Ideas appreciated : heat pump simulation via n8n framework

[pusheenFanPastel128]

Hi! We are a group of university students who need to refine our n8n framework. We would like to get your valuable guidance in our n8n project.

It is a part of our smart home project in which we need to simulate a heat pump. Here are the requirements imposed by our professors:

1: We must implement minimum 1 AI Agent node in our n8n framework. The Agent should suggest us if our heat pump simulation works in a sustainable but efficient way i.e. it does not consume too much electricity.

2. The Agent node will forecast the most efficient time to run the heat pump i.e. 10am-3pm daily.

3. The Agent node shall implement the trigger from our smart home system (this shall not be disclosed to this community). In the step 2 the Agent node got the “efficient time” to run the heat pump. The trigger shall perform HTTP requests based on that time.

So this is my current n8n workflow for this part - the if node will determine if the current time is between 10am and 3pm, if it’s yes, the workflow processes the HTTP Request Ein (on). Otherwise it processes the HTTP Request Aus (off). This workflow is to assist the AI agent node while it determines if the heat pump runs efficiently or not.

4. On top of HTTP Request via the heat pump system, we got the access to the solar energy system which assists the running of the heat pump. So we are to analyse if the COP (co-efficient of performance) and APF (annual performance factor) shows if our heat pump runs efficiently. On top of this analyse the AI Agent is to suggest something along the lines of "the solar panels runs efficiently, but your COP is not efficient - all in all you will be able to save your electricity bills.

We have implemented a couple of javascript nodes which return attributes required to calculate those APF and COP:

We plan to forward those calculated results to the AI agent and let it analyse and suggest the measures. The measures to save the bills.

Question

What nodes and code shall be used to meet the above requirements? What do you say about the screenshot here? Could anybody suggest the published n8n framework which does the similar stuff like those requirements suggest?

[KhemOptimal]

Hi @pusheenFanPastel128 ,

Sounds like an interesting project!

As an ex-instructor myself, I would first like to see students go through the struggle of trying/failing (rinse-and-repeat) first. I’m sure your instructors would expect the same. That’s the whole goal of doing a school project. My suggestion would be to try ask very specific questions here when run into an issues. So far, you have not shared what results you are getting yet with what you have. This process applies elsewhere as well that involves academia– e.g., when students ask about project/homework related questions on stackoverflow.

This is just my opinion– it may not be popular.

(What you have so far seems reasonable, btw. You do need to help the AI agent out with some precise prompting. )

Khem

[pusheenFanPastel128]

Hi Khem,

Thank you so much for a sympathetic response. As it is a university project that uses the real company’s data, we must not disclose our outputs for ethical reasons.

As a former instructor you claim to be, I hope you do not encourage your students to leak the confidential data in the Internet.

If you read my OP carefully again, one could have an idea of what the output could be.

[KhemOptimal]

Well, instructors hope that students learn. You can share what behavior you’re seeing with what you have and redact what’s necessary, so people here can make precise suggestions.

Khem

[pusheenFanPastel128]

I think you didn’t understand my OP, your response has been superficial and has not answered my questions in my OP at all.

[Parintele_Damaskin]

Hey @pusheenFanPastel128 !

Welcome to n8n community!

My 2 cents, if worth…

@pusheenFanPastel128

group of university students who need to refine our n8n framework

Then first I suggest take the n8n official courses.

Text courses | n8n Docs

Why?

Basen on your “requirements” you just “throwed” there some nodes (and maybe in the wrong order)… And you didn’tspecifythat AI shouldonly “advise” or take “decisions” etc…

And as @KhemOptimal already suggested, you are the one too “broad” or “superficial”…

I get the point of your project, but still don’t get the pint of a “group” of students that wants “directly” the outcome.

We are glad to help here, but attitude is the key first, then providing enough informations(and NOT sensitive ones!), would help some of us here that spare some time and explain from his own experience…

To answer your questionsin ine answer, YES it’stotally possible to achieve almost anything with n8n and AI… it’s just a “planning” and logic once you know what n8n has to offer.

Cheers and Merry Christmas !

[pusheenFanPastel128]

@Parintele_Damaskin I totally appreciate your warmth welcome and your defence to your dear colleague @KhemOptimal As you said, the attitude is the key. Still, Khem started requesting the information he thinks “enough” … As stated in my OP, my colleagues and I must not disclose more sensitive information. Khem did not say first we could reduct those sensitive one, which he should have stated in the first place.

I get the point of your project, but still don’t get the pint of a “group” of students that wants “directly” the outcome.

We are glad to help here, but attitude is the key first, then providing enough informations(and NOT sensitive ones!), would help some of us here that spare some time and explain from his own experience…

You claim you got the point of our project, but I could not see you were able to get/digest it - please don’t take it personally. Heat pump is something a layman has hard time grasping it - none of us in this thread are the expert of heat pump.

Instead of engaging with the topic heat pump, you provided the link for basic n8n course picking on one sentence “who need to refine our n8n framework”.. Thank you for taking your time to do so but it is unfortunately not the “help” we wanted.

From your comment, we are the just your typical beginners who require coaching in n8n. If you want to stick with it, we don’t have any issues with that. We have just gotten the great advice from the heat pump architect who is also an n8n enthusiast .. I understand you guys comment to other n8n users on your spare time.

What I am trying to say is that you and Kham shall delimit your comment engagement to the topics/questions you have an expert knowledge of. If you don’t have that expert knowledge, it is better leave it and spend your time offline for instance.. This is my “attitude” advice to you guys as helpers. What you think “help” is not always help to all the others.

This suggestion does not mean just skimming my OP on your phone and post the generic advice like do some n8n logic course. Again, the heat pump architect that got us better advice got the pint of our problems and concerns.

I leave this thread open for future reference to other n8n community members - just so they know how this community works and they could make a decision as to where to seek advice.

Once again, thank you for reading everything and wish you all the best to your endavour. Cheers.

[KhemOptimal]

Thank you for agreeing with some of what I said @Parintele_Damaskin .

OP, you can always redact whatever you want. I don’t need to tell you that. That goes without saying.

Most of us are volunteers and working professionals, so we do expect people to be respectful. For students that appear to need more basic help, a suggestion to take a course is appropriate. We want to help students learn. Naturally, you can always respond in a respectful manner.

Unfortunately, you appear to be extremely hyper-sensitive.

[pusheenFanPastel128]

I do not think my narratives could be hyper-sensitive or rude in this thread anyway? I don’t get why you have been calling me out hyper-sensitive? You appear not to have thick skins. I would not judge random internet users if I would have linked my linkedin profile to n8n like you do..

With all due respect, I have not stated in my OP that we would need the basic help, although you were free to suggest to take a course. We are free to not take that suggestion. We have an impression that you did not get the gist of our points (you did not even mention the word heat pump in all your responses).

If you picture us as your typical n8n noob, then just go ahead. This is not our place to argue.