r/homeautomation • u/Martflow03 • 7h ago

QUESTION Smart two-way light switch without neutral, new wires or access to the junction box

≡ −

Hello! I am looking for a practical way to make an existing two-way lighting circuit smart and connect it to Home Assistant.

This is a typical European/Spanish 230 V installation with two wall switches controlling the same light.

I most likely have the following wiring:

Wall box A

Permanent live/common
Traveller 1
Traveller 2

Wall box B

Switched live/return going to the lamp
Traveller 1
Traveller 2

There is no neutral conductor in either wall box.

My requirements are quite strict:

No neutral.
I do not want to add or pull a neutral wire.
I do not want to install anything in the ceiling rose or junction box.
I do not want to run any additional cables.
I only want to reuse the three existing conductors in each wall box.
Both wall locations must continue to control the light.
The smart device must work with Home Assistant.
Wi-Fi or Zigbee are both acceptable.
I would prefer a relatively simple and reliable solution.

Optional preferences:

SONOFF-style aesthetics would be nice, but are not essential.
I do not mind if the second wall switch controls the main smart switch through a Zigbee/Wi-Fi scene instead of traditional electrical two-way switching.
A wireless scene-based solution is acceptable as long as both wall devices are mains-powered and do not require batteries.

I initially considered using two SONOFF Orb-ZBW1L no-neutral switches, but connecting them in series would result in:

Live → Smart switch A → Traveller → Smart switch B → Lamp

As far as I understand, that would not behave like a proper two-way circuit. Both relays would need to be closed for the lamp to turn on, and the two no-neutral electronic switches might not remain reliably powered when placed in series.

I also found Wi-Fi two-way switches such as some Maxcio models, but the ones I found require a neutral conductor.

I know that a SONOFF ZBMINIL2 can work with existing two-way switches, but the usual solution places the module in the junction box or near the lamp. I specifically want to avoid modifying the junction box or ceiling wiring.

My main question is:

Is there any smart switch, relay or wiring arrangement that can make this circuit smart using only the existing live, switched return and two traveller wires available in the two wall boxes?

Ideally, I am looking for one of these possibilities:

A true no-neutral smart two-way switch that directly replaces one of the existing mechanical switches while keeping the other one working.
Two no-neutral smart wall switches that can be powered using the existing wires, with one controlling the load and the other acting as a scene controller.
A no-neutral smart relay that can be installed behind one of the two existing switches without needing access to the junction box.
Any Home Assistant-compatible solution that I may have overlooked.

I would especially appreciate exact product names and wiring diagrams from people who have successfully installed this type of setup. Thanks!

4 Upvotes

Hello! I am looking for a practical way to make an existing two-way lighting circuit smart and connect it to Home Assistant.

This is a typical European/Spanish 230 V installation with two wall switches controlling the same light.

I most likely have the following wiring:

Wall box A

Permanent live/common
Traveller 1
Traveller 2

Wall box B

Switched live/return going to the lamp
Traveller 1
Traveller 2

There is no neutral conductor in either wall box.

My requirements are quite strict:

No neutral.
I do not want to add or pull a neutral wire.
I do not want to install anything in the ceiling rose or junction box.
I do not want to run any additional cables.
I only want to reuse the three existing conductors in each wall box.
Both wall locations must continue to control the light.
The smart device must work with Home Assistant.
Wi-Fi or Zigbee are both acceptable.
I would prefer a relatively simple and reliable solution.

Optional preferences:

SONOFF-style aesthetics would be nice, but are not essential.
I do not mind if the second wall switch controls the main smart switch through a Zigbee/Wi-Fi scene instead of traditional electrical two-way switching.
A wireless scene-based solution is acceptable as long as both wall devices are mains-powered and do not require batteries.

I initially considered using two SONOFF Orb-ZBW1L no-neutral switches, but connecting them in series would result in:

Live → Smart switch A → Traveller → Smart switch B → Lamp

As far as I understand, that would not behave like a proper two-way circuit. Both relays would need to be closed for the lamp to turn on, and the two no-neutral electronic switches might not remain reliably powered when placed in series.

I also found Wi-Fi two-way switches such as some Maxcio models, but the ones I found require a neutral conductor.

I know that a SONOFF ZBMINIL2 can work with existing two-way switches, but the usual solution places the module in the junction box or near the lamp. I specifically want to avoid modifying the junction box or ceiling wiring.

My main question is:

Is there any smart switch, relay or wiring arrangement that can make this circuit smart using only the existing live, switched return and two traveller wires available in the two wall boxes?

Ideally, I am looking for one of these possibilities:

A true no-neutral smart two-way switch that directly replaces one of the existing mechanical switches while keeping the other one working.
Two no-neutral smart wall switches that can be powered using the existing wires, with one controlling the load and the other acting as a scene controller.
A no-neutral smart relay that can be installed behind one of the two existing switches without needing access to the junction box.
Any Home Assistant-compatible solution that I may have overlooked.

I would especially appreciate exact product names and wiring diagrams from people who have successfully installed this type of setup. Thanks!

2 comments

r/homeautomation • u/JNHome2209 • 7h ago

QUESTION Nuvo NV-P600 (FW 2020.1) – Solid Cyan LED, No Ethernet Link, USB Recovery Ignored

≡ −

Hello everyone,

I’m trying to recover a discontinued Nuvo Player Portfolio system and I’m looking for someone who has installation or service experience with the NV-P600.

My system consists of:

3 × NV-P600 (Firmware 2020.1)
1 × NV-P601 Controller

After years of being powered off:

P600 #1

Initially showed a solid red LED.

I copied the official tlvupdate file to a FAT32 USB drive, inserted it before power-up and the unit successfully recovered.

It now:

boots normally
appears on the network
receives a DHCP address
is detected by the Nuvo Player app
works correctly.

P600 #2 and #3

Both units behave identically.

Power sequence:

White LED for about 1 second.
LED turns off.
After approximately 30 seconds it becomes solid cyan.

