Smart Home automations - anybody using?

[Bandersnatch]

I have been using smart home kit for a while now first using Google Home and now with Home Assistant on a HA Green server.

 

This is the sort of thing that can be accomplished: 

 

 

 

[atpeace]

  On 9/15/2024 at 3:37 AM, Bandersnatch said:

I 

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That is a nice looking interface.  I get all the above data using Sonoff smart devices and Anern's inverter app but I have to open different apps and not as clean. 

 

Do you use Google nest devices?   That was the game changer for me.  Just created simple commands and the wife can now easily turn on/off lights, play music, etc. and the kids that come around enjoy the "Hey Google" experience.

[G Rex]

looks good.

I dream of it being 10.1C  (and feeling like 7.8'C) in Kanchanaburi!   555

[Bandersnatch]

  On 9/15/2024 at 6:04 AM, G Rex said:

looks good.

I dream of it being 10.1C  (and feeling like 7.8'C) in Kanchanaburi!   555

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The dashboard isn’t mine, it’s one I got off one of the forums. My dashboard  is very much a work in progress. I will post some screen shots later if this discussion gets some interest. 

[Bandersnatch]

  On 9/15/2024 at 5:33 AM, atpeace said:

That is a nice looking interface.  I get all the above data using Sonoff smart devices and Anern's inverter app but I have to open different apps and not as clean. 

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Yes the dashboard looks great. I have 4 Growatt inverters and I have tried the Growatt integration on Home Assistant, but it pings the server so often that Growatt blocks my access for 24 hours!.

 

 

I have chatted with the guy who made the dashboard I posted and he is using https://solar-assistant.io/shop 

 

 

  On 9/15/2024 at 5:33 AM, atpeace said:

Do you use Google nest devices?   That was the game changer for me.  Just created simple commands and the wife can now easily turn on/off lights, play music, etc. and the kids that come around enjoy the "Hey Google" experience.

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Yes I have Google mini speakers or Google compatible smart speakers in every room. 

 

Maybe you can post some of the things you are doing?

 

I thought I might make a simple intro video for those who have never tried smart home kit.

[BritManToo]

I have most of my home under Google home , but mainly use Xiaomi smart speakers in place of the Google mini nests.

Better than the mini nests and a fraction of the price (900bht).

Used to control my TCL android TV, aircon, most of my light switches and some sockets (TUYA).

 

Wish they didn't keep disappearing from Lazada. 

[Will B Good]

 

 

 

Married.....don't need it.

 

 

 

 

[atpeace]

  On 9/15/2024 at 6:24 AM, Bandersnatch said:

 

Yes the dashboard looks great. I have 4 Growatt inverters and I have tried the Growatt integration on Home Assistant, but it pings the server so often that Growatt blocks my access for 24 hours!.

 

 

I have chatted with the guy who made the dashboard I posted and he is using https://solar-assistant.io/shop 

 

 

 

Yes I have Google mini speakers or Google compatible smart speakers in every room. 

 

Maybe you can post some of the things you are doing?

 

I thought I might make a simple intro video for those who have never tried smart home kit.

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Beautiful setup!  I just have a simple setup in the sticks. 

 

I use Sonoff smart plugs for my 220v smart devices and misc Chinese smart wifi relays for my 12v lights, water pumps and ice bath components.  Also Sonoff motion sensors for security. Security lights turn on/off depending on motion.  Also one of the smart plugs is attached to a recording of me talking loudly when we are out of the house and motion is detected.

 

It is all powered by solar and a battery so power outages aren't a concern.

 

After putting Google nest speakers in each room the system became easy to use.  I got rid of most the motion sensor determined lighting, AC control, etc and found it easier to use a light switch, remote, or voice.

[impulse]

  On 9/15/2024 at 6:56 AM, BritManToo said:

I have most of my home under Google home , but mainly use Xiaomi smart speakers in place of the Google mini nests.

Better than the mini nests and a fraction of the price (900bht).

Used to control my TCL android TV, aircon, most of my light switches and some sockets (TUYA).

 

Wish they didn't keep disappearing from Lazada. 

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I love the idea of a smart home.  I was starting a project with Sonoff gear in Texas just before I got called back to China on my GF's health issues.  So don't take this question as dissing smart homes.  I love the concept.

 

Have you noticed anything hinky, as if Google is listening to you and steering you toward advertisements, etc?  I see YouTubes where people will talk at home about (for example) kayaks, and the next time they get on their smartphone or PC, they get inundated with kayak ads.  Has that happened to you?

 

On the next level, is anyone monitoring their power with the current transformers (CTs) on each leg in the breaker box?  I'm wondering if there's any "bestest" system for that?

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

I use Home Assistant. Stand alone, it does not need internet connections like Google or Alexa.

 

When I renovated my apartment, all electrical boxes have two plastic pipes. One for main voltage, one for low voltage (LAN, 5V - 24V for LED light, etc.)

