way it is now it works as expected but one of the reasons I love doing this kind of stuff is to learn and I am sure I've made mistakes in that code.

Next trick is going to be figuring out how to add a switch from home assistant in to this to truly set the power state. I have a split current detector set up that measures when my Daikin is drawing power. If it is (over a small amount) the switch returns true, otherwise false. It's a simple way to be certain my power toggle states are in sync if I am away from the unit. Figuring this out should be fun :)

[crankyoldgit]

FYI, you can simplify your code from:

    void togglePowerOn() {
      if (this->mode == CLIMATE_MODE_OFF) {
         ac.setPowerToggle(true);
         } else {
           ac.setPowerToggle(false);
      }
    }

to:

    void togglePowerOn(void) {
      ac.setPowerToggle(this->mode == CLIMATE_MODE_OFF);
    }

[Ixian]

Appreciate you taking the time to look!

I'm a little confused how that would work. As long as the unit is on, I want the PowerToggle boolean to be false, because the setting is sent with every command and if it's true that would turn the unit off when I, say, changed temp or modes. So the only time I set it to true is when I set the mode to off - that will toggle the power (to off if everything is in sync) and leave the setting at true so that the next time I send a command, such as set the mode to cool, it will know to toggle the power on again. Once the power is toggled back on once from that state I want it to be false again until I call for mode_off.

So I have the else there to set the toggle state back to false and have inserted the function in front of every command (mode, temp, fan, swing, etc.) so it runs each time. At the end of the day, as long as the power state is in sync, that will keep the toggle at false unless mode off is called for and the cycle repeats.

I'm not sure how that would work with your example? I tried settle the toggle to false via an override but that still led to the power state flipping when it shouldn't. It's possible I made a mistake there.

I've added a true power monitor for my mini-split to HA (I built a little voltage divider circuit with an ESP and a CT clamp) that I attached to one of the hot legs, and configured a switch for on/off based on the amount of amps detected. It works well and lets me know when I'm away from the A/C that if I have the power set to off in the climate control that it truly is. I need to work on integrating that Home Assistant switch in to this via ESPHome and my custom component but that's a different topic.

[crankyoldgit]

ac.setPowerToggle(this->mode == CLIMATE_MODE_OFF);

is functionally exactly the same as your existing code.
this->mode == CLIMATE_MODE_OFF gets evaluated to true when this->mode is CLIMATE_MODE_OFF, otherwise it is false.
So, ac.setPowerToggle() gets called with true or false accordingly.

I don't know if the concept/intention of the code is correct (I didn't look that hard at the rest of your code) but that little bit I quoted originally is functionally equivilent, just simpler, more efficient, and smaller.

[crankyoldgit]

In other code I handle "toggles" like this:

IRremoteESP8266/src/IRac.cpp

Lines 2685 to 2686 in 71cd956

	case decode_type_t::DAIKIN128:
	result.power = desired.power ^ prev->power;

With a "toggle" bit/command/message, you need to keep track of the previous state, or as you're planning to implement, some way of knowing the a actual power state of the device.

FYI, ^ is the XOR/eXclusive OR operator in C/C++.

[Ixian]

Wow, really appreciate you taking the time to look and help a c++ newbie!

I didn't realize I could do it that way with the modes. That is certainly cleaner, going to give it a go in a bit.

Appreciate the pointer on the toggles as well. Going to work on implementing my power monitor next.