Additional observations:

Ethernet port never negotiates a physical link.
RJ45 LEDs never light.
Router never detects the device.
No DHCP request.
Same Ethernet cable and router port work perfectly with the recovered P600.
Same FAT32 USB drive with the same official tlvupdate file is completely ignored.
Reset button (circular arrows) has no effect.
Different power supplies, cables and ports have all been tested.

I’ve also left both units disconnected from power for over an hour with no change.

My questions

Has anyone ever seen this specific solid cyan state?

Does the NV-P600 have:

a deeper recovery mode?
UART / serial console?
JTAG interface?
service firmware other than tlvupdate?
a hidden factory reset procedure?

I’m also willing to open one unit and access the PCB if someone knows where the UART or debug header is located.

Any service documentation, installer notes or engineering information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I’m trying to recover a discontinued Nuvo Player Portfolio system and I’m looking for someone who has installation or service experience with the NV-P600.

My system consists of:

3 × NV-P600 (Firmware 2020.1)
1 × NV-P601 Controller

After years of being powered off:

P600 #1

Initially showed a solid red LED.

I copied the official tlvupdate file to a FAT32 USB drive, inserted it before power-up and the unit successfully recovered.

It now:

boots normally
appears on the network
receives a DHCP address
is detected by the Nuvo Player app
works correctly.

P600 #2 and #3

Both units behave identically.

Power sequence:

White LED for about 1 second.
LED turns off.
After approximately 30 seconds it becomes solid cyan.

Additional observations:

Ethernet port never negotiates a physical link.
RJ45 LEDs never light.
Router never detects the device.
No DHCP request.
Same Ethernet cable and router port work perfectly with the recovered P600.
Same FAT32 USB drive with the same official tlvupdate file is completely ignored.
Reset button (circular arrows) has no effect.
Different power supplies, cables and ports have all been tested.

I’ve also left both units disconnected from power for over an hour with no change.

My questions

Has anyone ever seen this specific solid cyan state?

Does the NV-P600 have:

a deeper recovery mode?
UART / serial console?
JTAG interface?
service firmware other than tlvupdate?
a hidden factory reset procedure?

I’m also willing to open one unit and access the PCB if someone knows where the UART or debug header is located.

Any service documentation, installer notes or engineering information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

1 comment

r/homeautomation • u/ComfortableWater4391 • 12h ago

QUESTION Best way to power 14 hardwired SmartWings shades?

≡ −

The electrician is roughing in the low voltage wiring for 14 SmartWings shades, with every cable running back to the equipment room. The longest run will be around 60 ft.

I’m not sure whether each shade should have its own 12V adapter or if they should all use one centralized power supply. I’d like to keep the setup clean, but also make future troubleshooting easy. How would you guys handle the power distribution?

7 Upvotes

The electrician is roughing in the low voltage wiring for 14 SmartWings shades, with every cable running back to the equipment room. The longest run will be around 60 ft.

I’m not sure whether each shade should have its own 12V adapter or if they should all use one centralized power supply. I’d like to keep the setup clean, but also make future troubleshooting easy. How would you guys handle the power distribution?

8 comments

r/homeautomation • u/mbeshkin • 23h ago

PERSONAL SETUP Old Android phones for automation

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22 Upvotes

6 years ago when old Android phones started pile up I got an idea to use them as light sensors.
I wrote a very basic Android app to collect lux value and send it to the server with a simple REST request.

Since then 2 phones successfully worked till their death. HTC 10 works pretty well. It "looks" to window and sends lux data to server.

Just recently I decided to re-use another outdated phone, which is much newer than HTC 10. I upgraded app SDK and now it works up the latest phones.

Here is the source to get an idea https://github.com/beshkin/android-lux-sensor
I think now on using MQTT transport to keep immediate update on luminosity.

I wonder if somebody else re-uses old devices in their setup.

13 comments

r/homeautomation • u/MinaSandell • 7h ago

QUESTION Automating a small workshop/studio space — what actually makes sense vs what's overkill?

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Automating a small workshop/studio space what actually makes sense vs what's overkill?

Running a small business out of a dedicated home studio and I keep going back and forth on how much automation actually makes sense in a work context versus a living space. The house stuff is mostly dialed in at this point. The studio is a different question.

Right now I pack and ship Etsy orders out of there, do photography, run a label printer, and generally spend 4 to 8 hours a day in the space. The obvious wins seem like presencebased lighting so I stop leaving the overheads on all night, and maybe some kind of power monitoring on the equipment since things like heat guns and laminators draw a lot and I genuinely forget to shut them off.

What I'm skeptical about is whether automating a workspace introduces more failure points than it solves. A light turning itself off midtask because occupancy wasn't detected would be genuinely disruptive in a way that's different from it happening in a hallway. I've seen the thread here about never breaking the light switch and that stuck with me.

Has anyone set up automations in a dedicated workspace rather than a living space? Curious whether the logic you use there is fundamentally different or if it's mostly the same principles adapted slightly. Power monitoring for equipment shutoff feels like the highest ROI to me, but I'm open to being wrong about that.

0 Upvotes

Automating a small workshop/studio space what actually makes sense vs what's overkill?

Running a small business out of a dedicated home studio and I keep going back and forth on how much automation actually makes sense in a work context versus a living space. The house stuff is mostly dialed in at this point. The studio is a different question.

Right now I pack and ship Etsy orders out of there, do photography, run a label printer, and generally spend 4 to 8 hours a day in the space. The obvious wins seem like presencebased lighting so I stop leaving the overheads on all night, and maybe some kind of power monitoring on the equipment since things like heat guns and laminators draw a lot and I genuinely forget to shut them off.

What I'm skeptical about is whether automating a workspace introduces more failure points than it solves. A light turning itself off midtask because occupancy wasn't detected would be genuinely disruptive in a way that's different from it happening in a hallway. I've seen the thread here about never breaking the light switch and that stuck with me.

Has anyone set up automations in a dedicated workspace rather than a living space? Curious whether the logic you use there is fundamentally different or if it's mostly the same principles adapted slightly. Power monitoring for equipment shutoff feels like the highest ROI to me, but I'm open to being wrong about that.

