Attempting on other TCL ACs

[TaylorTWBrown]

Thank you for your work! I'm opening this issue to support discussion and use of this firmware on other AC models.

I have a Coldpoint 18000 BTU inverter mini-split AC; like your model, it is a TCL-made rebadge. While cleaning, I found it has a WiFi header - and the app for it is Tuya/SmartLife.

I'll be trying this firmware either on a purchased WiFi module, or more likely by simply connecting a spare ESP to the headers.

I'll report back once I've tested it out- maybe there's potential to broaden the list of supported modules, or merge changes officially into ESPhome.

[TaylorTWBrown]

Also, @dslatford - Can you post photos of your wifi module and model number? My AC has a perfect slot for a factory module, and I'm curious if it's cheap and easy to buy on AliExpress, since they seem to go for 15CAD.

[dslatford]

Thanks for trying this out! I'll admit I've not looked at this myself for some months, so I'll need to review how it all works.

It's possible you don't need this and your unit uses the standard, well documented Tuya MCU protocol. You might use an 8266 module as-is but I think there was some level shifting going on, fairly sure the MCU uses 5v TTL not the ESP's 3.3v. I'll pull mine apart later and take some pics / reverse engineer the module.

[TaylorTWBrown]

Thank you - you might be right about the level shifting/5V UART, which I hadn't considered. I attempted to directly wire-in a NodeMCU and haven't had any luck.

The docs for the module in your unit suggests it does have 5V UART. It looks like this module comes in some other variants as well. I'm not much of an electronics guy, but maybe I can cobble-together a level shifter. More to come!

[TaylorTWBrown]

Hey Dan, I recently started to take another crack at this project. I've had very little luck getting my AC to communicate with my ESP, even using logic level shifters.

A favour: can you send me the original Tuya firmware that you backed-up initially? I don't really expect different results, but I'd like to play with it.

Beyond that, my next step will be to learn about UART logic and protocol analysis. It's totally new to me, but seems to be the right way to see if my AC is even communicating over the WiFi header.

--

An interesting tidbit I found: some other TCL air conditioners appear to have an identically-shaped wifi module (fits the same slot) that run a totally different Broadlink 3303-SBSL chip in place of the tuya ESP module.

I don't think this is relevant for my AC unit, but hopefully worth sharing incase it helps someone troubleshoot.

[Giancky79]

Hi, i'm confirm this module inside my unit ac, i'm try to put an esp8266 with level shifters, but with this code nothing happened, with this other repo working only beeps and state on/off, no display working

https://github.com/xaxexa/ESPHome-TCLAC

From Home Assistant we have an integration, here the discussion, from start the project , maybe can helping for a contribute to create a code with more compatibility

https://community.home-assistant.io/t/solved-for-local-access-a-c-app-named-tfiac-anyone-ever-heard-of-it/58169

[TaylorTWBrown]

I'm glad to hear others have made some progress. I'm in the same boat. I'll check out the thread shortly.

Using level shifters and an ESP8266, I get nothing from my AC as well.

I just bought a cheap logic analyzer and I'm hoping I can learn more. The AC also has an i2c bus which I think controls the LCD (and perhaps more) and IR receiver; sniffing that bus may be valuable as well.

[Giancky79]

@TaylorTWBrown found another github, try this code, for me working 100%

https://github.com/lNikazzzl/tcl_ac_esphome

[djmalor]

Hello, I have an air conditioner that uses the same board as yours. I have a module that works with it, but I can't connect the module I've already tried to replace it with an ESP 32, but unfortunately the uart rx and tx outputs don't receive any data and don't make the air conditioner react, and the module in the photo makes the unit react by displaying CF. Can you help me?

[dslatford]

The AC unit will probably want 5v UART not the 3.3v of an ESP32. You'll need to use some level shifters to convert between 3.3v and 5v.

But I have no idea if my project will work with your AC, they may use different protocols. Yours may already use ESPHome's Tuya MCU / Tuya Climate components. You'd be best off using a cheap logic analyser like I did, and observe the TX/RX lines while the device is paired up to the official app. Decode the serial and see if it matches the protocol I described, or official Tuya MCU, or something else entirely.

It's been a few years since I wrote this during a rare moment of inspiration, and now I have some free time, I'll re-visit this project. Currently I have no idea how I managed this :)

[Giancky79]

Hello, I have an air conditioner that uses the same board as yours. I have a module that works with it, but I can't connect the module I've already tried to replace it with an ESP 32, but unfortunately the uart rx and tx outputs don't receive any data and don't make the air conditioner react, and the module in the photo makes the unit react by displaying CF. Can you help me?

You need a esp01-s with a board tx and rx With 5v