I use Shelly devices like this Shelly Plus i4 - All products - Shop - Shelly

ESPHome LED controllers, and Sonoff NS-Panels. NSPanel - SONOFF Official

I have ordinary light switches installed, but none of them are directly connected to any lights or main voltage. The Shelly devices detect the status of the switches and in Home Assistant I can assign what the switches should do.

 

The idea is that anybody in my home can use ordinary switches because people are used to those switches.

At the same time, I can control everything with a phone, tablet, PC.

 

I also bought already motion detection devices. Sometime in the future I will have automations that light goes on or off depending on people in the room, time of day or night, etc.

 

I am looking forward to optimizing this over time. I can easily change any devices, cabling, power supplies, controllers.

I don't plan to ever connect it to the cloud. It's not necessary.

I can have private remote access if I want that. Currently I only use that to switch on my AC when I am 5min from home.

 

This is how it looks at every room entrance. Ordinary switches, and a programmable NS-Panel.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:17 AM, impulse said:

Have you noticed anything hinky, as if Google is listening to you and steering you toward advertisements, etc?

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For me that will never happen, because I don't invite those companies into my home. Home Assistant works fine without internet connection. There is no need to be always connected to the cloud.

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:17 AM, impulse said:

On the next level, is anyone monitoring their power with the current transformers (CTs) on each leg in the breaker box?  I'm wondering if there's any "bestest" system for that?

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Shelly has devices for that. I thought about installing many of them in my breaker box.

But then I thought again and now I will only use these mini devices for some power users like my ACs.

Shelly PM Mini Gen3 - All products - Shop - Shelly

 

If I wanted to log how much power my induction hobs use, then I would need 40A versions, which, as far as I see, are difficult to get and expensive.

What would it help me if I would know how much power I use for those induction hobs? I use them when I need them. And otherwise, they are off. I wouldn't use them more or less if I would know exactly how much power they use.

 

 

[Hummin]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:00 AM, Will B Good said:

 

 

 

Married.....don't need it.

 

 

 

 

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Im thinking of all the information Xiomi, Apple  and Google collecting for free

[Cameroni]

I use Google Nest and Alexa , and both are incable of playing a specific Youtube video on the TV. Though they can switch it off. So much for AI taking over.

[impulse]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:39 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Shelly has devices for that. I thought about installing many of them in my breaker box.

But then I thought again and now I will only use these mini devices for some power users like my ACs.

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I was thinking along these lines.  I may make different decisions about powering the A/C, water heaters, etc. if I understood how much each one was costing me.  Also, to look for any parasitic losses, phantom loads, leaks to ground, etc.

 

https://www.amazon.com/SIEMENS-Smart-Home-Electricity-Monitoring/dp/B0CTTSC7DR

 

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:52 AM, impulse said:

I may make different decisions about powering the A/C, water heaters, etc. if I understood how much each one was costing me.  Also, to look for any parasitic losses, phantom loads, leaks to ground, etc.

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My Daikin ACs have WLAN, (part of) their electronic is never off.

I measured once that my 4 ACs together used 0.68A when they were off. Which I think is a lot.

I measured that only once. They might use less power after they are off for some time.

[Bandersnatch]

Thanks for all the responses.

 

I have just created a very simple introductory video to smart home devices. Feel free to ask any questions 

 

 

[Bandersnatch]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:17 AM, impulse said:

On the next level, is anyone monitoring their power with the current transformers (CTs) on each leg in the breaker box?  I'm wondering if there's any "bestest" system for that?

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I have been using a basic one for a few years, but as it lives in its own app I plan to replace it with something compatible with Home Assistant 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 8:14 AM, Bandersnatch said:

I have been using a basic one for a few years, but as it lives in its own app I plan to replace it with something compatible with Home Assistant 

 

 

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I really like Home Assistant.

Ok, it takes a little time to learn it and get a feel for it. But there are a couple of active and knowlagble YouTubers out there who regular report about updates, good things, bad things, etc.

 

I watch regularly the videos from this guy:

Everything Smart Home - YouTube

 

And this one goes more into details:

Vaclav Chaloupka - YouTube

 

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:45 AM, Cameroni said:

I use Google Nest and Alexa , and both are incable of playing a specific Youtube video on the TV. Though they can switch it off. So much for AI taking over.

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For some reason they only play Netflix!

I'm thinking Netflix paid them not to recognise any other video sources.

 

Don't really monitor energy usage as it's mostly solar power. Cooker, Aircon, showers still on grid around 300bht/month.

[Cameroni]

  On 9/15/2024 at 9:08 AM, BritManToo said:

For some reason they only play Netflix!

I'm thinking Netflix paid them not to recognise any other video sources.

 

Don't really monitor energy usage as it's mostly solar power. Cooker, Aircon, showers still on grid around 300bht/month.

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Yes, it is odd, both can call up Youtube and close it. Even play an open video. But to find and select a specific video is not possible. I am hopeful they will fix this in due course. 