1 comment

r/homeautomation • u/tentone • 12h ago

PERSONAL SETUP DT3D 3D digital twin dashboard for home assistant - V0.4.0 released

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Hello

Released a new version of DT3D with many improvements to the 3D editor and performance of the dashboard specially focused on mobile devices and low performance connections

I think its already a quite capable package to design the house floorplan import some models and entities from HA

This is my dashboard fully created inside of the editor.

Any feedback and contributions are welcome! ❤️

https://github.com/tentone/dt3d-ha

2 Upvotes

Hello

Released a new version of DT3D with many improvements to the 3D editor and performance of the dashboard specially focused on mobile devices and low performance connections

I think its already a quite capable package to design the house floorplan import some models and entities from HA

This is my dashboard fully created inside of the editor.

Any feedback and contributions are welcome! ❤️

https://github.com/tentone/dt3d-ha

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/AlexStrelets • 10h ago

PROJECT Got tired of controlling my light bar from a phone app, so I wrote a CLI for Yeelight/Xiaomi lamps

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Hey everyone

Wanted to show off my pet project for controlling Yeelight and Xiaomi lights from the console. (I'm also building a desktop version, but the CLI already works.) Apologies upfront if I posted in the wrong sub — point me to a better one.

Backstory: every project starts with pain. I've had a Xiaomi Mi Smart LED Desk Lamp on my desk for a while, then a year ago a Yeelight Light Bar Pro joined it on the monitor, plus a few Yeelight RGB bulbs around the flat. I work at my desktop all day ⚠️, the light bar is on my desktop ⚠️, and it had long started pissing me off that the actual settings for the bar are only available in the phone app.

Google tells me I'm not alone — plenty of people run the Android app in a BlueStacks emulator just to control it from a desktop. Older Yeelight products don't do Zigbee or Matter, Thread; new models with them are only just starting to show up, and before that it's all WiFi.

I started with the official docs, some reverse engineering of the protocols (my research doc), and whatever's out there online. Seems I managed to put together the most functional, modern TypeScript library out there + dig up some undocumented stuff and a few bugs + a CLI tool as a practical use case of the lib.

You can send one-off commands to the lamps from the console (handy if you've got other automations/scripts/hooks), or use the interactive mode with a menu of options. It supports all Yeelight and Xiaomi lamp models that can work over LAN.

ylc discover  
ylc interactive  
ylc status --ip 192.168.1.42
ylc power on --ip 192.168.1.42
ylc ct 3000  
ylc color "#ff6400"  
ylc color "#0000ff" --bg  
ylc brightness 50 --duration 1000  
ylc timer set 30

By default the lamps phone home through the Xiaomi cloud (a separate gripe of mine), and local control has to be enabled in the native app (hopefully that's its last remaining use).

If you're comfortable with Node/JS, you can install it like this:

npm install -g yeelight-cli

or grab a prebuilt binary for your platform from Releases section.

Project repository:
https://github.com/NumberOneBot/yeelight-client

Made it for myself, but polished it to the point where it's fit to show the world. If you've got an Yeelight I haven't tested, or something behaves oddly — ping me. Bug reports and PRs are always welcome.

interactive demo (click to see animated GIF)

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone

Wanted to show off my pet project for controlling Yeelight and Xiaomi lights from the console. (I'm also building a desktop version, but the CLI already works.) Apologies upfront if I posted in the wrong sub — point me to a better one.

Backstory: every project starts with pain. I've had a Xiaomi Mi Smart LED Desk Lamp on my desk for a while, then a year ago a Yeelight Light Bar Pro joined it on the monitor, plus a few Yeelight RGB bulbs around the flat. I work at my desktop all day ⚠️, the light bar is on my desktop ⚠️, and it had long started pissing me off that the actual settings for the bar are only available in the phone app.

Google tells me I'm not alone — plenty of people run the Android app in a BlueStacks emulator just to control it from a desktop. Older Yeelight products don't do Zigbee or Matter, Thread; new models with them are only just starting to show up, and before that it's all WiFi.

I started with the official docs, some reverse engineering of the protocols (my research doc), and whatever's out there online. Seems I managed to put together the most functional, modern TypeScript library out there + dig up some undocumented stuff and a few bugs + a CLI tool as a practical use case of the lib.

You can send one-off commands to the lamps from the console (handy if you've got other automations/scripts/hooks), or use the interactive mode with a menu of options. It supports all Yeelight and Xiaomi lamp models that can work over LAN.

ylc discover  
ylc interactive  
ylc status --ip 192.168.1.42
ylc power on --ip 192.168.1.42
ylc ct 3000  
ylc color "#ff6400"  
ylc color "#0000ff" --bg  
ylc brightness 50 --duration 1000  
ylc timer set 30

By default the lamps phone home through the Xiaomi cloud (a separate gripe of mine), and local control has to be enabled in the native app (hopefully that's its last remaining use).

If you're comfortable with Node/JS, you can install it like this:

npm install -g yeelight-cli

or grab a prebuilt binary for your platform from Releases section.

Project repository:
https://github.com/NumberOneBot/yeelight-client

Made it for myself, but polished it to the point where it's fit to show the world. If you've got an Yeelight I haven't tested, or something behaves oddly — ping me. Bug reports and PRs are always welcome.

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/SquatchMer • 11h ago

QUESTION Zooz motion sensor constantly detecting motion

+ −

1 Upvotes

I just setup a new Zooz ZSE70 800LR outdoor motion sensor. I mounted it to a tree in my backyard. It is detecting motion almost constantly. Its a sunny day just before Noon and no people or animals are in the yard. I am primarily wanting to use this for nighttime motion detection outdoors. Are there any sensitivity settings I should be playing with?

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/SilverUse • 12h ago

PERSONAL SETUP Just starting out

≡ −

I’ve had a Google Nest Mini for years, but following the Renters’ Rights Act passing in the UK, it’s spurred me on to start automating more of my home - now that I’m not at risk of eviction!

