Best Temperature Sensors for Home Assistant (WATCH before you BUY!)

In this video I review ten different smart temperature and humidity sensors that work with #HomeAssistant using Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA), Z-Wave JS, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). I tested each #temperaturesensor and compare them, so you can decide which one is right for your #smarthome.
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Thanks for watching! I hope this review helps you out when you're looking for a temperature sensor! I've left affiliate links below for all the products - if you decide to buy one, using the link will help me financially at no additional cost to you! If there are two links, the non-Amazon link is the cheapest price, not including shipping. Thanks!
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Aqara T&H: amzn.to/3IBcZU1
Aqara AQM: amzn.to/3HtW5US
Centralite: amzn.to/3KGDqKI
Aeotec: amzn.to/3YaURWN
Zooz: amzn.to/3kuUqJd
Xiaomi: amzn.to/3Iy6HEY
Govee H5174 (Lanyard): amzn.to/41y8Lp9
Govee H5075 (Digital): amzn.to/3kplOIQ
Inkbird: amzn.to/3SvG6wM
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----
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!
Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Background
00:57 Requirements (important!)
01:49 Zigbee Sensors (Sonoff)
03:01 Aqara T&H
04:35 Aqara AQM
07:05 Centralite
08:10 Z-Wave Sensors (Aeotec)
10:04 Zooz XS
11:48 Bluetooth Sensors
12:49 Xiaomi
14:41 Govee H5174 (Lanyard)
16:12 Govee H5075 (Digital)
17:18 Other Govee Devices
17:43 Inkbird
18:55 Testing (Fridge, Freezer, Battery, Humidity)
25:08 Favorites
26:54 Least Favorites
27:56 Thanks for watching!
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[@makeitworktech]

Thanks everyone for your commends and suggestions! Here is the written version: www.makeitwork-tech.com/best-temperature-sensors-for-home-assistant/

[@ihatesignupsgrrrrrrr]

A+ for including a written version!!!

[@vhyjbdfyhvjybv9614]

Your site seems to be down :/ Its a pity I like written reviews much more, than pausing and seeking the video to find what interests me. But great work with the review, much kudos for taking them apart and taking the time to make a written version.

[@makeitworktech]

@@vhyjbdfyhvjybv9614 fixed!

[@linearburn8838]

it would ben nice to include what they cost

[@guymoore1044]

I appreciate that you emphasize the local control and home assistant integration! Thanks for the content!

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks Guy! I don't mind cloud dependency for non-critical devices, but I know lots in the HA community do mind it, so I focus on local control

[@TheSlimHim]

Thank you for being so thorough! It was especially nice to see them compared to the multi-sensors.

[@makeitworktech]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@WoottonRivers]

Another great video packed with the comprehensive and high quality information we've come to expect from the creator

[@makeitworktech]

🙏 thanks!

[@gerryf7015]

Thanks Eric for all the long and hard work for digging through all these sensors, so the rest of us do you have to do repeat buying and trial and frustration. Might want to add the links to the Description section. Also the Sensor List title has the Motion Sensor title from the last review!!!!

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! Wow, thanks for pointing that out! I took care of it

[@HATipsByLarry]

Great comparison video. liked how you separate the sensors into categories. Nice job. Been playing around with making my own sensors using the esphome add-in for HA. Bought some D1 mini's and a CCS811 air quality sensor. Checks the air quality and turns my air cleaner i bought from LeVoit on and off as needed. ESPHome makes it very easy to do. Most likely the only sensor i'll make of that kind but nice to have.

[@makeitworktech]

I need to jump into ESPHome, but just have not taken the time to do it! Sounds like a fun little project for sure!

[@justindunn7467]

love both the regular aqara and govee digital. Have 5 and 12 respectively of each running in Home Assistant. Battery life is great in both and theyre pretty affordable

[@makeitworktech]

I have many Aqara, and do love the Govee as well!

[@The64BitKid]

Glad that you enjoyed and found some cool sensors using ble. Ble is heavily overlooked for smart home sensors imo. Also great Video as usual!

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! And thanks again for pointing out BLE! I'm gonna get a meat thermometer for my grill I think

[@peterpalupski]

Great Video, Thanks a lot for the detailed testing!

[@mcomeslast]

Thanks! I had been considering the Aqara so I can have Alexa turn on or off a fan when the bedroom temp changes. I wanted the digital one but I think I’ll get the smaller Aqara. Also, I want Fahrenheit.

[@xtremeideaz]

Thanks for the video. a very decent analysis. i use the Xiaomi Bluetooth sensor with Esphome and it works great. its one of the most dependable sensors in my setup after the dallas sensor.

