It’s been over a decade since I first poked around the serial interface of my Stiebel Eltron LWZ 403 SOL. What started as a “cable investigation” with a technician’s notebook has grown into a long-running community project. Today, I am happy to announce a major update to the project’s documentation and architecture!
I have moved away from the dedicated Linux server and Python daemon in favor of a modern ESPHome and Home Assistant integration. This transition makes the setup much leaner, more robust, and natively integrated into a modern smart home ecosystem.
Key highlights of the update:
- New ESPHome Integration: I’ve replaced the long serial cables with a small ESP8266 (NodeMCU) Wi-Fi bridge installed directly inside the heat pump.
- Custom C++ Protocol Handler: A new DLE protocol implementation that handles modern firmware quirks, including a fix for the elusive “0x18 ghost byte” found in versions like v4.39.
- Modern Visualization: Complete Home Assistant dashboard configuration using the ApexCharts card to replicate (and improve upon) the classic RRDTool look.
- Full Technical Deep-Dive: I’ve added detailed data block mappings and offset tables to the main page for those who want to build their own implementation.
You can find the updated guide, technical tables, and the new source code for download on the main project page:
Read the updated LWZ Monitoring Guide
A big thank you to the community for the feedback over the years. I hope this new direction helps you keep your heating systems running efficiently!
The post Evolution of the LWZ Monitoring: From Python to ESPHome first appeared on Robert Penz Blog.
The post Evolution of the LWZ Monitoring: From Python to ESPHome appeared first on Robert Penz Blog.
*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Robert Penz Blog authored by robert. Read the original post at: https://robert.penz.name/1614/evolution-of-the-lwz-monitoring-from-python-to-esphome/