Inkbird, Tuya and HomeAssistant

[Flamedodger]

Boom

I’ve spent hours figuring this out, trying different scripts and yesterday managed to corrupt my main config file. So rage quit the PC and got baked. This afternoon I went about repairing config file and when I rebooted a system message popped up, new device found iBeacon Tracker. Had a look, seems it’s an integration for trackers that you put in your wallet. It says it’s not connected to anything……but my ACI 67 temperature and humidity sensor have come alive;

 

 

I’ll do more testing, but I have no idea how this started working, I have a suspicion that the tracker is a default integration for HA and I reset my config to default so it added it. I can now relieve the flower cab of the 2 inkbirds and have them in the veg cab. I’ll work the heater and RH devices in the flower cab from wifi plugs using HA.

i love hacking stuff, although this is totally legal, the controller advertises the packets I just got a way of not using the aci app to read them. I can’t have my Bluetooth on my phone near my grow room or the sensors stop updating. 
I know the app builder approached ACI about releasing code or integration for HA and got a big FO from them, so it’s all the more satisfying.

[Shumroom]

Nice  

 

Atb

 

 

 

[Flamedodger]

I’ve found the cause of the success and it had nowt to do with iBeacon Tracker. Was simply a case of turning off passive scanning on the raspberrypi Bluetooth. Ffs, I’ve spent ages toiling on this anyway I’ve let the integration's developer know. 
Next project is to get the light onto a pwm dimmer on an esp32 device,  the parts cost peanuts 

[latigid aikon]

2 hours ago, Flamedodger said:

Next project is to get the light onto a pwm dimmer on an esp32 device,  the parts cost peanuts 

I want to do something like that at some point, it would be great to have remote control of my lamp and to have automatic dimming at the start and end of the lights on period.

[Flamedodger]

2 hours ago, latigid aikon said:

I want to do something like that at some point, it would be great to have remote control of my lamp and to have automatic dimming at the start and end of the lights on period.

That’s what I’d like to achieve. Its

definitely doable, I’m ok with code, just a bit shit with the electronics. I’ve got

a bit of kit to build a watering system. I go off a bit half cocked sometimes and buy loads of shit and wonder what I’m gonna do with it. but I have a 250l water tank (the type for campervan) a totally unsuitable

pump  pipe fittings and all the gear to set up a great system to incorporate into

HA. I should probably start with that before the lights 

[Flamedodger]

Update

I’ve had a bit of a play after work this afternoon and found some more glitches unfortunately. Whilst the T&H sensors are giving me great data in intervals of seconds, the fan control is non-existent. There’s a huge lag between just turning it on and it happening at the box. Shame cos I found a lovely little revolving fan icon and slider for speed percentage to show it and between my AI bot and myself we built an automation in yaml code for vpd, (it wrote the code, I just told it what I wanted ) controlling fan, dehumidifier and heater with leaf offset temp. I think my only hope is for an integration update. I will try and set it up next on the ACI app for vpd, it writes this to the controller as it’s maintained when your BT app is out of range. then set up a separate automation in HA for optimum T&H for the heater and dehumidifier, lights on/off but using the ACI sensors. I’ve been using the inkbirds for this and if you’ve ever had more than one sensor in your groom I guarantee they get out of kilter at some point and can in some circumstances fight against each other.
I’ve bought a couple more Meross plugs for the heater and dehumidifier outlets. They have a nice feature that gives you kw/h, when I’m all up and running I can write some code to give me my running costs, I’ve got my flower light and oil rad in the shed on the same plugs and they’re the most power hungry…..I’ll not be getting a gpw then 

Until the next installment 

[Flamedodger]

On 11/01/2024 at 20:59, Flamedodger said:

when I’m all up and running I can write some code to give me my running costs

No need for writing code, it’s built into Home Assistant;

 

 

Should be able to have reasonably accurate grow costs, with this

Writing the automations has been hard going. Getting a switch to turn on at 3 off at 9 is easy right? Not if you want to factor in power cuts, you have to write the automation so that the system checks its state. For example; your power goes off just before lights on at 3 and comes back on after, the automation will only put the lights on at 3 the following day. I have it sorted for lighting, with something called a helper, I wrote 2 18/6 and 12/12 with the times set for off and on and got AI to write it into a lighting automation. 
I’m working on the environmental automations now, AI is helpful, but you have to be specific with detail, it’ll only write what parameters you set for it. It gives a lot of indent errors too

Digging into the ACI kit I’ve sussed how to control the fan. I’ve downloaded a VPD template for a fan, so will give it a whirl when I’ve sorted out simpler things. 

 

[Flamedodger]

AC Infinity Controller 67 well and truly hacked. You still need the app, but it is technically redundant. I had to add lots of scripts to configure.yaml, but fan control is complete. 
 

 

[Flamedodger]

I’ve been running this for a while now and thought I’d give some feedback. 
Writing the automations in HA is not easy by any stretch and it is better if you can code a bit of YAML. It has been excellent for running heating, humidifier and dehumidifier and keeping RH and Temps on point. I added a card for the fan speed, just so I know it’s working.

 

 

Reliable fan speed control is not doable on this controller (not for my limited abilities anyway), but works on 69. I let the app run the fan speed. You can use a vast array of different Wi-Fi  plugs and IoT with it. The Meross plugs I use have energy monitoring and HA has an inbuilt energy metering service, so I have a constant reading of my energy costs. 
 

 

There is now a Raspberry Pi 5 on sale, which  has some really impressive upgrades and would definitely make the whole thing quicker. The setup I have now, has never crashed unless you count dopy bollocks turning the electric off or a power cut. 
Finally, and this is a bit of a shout out to the sparks or micro electricians out there. I’m looking for a 0-10v Wi-Fi device that I can use in place of my light dimmer switch, any advice greatly appreciated. I might of given up on fan control, but light control is still on my radar.

Cheers En