[APP][Pro] RAMSES ESP – 868 MHz ventilation (Orcon, Itho, Vasco, ClimaRad) via ramses_esp

Apps
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RAMSES ESP for Homey

Control your 868 MHz ventilation system from Homey through a ramses_esp gateway — no Home Assistant, no extra bridge, no flashing. The app talks to the MQTT broker your ramses_esp already uses (for example the MQTT Broker app on Homey itself).

orcon
orcon1258×777 92.6 KB

Unofficial community app. Not made or endorsed by Orcon, Itho, Vasco, ClimaRad or the ramses_esp authors.

:cyclone: WHAT IT DOES

Ramses Gateway

• Enter your broker; the app finds the ramses_esp by itself and keeps scanning the bus for devices

Ventilation unit

• Set the mode: Low / Medium / High / Auto / Away
• Boost: run on high for N minutes, then back to Auto
• The current status straight from the unit — also when it changes by itself in Auto or after a timer — shown as a word on the device tile (“Auto”, “High”)
• Humidity (units with a humidity sensor, e.g. Orcon), plus CO₂, temperatures, bypass and filter on units that report them
• Reset the filter counter

Remotes and CO₂ control sensors (such as the Orcon CO2 15RF)

• CO₂ (ppm) and ventilation demand
• Every button press can start a flow

Flow cards

• When: fan mode changed (to…), boost started, button pressed, packet received (any, or by code/address), new device found on the bus, gateway online/offline
• And: fan mode is…, gateway is online
• Then: set fan mode, start boost, reset filter, ask status, send a raw RAMSES frame or command

Also

• Dashboard widget with a spinning fan, the current mode and four buttons
• Live bus view in the app settings: every packet decoded, a device finder with the role of each device, and a field to send a frame

:white_check_mark: REQUIREMENTS

• A ramses_esp (868 MHz) connected to an MQTT broker
• Homey Pro (2023) or Homey Pro mini, firmware 12.4 or newer

• To control a unit: the address of a remote it is bound to (filled in automatically when the app has heard one)

:test_tube: TESTED WITH

• Orcon VMC-15RP01 ventilation unit
• Orcon CO2 15RF control sensor (VMS-15CM17)

Reports from other brands and models are very welcome. The bus view in the app settings shows exactly what your devices send, which makes adding support easy.

Currently the app is under development, if u want to test, please leave me a message :slight_smile:

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Hi Bryan,

Quick question, does your app also work with the ESP32-C6 fork of ramses_esp (the Sub-GHz bridge from Elecram)? And could you send me a test link?

I have a Homey Pro (2023) and an Orcon HRC-570 SmartComfort from 2024, with an Orcon humidity control sensor (Vocht Bedieningssensor inbouw 15RF). The HRC responds to the sensor’s buttons (low/medium/high/auto), but ignores its humidity signal (only works with post 2025 model units). My plan is to use your app to catch the humidity signal on the bus and turn it into a boost command.

Thanks!

Philip

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Hi Philip,

Yes, it should work with the Elecram ESP32-C6 board. The app doesn’t talk to the ESP itself. It connects to the MQTT broker the ESP publishes to. I checked the source of the C6 fork: it uses the same topics and message format as the original ramses_esp (RAMSES/GATEWAY//rx and /tx, {“msg”: …}, and the same online/offline status).

But… one thing: the board has to run in WiFi + MQTT mode, not Zigbee. On Homey Pro 2023 the simplest broker is the free “MQTT Broker” app. Point the board at your Homey’s IP and the app will find the gateway by itself.

Test version: RAMSES ESP | Homey
Full documentation: English | RAMSES ESP voor Homey (this is generated with AI otherwise it costs me few weeks to write the documentation, sorry for that)

For your humidity plan:

Add the gateway, then the ventilation unit, then the 15RF as a “Sensor”. If the sensor isn’t listed when you pair it, press one of its buttons and try again.

The sensor’s humidity shows up as a normal humidity value in Homey. Its ventilation demand shows up too, if the sensor sends one. Then a flow like this does the job: When the humidity changed → And it is above 70% → Then run the unit on high for 30 minutes.

Homey sends commands in the name of a device the unit is bound to. Your HRC already obeys the 15RF’s buttons, so set the sensor’s address as the Remote address in the unit’s settings.

If the humidity value doesn’t appear, open Apps → RAMSES ESP → Configure. The bus view shows every packet from the sensor with decoded values. Then you can use the “a packet with code … was received from …” trigger instead. If you send me a few of those lines, I can add decoding for it.

Two caveats: I’ve only tested on my own Orcon (a VMC-15RP01), so the HRC-570 and this sensor are new to me. Also, in apartment buildings you’ll see the neighbours’ units on the bus too, so add only your own. I’d love to hear whether it works!

Bryan

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Hi Bryan,

I was able to connect everthing and created a flow as you indicated and works like a charm, I used the “a packet was received” triggered by the payload code. The humidity sensor does not appear in the app itself, but was able to find it in the configure screen. The only thing I do not seem to be able to get from it is the actual humidity level or the ventilation request level.

Cheers,

Philip

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Hi Philip,

Great to hear it works!