[@makeitworktech]

Glad it helped! I need to try ESPHome at some point!

[@chipturner495]

Great video - straight forward and informative. Also whatever camera you're using is nice and sharp!

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! I actually used my phone for some of the B-Roll, and a Sony ZV-1 for the rest!

[@dbegent]

Great video. I've just bought a bunch of Aqara temperature sensors and a conbee stick and I'm happy with my choice after this video. I like the easiness of the BLE though - I'm running the conbee attached to my NAS so that was a little painful to get working

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! BLE is even easier now with the latest HA updates. It's natively supported without the need for the HACS integration

[@CapOlsen]

Hi - which temp sensor would you recommend for solar panels ?

[@MAMDAVEM]

very helpful video. For monitoring my chest freeser I use the sonoff TH16 with waterproof temperature probe and it works really well although it is of course a wifi device. I tend to use zigbee sensors for my other applications with the Aqara one being my most favorite (I have 16 of them installed) and the Meross one being my least favorite (poor battery life).

[@makeitworktech]

Glad it helps! Ah, I've never heard of the Meross one! I never can be sure which wifi devices don't require the cloud. I know the eWelink integration doesn't need the cloud

[@tomferrin1148]

Aaron, Great review! Helped me with some important decisions. Thanks for posting! Maybe time for an update?

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! I would love to do an update, but I have such a backlog of videos. If I only had infinite time!

[@TekNexSolutions]

Thorough and detailed. Amazing stuff!

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks!

[@michaelhenderson5098]

I have Inkbird sensors in the refrigerator (and freezer section), and the freezer in the garage. They work pretty well. Especially now that I have a couple of ESP-32 chips connected to Home Assistant via the bluetooth proxy. They seem to have increased the sensors' signal transmission so no dropouts of data.

[@makeitworktech]

Sweet! I'm gonna try Bluetooth proxy as soon as my Atom Lites arrive!

[@Lonestar101]

Thanks for the comparisons. I learned a lot.

[@makeitworktech]

Glad it helped!

[@xtr3m345]

Great Video, as always. Thanks! Greetings from Germany ;)

[@makeitworktech]

Danke schoen! Thanks for watching!

[@MarkGhali]

love your videos! Keep it up. Flashing the Xiaomi Sensor isn't too difficult, and adds a lot of options to the sensors! I would say its worth a shot. Mostlychris has a good video on how to flash them.

[@makeitworktech]

Ok cool, I'll check his video out! Thanks!

[@cornking03]

Flashing the Xiomi sensor is definitely worth a shot considering you can buy them for $5 on aliexpress!

[@makeitworktech]

I'm convinced! I'll have to try it. I got a 2-pack

[@gdhncdytch7089]

Thank you for your recommendation! I have a lot of thermoPro and govee cheap ones, but they tend to be not durable and inaccurate, losing the point of a hygrometer. I use INKBIRD’s new product this year, IBS-TH5, an innovative product, the most accurate real sensor from Switzerland, an ink screen and WiFi, and a hygrometer. Yes, that's my suggestion. It's a little pricey, but totally worth it.

[@makeitworktech]

Yeah I saw that one but have not tested it

[@ZZFilm]

Do you think you could add YoLink (LoRa) devices to your tests in the future? That tech looks really interesting. I’m on the fence about LoRa vs these other protocols.

[@acidnine822]

Picked up 10 of the xaiomi devices, flashed and deployed in less than an hour. Using esp home to monitor them. So much better then the sonoff zigbee devices that kept dropping off my network.

[@makeitworktech]

I'll give it a shot! Sounds cool!

[@Wello789]

which xiaomi device and which firmware did you use ?

[@thomasashley-smith245]

Have to agree here, flashes and added using the BLE integration, zero drop outs. Definitely less user friendly setup but once you know how it’s super quick and cheap and effective. I just ordered more.

[@henq]

What is the bluetooth range, in practice?

[@simonsayshomeassistant]

Another great video mate! Love your work

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! If Simon Says it, it must be true!

[@ooooneeee]

Thanks for the comparison. For me it has to be the Govee sensors, because they are the only ones that can accommodate commonly used rechargable batteries.

[@makeitworktech]

Yeah, my govees are still running strong!

[@randallsemrau6911]

In regards to the Aqara temp sensor air holes being located in the bottom where the holes would be blocked if you were to stand the device on a shelf or other surface; Why not just stand the device on it's side, or on its top? Lay it flat? Barring that, attach to the bottom on each side of the holes, a couple of small felt adhesive-backed pads, such as the type you would find in a hardware store. They are often purposed for cabinet doors, and for the bottom of a glass vase which would prevent it from marking a wood tabletop.

