Tutorial request - home assistant automation

SpawnOfVader

Well-Known Member
Trying to come up with a good remote monitoring system. I've seen some builds using home assistant on a raspberry pi as a controller for cameras and humidity/temp sensors. Anyone have any experience with this?
 
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Trying to come up with a good remote monitoring system. I've seen some builds using home assistant on a raspberry pie as a controller for cameras and humidity/temp sensors. Anyone have any experience with this?

I do. What do you want to know specifically?
 
I'm a network engineer so setting up the PI/remote access to my network isn't an issue. Just haven't messed with remote sensors or Home Assistant yet.

I'm a former Senior Network Engineer of a large ISP in Toronto. My specialty was global BGP interconnection, and IPv6 integration. I was one of the first ISPs in Canada to have our own IPv6 block routed on the public Internet, along with being one of the first in North America who had IPv6 available from client, through edge and distribution to core.

Now I focus primarily on electrical engineering. Microcontroller type work mostly. Grow room automation, water purification plant automation etc.

I don't know what Home Assistant is, but I have used (and own) hundreds of various sensors, and have written my own software for many.

Again, do you have any specific questions?
 
Home assistant is a pretty basic open source Linux based system mostly used on microcomputers like raspberry pi for home automation. I've heard of people using it to control grow rooms at pretty large scale as well as general smart-home (much finer degree of control than say Alexa and able to control most third part systems).

What I need:
Temp/Humidity Sensor
Camera

Criteria:

As low price as possible without being a PoS
Well documented API/easily integrated into 3rd party systems
Able to withstand grow room conditions (occasional spikes in humidity, potential condensation if temp swings etc.)
Wifi &/or bluetooth capable (controller will be within range of the device for either)

I don't need these sensors to be able to control anything. Automation will come via bluetooth controlled outlets and home assistant. I'm cheap and don't want to replace any of the old "dumb" appliances until they die of natural causes.
 
I was thinking about those tiny ESP32 Webcam modules but I would need to DIY something to prevent it from the grow tent humidity.

Should mention- I do have a 3D printer for DIY/casing so getting just the modules is an option.
 
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Home assistant is a pretty basic open source Linux based system mostly used on microcomputers like raspberry pi for home automation. I've heard of people using it to control grow rooms at pretty large scale as well as general smart-home (much finer degree of control than say Alexa and able to control most third part systems).

What I need:
Temp/Humidity Sensor
Camera

Criteria:

As low price as possible without being a PoS
Well documented API/easily integrated into 3rd party systems
Able to withstand grow room conditions (occasional spikes in humidity, potential condensation if temp swings etc.)
Wifi &/or bluetooth capable (controller will be within range of the device for either)

I don't need these sensors to be able to control anything. Automation will come via bluetooth controlled outlets and home assistant. I'm cheap and don't want to replace any of the old "dumb" appliances until they die of natural causes.

Get a Sonoff TH 10/16 and flash it with Tasmota and will integrate easily to Home Assistant.

HA.JPG
 
Get a Sonoff TH 10/16 and flash it with Tasmota and will integrate easily to Home Assistant.

View attachment 4621886
Thanks! That's exactly the feedback I needed. I'll look into those... combined with the webcam module I mentioned and a DIY case I think this should take care of my monitoring needs.

Next step is integrate soil hygrometers and add automated drip irrigation...

I'd love to be able to leave town for a week and not have to worry about my plants... and be able to monitor them remotely just in case.
 
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