Updated to version 1.3. Solved the issue of occasional relay chatter when using both UDP and MQTT via HTTP on a busy network.
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node-red-contrib-openbeken-subflow
==================================
A high-performance Node-RED subflow designed specifically for **OpenBeken** flashed hardware. This node simplifies the integration of devices using **Flag 10 and Flag 2** (immediate MQTT state feedback), provides built-in watchdog monitoring, and supports **Cross-Device Synchronization** for 3-way switch configurations.
Features
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* **Closed-Loop Feedback:** Automatically synchronizes with the device state using the .../1/get topic.
* **Watchdog Timer:** Monitors device activity and updates the node status to "Offline" if no heartbeat is detected within 5 minutes.
* **State-Sync Groups:** Support for multi-way (3-way/4-way) switching. Link multiple devices via a Global context to ensure states match even if UDP packets are dropped or firewalled.
* **Smart Sanitization:** Accepts Booleans (true/false), Strings ("on"/"off"), or Numbers (1/0) and converts them to the correct format for OpenBeken.
* **Dashboard 2.0 Ready:** Native support for UI updates including icon/color changes based on device connectivity.
Hardware Requirements
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For the best experience, ensure your OpenBeken device has **Flag 10 and Flag 2** enabled. Open your device's web console and run:Backlog Flag 10 1; Flag 2 1; restart
Configuration
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1. **Broker:** Select your MQTT Broker configuration node.
2. **Topic Base:** Enter the base MQTT topic of your device (e.g., KitchenLights). **Do not** include trailing slashes.
3. **Sync Group (Optional):** Enter a unique string (e.g., Kitchen3Way) to link multiple nodes together. Nodes sharing the same group name will stay synchronized automatically.
Anti-Chatter & Hybrid Sync (3-Way Switching)
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This subflow uses a **State-Locking** mechanism to prevent "Relay Chattering" (rapid oscillations) often caused by the race condition between OpenBeken UDP Groups and MQTT feedback loops.
### How it Works:
1. **Physical Trigger:** When a physical switch is flipped, the hardware sends a 1/get message.
2. **Lockout Window:** Upon receiving a hardware state change, the subflow "locks" the Sync Group for **400ms**.
3. **Loop Prevention:** The subflow tags the outgoing synchronization message with source: "from_hw".
4. **Logic Gate:** Any node receiving a message tagged from_hw will update its local relay but **will not** echo that change back out to the network. This breaks the infinite loop.
### Recommended Wiring for UDP Backup:
If you want MQTT to act as a fail-safe for dropped UDP packets:
* Wire **Output 1** of Node A to **Input 1** of Node B.
* Wire **Output 1** of Node B to **Input 1** of Node A.
* Connect your Dashboard UI switch to the inputs of both nodes.
Input/Output
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* **Input:** Send a boolean true/false or string "on"/"off" to toggle the device.
* **Output 1:** Returns a clean boolean true/false based on the hardware's actual state. Perfect for updating Dashboard switches.
* **Output 2:** MQTT output (Internal use, wire to MQTT Out node).
* **Output 3:** Status output for custom logging or dashboard indicators.
### Tips for Success
* **Dashboard 2.0:** Wire a Dashboard "Switch" node to the input of any node in a Sync Group. To ensure the UI reflects changes from all physical switches, wire **Output 1** of _all_ grouped nodes back to the Dashboard Switch input.
* **LWT:** This node relies on the device being "connected" to show online status. Ensure your MQTT Broker is configured to handle the device's Last Will and Testament (LWT).