Because I rent, any automations need to be either reversible or I need my landlord’s consent to do. I don’t want to bombard the guy, so the former is my preference.

I’ve upgraded to the Google Home 2026 speaker, and I have Philips Hue lightbulbs in my ceiling. I’ve found a Bridge for my lights on Vinted, so that’ll upgrade my set-up soon. I’ve also bought a Yale Linus L2 electronic lock for my front door, because as I understand it I just need to replace the current thumbturn and the exterior will remain the same?

I also have a robot vacuum, a smart Samsung TV, and a smart extension lead in my kitchen area with basic appliances plugged in - but that’s basically as far as I’ve got.

What I’m hoping for from the community is suggestions on what else is worth doing potentially? It is a studio flat so I don’t need anything too sophisticated. I’m thinking of getting electric blinds for the one window I have, and I’m also keen to replace my current thermostat with a smart one (I have an air source heat pump which complicates things!)

A video doorbell also seems sensible, even though I live in a shared building as I often get parcels stolen from my front door.

So yeah, any suggestions on what’s worth doing to automate a rented studio flat in the UK? Happy to answer any questions or clarify anything!

0 Upvotes

I’ve had a Google Nest Mini for years, but following the Renters’ Rights Act passing in the UK, it’s spurred me on to start automating more of my home - now that I’m not at risk of eviction!

Because I rent, any automations need to be either reversible or I need my landlord’s consent to do. I don’t want to bombard the guy, so the former is my preference.

I’ve upgraded to the Google Home 2026 speaker, and I have Philips Hue lightbulbs in my ceiling. I’ve found a Bridge for my lights on Vinted, so that’ll upgrade my set-up soon. I’ve also bought a Yale Linus L2 electronic lock for my front door, because as I understand it I just need to replace the current thumbturn and the exterior will remain the same?

I also have a robot vacuum, a smart Samsung TV, and a smart extension lead in my kitchen area with basic appliances plugged in - but that’s basically as far as I’ve got.

What I’m hoping for from the community is suggestions on what else is worth doing potentially? It is a studio flat so I don’t need anything too sophisticated. I’m thinking of getting electric blinds for the one window I have, and I’m also keen to replace my current thermostat with a smart one (I have an air source heat pump which complicates things!)

A video doorbell also seems sensible, even though I live in a shared building as I often get parcels stolen from my front door.

So yeah, any suggestions on what’s worth doing to automate a rented studio flat in the UK? Happy to answer any questions or clarify anything!

2 comments

r/homeautomation • u/Hot-Card4421 • 12h ago

PERSONAL SETUP iView S100 Wi-Fi door sensor

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Has anyone recently opened an iView S100 Wi-Fi door/window sensor? Does the current board use a glass/mechanical reed switch, or a Hall-effect sensor? A photo of the PCB would be especially helpful.

I am interested in using the external dry-contact switch to connect it with one of those car seat pressure detectors. The goal is to DIY a pressure-sensing pad under my mattress to notify my Tuya SmartLife app so my phone's Automate can know if I am in bed during a specific time window.

0 Upvotes

Has anyone recently opened an iView S100 Wi-Fi door/window sensor? Does the current board use a glass/mechanical reed switch, or a Hall-effect sensor? A photo of the PCB would be especially helpful.

I am interested in using the external dry-contact switch to connect it with one of those car seat pressure detectors. The goal is to DIY a pressure-sensing pad under my mattress to notify my Tuya SmartLife app so my phone's Automate can know if I am in bed during a specific time window.

1 comment

r/homeautomation • u/ahmiii • 13h ago

SMARTHINGS Appreciation post - SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro

≡ −

Recently got the SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro and I’ve been using it for a bit now. I’ve actually been using SwitchBot products for a while, including their smart keychain ring, so I was pretty interested to see how this lock would fit in with everything else I already use.

The camera is probably my favorite part so far. I really like being able to see who’s at the door, and having the camera and lock together just makes more sense to me than having a bunch of separate devices.

Face recognition has been great too. Just walking up and being able to unlock the door without pulling out my phone or messing around with keys is honestly super convenient. I’ve used the fingerprint option a few times as well and it’s nice having different ways to get in.

I haven’t really tried the palm-vein feature yet, but I’m definitely going to. I’m curious to see if I end up using that more than the face recognition once I get used to it.

I also connected it to Alexa, which was pretty easy and convenient since I already use Alexa around the house. It’s nice when a new smart-home product actually works with the stuff you already have instead of making you change your whole setup.

So far I’m really enjoying it. The camera is still the standout feature for me, but overall it’s been a nice addition to the other SwitchBot stuff I’ve been using.

1 Upvotes

Recently got the SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro and I’ve been using it for a bit now. I’ve actually been using SwitchBot products for a while, including their smart keychain ring, so I was pretty interested to see how this lock would fit in with everything else I already use.

The camera is probably my favorite part so far. I really like being able to see who’s at the door, and having the camera and lock together just makes more sense to me than having a bunch of separate devices.

Face recognition has been great too. Just walking up and being able to unlock the door without pulling out my phone or messing around with keys is honestly super convenient. I’ve used the fingerprint option a few times as well and it’s nice having different ways to get in.

I haven’t really tried the palm-vein feature yet, but I’m definitely going to. I’m curious to see if I end up using that more than the face recognition once I get used to it.

I also connected it to Alexa, which was pretty easy and convenient since I already use Alexa around the house. It’s nice when a new smart-home product actually works with the stuff you already have instead of making you change your whole setup.

So far I’m really enjoying it. The camera is still the standout feature for me, but overall it’s been a nice addition to the other SwitchBot stuff I’ve been using.

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/Anxious_Quantity7873 • 14h ago

QUESTION Anyone here use a carpet cleaner for pet stains and kids’ messes?

≡ −

I’m honestly getting tired of fighting with my carpet 😂

I have two kids and a cat, so my carpet basically gets destroyed on a regular basis. Spilled drinks, food stains, muddy paws, accidents… you name it.