[@HATipsByLarry]

I know this is a older post but just wanted anyone to know that's just watching this video that if you setup a esp32 Bluetooth proxy that the Govee temperature sensor will be detected by that so you don't have to install or use the HACS Bluetooth low energy monitoring integration. Just installed it in my chest freezer which is in my garage and the Bluetooth signal from my device that I'm running HA on can't reach out there so installed the Bluetooth proxy out there as i have one of switchbot's locks out there and it showed up on it automatically.

[@makeitworktech]

Good point! BT proxy has really changed the game with all kinds of sensors!

[@smartlifesystems]

very informative..thanks

[@makeitworktech]

Glad it helps!

[@Doylerealestateteam]

Great video, keep it up!!

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! 🙏

[@GFschuck]

Great Video. Do you have a review with de Best Temperature Sensors for Home Assistant but witouht battery? Some that is conect direct to the energy?

[@makeitworktech]

I haven't seen very many wired sensors unfortunately

[@floodo1]

very helpful ty

[@makeitworktech]

You're welcome!

[@youtubegarbage4u]

can you share how you setup grafana to show graphs overtime? will like to do same for the sensor i bought

[@makeitworktech]

Follow this tutorial by Everything Smart Home. It's a great guide for setting up Grafana and InfluxDB kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3uQiXhoqdh3arc

[@jonathanstevenson6771]

Hi, do you need a Aqara Hub to run a Aqara temp sensor directly with HA using Zigbee? All the websites say you do but it isn’t mentioned in the video either way. Thanks

[@makeitworktech]

Nope! They say that, but it is not necessary. All aqara zigbee devices can be paired directly with HA

[@XtianApi]

If you need vocs and you don't want to worry about battery the Alexa sensor plugs in and gives you tons of stuff

[@Raymond.Jansen]

Hi, I have the Xiaomi TVOC and I use ZigBee2Mqtt (edge), the sensor was instable at first, but after a OTA update it didn't drop anymore. I still wouldn't use it for temperature only, as others seem to perform better. Thanks for the video!

[@makeitworktech]

Ah good to know. I need to make the switch to Z2M, but I'm just procrastinating. Thanks for the input!

[@jasoncrowe2663]

What distance was you HA for the BLE connection to work for the Govee H5179 in the deep freezer? I want this to work for a device in the garage. How real is that expectation?

[@makeitworktech]

That's where I'm currently using mine, but it really depends on how your house is set up. Mine hub is in my office in the basement, 20 feet away from my freezer (and 2 walls). Not sure if that helps, but most of the bluetooth stuff works everywhere in my house, but fails to connect outside.

[@gojeffgordon24]

Just curious, but how well do these actually integrate. It's winter now and one feature I think is a great use case is having a space heater in a bedroom and using one of these to trigger a smart plug to turn on or off based on the temp to turn the dumb heater into a smart one. I have SmartThings and Alexa.

[@makeitworktech]

The ZigBee and Z-Wave ones should work with SmartThings, but the Bluetooth ones won't. Great use case!

[@heinrichschmidt6726]

I am looking for a zigbee temperature sensor with an external cable sensor to monitor a hot water pipe

[@makeitworktech]

Not sure on that one! Govee may have one

[@pookexvi4998]

Great video. What would you recommend for one that is rated for outdoor use?

[@makeitworktech]

None of them are rated for outdoor use, sorry!

[@chrisw1462]

@22:00 More likely, it was because the horizontal position didn't let it exchange air as readily, and it's own circuitry caused the heat.

[@makeitworktech]

Could be! It's been a long time since I studied heat transfer!

[@mikesavoryfilms]

Great video but I disagree on the aqara, I bought a load of them and put them round my house based on doing some research beforehand. They all constant disconnect and have to be reconnected all the time. I have a strong zigbee mesh network so it's all very odd and they shouldn't keep disconnecting so I have to put it down to the device themselves. Have you found yours disconnect at all?

[@makeitworktech]

Yeah, check out this video. I went over some fixes that really helped my Aqara issues kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmKpZ5uPaLyDe5Isi=PMo6evhTDxMfE6wQ

[@vidhoard]

Can you do a version of this test for just thermometers that are under $20 or under $15 or even $10? Like for non-smart ones. I swear there are NO quality channels that have done this and I'm left just hoping the one I buy works.

[@mr_fearless]

All your comparison videos have been excellent. Do you think you will be doing any comparison videos covering air quality sensors, specifically in relation to pollen and dust for allergies, or even more exotic ones that sense radon etc. Thanks

[@makeitworktech]

Hey, thanks! I'll take a look at them. If you have any suggestions for ones to look at, let me know!

