I have recently join Surety Home, mostly because of the flexibility and the ability to integrate smart home features like smart thermostat. I have the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 and Ecobee 3 Lite thermostats, and I would like to set up Automation rules, which would control the thermostats when I arm or disarm the panel. I know I have the ability through Scenes, but this option does not work consistently because most of the time I have to disarm the panel without selecting a scene.
Will integration of Ecobee thermostats and IQ Panel using rules be a feature that is added in the future? This would be the experience much more seamless.
There is always a chance for additional development. It happens often, but it is also limited sometimes by what vendor APIs offer. I’ll forward this as a feature request to ADC.
The following features are available for ecobee thermostats on the Alarm.com website and app:
Remote control – change temperature setpoints, heating and cooling mode, and fan modes
Ability to view current temperature and humidity levels
Automation as part of Alarm.com Scenes
HVAC analytics – Severe heating and cooling alerts only
Alarm.com and Ecobee integration does not currently support the following features:
Thermostat scheduling
Thermostat rule-based automation
Remote temperature control or averaging using Alarm.com temperature sensors
Aux Heating Mode (for heat pump systems)
Non-thermostat ecobee devices (temp sensors, motion sensors)
I was also hoping to be able to automate my ecobee based upon rules. This is a bit disappointing.
How does a “scene” manage to control an ecobee but not a rule, it seems that the mechanism is there, but not implemented by ADC?
Does the “intelligent thermostat” product support full automation? Not that I’m planning to replace my ecobee.
Btw, if the IQ panel could show scenes as a default screen, that would solve this issue for me.
It would seem that all of the necessary components are there. I do not think it is a software or hardware issue, frankly, as the Alarm.com thermostat has the ability to use Automation rules. It might just be an agreement between Surety and Alarm.com.
Using scenes is an ok workaround, but to your point, it would be best if scenes were default on the panel, like it is on the app.
The biggest issue is that when you return home and enter your code, if you do not remember to follow up with a scene selection, you thermostat will stay on the Away setting. Obviously, this is annoying when you realize it a couple of hours later.
I do not think it is a software or hardware issue, frankly, as the Alarm.com thermostat has the ability to use Automation rules. It might just be an agreement between Surety and Alarm.com
This is incorrect. Rules are simply not supported in Alarm.com for the Ecobee.
Automation Rules are not exactly equivalent to Scene activation. I’m not sure exactly why Alarm.com doesn’t support rules for ecobee or nest, but I have a few hunches.
The major functional difference here is that ecobee and nest are third party products controlled via an API through Alarm.com servers. A Z-wave thermostat is controlled by the alarm panel.
Z-wave automation rules require zero active communication with the Alarm.com back-end. Those rules are sent, saved, and processed at the panel. That confers multiple benefits such as a lack of communication latency, functionality even if comm loss, fewer moving parts, no reliance on a third party, no potential conflict with third party app rules or schedules, and it doesn’t add to back end processing.
I would expect they could certainly implement some form of automation, and I would imagine this is probably likely to happen if enough users have ecobee products.
Fair enough. It’s still confusing that Scenes work and not Automation rules. Without knowing the technical aspects of each, on the surface it would seems like they are doing the same thing.
I agree, and again I think they certainly could, it will depend on the adoption rate and how they prioritize development.
We bring up these kind of requests and user suggestions with Alarm.com frequently, the more requests they get the more likely it is to get prioritized.
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The newest ecobee SmartThermostat with voice control includes a “Pause when doors or windows open” feature. Is this integration possible with alarm.com and a qolsys panel or does it only work with ecobee’s proprietary sensors?
Sensor left open thermostat overrides have been a thing for Z-wave thermostats in Alarm.com for years, but unfortunately Ecobee integration does not support rules based automation at this time.
Do you have a list of thermostats that do support rules integration?
Any compatible Z-wave one. You can find officially supported devices here. Z-wave models support automation rules.