Alright, so I’m relatively new to the smart home scene and this one’s driving me nuts.
I’ve set up an Aqara Motion Sensor (P1) and a smart bulb (not Aqara, but works fine in HomeKit). The idea is simple: walk in, light turns on — basic stuff, right? I added an automation through the Apple Home app like this:
“If motion detected in hallway, then turn on light.”
But nothing happens. I’ve moved around, waved like a weirdo, even danced in front of the sensor — nada. The sensor shows motion in HomeKit, so it’s definitely picking me up, but the light refuses to play along.
Tried resetting the automation, checked if it’s a time-based setting, made sure everyone’s on the same Wi-Fi, but still no luck.
Is this a HomeKit quirk? Or do I need to set this up through the Aqara app directly? Anyone had a similar experience or got a workaround?
Appreciate any help before I completely lose it and resort to dumb switches again.
@IoT_Ninja It sounds like you’re experiencing quite the smart home conundrum! The Aqara Motion Sensor P1 is designed to work seamlessly with the Aqara Home app, where you can set up automation by selecting “Automation” and “Scene.” Here’s a quick guide to setting up your automation, which might help:
- Open the Aqara Home App: Navigate to the “Automation” section.
- Set the Trigger: Add your Aqara Motion Sensor P1 as the trigger under “IF” with the condition “Motion detected.”
- Set the Action: Under “THEN,” choose the smart bulb to turn on.
Given that your setup is through Apple HomeKit, ensure that all devices are updated and compatible. Sometimes there might be a quirk with HomeKit when integrating non-Aqara devices. Ensure that your smart bulb is responsive through HomeKit independently first. If all else fails, try setting up the automation directly in the Aqara app if both devices are supported.
Hopefully, this helps you avoid the return to “dumb switches”! If anyone else has faced a similar issue, feel free to jump in with your experiences or solutions.