[@gerryf7015]

@@makeitworktech Not a lot of great air quality sensors out there that are not either very expensive or you have to go the DYI route. Ideally an indoor air quality monitor should measure carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and PM2.5 (atmospheric particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns). Here are a few I'm considering: Awair Element (HA Integration), Airthings Wave Plus (+Radon) (HA Integration), or the one you were unhappy with, Aqara Indoor Air Quality Monitor (Zigbee 3.0). The top two are over $265!!!

[@74357175]

I'd be very interested in this too. With thermometers I think we can do a decent job of calibrating them, but with air quality sensors ... ?? CO2 at 1000 vs 1500 is really not the same! How do you know which sensor is reliable? Maybe have an expensive one to compare with? The cheap ones get a lot of "bad accuracy" comments. I wonder how accurate the comments on accuracy are.

[@makeitworktech]

Hahaha I wonder the same thing. What is truly "accurate"? I'll think about doing something, not sure

[@74357175]

@@makeitworktech yeah, I guess "accurate to be able to take action if some value is out of bounds"? Or accurate enough to have peace of mind that levels are not too high usually?

[@GregoriusAstra]

You mentioned that you set an automatic check for the humidity and if it is too large, then a fan is switched on. How did you implement that?

[@makeitworktech]

I just set an automation that turns on the fan to trigger if the humidity goes over a set value. (Using Home Assistant)

[@fiveaboy]

do you know of anything that works wit hHA and allows extenral probes?

[@makeitworktech]

Hmmm, none that I know of sorry.

[@Ralph-yh4ug]

Hi guys there is this amazing sensor tempCube that sends you alerts on your phone when the temperature rises above your preset levels. I am totally enjoying the experience and it heps me keep my food safe in Freezers and property safe in distant areas.

[@makeitworktech]

I'll have to check it out!

[@bobthepome]

Very good review & comparison. I am also looking for a temp & humidity sensor I can use outside on my patio. Doesn't need to be waterproof, but are there any of these that would survive outside?

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! Probably any of them would be fine if they won't get touched by water, but the Zooz has a rubber O-ring around the edge where the cover snaps into place. All of them have holes for ambient air, so none would be waterproof. If you want one that can survive low temps, probably the Inkbird.

[@74357175]

I've used the Aqara mini, Sonoff, and Xiaomi BLE thermometers outside, and they have worked well in deep winter. To keep them dry I either put them under the soffit or inside a Ziploc. Both worked. In the cold the batter percent plummeted, but the actual battery life has been fantastic (about a year). ZigBee was easier to extend the range of than BLE, although the latter can be done via Esphome and an ESP32, and it works for one of my sensors.

[@KameraShy]

I have tried and tested four of the exact same devices named here. I have had nothing but trouble with the Zigbee devices. Aqara and Sonoff are garbage to me. They constantly lose connection ("Unavailable") after a few hours. Sometimes the Sonoff will just show as stuck with the same unchanging temperature reading. This is using Home Assistant and the Sonoff dongle. Their only advantage is low price. Conversely, I have had excellent results and NO problems with the Z-Wave devices. I had NO problem at all pairing the Aeotec. Recognized immediately although I vaguely recall it took a little longer than others to configure. I only needed to do once. Likewise no problems with the Zooz. NOTE: The Zooz is rated for outdoor as well. You will see a thin rubber insulator gasket around the inside in the video. Of course, the sensor opening is open to the atmosphere. They recommend installing out of the sun and in a place that is protected from the rain. Both the Aeotec and Zooz show similar readings, consistent with other devices I have, all within one degree of each other. The disadvantage is they are significantly more expensive than the Z-Wave, but well worth it to me to avoid the problems.

[@makeitworktech]

You need to make your ZigBee mesh more robust, and you need to take care with Aqara devices as not all repeaters work with Aqara devices. I recently made a video about it - it has helped me a lot

[@ScrapMetalWorks]

Hi, I am looking for a temperature sensor for water. It must be WiFi, 3V supply, have a Dallas type probe and preferably be Tuya Smart Life app compatible. I intend to power this with rechargeable batteries with a solar panel so I can measure the temperature of my lake. Thanks

[@makeitworktech]

Hmmm that's a tough one. You may be able to buy an external probe , but I don't know much about the Tuya app

[@YT-yq6rx]

I have a old discontinued iHome homekit electric plug in wifi room “5 in 1 sensor” that I love. No batteries needed. I’m looking for a plug in non battery room sensor like this but have found no luck everything is battery. Anything wifi like this you can recommend? If I find another iHome 5-in-1 selling third party I will definitely buy it

[@makeitworktech]

Hmmm, that's a tough one. I really haven't used many WiFi stuff, and even fewer products that are "plug-in". I'll keep my eye out

