I am quite pleased with myself already that I have managed to get some of this completed. I have started to follow the github process, GitHub - raomin/ESPAltherma: Monitor your Daikin Altherma / ROTEX heat pump with ESP32 · GitHub

I have a lovely old Dell laptop that wasn't upgradeable to W11 and had an ageing battery. It a very low powered (3w when idle with W10 and the screen off), passively cooled, has 8gb of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

So far I have been able to install Home Assistant on the laptop running on ubuntu. The laptop has the black screen with the HA logo in the top left hand corner. 

I have installed HA on my desktop computer and integrated the Shelly energy meter which is working perfectly.

I have installed the HA MQTT vis the HA desktop.

I have also purchased and received a (tiny!) M5NanoC6 ESP device which I need to program I assume.

I have downloaded and installed Visual Studio Code and installed PlatformIO IDE core.

This is as far as I have got and am starting to get a little out of my depth in how to complete the setup!

I am a little bamboozled with setting up the M5 ESP device (Getting started - Step 1: Uploading the Firmware).

I am not even sure about step 1 "download the repository folder and open it in Platform IO".

@majordennisbloodnok Would you be able to help me continue down this rabbit hole?!!

As a side note, I'd like to get the laptop screen to timeout as it is constantly on the HA black screen and ideally shut the laptop screen down whilst the HA server continues to run in the background. I am assuming I don't need the screen to be running all the time?!

Thanks.

I registered with HMRC a few months ago so that I might carry out on-line submissions for my tax. The app has always been ‘flakey’ to say the least and some days, I could open the app but others, it would not allow me at all. Getting a little peed off with this situation and when invited, I decided to reset my password and go through a long procedure to prove I am me and am alive etc.

Having used Gov UK to ascertain I exist in the past, I was then invited to prove my existence using this app. My only means of ‘proof’ is my passport (which was purchased a few years ago solely for the purpose of proving my existence and has never been used for anything else!) I went through the rigmarole of providing my NI number, DOB, colour of toenails, name of hamster etc., I was then requested to take a photo with my iPhone of the photo page of my passport and , having told them my passport has the embedded chip in the front cover, was then invited to scan this to confirm information.

My passport photo page shows my correct details - so far so good… scan the chip and it comes up with a page of data stating I was born in 2047! Needless to say, though I have tried ten or more times to pass this procedure to enable me to progress to HMRC app, I just see ‘Something went wrong’ type messages however, and which ever way I try to pass go and collect £200, it would seem impossible to make any progress!

I am currently waiting for Gov Uk to resolve this, but, I suppose I may have to wait until I exist in 2047 for a reply! Ho-Hum. Regards, Toodles.

I had the impression that any Heat pump type of cylinders would be compatible with any heatpump...

My EV is showing signs that the gas pressure in the aircon is getting low and so is struggling to cool things down properly in the hot weather. As a result, I need to get it regassed, but the problem is that it's got the optional heat pump in it and so is gassed with R744 (carbon dioxide). I'm struggling to find anywhere in the South East other than a main dealer who is equipped for this particular gas, and have wasted more than a little time with garages that say they can sort it because of the make and model before actually seeing it and realising they can't, courtesy of not listening to me initially.

Frustrating, but does anyone know of an outfit that can REALLY deal with R744, is based in the South East and doesn't charge an absolute fortune?