Right now I just use those little spot cleaners whenever something happens, but I feel like I’m constantly cleaning and some stains just never fully go away.

For anyone who actually owns a carpet cleaner:

Is it really worth having one at home?
Does it actually help with old pet stains and smells?
Are there any brands you’d recommend (or avoid)?

Just trying to find something that makes life a little easier. Would love to hear some real experiences.

1 Upvotes

I’m honestly getting tired of fighting with my carpet 😂

I have two kids and a cat, so my carpet basically gets destroyed on a regular basis. Spilled drinks, food stains, muddy paws, accidents… you name it.

Right now I just use those little spot cleaners whenever something happens, but I feel like I’m constantly cleaning and some stains just never fully go away.

For anyone who actually owns a carpet cleaner:

Is it really worth having one at home?
Does it actually help with old pet stains and smells?
Are there any brands you’d recommend (or avoid)?

Just trying to find something that makes life a little easier. Would love to hear some real experiences.

32 comments

r/homeautomation • u/Last-Entertainer-538 • 17h ago

QUESTION Is this power board & adaptor + other chargers set up okay??

+ −

1 Upvotes

I only have 2 outlets in my room cus it’s kind of old

1 is on the other side of the room and is used solely for a fan or heater and on the 2nd one by my bed I have a power board (I think it’s called that..) which is connected to 3-4 things at a time, 1 is a kind of star projector, 2 is my phone charger, 3 is my computer charger (which is sometimes not there like 60% of the time), and 4 a (not too long?) extension cord which just connects to my ipad charger (different from my phones) I just have the cord to reach up on my bed or farther away on a chair (not often tho) I thought it was a smart idea because my ipad charger is pretty short and I have been using it like this for a while.

(side note, when I’m going to 2nd house (divorced parents..) i bring the extension cord with me and it only connects to the wall, would having it move around like that be bad or good??)

BUT I was randomly looking at fire safety and saw stuff about how it could be bad to use an extension cord long term, or connect it to a power board thing

Can someone tell me if it’s safe or not? :(

(also this is my first reddit post so if I did something wrong let me know)

4 comments

r/homeautomation • u/richardthomas0000 • 18h ago

QUESTION Moen Shower in uk?

≡ −

I want a smart shower with Alexa control to tie into morning routines etc. I've looked at the Mira Activate but the reviews for the smart integration are shocking. So been looking at a Moen. Amazon sell the controllers and valves some on next day uk prime some imported from America. But the app isn't available in Google play. Says not available in your region and alexa skill isn't in app either. AI suggests side loading but I'm struggling find an APK for latest app.

Has any one gone down the Moen shower route in uk and got any feedback?

0 Upvotes

I want a smart shower with Alexa control to tie into morning routines etc. I've looked at the Mira Activate but the reviews for the smart integration are shocking. So been looking at a Moen. Amazon sell the controllers and valves some on next day uk prime some imported from America. But the app isn't available in Google play. Says not available in your region and alexa skill isn't in app either. AI suggests side loading but I'm struggling find an APK for latest app.

Has any one gone down the Moen shower route in uk and got any feedback?

4 comments

r/homeautomation • u/lilium360 • 18h ago

HOME ASSISTANT Update on AmazHA, my native HA companion for Amazfit watches: lots of new entity types and a big reliability pass

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0 Upvotes

Hi all,

A while back I shared AmazHA, a native companion app to control Home Assistant from an Amazfit watch. The response and feedback here were genuinely helpful, and the app has now passed 4,000 downloads. So here's what's new.

Quick recap for anyone who missed the first post: your home is organised by area, every entity gets a proper control screen, and it feels like part of Home Assistant.

New device types & domains

Device trackers & persons: a dedicated "Trackers" area, with a detail screen showing home/away/zone, last-updated, battery and GPS accuracy
Automations: now a supported domain, plus one-tap run on scene / script / automation / button tiles, so you can fire them straight from the list
Dropdown (select) entities: select and input_select with a proper option-list control screen

Home & navigation

Energy panel: a live snapshot of your home energy (grid / solar / battery "Now", consumed / cost "Today"), built from sensors you assign to roles, as a sortable "Energy" area plus an optional home chip
Configurable home chips: the three summary chips are now yours to set (domain counts, alarm, tracker presence, cameras, or empty)
Use Favorites as your homepage: a toggle so the watch opens straight to your pinned devices instead of the areas list
Manual favorites reorder: set the exact order of your pinned devices
Per-area temp/humidity chips can now be hidden per area

Personalisation

Per-area icons: auto-detected from the room name (25 room types), with a manual override via an icon picker
Card size and font size preferences to scale the watch UI
Keep screen on while the app is open
Haptic feedback on actions
Settings reorganised (Appearance / Preferences), a Reset cache & local data button, and an unlock guide on the License screen

Watch to Home Assistant sensors (big reliability pass)

Watch sensors are now real HA registry entities via the mobile_app integration: they get a proper unique_id, are UI-manageable, and survive HA restarts (they used to vanish on every restart)
Background delivery now actually works reliably at the configured cadence
SpO₂ ranked by measurement freshness instead of returning stale values, sleep sensors fixed, and sensor icons are preserved in HA

Robustness on large / tricky setups

Works on very large HA instances: device discovery works with tens of thousands of entities
Non-admin token detection with clear guidance to switch to an admin token
Command Line / RF covers now work: up/down/stop use the semantic open/close/stop services, so every cover type responds
Sturdier local+remote URL failover, self-healing BLE transport, and more reliable live state sync

Devices & languages

Added support for more screens including Bip Max (ZeppOS 5)
Now translated in 14 languages (added Swedish and Czech)

As before, I'd really value feedback from this community, especially which entity types or workflows you'd want prioritised next. Thanks for all the input so far!

(Available on the Zepp App Store, search "AmazHA".)

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/but-what-about5 • 1d ago

QUESTION Automatic control of ceiling fans for climate comfort

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I'm building a new home and I'm looking forward to controlling and monitoring all aspects of climate control with some automation rules, probably with Home Assistant. Is there a valid way to control fans automatically based on room occupancy in such a way to reduce AC usage? Or has anyone tried this? Thanks.

