Problems with Aqara curtains since last update

[kmarosi]

Hi,

Before the v3.0.16 of Homeykit my Aqara curtains worked perfectly fine with Homey and in Homekit through the Homeykit app. But since then, I can't control those curtains through Homekit. The devices show up in Homekit but nothing happens when I change open/close.

I went into developer.athom.com and check what happens. When I change status of the curtains in Homekit the windowcoverings_set value changes but nothing happens. When I change status of the curtains in Homey the dim value changes and the curtains start moving.

Any ideas what this could be?

[robertklep]

Which specific app are you using to control the curtains? 3.0.16 contains some changes to how curtains are being handled (to fix problems with other apps), so I have to check and see how the Aqara app handles them.

[kmarosi]

I use the Aqara & Xiaomi Zigbee (Version 0.8.0) app.

[robertklep]

For some reason, the driver add the windowcoverings_set capability to the device, but doesn't use actually use it. This confuses Homeykit.

I'll ask @tedtolboom about it.

[robertklep]

@kmarosi I added a workaround, can you check if this fixes your problem? https://homey.app/a/com.swttt.homekit/test/

[kmarosi]

@robertklep - I managed to close them but then some weird things started to happen. The status changed to Closing... and they closed but then the status changed back to Open xx%. And after that the curtains started to open and close by itself for a few times. Curtains are now open but the status is Closed.

[robertklep]

@kmarosi I don't really see how Homeykit can cause that sort of behaviour. Do you know which version were running previous to 3.0.16? Do you know how to use the CLI method to install apps on Homey?

[kmarosi]

@robertklep I've been running Homeykit since 3.0.11. The last version where everything worked as it should was with 3.0.15, so my problems started a few days ago.

I haven't installed apps with the CLI method on Homey before, but that's something I should be able to do. Just let me know what commands you want me try. :)

[robertklep]

@kmarosi instructions on how to install an app through the CLI are here: https://community.athom.com/t/how-to-cli-install-method/198

Just to make sure that 3.0.15 still works for you, go to this URL, click the green button "Clone or download", then "Download ZIP".

Unpack the ZIP file, which should unpack to a directory called "com.swttt.homekit-988c4c797feb82df998549dc377562e76717c00a". Go to that directory, and run homey app run

That will run (but not install) v3.0.15. Check and see if that still works as expected.

[kmarosi]

@robertklep Interestingly enough, it doesn't work with 3.0.15 either anymore.. Closing works fine. It first goes from Closing.. then to Closed. But when I try to open them the status changes to Opening... and then it starts opening/closing after it eventually closes itself.

Could it be a Zigbee error with the Homey?

[robertklep]

@kmarosi start by taking Homey off power for about 10 minutes and see if it works again after that. I assume that the device works okay when you control it directly from the Homey app (taking Homeykit out of the equation)? There isn't a flow that might be getting in the way?

[kmarosi]

@robertklep I'll try that! I'll get back to you shortly. Works perfectly fine when controlling it directly from Homey. No flows that are supposed to be in the way, but I'll disable any flow that has the curtains involved just to make sure 100%.

[kmarosi]

@robertklep Unfortunately that didn't do the trick either. It sorted one problem though, it doesn't open/close back and forth now. The problem now is that the status is not changing after Opening... and Closing... and if I restart the Home app it goes back to the previous setting, even though it actually opened or closed the curtain.

[robertklep]

Are you still testing with 3.0.15? homey app run doesn't install the app, so it will revert back to 3.0.16 after a reboot until you manually run 3.0.15 again.

[kmarosi]

@robertklep I didn’t think of that. But when I check the Homeykit app it says it runs 3.0.15 even after the reboot. Is that wrong or should I do another reboot, run 3.0.15 again manually and then test?

[robertklep]

Just to be sure, just run 3.0.15 manually from the CLI and it should be fine. No need to reboot.

[kmarosi]

@robertklep Unfortunately still the same. :(

[robertklep]

Can you check the device capabilities from https://developer.athom.com/tools/devices and see if those match up with the actual state of the curtains?

[kmarosi]

@robertklep When I start with the curtains closed and then I click Open in the Home app the curtains open but the values in the Dev tools is not changing. The status remains as Opening...

Same when I start with them open and I click Close, except the status remains as Closing...

However, if I open/close with Homey the correct status shows up in Home and correct state is shown in the Dev app as well.

[robertklep]

@kmarosi if you say that the values in dev tools are not changing, which capabilities specifically aren't changing?

[kmarosi]

@robertklep dim and windowcoverings_set

When I use Homey to open/close dim changes.

[robertklep]

It doesn't really make sense that they don't change when the curtains change position anyway, because the way it works is that Homeykit changes the dim value which is a trigger for the Aqara app to change the curtain position.

So right now I'm at a bit of a loss on why this isn't working for you. Have you tried restarting the Aqara app to see if that solves the problem? Also, which version of the Homey firmware are you running?

[kmarosi]

@robertklep I'm running 4.1.0 on my Homey. I've restarted the Aqara app and even re-installed the curtains in Homey. It got even worse, somehow. I can (somewhat) control it in Homey. If I say I put it on 50%, it chooses whatever it wants as the dim level doesn't change in the Dev app. If I manually change the value of dim in the Dev app, it goes exactly where I want it and stays there. Even the status in the Home app becomes correct (Instantly) when I change the value in the Dev app.

So I guess with all these facts that is not a Homeykit problem, but more of a problem with the Aqara app or the Zigbee network.

[robertklep]

@kmarosi yeah, it's beginning to sound like that :( I don't know how the curtain device works, but if it's battery-operated, I'd start by replacing the batteries.

[kmarosi]

And another problem just appeared. When I change the value manually in the Dev app it now sets my curtain to the right position but the value is not updated. Also get a couple of Network request failed so I'm pretty sure now it's the Zigbee network.

The curtains are powered so can't change the batteries. But like I said, it's either the Aqara app or the Zigbee network. But I find it odd that it worked perfectly until now and suddenly it just started to not work a couple of days ago.

Anyway, thanks for all your help. I'll continue investigating this. :p

[robertklep]

It could be that the device is just within reach. Because Zigbee uses (almost) the same frequency as WiFi, it might be something silly as a neighbour installing a new WiFi AP that is now causing enough interference that the curtains are dropping out of range.

Perhaps try adding another Zigbee router device in between Homey and the curtains (like an IKEA repeater).

[kmarosi]

For some reason Homey and my two Hue bridges were on the same channel. Something they haven't been on before. I changed the Zigbee channel on the Hue bridges and then re-installed on the curtains on a rebooted Homey. I'll give it a few days and see if that does the job.