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jeff5may · 01-24-13, 08:01 PM

Ok, so the mfr JUST HAD TO reverse the wires between the pc board and the terminal block. In this case, wire colors don't lie.

BLUE: indoor fan motor speed
BLACK: GND
BROWN: PWR
RED: Serial comms

If if and only if (science-babble)you and/or your people can reverse engineer serial comms with this beast, you will use the red wire. Of course, a compatible indoor unit to borrow would be of immense help. Without one, a good computer scientist could figure out what language this chip speaks and assemble a virtual indoor unit. Then the outdoor unit could remain in control of its own parts, but still integrate into your system thru the virtual interface (that you could possibly integrate into an arduino control program for serial comms?) which would control both the gshp and the ashp. And it sounds easier than it is.

Forget about the blue wire unless the above sounds doable AND you want to rig up a variable-speed pump to control your indoor water temperature.

So you're on the right track with using IC 8 to assume command of the outdoor unit. Applying voltage (from IC1 pin 20) to pins 1 to 6 will activate the brawny components on the output side of IC 8 reliably. You can do this directly or indirectly, which begs another question: Where will the arduino controller live? Will it be a replacement for the microcontroller in the ashp only, or will you want it to do more?

Like Xringer said, you may be able to get away with faking the test mode button to indirectly assume control of IC1 and all of its built-in ability. IMHO, this would be the way to go if it works. If the unit faults out after 5 minutes, just feed it another keypress train after 4:45 if you want it to keep operating. If not, let it shut down on its own. Then again, it might just run and run until you tell it to stop. It just might be the ticket: less is more. Can't hurt to try.

If you decide to directly switch IC8 to control components, you will lose all of the marvellousness built into IC1. All the "what if's" will have to be accounted for and built into your control sketch. You could do this remotely with a 1-wire addressable switch chip or directly with an arduino board. The sky's the limit.

01-24-13, 08:01 PM	#27
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Ok, so the mfr JUST HAD TO reverse the wires between the pc board and the terminal block. In this case, wire colors don't lie. BLUE: indoor fan motor speed BLACK: GND BROWN: PWR RED: Serial comms If if and only if (science-babble)you and/or your people can reverse engineer serial comms with this beast, you will use the red wire. Of course, a compatible indoor unit to borrow would be of immense help. Without one, a good computer scientist could figure out what language this chip speaks and assemble a virtual indoor unit. Then the outdoor unit could remain in control of its own parts, but still integrate into your system thru the virtual interface (that you could possibly integrate into an arduino control program for serial comms?) which would control both the gshp and the ashp. And it sounds easier than it is. Forget about the blue wire unless the above sounds doable AND you want to rig up a variable-speed pump to control your indoor water temperature. So you're on the right track with using IC 8 to assume command of the outdoor unit. Applying voltage (from IC1 pin 20) to pins 1 to 6 will activate the brawny components on the output side of IC 8 reliably. You can do this directly or indirectly, which begs another question: Where will the arduino controller live? Will it be a replacement for the microcontroller in the ashp only, or will you want it to do more? Like Xringer said, you may be able to get away with faking the test mode button to indirectly assume control of IC1 and all of its built-in ability. IMHO, this would be the way to go if it works. If the unit faults out after 5 minutes, just feed it another keypress train after 4:45 if you want it to keep operating. If not, let it shut down on its own. Then again, it might just run and run until you tell it to stop. It just might be the ticket: less is more. Can't hurt to try. If you decide to directly switch IC8 to control components, you will lose all of the marvellousness built into IC1. All the "what if's" will have to be accounted for and built into your control sketch. You could do this remotely with a 1-wire addressable switch chip or directly with an arduino board. The sky's the limit. Last edited by jeff5may; 01-24-13 at 08:06 PM..