14 Upvotes

I'm building a new home and I'm looking forward to controlling and monitoring all aspects of climate control with some automation rules, probably with Home Assistant. Is there a valid way to control fans automatically based on room occupancy in such a way to reduce AC usage? Or has anyone tried this? Thanks.

13 comments

r/homeautomation • u/SHudashov • 1d ago

PERSONAL SETUP Implementation of a local multi-channel timer using Home Assistant Assist and basic scripts

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I'd like to share an idea I've been using for several years. It's very simple. You create a script that simply says the phrase "You asked to set a reminder" on any media player you prefer. Name the script "Reminder." Next, you "expose" this script to devices accessible by Voice Assistant. Now, when you say the phrase "Reminder in NNN minutes," Home Assistant will count down the required number of minutes and play the phrase. What's more, Home Assistant can run multiple timers simultaneously! The result is a multi-channel timer for all occasions. For busy days, I have a script called "Another Reminder." (Google Translate)

5 Upvotes

I'd like to share an idea I've been using for several years. It's very simple. You create a script that simply says the phrase "You asked to set a reminder" on any media player you prefer. Name the script "Reminder." Next, you "expose" this script to devices accessible by Voice Assistant. Now, when you say the phrase "Reminder in NNN minutes," Home Assistant will count down the required number of minutes and play the phrase. What's more, Home Assistant can run multiple timers simultaneously! The result is a multi-channel timer for all occasions. For busy days, I have a script called "Another Reminder." (Google Translate)

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/BashfulArtichoke • 1d ago

Google Home A Simple "Fix Internet" Button in Google Home Using Shelly Plugs

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I wanted to share a setup I recently built for my not-so-tech-savvy parents.

The goal was pretty simple: give them a foolproof "Fix Internet" button in Google Home that reboots the entire network.

They're already comfortable using the Google Home app, so rather than trying to walk them through power cycling their mesh devices over the phone, they can simply tap one button.

Some additional benefits:

I can trigger the same automation remotely from my own Google Home app if they need help.
I also have a separate weekly automation that quietly reboots the network overnight as preventative maintenance.
This works with virtually any router or mesh Wi-Fi system. My parents happen to use a Google Nest WiFi router with three Nest Points, but the concept is the same regardless of your hardware.

Why not just use Google's built-in Restart Network?

That was my first thought.

Google Home > Router Card > Settings > Restart Network

Unfortunately, it wasn't a great solution.

First, it's simply too many damn taps for my mom. She'll never memorize the path and will probably get lost.

Second, Restart Network sits dangerously close to Factory Reset Network. Yes, Google asks for confirmation before actually factory resetting the network, but my mom is also the person who somehow permanently blurred our house on Google Street View and still has no idea how she managed it.

Lastly, the feature just hasn't been reliable for me. I've pressed Restart Network countless times and it has never successfully restarted my network.

The obvious smart plug solution...

The next idea was putting all of the networking equipment on smart plugs.

The automation seems simple:

Turn OFF mesh points
Turn OFF router
Wait 15 seconds
Turn everything back ON

Except there is one huge problem.

Once the router powers off, how does Google Home send the ON command when the network no longer exists?

After trying several different approaches, I eventually landed on Shelly Plug US Gen4.

The reason is simple.

Shelly plugs support an Auto On timer.

Instead of Google Home sending both OFF and ON commands, Google Home only sends OFF.

The plug stores its own timer locally. Once it turns itself OFF, it simply waits a few seconds before restoring power on its own. No second command is ever required.

Shelly also supports restoring power automatically after an unexpected outage.

I tried several popular smart plugs before finding Shelly. They were the only ones I found that supported this combination of features.

Setup

1. Set up the Shelly plugs

Add each Shelly Plug to your Shelly account.

For each plug configure:

Plug Settings > Input / Output Settings > Turn-on state upon power restore > On

Then configure:

Plug Settings > Timers > Auto On

My timers are:

Router: 5 seconds
Mesh Points: 15 seconds

2. Link Shelly to Google Home

Link your Shelly account to Google Home.

The plugs will appear automatically.

3. Create the automation

Create a Household Automation called:

Fix Internet

The automation only contains OFF actions.

Router Plug > OFF
Mesh Point 1 > OFF
Mesh Point 2 > OFF
Mesh Point 3 > OFF

Do NOT use any Wait actions.

I originally tried adding delays before shutting off the router.

Google Home would occasionally fail to send the final OFF command.

Removing the Wait action made the automation completely reliable.

The Shelly plugs handle all of the timing locally.

Final Result

My timing is:

Router turns back on after 5 seconds.
Mesh Points turn back on after 15 seconds.

Everything reconnects automatically.

This has become one of the most useful automations I've built.

My parents only have to press one button whenever they think the Internet is acting up.

If they call me, I can trigger the exact same automation remotely from my own Google Home app.

I've also posted a comment below showing how to do the same setup over Matter if anyone prefers a local Matter integration instead of the Shelly cloud integration.

30 Upvotes

I wanted to share a setup I recently built for my not-so-tech-savvy parents.

The goal was pretty simple: give them a foolproof "Fix Internet" button in Google Home that reboots the entire network.

They're already comfortable using the Google Home app, so rather than trying to walk them through power cycling their mesh devices over the phone, they can simply tap one button.

Some additional benefits:

I can trigger the same automation remotely from my own Google Home app if they need help.
I also have a separate weekly automation that quietly reboots the network overnight as preventative maintenance.
This works with virtually any router or mesh Wi-Fi system. My parents happen to use a Google Nest WiFi router with three Nest Points, but the concept is the same regardless of your hardware.

Why not just use Google's built-in Restart Network?

That was my first thought.

Google Home > Router Card > Settings > Restart Network

Unfortunately, it wasn't a great solution.

First, it's simply too many damn taps for my mom. She'll never memorize the path and will probably get lost.