Thanks for the report. Your humidity sensor sends button presses and a ventilation request, but no humidity reading of its own, so the app took it for a remote instead of a sensor. I’ve fixed that in the next version: it will then show up under Room sensor, with the ventilation request as a value. Its buttons work there as well.

Whether you’ll also get the actual humidity depends on the sensor itself. Some sensors only send the request, not the percentage. Could you check in the configure screen which codes your sensor sends (the “Sends” column)? If you see 12A0 there, the humidity will show up too. Which sensor model is it?

Cheers,
Bryan

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Hi Bryan,

It’s the humidity sensor for Orcon also 15RF, it does not appear to send the 12A0 code, but it works with the payload code it sends. The sensor indeed now shows up in the app!

Cheers,

Philip

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Hi Bryan,

I came across your RAMSES ESP app and would be happy to help test it with my Orcon ventilation system.

My setup:

  • Homey Pro Early 2023, running firmware 13.5.1.
  • Orcon MVS-15R, according to the warranty registration, installed in September 2020.
  • Two Orcon 15RF wireless remotes and a working wired three-speed switch in the kitchen.

I would like to control the ventilation through Homey while keeping the existing controls working.

I haven’t purchased a gateway yet and am considering the Indalo-Tech RAMSES_ESP, with its pre-installed firmware.

Would this gateway be suitable for your app, and do you expect my Orcon model to work with it? Could I get access to the test version and any setup instructions, including the recommended MQTT broker configuration on Homey?

I’m happy to provide photos, logs and feedback during testing.

Thanks for developing this!

Best regards,
Ronnie

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Ronnie,

Thanks for offering to test!

Gateway: Yes. The Indalo-Tech RAMSES_ESP with its pre-installed firmware is exactly what the app is built for, so you don’t need to reflash it. You only have to point it at your Wi-Fi and an MQTT broker once

The good news is, I have an Orcon MVS-15R myself, so that’s the unit the app is developed and tested on. The “R” means it has the 868 MHz receiver, and your 15RF remotes talk RAMSES II, which is what the gateway listens to. You’ll get the fan mode (low / medium / high / auto), setting the mode and boosts from flows, the ventilation demand from your sensors, and your 15RF remotes as flow triggers. The MVS-15 is exhaust-only, so there are no heat-recovery extras like temperatures or bypass. Its built-in humidity sensor does show up.

For the existing controlers, they keep working. The app doesn’t replace anything. It listens on the bus and sends commands in the name of one of your existing 15RF remotes, because the unit only obeys devices it’s bound to. The wired three-speed switch isn’t affected at all.

Test version: RAMSES ESP | Homey
Your Homey Pro 2023 on 13.5.1 is fine (12.4 or newer is required).

Documentation (installation, MQTT, binding, troubleshooting): Home | RAMSES ESP for Homey

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Hi Bryan,

Thanks for your helpful reply! Indalo-Tech is temporarily closed, so I’m looking at an alternative gateway from Elecram: the ESP32-C6 WiFi/Zigbee to 855–925 MHz board.

Would this gateway work with your Homey RAMSES ESP app over Wi-Fi/MQTT for my Orcon MVS-15R and Homey Pro Early 2023 (firmware 13.5.1)?

Does its ESP32-C6 RAMSES firmware support the MQTT interface your app expects, and is there a particular firmware version or configuration I should ask the seller to supply? I’d prefer a ready-to-use gateway without having to flash it myself.

If this model is unsuitable, do you know another supplier or compatible gateway?

Thanks again!
Ronnie

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Hi Ronnie,

I’ve ordered the Elecram board (Sub-GHz 855–925 MHz Bridge, ESP32-C6) myself, so I can test it with the Homey RAMSES ESP app before you buy one.

What I know so far:

When it arrives I’ll test the whole chain,

So first, flashing and setting up Wi-Fi/MQTT and pairing in Homey via the MQTT Broker app

I’ll let you know how it goes, along with a short step-by-step guide if it works. If it works well, I’ll list it in the app as a supported gateway.

Best regards,
Bryan

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Hi Bryan,

Thanks for your detailed reply and for testing this gateway yourself! It sounds promising. I’ll wait for your test results before ordering one.

Would you mind tagging me with @Ronnie_Groenewold when you post an update? A step-by-step setup guide would be much appreciated too.

Thanks again for your help and all your work on the app!

Best regards,
Ronnie

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Hi @Ronnie_Groenewold

Good news, I tested the Elecram board myself with the Homey RAMSES ESP app, and it works fully. Homey finds the gateway, reads the bus and controls my Orcon unit.

Buy: the board with the 868 MHz antenna. It arrives ready to use, no flashing needed.

Set up: follow the installation guide. It covers the MQTT Broker app on Homey, the PuTTY settings and the commands for the board, step by step:

If you get stuck, send me what PuTTY shows and I’ll help you.

Best regards,

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Hi Bryan,

Thanks again for testing this and for your helpful instructions!

I checked my Orcon: my unit is an MVS-15R, installed in September 2020. Do you happen to know whether this model is compatible with the Elecram board and your Homey RAMSES ESP app? Is it the same model you tested?

Many thanks for your help!

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Yes that should work

Bryan