[@Tntdruid]

All I use are a esp32 + a DHT22

[@randybryant6277]

I love this comparison and decided to purchase the Inkbird IBS-TH2 to monitor the temperature in my fridge, which has been swinging wildly between 25 and 40 F. Initially, the temperature and humidity sensors were disabled in HA (which I thought weird since this IS a temperature/humidity sensor) so I was relieved when I figured that out and enabled them. However, now I see a humidity of -6.0RH% and a temperature of -52.4F. I promise that these are not the correct values! I put a Zooz ZSE44 temperature/humidity sensor in the fridge and it reports a temp of 27.8F and a humidity level of 77%. Any ideas on how to "fix" the Inkbird to report something credible? The Inkbird app shows a temp of 27.7F and a humidity level of 94.39%. Have no idea what the real humidity level is.

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! Hmmm, I'm not sure why it would report so differently between the app and Home Assistant. If the app was also off, I'd say you need a replacement unit. I purposely didn't test humidity since I have no calibrated standard to test it against, but I can tell you that my Inkbird is in my freezer, and I get: T = -7.4 F, H = 67.8%. I have no idea if humidity is correct, but the temp was accurate. If the inkbird doesn't match the Zooz temp, I'd say defective unit?

[@rcarioca]

But can you download the historic data . I have doubts

[@aranc23]

@@makeitworktech What bluetooth dongle/receiver did you use to get the inkbirds to work inside a fridge/freezer? I bought a cheap TBW-107UB unit and everything is fine.. until the inkbirds go into the fridge... immediately disconnects.

[@RafaelAlves2023.]

Bom dia, os sensores de temperatura Z-WAVE (Aeotec e Zooz) são compatíveis com Alexa e google assistente quando pareado hub smartthings, hubitat elevation e home assistant?

[@makeitworktech]

I'm not sure if it works with GH, Alexa, or ST/Hubitat. I already returned it, sorry.

[@thombaz]

How can I use these with my google home hub? what hub/bridge I need?

[@makeitworktech]

These all work with home assistant, so that's one way. SmartThings may work too

[@pamelasaba7885]

These ones are only bluetooth? So I can only check them when I am in the house?. I am looking for ones that I can see when I am traveling. Thanks.

[@makeitworktech]

Many of them are bluetooth, yes. You might want a WiFi one if you want to check it remotely

[@SimoneIppolito]

Video molto interessante! Non riesco però a collegare il sensore Goove H5179 ad Home Assistant, come si fa ?

[@makeitworktech]

It should be discovered automatically by the BLE Monitor custom integration.

[@DanielJamesCollier]

Great video! what is the graphing software? Is this in home assistant ?

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! I get that data using two add-ons in Home Assistant. I use InfluxDB to store the data, and Grafana to display it like you see there. Check out this video if you want to set them up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3uQiXhoqdh3arc

[@MikeHollifield_Web]

I'm looking for a HomeAssistant temperature sensor with a probe - I'd like to place the probe inside the cladding of a hot water tank, it's a shame none of these battery powered sensors have a aux port for a probe! Any suggestions for a probe option? Something like the Sonoff TH16 but battery powered?

[@makeitworktech]

Hmm, none that I'm aware of. I never thought of looking for probe style sensors. I'm sure there are bluetooth ones out there - try Govee?

[@MikeHollifield_Web]

@@makeitworktech I ended up buying a sonoff POW20 Elite. The tank now has an easy access display and Hassio can let me know before I take a cold shower

[@nics8040]

Which sensors will work with ecobee? I’m using home assistant

[@makeitworktech]

Do you mean which will work with the ecobee ecosystem? I'm not sure, I don't have any ecobee devices

[@komakaze1]

Looks like the batteries last longer than a month, but would like to know how long. For monitoring humidity in my house I might prefer something without batteries, perhaps powered via USB.

[@makeitworktech]

Battery life is highly dependent on what type of battery you buy, environment, etc., so battery tests aren't very accurate

[@PhinaLovesMusic]

Hmmm I wonder if being mounted on the wall on its back would affect the inkbird 🤔

[@makeitworktech]

It's possible, but it has been rock solid since I did that in my freezer, and the temperatures SEEMS accurate.

[@KillaBitz]

the Tuya Wifi temp and humidity sensor has been solid. As someone who has only wifi smart home stuff why would i get zigbee etc for a single device? You should include wifi stuff.

[@makeitworktech]

I stay away from cloud dependent stuff. Are there Tuya wifi devices that are not cloud-based?

[@brokeneyes6615]

Hi! I’m looking for a temperature/humidity Ty sensor that can: 1. Work with Alexa 2. Turn a smart plug on/off based off temperature presets This is for a small greenhouse fan.