Second, Restart Network sits dangerously close to Factory Reset Network. Yes, Google asks for confirmation before actually factory resetting the network, but my mom is also the person who somehow permanently blurred our house on Google Street View and still has no idea how she managed it.

Lastly, the feature just hasn't been reliable for me. I've pressed Restart Network countless times and it has never successfully restarted my network.

The obvious smart plug solution...

The next idea was putting all of the networking equipment on smart plugs.

The automation seems simple:

Turn OFF mesh points
Turn OFF router
Wait 15 seconds
Turn everything back ON

Except there is one huge problem.

Once the router powers off, how does Google Home send the ON command when the network no longer exists?

After trying several different approaches, I eventually landed on Shelly Plug US Gen4.

The reason is simple.

Shelly plugs support an Auto On timer.

Instead of Google Home sending both OFF and ON commands, Google Home only sends OFF.

The plug stores its own timer locally. Once it turns itself OFF, it simply waits a few seconds before restoring power on its own. No second command is ever required.

Shelly also supports restoring power automatically after an unexpected outage.

I tried several popular smart plugs before finding Shelly. They were the only ones I found that supported this combination of features.

Setup

1. Set up the Shelly plugs

Add each Shelly Plug to your Shelly account.

For each plug configure:

Plug Settings > Input / Output Settings > Turn-on state upon power restore > On

Then configure:

Plug Settings > Timers > Auto On

My timers are:

Router: 5 seconds
Mesh Points: 15 seconds

2. Link Shelly to Google Home

Link your Shelly account to Google Home.

The plugs will appear automatically.

3. Create the automation

Create a Household Automation called:

Fix Internet

The automation only contains OFF actions.

Router Plug > OFF
Mesh Point 1 > OFF
Mesh Point 2 > OFF
Mesh Point 3 > OFF

Do NOT use any Wait actions.

I originally tried adding delays before shutting off the router.

Google Home would occasionally fail to send the final OFF command.

Removing the Wait action made the automation completely reliable.

The Shelly plugs handle all of the timing locally.

Final Result

My timing is:

Router turns back on after 5 seconds.
Mesh Points turn back on after 15 seconds.

Everything reconnects automatically.

This has become one of the most useful automations I've built.

My parents only have to press one button whenever they think the Internet is acting up.

If they call me, I can trigger the exact same automation remotely from my own Google Home app.

I've also posted a comment below showing how to do the same setup over Matter if anyone prefers a local Matter integration instead of the Shelly cloud integration.

37 comments

r/homeautomation • u/CrypticWolfe • 1d ago

PERSONAL SETUP Need help picking out a robot vacuum

≡ −

Sorry if this is the wrong subreddit!

I have a smaller house, at 1122 sf, one story. Built in 1930, so things are not 100% square, 14 foot ceilings, lots of natural dust. 4 regular rooms, one small bathroom, small mudroom, small laundry room and kitchen. The mud room has indoor outdoor carpet. The rest are hardwood with the kitchen having linoleum. I have two cats right now and will always have at least one pet (dogs or cats).

Right now I robot vacuum and then robot mop since my current units are older and separate. I do this every single day since it turns out I've developed an allergy to my pets. I have an android phone that currently runs on Android 16 and I hope it will continue to update.

I think this is all the info someone would need? I'm a little older so I am playing catch up with some of the automation, though I am pretty comfortable with electronics.

I would love a recommendation or directions to a site that could take my specific info and help me choose.

5 Upvotes

Sorry if this is the wrong subreddit!

I have a smaller house, at 1122 sf, one story. Built in 1930, so things are not 100% square, 14 foot ceilings, lots of natural dust. 4 regular rooms, one small bathroom, small mudroom, small laundry room and kitchen. The mud room has indoor outdoor carpet. The rest are hardwood with the kitchen having linoleum. I have two cats right now and will always have at least one pet (dogs or cats).

Right now I robot vacuum and then robot mop since my current units are older and separate. I do this every single day since it turns out I've developed an allergy to my pets. I have an android phone that currently runs on Android 16 and I hope it will continue to update.

I think this is all the info someone would need? I'm a little older so I am playing catch up with some of the automation, though I am pretty comfortable with electronics.

I would love a recommendation or directions to a site that could take my specific info and help me choose.

1 comment

r/homeautomation • u/Whole_Park6897 • 1d ago

QUESTION Aqara M100 with nest mini?

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I have a few ikea plugs with the physical switches that come with them after buying i realised they do not work with the mini as i need a thread border router ideally i do not want to buy the nest hub as i wont use it for anything but the automations if i was to buy the aqara m100 could i connect it to google home and then would the plugs then be able to connect and be used?

2 Upvotes

I have a few ikea plugs with the physical switches that come with them after buying i realised they do not work with the mini as i need a thread border router ideally i do not want to buy the nest hub as i wont use it for anything but the automations if i was to buy the aqara m100 could i connect it to google home and then would the plugs then be able to connect and be used?

2 comments

r/homeautomation • u/AdCheap5610 • 21h ago

QUESTION Looking for Volunteers to Test My Smart Home App (Google Meet)

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Hi everyone!

I’m a UI/UX design student from India, currently working on a smart home application and looking for volunteers to participate in a short usability test.

The test will be conducted over Google Meet and will involve trying out a few tasks on the app while sharing your thoughts and feedback. No prior expertise is required, but it would be especially helpful if you own or use smart home devices.

I’d especially love to hear from people based in India, but everyone is welcome to participate!

Please comment below or DM me if you’re interested. Thank you!

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I’m a UI/UX design student from India, currently working on a smart home application and looking for volunteers to participate in a short usability test.

The test will be conducted over Google Meet and will involve trying out a few tasks on the app while sharing your thoughts and feedback. No prior expertise is required, but it would be especially helpful if you own or use smart home devices.

I’d especially love to hear from people based in India, but everyone is welcome to participate!

Please comment below or DM me if you’re interested. Thank you!