 

 

[Bandersnatch]

  On 9/15/2024 at 8:25 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

 

I really like Home Assistant.

Ok, it takes a little time to learn it and get a feel for it. But there are a couple of active and knowlagble YouTubers out there who regular report about updates, good things, bad things, etc.

 

I watch regularly the videos from this guy:

Everything Smart Home - YouTube

 

And this one goes more into details:

Vaclav Chaloupka - YouTube

 

 

 

 

 

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I tried HA a few years ago using docker on my NAS. It went away to find my smart home devices and came back with a jumbled mess. 
 

Last year I was thinking of trying out a Home Assistant Yellow, but it required me to provide my own Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, and as far as I can tell they're unavailable, so I went for a Green instead. 
 

This time it went much more smoothly. HA has really improved in recent years. 
 

My original smart home kit from 7-8 years ago was Xiaomi using the Chinese server, but some them have stopped connecting. I purchased an Aquara M3 hub hoping to resurrect them but had limited success. 
 

I follow Everything smart home already but will add the other guy thanks.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 9:37 AM, Cameroni said:

 

Yes, it is odd, both can call up Youtube and close it. Even play an open video. But to find and select a specific video is not possible. I am hopeful they will fix this in due course. 

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Is that really important for you?

I thought a lot about home automation and this and that and what functionality I want. I never thought about telling the TV to play some YouTube video. But then, maybe that's only me.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 9:50 AM, Bandersnatch said:

I tried HA a few years ago using docker on my NAS. It went away to find my smart home devices and came back with a jumbled mess. 
 

Last year I was thinking of trying out a Home Assistant Yellow, but it required me to provide my own Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, and as far as I can tell they're unavailable, so I went for a Green instead. 
 

This time it went much more smoothly. HA has really improved in recent years. 
 

My original smart home kit from 7-8 years ago was Xiaomi using the Chinese server, but some them have stopped connecting. I purchased an Aquara M3 hub hoping to resurrect them but had limited success. 
 

I follow Everything smart home already but will add the other guy thanks.

 

 

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I think the hardware on which Home Assistant runs is not really important - as long as it is good enough.

I use a standard Raspberry with SSD "disk". And I have those parts new in storage, just in case something is broken.

And obviously I do regular backups. 

[BritManToo]

  On 9/15/2024 at 9:59 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Is that really important for you?

I thought a lot about home automation and this and that and what functionality I want. I never thought about telling the TV to play some YouTube video. But then, maybe that's only me.

 

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I want to say "play American beauty in DS video" etc., shouldn't be hard, but it is.

I can tell DS video to play/ pause but that's about it.

[Bandersnatch]

  On 9/15/2024 at 7:17 AM, impulse said:

Have you noticed anything hinky, as if Google is listening to you and steering you toward advertisements, etc?  I see YouTubes where people will talk at home about (for example) kayaks, and the next time they get on their smartphone or PC, they get inundated with kayak ads.  Has that happened to you?

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I purchased 2 FB Portals, one for my brother in the UK and one for myself for smart video calling. It came with Amazon Alexa built in and I have had a few odd instances like “would you like me to order …. for you?” 

But nothing with Google. Home Assistant is not cloud based so removes that worry.

[OneMoreFarang]

  On 9/15/2024 at 10:08 AM, Bandersnatch said:

I purchased 2 FB Portals, one for my brother in the UK and one for myself for smart video calling. It came with Amazon Alexa built in and I have had a few odd instances like “would you like me to order …. for you?” 

But nothing with Google. Home Assistant is not cloud based so removes that worry.

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I think the problem with all those (almost) always internet connected devices is that we never know what they do. We have to assume that they record every noise, and every camera could be on and transmitting all the time.

And obviously the provider and the NSA won't tell us what they store and how they use that information.

 

Some time ago I thought about buying a robot vacuum cleaner. Some of them are pretty good, with LIDAR and camera and collision detection and such things. And, at least last time I checked, the really good models were permanently connected to the cloud and sending information from our homes into that cloud. At least for me that was and is a reason why I won't buy one in the moment. 

 

 

[Bandersnatch]

  On 9/15/2024 at 10:15 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Some time ago I thought about buying a robot vacuum cleaner. Some of them are pretty good, with LIDAR and camera and collision detection and such things. And, at least last time I checked, the really good models were permanently connected to the cloud and sending information from our homes into that cloud. At least for me that was and is a reason why I won't buy one in the moment. 

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I’ve had one for a few years and it does a great job of vacuuming and mopping, but yes it is cloud connected 

 

 

[Bandersnatch]

Not everyone in my house likes smart home kit.

 

 

[Cameroni]

  On 9/15/2024 at 9:59 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Is that really important for you?

I thought a lot about home automation and this and that and what functionality I want. I never thought about telling the TV to play some YouTube video. But then, maybe that's only me.

 

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It would be nice to control the TV by voice, absolutely.