[@makeitworktech]

Best bet would be to stick with ThirdReality if you have an Echo Dot with Zigbee radio built in. If you want WiFi, i'm not really sure what would be best

[@andydiep4162]

thanks

[@calebjpryor]

You should look into the blerry project with tasmota and esp32 devices. It allowed me to use ble devices with my ha blue and not needing Bluetooth adapter. It uses mqtt so no additional integration needed

[@makeitworktech]

Ah I really have never messed with Tasmota other than the Sonoff S31. Where can I find more info on that project? Google it?

[@calebjpryor]

@@makeitworktech I'd suggest looking at Digiblurdiy's video about it on KZbin here. I'd send you a link but I think youtube would eat it

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks, I'll find it!

[@DrTorbjorn]

Do you use the Aqara in your bathroom? I want to monitor the humidity in my bathroom, but Aqara says "We do recommend exposing the sensor to rain or vapor. Do not install the sensor in the refrigerator, kitchen or bathroom." Have you had any issues with yours? Considering the Zooz too but read that the battery is very poor. I like that it has a nice mount as not sure tape would hold up in high moisture environment. Thanks

[@makeitworktech]

I have an Aqara in each bathroom with no issues. It makes the fan turn on before there is significant vapor in the air. I have it on top of a cabinet. Since the video I haven't replaced either of the batteries, and the Aqara is at 62% while the Zooz is still at 100%. May have gotten the Aqara with a cheap battery, idk. I still like the Aqara better due to price

[@DrTorbjorn]

​ @Make It Work Thanks for the reply. I'm going to try the Aqara

[@igorsantos07]

Nice video and very detailed! However... I was wondering, why there aren't any WiFi sensors on the list? Are they usually bad for this type of task? I'm finding a lot of generic TH sensors on AliExpress, but it's hard to find compatibility information with HA or choose between the similar models... :(

[@makeitworktech]

Thanks! I didn't include wifi devices because there were none that I could find that fit my criteria - one being that they need to be independent of the cloud. Since I made this video, there is one that has come out that I would recommend and that is the Shelly temperature and humidity sensor.

[@igorsantos07]

@@makeitworktech sorry I guess I skipped that criteria 😂 I was wondering if wifi for those small sensors is "just bad ™️". Thanks for the quick response and, again, congratulations for the videos!

[@makeitworktech]

Haha I think generally wifi sensors drain battery and have worse battery life because they retain connection. Thank you!

[@rcarioca]

what tool are yo using to create those graphs ?

[@makeitworktech]

The Grafana add-on along with Influx DB: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3uQiXhoqdh3arc&ab_channel=EverythingSmartHome

[@szonce]

Which sensor would be the easiest to connect to using python?

[@makeitworktech]

I've never used python, sorry

[@ykaleev]

I am not sure if somebody has advised you already in another comment but it’s always a good tip not to touch + and - on battery with fingers and also do not use metal tweezers which will short-circuit the battery. Use only plastic tweezers. Just my “two cents” advice. Great video! Thank you! 👍

[@GraceAppliance]

Thanks!

[@GraceAppliance]

I really appreciate the information and detailed video! Thank you! I have sent you a message on Facebook and would love to hear your feedback on my project I am working on. Again, thanks so much.

[@barbarareis2849]

Can I ask an stupid question? Those sensors can stay inside my fridge? Like on the inside wall of my fridge? Or do I need an waterproof sensor?

[@makeitworktech]

Not stupid! Yes, they can stay in your fridge! You don't need waterproof sensors

[@Brockstar10000]

I have had heaps of Sonoff Motion, Temperature/Humidity, and a button. The battery life is terrible and is going to cost you time and money replacing them. I recently bought forty Aqara contact sensors and four water level sensors, these are so much better then Sonoffs the battery life is already on hundred times better. My Sonoff contact sensors battery has fallen so quickly from just testing it on the table. Highly recommend the Aqara, plus the contact sensors even have Temperature/Humidity (not as accurate to the decimal point but still good).

[@makeitworktech]

Ah, noted. Yes, Aqara have been great for me! I plan to do some comparisons of water level sensors soon

[@jonnylikertrommer]

Would like a best cameras for home Assistant video!

[@makeitworktech]

I can look into it, but definitely check out The Hook Up! He does some camera comparisons, though not sure if with HA

[@AffinityPhoto]

Is the WSDCGQ12LM better than the 11LM you tested here? 😊

[@makeitworktech]

Not sure what the difference is

[@AffinityPhoto]

@@makeitworktech I found out the 12LM is older.

