I generally don’t like AC, as I live in Michigan and I would like to enjoy the heat while it’s here. This does not mean I like to go upstairs and have it feel like I’ve opened up an oven’s door. As an attempt to reduce that uncomfortable feeling, I want to set up an automation to notify me when I should open the windows.

To do this there’s two pre-reqs:

• A Thermostat
• A way to get the outside temperature, I use the National Weather Service integration

Hardware

While I do own a Nest, there’s a two problems:

1. It requires the cloud, which I try to avoid
2. It’s downstairs

Instead, I bought a Tuya compatible thermostat from Amazon . I also use the HACS Plugin Local Tuya to communicate with my Tuya devices directly instead of through the cloud

Be aware: This thermostat in conjunction with Local Tuya outputs in C, there is extra HA configuration to get it as F.

Setup

Note #1: I recommend connecting your Tuya API with Local Tuya. This generally makes the install process a little easier as it prefills some of the required fields, like Local Key.

Note #2: As I’ve recently moved all my IoT devices into their own VLAN, which doesn’t support the Tuya API due to the discovery being blocked, I’m editing this section to have more detail. (2023-12-28)

The process is the same as adding any device through Local Tuya. That being entities are not fun, as generally it’s a slightly informed guessing game. There are three values: two numbers and a boolean.

Device ID (IoT Tuya)

1. Login to https://auth.tuya.com/
2. Sidebar, Cloud -> Development
3. Table, Open Project
4. Topbar, Devices
5. Table, find Sensor
6. Copy Device ID

Local Key (IoT Tuya)

1. Login to https://auth.tuya.com/
2. Sidebar, Cloud -> API Explorer
3. It should load into IoT Core, else change in top left dropdown
4. Sidebar, Device Management -> Query Device Details
5. Paste Device ID + Submit (hidden by a cookie warning)
6. Find local_key key in the JSON dictionary it returns

HA Local Tuya Add

1. Name: {anything}
2. Host: {static_ip}
3. Device ID: {saved from ealier}
4. Local Key: {saved from ealier}
5. Protocol Version: 3.3
6. Submit

Temperature

The raw value is in C and has a scaling factor of .1, The number will be an integer (no decimals) and will have three digits

• Name: Upstairs Temperature
• Unit of Measurement: blank
• Device Class: temperature
• Scaling: .1

Humidity

I don’t have an example of the raw value so use the process of elimination. I believe it’s either 0-100 or 0-.1

• Name: Upstairs Humidity
• Unit of Measurement: %
• Device Class: humidity
• Scaling: blank

Boolean

I presume the boolean is is_fahrenheit. This has no impact so I didn’t add it.

Fahrenheit

As stated above, Temperature is always being coming in a Celsius, so I had to convert it into Fahrenheit for my own use by using a sensor template

I added this block to my main configuration, reloaded the configuration and then the upstairs_temperature_template entity exists

Path: configuration.yaml

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

sensor: - platform: template sensors: upstairs_temperature_template: friendly_name: "Upstairs Temperature" unit_of_measurement: '°F' value_template: >- {% set t = states('sensor.upstairs_temperature') | float %} {{((t)*9/5)+32}}

Main Automation

The Trigger

There’s three potential triggers you could use:

1. When the outside temperature changes
2. When the upstairs temperature changes
3. On a timer

After some thought I will go with a timer. I believe the Tuya Thermostat updates too frequently and the outside temperature updates every 10 minutes. Using a timer, or Time Pattern in HomeAssistant terms, is more natural to me as it’s works the same as a Cron.

Trigger, Time Pattern:

• Hours: *
• Minutes: /10
• Seconds: blank

This will run every 10 minutes

Note: Changed to a hardcoded Time trigger in the

next post

The Conditions

To make this more difficult on myself, joking, I have specific specifications when I want the notification:

a. Once per day
b. When the upstairs temperature is above 75F
c. When the outside temperature is below the upstairs temperature
d. Not in the middle of the night

a. Once Per Day

I made a toggle helper entity, inside setting > devices & services > helpers, and named it Temperature Alert.

Condition, State

• Entity: input_boolean.temperature_alert
• Attribute: blank
• State: Off

b. Upstairs is above 75F

Condition, Numerical State

• Entity: sensor.upstairs_temperature_template
• Above:
  • Fixed Number
  • 75
• Below: blank

c. Outside is below Upstairs

Condition, Template Condition

{{ states('sensor.upstairs_temperature_template') > states('sensor.KMOP_temperature') }}

d. Not in the Middle of the Night

Condition, Time

• After
  • Fixed Time
  • 4:30pm
• Before
  • Fixed Time
  • 11:59pm

Note: Removed in the next post

The Actions

Two actions need to happen:

a. My iPhone should get a notification through the HomeAssistant App
b. The Temperature Alert boolean should be toggle on

a. Notification

Action, Call a Service

• Service: Notifications: Send Notification via phone_entity
• Message: Open the Windows

a. Boolean

Action, Call a Service

• Service: Input Boolean: Turn On
• Targets: input_boolean.temperature_alert

Raw YAML

Reset Boolean Automation

We need to reset the Temperature Alert boolean everyday, this is easy in comparison to the main automation

The Trigger

Trigger, Time:

• Fixed Time
• Time: 1:30am

The Action

Action, Call a Service

• Service: Input Boolean: Turn Off
• Targets: input_boolean.temperature_alert

Raw YAML

Switch

After swapping all my devices to a VLAN, I’ve had to re-add all my LocalTuya devices without help from their Discovery. Here were my steps.

Note: this preassumes you’ve done the bare minimum to get the normal Tuya integration set up. ie have a iot.tuya account and app.

Conclusion

While the general idea works there is room for improvement; Specifically because I don’t want to open my windows when the temperature is dropping to 51F, which happens a lot in Michigan. I’ve made this a series and will hopefully re-visit this idea.