Support for model RAK-DJ18RHAE

[kumy]

Hi,

I just discovered this repo from https://community.home-assistant.io/t/hitachi-ac-h-link-with-esphome/869303

I'm actually controlling the AC using ESPHOME IR:

climate:
  - platform: hitachi_ac424
    name: "Clim"

Do you think your project is compatible with model RAK-DJ18RHAE, I have no idea [yet] if the AC has physically the H-link connector 🤷

Given I'm redirected to this page when looking for my model, and on last page I can see a reference to that, then I hope it can work!

[lumixen]

Hi @kumy

According to the technical documentation for RAK-DJXXRHAE units, they have 6-pin connectors labeled CN7B and CN7A on the wiring diagram. CN7B is marked as H-LINK, while CN7A is labeled as WIFI P.W.B. I have no idea why there are two connectors and what their differences are, but there is a good chance that this component may be compatible with your AC when installed in CN7B, especially since it refers to the H-LINK RAC Adapter (hopefully, the protocol remains the same).

[kumy]

Thanks for your answer, I'll open the case just to ensure it's really there, and I'll source the required hardware to give it a try.

And thanks for creating this project 🎉

[kumy]

I received the hardware today. Everything is now assembled and in place. It's working very well. Many thanks!!!

I've found the perfect PAP connector (I should just have take the long cable version 🤦) (/cc @shardshunt)
I build it with an esp32-c3 super mini.

2 two notes from my experience:

• The startup delay after powering the AC electricity back. The esp led stayed off for a long time, and I thought something was defective, when I went back with my multi-meter led was up, and everything working
• I was about to miss one ground connection on pin6 from the connector, hopefully I noticed you have 5 wires on your picture. Maybe this should be highlighted in some way in the readme 🤷
  

As reference for other, I used this schema

Final mount

HA integration

@lumixen thanks again for your project 👍

I now removed the climate-IR component and I finally have the flap available 🕺

[lumixen]

@kumy, thank you for the feedback and photos! I've added a reference to the README.

The esp led stayed off for a long time, and I thought something was defective, when I went back with my multi-meter led was up, and everything working

In my RAK-25PEC, I didn't notice any delays - the H-Link port provides 12V almost instantly after the AC is powered on. I would recommend checking with a multimeter to determine if this is AC-specific delay or if there might be an issue in the power supply circuit of the ESP board and/or 12v->5v converter.

[klim123123]

Did you insert 5pin connector PAP-05V-S (link to Ali you provided) to 6 pin slot? Or i can buy 6pin PAP-06V-S from link and it will fit?
thank you!

[kumy]

You need the 6-pin version else it won t plug 😉

[clsergent]

Hi,

For anyone with a built-in wifi module (new AirHome AC like RAK-DJ18RH), I flashed the esphome-based firmware directly on the vendor wifi module. Information here: https://github.com/clsergent/hitachi_altwifi (still under construction, I managed to make it work yesterday...)

[krusmsk]

Hello everyone. I have a RAK-DJ18RHAE air conditioner with a WiFi module, and I have a question. Do I need to remove the stock WiFi module if I use the proposed solution, or can they work together?

[clsergent]

I will definitely. Sadly I'm very busy at work so the pace is rather slow...

[kumy]

I've now dumped the original FW and flashed the preinstalled card. @clsergent I had to enable the aircloud module using that procedure, maybe worth adding to the docs

I'm actually getting these warning, which look quite like #25

[21:17:04.113][W][hlink_ac:297]: Reached global timeout threshold while performing [READ_FEATURE_RESPONSE] state action. Go to IDLE.
[21:17:04.124][W][hlink_ac:305]: Component state: requested_feature_index=0, non_idle_timeout_limit_ms=6000, last_status_polling_finished_at_ms=0, last_frame_received_at_ms=0, timeout_counter_started_at_ms=5059, requests_left_to_apply=0, pending_action_requests_size=0, pending_low_priority_hlink_request=NO

I have a RAK-DJ18RHAE air conditioner with a WiFi module, and I have a question. Do I need to remove the stock WiFi module if I use the proposed solution, or can they work together?

@krusmsk If that can answer your question a bit, I built and used the module on my AC for days without even know there was one preinstalled card. That wifi wasn't configured at all and wasn't causing issue to the custom card...

[krusmsk]

@kumy @clsergent Many thanks! I was unsure whether the two modules would interfere with each other, so I'll try assembling it with the ESP first and test it with the factory Wi-Fi module. Once I've tested everything, I'll be sure to give you feedback.

[clsergent]

@kumy I didn't know about the procedure to enable the WiFi, I guess it enables the card undocumented pin (number 3 "WLAN power supply" in the docs). I will add this to the documentation, thank you for your help

[clsergent]

@kumy about the timeout logs, I have faced these issues with the broken ring buffer implementation on RTL8710, it was one of the reasons that lead me to implement a new dedicated firmware.
My first version works quite well (>150days of uptime so far) but is slow (sometime up to 5s to answer a command...) so I'm rewriting it before releasing it