[@unladpinoytv]

if i put one inside my cabinet can it detect the temparature in the cabinet i want to know because im putting medicine in it

[@makeitworktech]

Yeah, I have one in my PC cabinet. What is your cabinet made of

[@unladpinoytv]

@@makeitworktech just wood, temperature in my area can be very hot one time when i got home i tried taking some of the meds but it felt like warm inside id like to know warm that is.. thanks for taking time to tespond

[@darwinjina]

'Freedom Units'. Ok, that is a new term for me. ;)

[@makeitworktech]

Haha I learned that one in college 😁

[@seantellsit1431]

Would you do a video on which Bluetooth dongle you use and how to intigrate it?

[@makeitworktech]

Maybe in the future, but there isn't much integrating. Just plug it in and it shows up! Link for the dongle is in the description

[@seantellsit1431]

@@makeitworktech k, well I bought the BT dongle... but I don't see any intigration show up in my HA to add devices. Any nudges in the right direction?

[@makeitworktech]

You need to decide what integration you want to use. I used the Passive BLE HACS integration.... What I meant was, no having to figure out the address of the dongle, it will be recognized by the integration

[@GregoriusAstra]

Have you tried "aubess tuya ZigBee temperature sensor"? It seems that is the cheapest ZigBee sensor but I wonder how it works!

[@makeitworktech]

No, never heard of it!

[@RonaldLindner]

Danke!

[@makeitworktech]

Danke!!

[@Leo99929]

"on the bottom"... Like orientation is consequential 😂

[@EdwardFielding]

Freedom units?

[@makeitworktech]

just a joke about Imperial units haha 😁

[@KhrishanSolanki]

Most of these products are now unavailable on Amazon

[@makeitworktech]

I tried to fix... Hope that did it

[@muhammedkuttiyil6734]

I don’t know how to contact you. 1st thanks for all videos for home assistant/smart home guides I need some help ,I have home assistant at home I need a sensor setup to know water level in my water tank , and integrate to home assistant .please make a video for that thanks

[@makeitworktech]

Hi, one way would be to use a leak sensor like some of the ones in my leak sensor video that have long cables. Mount the sensor to the side of the tank at a certain level. If the water touches it you will be notified. Use more than one sensor to check more than one level on the tank.

[@metodzelinka6676]

Hi, great video indeed! Wondering about this universal Zigbee gateway you mentioned - can you share a link where to buy? Second question- I am interested in seeing a temperature development throughout different hours of the day - is this possible to see it somehow in the Alexa app or elsewhere?

[@brianh.4185]

I am very disappointed with the recommendations provided via this video. Based on the video, I purchased two Aqara temp/humidity sensors and one door sensor. They have been nothing but trouble. I started with one of the temp/humidity sensors. Straight out of the box, I couldn’t get it to pair with HA (running HA on a RPi 400 with 8GB and a Nortec Z-wave / Zigbee controller). Then attempted the door sensor; also no go. (BTW, I did replace the cheap batteries that came with the sensors with a name brand battery.) Finally decided to remove the Nortec controller from the USD on the Pi and connect it via an extension cable - even though all my other Zigbee devices, from various manufacturers, have worked flawlessly with the Nortec plugged directly into the Pi. After several additional rounds, I was able to finally pair both sensors. At that point, I opened the second temp/humidity sensor and it paired straight away. However, the problems were only just starting. The original temp/humidity sensor would drop off as unavailable after just a few hours. Could be 2 hours, could be 7 hours, could be 4. No rhyme or reason. Looking at the Visualization map under Zigbee, I noticed that device was the only one to directly connect to the controller. All other battery powered Zigbee sensors, both Aqara and all my other brands, all connected via one of my many a/c powered (repeater) Zigbee devices. No idea why this one was different in this way. The second temp/humidity and door sensors were solid. Messed with that first sensor for days. Never could get it to stay connected. Never could get it to connect via a repeater node rather than direct to the controller, no matter where I place the sensor when pairing. Contacted Aqara support. They agreed the sensor was bad and sent me a replacement. It paired immediately and has stayed connected for about four weeks. Now, the second sensor has suddenly died. It had seemed to provide fairly accurate temp/humidity data since pairing but I did notice strange behavior from it in regard to the battery. Even with a brand new, high quality battery installed in it, the battery entity history showed a staircase pattern throughout the day, going from a high of 56% to a low of 41%, and back again. Over and over; day in day out. I wasn’t too concerned as long as the temp/humidity data was still being supplied but definitely strange behavior. But alias, now this sensor has dropped off as unavailable and will not repair. (Battery still shows 3.2 volts as it did out of the packaging so that’s not it,) Contacted Aqara support again and this time they informed me that Aqara does not support using their devices with RPi or HA and actively advises against it. So, my advice, based on my experience and the direction from Aqara support, is to not even try using Aqara devices with RPi or HA.

