topic Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app in Apps / Account

Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Thu, 12 May 2022 20:08:46 GMT

I have a fan device that takes a setLevel() command to set fan speed. On the old Google Home app and on the current Nest Hub home control menu, there is both an on/off switch and a dimmer slider. However, on the new Google Home app on Android it only had an on/off switch and I can only adjust fan speed (it's technically a light dimmer, not a true fan control) via voice. Please fix this inconsistency.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Azarco — Mon, 16 May 2022 21:41:25 GMT

Hey Brenen,

Thanks for reaching out. Let's check what's going with your devices.

A few questions: is it only happening to a particular device? What's the name you set for your device on your Google Home app? Also, try asking your Nest Hub "sync my devices" to see if that helps.

Keep me posted.

Thanks,

Alex

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Mon, 16 May 2022 23:22:05 GMT

Hi Alex,

It's an Inovelli Light+Fan that I have setup within Hubitat and then served to Google Home with the Google Home Community App and it is telling Google Home that it is a light device. It is a Generic Component Dimmer device and has on/off and setLevel. It is called "Inovelli Bedroom Ceiling (Fan)" and I have renamed it to "Fan" in the Google Home app. The icon is a fan. Again, the issue is that within the software of my Nest Hub Max, I am able to adjust the brightness (really fan speed) but on my Android app I only see on/off; this is a change from the older version of the Android app.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Azarco — Tue, 17 May 2022 00:13:14 GMT

Hey Brenen,

Thanks for the update.

Was it working before? Could you try unlinking your Inovelli account from the Google Home app and before linking it back, reboot it first. Try rebooting your Nest Hub Max to refresh the connection as well.

Let us know how it goes.

Best,

Alex

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Tue, 17 May 2022 00:23:14 GMT

Inovelli is just the manufacturer of the device, it's all managed through Hubitat. I've unlinked multiple times, tried changing device type, etc. It was working on the old version of the Android app and is currently working on the Nest Hub Max software. The inconsistency is in the new Android app.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Azarco — Tue, 17 May 2022 17:02:29 GMT

Hey Brenen,

When you mentioned the Android app, is it the Google Home app? If so, have you tried reinstalling it? Also, is it happening when you're using a different phone?

Kind regards,

Alex

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Tue, 17 May 2022 17:16:38 GMT

Yes, the Android Google Home app. This is the same on all of my devices with the new Google Home app. It worked correctly on the old Google Home app and works as expected on the Nest Hub Max. It is an issue with the new Google Home app.

This update broke it: https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Updates-coming-to-the-Google-Home-app/ba-p/127249

It was working as expected in the old-style app, I'm just trying to get the functionality back in the new version as it seems like a bug / error. I've done troubleshooting like reinstalling the app, changing the device type, etc. to no avail, it's the app.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Tue, 17 May 2022 17:19:31 GMT

For clarification, the Fan device looks like this in the app:

It is missing the brightness slider like other lights have, even though the device can accept a brightness level.

This slider was on the fan before the update.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Azarco — Tue, 17 May 2022 19:08:38 GMT

Hey Brenen,

Thanks for the pictures.

Have you tried renaming it as Fan lights. It might be because of the update, since the device is named as fan it doesn't have the settings your other lights have.

Thanks,

Alex

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Tue, 17 May 2022 19:32:13 GMT

I've tried renaming it several times and even tried changing its device type. This is an issue with the new app, it worked correctly with the older app and stopped working with the new app. Nothing on my side had changed.

For clarity this is not a light, it is a dimmer that controls fan speed. On/off controls the fan on/off and the "brightness" controls the speed of the fan from 0-100%. I am having hubitat serve it to Google Home as a light though for its device type, but I do not want "light" in the device name.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Azarco — Tue, 17 May 2022 22:39:18 GMT

Hey Brenen,

We understand how important this is for you.

To confirm, are you using smart plugs for your Inovelli Light+Fan? Unfortunately, we can't revert the Google Home app to its old version. Could you check if your Google Home app and Hubitat have the same name for your Inovelli device?

Best,

Alex

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Wed, 18 May 2022 02:10:03 GMT

Let me clear up some confusion, I have the inovelli Fan+Light device which is a zwave device that makes two child devices for the light and fan, both of these devices have on/off and brightness, the light brightness controls the overhead light and the fan brightness controls the fan speed. These are connected to my hubitat and then they are both exposed to Google Home as lights.

The issue is that the brightness slider for the fan device has disappeared from the Android Google Home app since the new update where it is still available on the Nest Hub Max:

And also controllable by Assistant:

It is not an issue of actual device control, nor do I think it has anything to do with the name, it is a UI issue within the new Google Home app that I would like to be looked into if possible. It seems like the app isn't property detecting setLevel where the assistant and the Nest can for this device.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Brenen — Wed, 18 May 2022 04:45:40 GMT

Ok, I have some progress. If I expose the fan to Google Home as a switch, I'm able to see the dimmer slider.

The issue now, and the request I guess, is when I select Fan from this menu:

It removes the slider and only allows on/off. I would like "fan" to be selected here for the icon, and the functionality was definitely there on the older app and it has and still does work as I described on Nest.

Re: Controlling a fan dimmer on new Google Home app

Azarco — Fri, 20 May 2022 17:56:50 GMT

Hey Brenen,

Appreciate the updates and thanks for all the additional information you've provided.

We'll take it as feedback and we'll make sure to pass this along to the right team. Should you still need our help with your devices, please let me know otherwise I'll be locking this thread after 24 hours.

Thanks,

Alex