Requirements for the controlled devices

Water heating

Communication with heat pump is required if TapHome needs to get info about heating or cooling mode. Most of the time heat pumps support Modbus communication protocol. If Modbus is not available potential-free input or output should be used to detect or set the mode. If heat pump has input available, TapHome will command heat pump to switch modes. If output is available, TapHome will be notified by heat pump what mode is currently active.

Besides the heating / cooling mode, communication with heat pump is not required. Installation company responsible for heating/cooling system needs to guarantee that there is enough flow within primary circuit if all valves are closed. Universal solution is usage of hydraulic switch.

TapHome operates as a thermostat - it provides zone control of temperature.

TapHome output devices switch thermoelectric valves in the heating / cooling manifold. We recommend laying a cable with multiple wires between the electric distribution box and the manifold to ensure that all valves in manifold will be connected by separate wire plus one common neutral wire. Use 230VAC thermoelectric valves. FTP data cable is necessary from each room to the electric distribution box. This will serve for connection of temperature sensors and/or thermostats.

Sometime it is necessary to control circulation pump. This needs to be confirmed with company which is delivering heating/cooling system. Circulation pump is controlled by relay output on 12DO module. Relay is turned on every time when at least one valve is opened.

Electric heating

Before the floor is covered, place Floor temperature sensors with a minimum distance of 1m from the wall.
Run a FTP cable from the electric distribution box to the rooms one by one. One cable runs across all the rooms.
Lay the power cables for heating from the electric distribution box to every room separately.

Air conditioning

Check with air conditioning provider which brand and model is being used. There are different solutions available for each manufacturer / model.
The most effective brands to control by TapHome:
- LG can be controlled directly via RS485 communication.
- FTP cable is necessary to be pulled from distribution box to outdoor unit.
- Outdoor unit needs to be fitted by PI485 extension card (availabel on TapHome eshop).
- All outdoor units are compatible with PI485 except for the smallest one for 2 indoor units - MU15.
- More info here.
- Daikin can be controlled via local network
- Communication via TCP/IP in local network (no internet connection needed).
- Compatible with split units supporting Daikin Online Controller
- More info here.

Shading

Order shading motors without any remote controls. You will only need a bare motor (e.g. Somfy WT) with four cables - PE, N, Phase up, Phase down.
Lay a separate power cable from every motor to the electric distribution box.
Lay a FTP data cable from shading switches from every room separately to the electric distribution box.
Make sure one FTP data cable is pulled out on the facade on the edge of south / west side of the house where most of the windows with shading are located.

Push buttons for control of blinds should be provided by electrician and not by supplier of shading system to make sure that these buttons are compatible with TapHome (monostable push buttons, without electronic or mechanical blocking typically used for controlling of the blinds). As a side benefit these buttons can share the same design as the rest of the push buttons in the building.

Lighting

Only data cables go to the switches. We recommend using FTP and not turning on shielding. The topology can be arbitrary - series, star or tree.
- Place the power cables from the electrical distribution box directly on the lights.

Ventilation

Lay a FTP data cable between the electric distribution box and the air ventilation unit.
Preferred communication with air ventilation units is by using Modbus protocol.
If Modbus is not available, also a 0-10V input on the air ventilation unit can be used to control it

IP Cameras/CCTV

The cameras have to support Onvif communication protocol TapHome doesn't provide any storage of recordings, just real time stream of video via TapHome app.

Intercoms

The intercoms have to support SIP communication protocol LAN cable needs to be pulled from router to doorbell. Another cable for powering intercom if it is not powered by PoE. Some intercoms provide control of gates/doors and lights. If not provided by intercom, two separate wires need to be pulled from distribution box to each controlled device.