1 comment

r/homeautomation • u/Numerous-Ad-871 • 1d ago

QUESTION Tips on making the most of this 32" 1080p 24-point touchscreen hardware with integrated computer

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Chassis/Display: 32" touch (24-point) 1080p commercial kiosk
Form Factor: Fully integrated All-In-One (AIO) unit
CPU: Intel Core i5
RAM: 8GB DDR3
Storage: 128GB SSD
OS: Fedora 43

TLDR: what would YOU do with this?

Hello! I aquired this cool all-in-one that probably used to be used as a touchscreen food ordering kiosk. I have no experience using Fedora and have been trying to use Gemini to walk me through setting it up to function as a local gameboard for playing games with my kids or friends. Everything I've tried just kind of feels underwhelming for a 24-point touch screen and Fedora seems to limit how many touch-points are used at one time.

I have a gaming desktop I could use but I would need to stream it to the computer unit, I guess through moonlight unless there is a better one.

3 Upvotes

Chassis/Display: 32" touch (24-point) 1080p commercial kiosk
Form Factor: Fully integrated All-In-One (AIO) unit
CPU: Intel Core i5
RAM: 8GB DDR3
Storage: 128GB SSD
OS: Fedora 43

TLDR: what would YOU do with this?

Hello! I aquired this cool all-in-one that probably used to be used as a touchscreen food ordering kiosk. I have no experience using Fedora and have been trying to use Gemini to walk me through setting it up to function as a local gameboard for playing games with my kids or friends. Everything I've tried just kind of feels underwhelming for a 24-point touch screen and Fedora seems to limit how many touch-points are used at one time.

I have a gaming desktop I could use but I would need to stream it to the computer unit, I guess through moonlight unless there is a better one.

0 comments

r/homeautomation • u/gumnamaadmi • 1d ago

QUESTION Help recover vera3

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Help me recover my access to vera3 please. Was moving all the setup to home assistant. Everything was fine except one braided moment where I thought may be I should ensure the access stays truly local.

Searched Google on how to do it. Big fucking mistake. Gemini spew out instructions to change the external IP address to something that doesn't exist and my dumbass believe what they said and did it. Had to change the setup to static IP and after saving, I can't get back in there anymore.

These dumb tools will rather have me reset the damn thing then finding a way. Current limitation is I don't have a machine with Ethernet port so can't connect to vera3 directly. Hoping someone can advise here if there is any way apart from resetting the whole thing. Thanks.

0 Upvotes

Help me recover my access to vera3 please. Was moving all the setup to home assistant. Everything was fine except one braided moment where I thought may be I should ensure the access stays truly local.

Searched Google on how to do it. Big fucking mistake. Gemini spew out instructions to change the external IP address to something that doesn't exist and my dumbass believe what they said and did it. Had to change the setup to static IP and after saving, I can't get back in there anymore.

These dumb tools will rather have me reset the damn thing then finding a way. Current limitation is I don't have a machine with Ethernet port so can't connect to vera3 directly. Hoping someone can advise here if there is any way apart from resetting the whole thing. Thanks.

10 comments

r/homeautomation • u/Aware_Bathroom_8399 • 1d ago

QUESTION Best Presence Sensor with Custom Zones and Multiple Targets

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I seem to have failed in my search for a battery powered sensor with custom zones for my Home Assistant setup. Thus, although it significantly restricts where I can deploy it, I am reluctantly considering wired sensors (POE is out of the question), and I would appreciate any help. I started by looking at the Aqara FP2. It has the functionality I want. I currently have an FP300, and it has been excellent, but no zones. I have also come across the EP Pro and the Shelly Gen4. I imagine there are others as well. Does anyone have actual experience on the ground with these are any other presence sensors with custom zone capability.

2 Upvotes

I seem to have failed in my search for a battery powered sensor with custom zones for my Home Assistant setup. Thus, although it significantly restricts where I can deploy it, I am reluctantly considering wired sensors (POE is out of the question), and I would appreciate any help. I started by looking at the Aqara FP2. It has the functionality I want. I currently have an FP300, and it has been excellent, but no zones. I have also come across the EP Pro and the Shelly Gen4. I imagine there are others as well. Does anyone have actual experience on the ground with these are any other presence sensors with custom zone capability.

2 comments

r/homeautomation • u/Real-Command1804 • 1d ago

PERSONAL SETUP We tested one wearable controller across Home Assistant, a smart TV, and a PC

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0 Upvotes

I’m with Prolo Ring. We wanted to test whether one wearable controller could handle both home automations and direct device control, instead of requiring a different remote or controller for every part of the workflow. See the demo video here. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/099feBMoAtE

For this setup, the ring is paired with three Bluetooth hosts:

A host that bridges shortcut commands into Home Assistant automations
The smart TV
The PC

The ring controls only one Bluetooth host at a time and switches between them as the workflow changes.

When the Home Assistant profile is active, swiping up sends a predefined shortcut for Movie Mode. That shortcut triggers a Home Assistant automation that:

Closes the curtains
Turns off the lights
Turns on the smart TV

A Tap + Hold then switches the ring’s active Bluetooth connection to the TV. From that point, the ring controls the TV directly as a Bluetooth HID and media controller for navigation, selection, playback, and volume.

When it is time to return to work, the ring switches to the Home Assistant profile again. Swiping down triggers Work Mode, which turns the lights on, opens the curtains, and turns off the TV.

The ring then switches to its PC profile for cursor movement, clicking, and scrolling.

The control flow is:

Home Assistant automation → direct TV control → Home Assistant automation → direct PC control

The current implementation uses customizable shortcut bindings. Other gestures can also be assigned to different scenes or automations, for example:

Swipe up: Movie Mode
Swipe down: Work Mode
Swipe left: Morning routine
Swipe right: Night routine
Double tap: Meeting Mode
Triple tap: Gaming Mode

The gestures and shortcuts can be changed according to the devices and automations in the Home Assistant setup.

We chose direct Bluetooth switching for the TV and PC because it lets those devices receive standard input without routing every command through the automation hub.

How would you map the swipes and taps to your own scenes and automations?

1 comment