Compatibility of Kruidvat Smart Remote with OpenBK Flashed Devices and MQTT Linking

Is it possible to use a remote like this: https://www.kruidvat.nl/kruidvat-smart-afstandsbediening/p/5315304 with OpenBK flashed devices?

Or is it possible to flash these remotes so they are linked to MQTT directly?

Hello, can you provide more information on this remote? Is it based on IR, or RF, or something else?

It has WR3 chip [img-1]

WR3 support is planned in the near future, but it's not currently functional. Please wait and check Elektroda from time to time, I will post the update when something changes. Still, it's interesting to see a WiFi module being used in a remote.

I've actually tried to replace the module with an ESP8266MOD (ESP-12E I think) with Tasmota flashed on it. The thing is now that the WiFi is not connecting/showing on my network after assembling back. I think I need to do some wiring changes to keep the WiFi module on all the time to be discovered.

P.S: Do you know any other remote controls that I can use with MQTT?

Ok ok, so now, the question is, do you know how this remote works? For me, it looks like a TuyaMCU device. It seems there is an MCU that is connected by UART to WiFi module:

In this particular case TuyaMCU may also control the power of WiFi module.

If you wire the WiFi module to be always on, the batteries will drain in a day or two. This is not the solution.

If you want to get it running, the correct way would be to check which protocol is TuyaMCU using with original Tuya firmware, do the capture with our tool:
https://github.com/openshwprojects/TuyaMCUAnalyzer
and then try to configure Tasmota to work with that.

Can you try to do a TuyaMCU capture for that device? I don't know how much skilled you are with hot air and if it would be a problem...


But in general, for a remote control, I'd strongly suggest an IR or RF solution... this topic is actually the first time I see a WiFi remote.

Added after 6 [minutes]:

PS: On your photo, I can clearly see TX1/RX1 traces of UART1 port to the MCU. I can also see the transistor on the power line (with capacitors) that is controlled by TuyaMCU (by the MCU) to turn on and off the power of WiFi module when it's needed.

It'a a power saving method, the MCU is always on, but it's a lower power MCU, and WiFI module gets turned on only when there is a need to send data.

It's kinda like this door sensor: https://www.elektroda.com/rtvforum/topic3914412.html
See the topic above, there are protocol details of TuyaMCU v0 used in battery powered devices.

here is capture

So it's TuyaMCU.... or is it? Can you try to somehow get separate capture for each button press? Do they differ between themselves?

I guess it is. That's what I did. I pressed each button.

Really? It sends MCUConf? Hmm.. maybe it's somewhat a custom version of TuyaMCU.

Okay, does it send anything beyond MCUConf? Or is it the whole protocol?

That's the only thing I see there....

Very well. This means that now you need to script Tasmota (I assume) to react to this UART packet and do publish then.

Do you know how Tasmota rules work?

https://tasmota.github.io/docs/Rules/



I'd say you need to script Tasmota to do things on TuyaReceived event, create separate rule for each button, just paste HEX and do something when it happens, like, idk, MQTT publish.

I can try to help you with that step by step, but I don't have much experience with Tasmota rules.

As per Blakadder site: Change device to a TuyaMCU module

Quote:

Disable multipress button options to prevent a device reset or Wi-Fi AP config mode, disable Power Cycle recovery, turn on TuyaReceived publish to MQTT and set switchmode to follow instead of toggle

Not sure if all needed:


Then:


You must change hex string 55AA in the above example to the string you saw in the capture.
The following should make Tasmota publish data when this string is received.... in theory.

I am not sure how reliable it will be, maybe for a start, you can temporary route 3.3V permantently to VDD of WiFI module to do the setup, and then try it in the battery-powered mode... I dont know currently how will Tasmota respond to "publish2" command when it's not yet connected to WiFI, and it may happen on this remote very often. We need to experiment

The problem is the ESP module is not starting up "permanently" even if I route VDD and/or ground directly when soldered on the remote.

Well, if that's the case, then you need to investigate each pin one by one and find out which is breaking ESP booting.
Is VDD and GND correctly connected?
Is RST correctly connected? Maybe it's somehow kept in RESET state?
How is GPIO0 connected? Maybe this board keeps ESP in uart bootloader mode, because it had non-ESP module earlier?
Do you have a photo showing the traces of the board before you swapped WiFI module to ESP one?

Here is a random "ESP12 minimal circuit" schematic from Google:

Keep in mind that I am showing it here just for reference, I haven't verified it with the datasheet.

I remember that when I was doing XR809 to ESP8266 swap, I also had to solder some resistors, details here:
https://www.elektroda.com/rtvforum/topic3816654.html

It seems the GPIO0 pin is different from CB3S (pin 11) compared to ESP (pin 12), and GPIO0 seems connected to one of the push buttons.

To which button? I was sure that all buttons are connected to MCU and not to the WiFI module.

Did you find the solution to get it working? I have exactly the same problem. (I want to get it working with Home Assistant) Can I maybe just flash ESPHome on the WR3 chip and configure the GPIO pins for each button?

Thanks in advance