[@makeitworktech]

Sorry to hear that! A couple things I would recommend: 1 - Make sure your Nortec stick has updated firmware. 2 - Make sure there is no other source of 2.4 GHz interference. USB3.0 ports will mess with your signal. 3 - Your WiFi may be interfering as well, so check to see if there are WiFi devices close by. 4 - Lastly, and something I have heard recently but not confirmed, Aqara apparently went rogue on the Zigbee standard, so they don't work with every brand of Zigbee repeater. This is why people often choose Z-Wave, because it is more regulated. I stand by the recommendations as I have not had issues with my sensors, and they are still the best Zigbee sensors I've tried.

[@brianh.4185]

@@makeitworktech Thank you for your response. I am aware that the firmware in my Nortec stick is probably out-of-date however the videos I found explaining how to update it involved cracking open the stick and soldering certain pins, etc. Skills I do not have, and if I attempted such, I’m certain I’d brick the stick. If not for that, I’d have gladly updated the firmware. So without changing to a whole new Z-wave / Zigbee controller, I’m kind of stuck there. With everything else working on my system the way I want, I’d rather stay with the Nortec stick and trash the Aqara sensors. I did analyze the wifi signals in and around the house. There did not appear to be any interference. Not sure what you mean by the USB 3.0 ports comment. I did try the Nortec stick in both the Pi’s 2.0 and 3.0 USB ports, both with and without the extension cable. Didn’t really seem to make a difference which port was used but as I stated earlier, the extension cable seemed to make a positive difference for the Aqara devices (and without any negative effects to any of my other Zigbee devices, I left the extension cable in place). There are no other USB ports close to the location of the Pi. Aqara going rogue on the Zigbee standard wouldn’t surprise me and just seems to provide another reason to avoid these devices.

[@RahulParmar1978]

What on earth is a freedom unit?

[@makeitworktech]

😂 it's a joke... A funny way to say imperial units! In the US we have the freedom to use a measurement system that no one else does, even if it makes less sense! Haha

[@ChinCo1]

Are there WiFi sensors?

[@makeitworktech]

The only Wi-Fi sensors that I remember seeing were Tuya based, and I really didn't want to have cloud-based sensors.

[@sundance2005]

Not that cheap here in the states, $16 each currently.

[@makeitworktech]

Which ones?

[@enkrypt3d]

no USB powered ones? I dont want to use batteries!

[@makeitworktech]

Sorry! Maybe next round!

[@ChinCo1]

Well I don't think you need these Low Temperature Alert Threshold/Reporting stuff, because all of this could be done in HA automation.

[@makeitworktech]

Yeah it's an extra sensor that isn't needed for more advanced platforms like home assistant, but for a less advanced hubs, there may be a need for that sensor I guess?

[@RickFarris]

Xiaomi *is* Aqara isn't it?

[@makeitworktech]

I think the Aqara line is owned by Xoaomi

[@cornbreadcuban5456]

The science that these devices operate on seems something you should look into. This is the second video where you’re testing method doesn’t work because the method itself goes against the physics of the device. Yes a refrigerator will act as a ground for signal. So finding another method of dramatic temperature change should be utilized. Like a Styrofoam cooler full of ice.

[@makeitworktech]

What do you mean, ground? This testing method worked great!

[@74357175]

"Freedom units" 😂

[@makeitworktech]

Had to throw that in there 😁

[@PatchAppery]

“Freedom Units” 😂😂. As used in the last 3 free countries on earth. USA, Liberia and The Marshall Islands.

[@makeitworktech]

I like them better just because of the Freedom! 😂

[@niekdejong1992]

@3:37, Yeah you can't rotate the sensor 90 degrees so that the holes aren't covered. The temperature icon MUST be upright, otherwise it won't work. /sarcasm :')

[@makeitworktech]

Haha I rotated mine but it hurts me every day 😂

[@nathangenetzky6119]

Did he literally say "Freedom Units?"

[@rcarioca]

Most of those thermometers only update the historic temp chart every hour even though the temp display may be close to real time. So the historic is useless. Why even bother to include it ?

[@makeitworktech]

Many of them update on a time basis (hourly, etc.) unless there is temp change, in which case they update more frequently. The video shows this. Hourly temperature information is still very useful, which is why I include it.

[@happyandhealthy888]

smart kids targeting

[@makeitworktech]

wut

[@AdrianColes]

Lol, freedom units! Farenheit is part of the Imperial system, created by the British Empire in the 1800’s, and were only in place for 40 years….

[@makeitworktech]

Haha 😆