Recent W100/M3 AC discussions raised a useful failure case: an Aqara automation sends an IR command, then someone changes the AC with its original remote. If the controller cannot observe that change, the next rule may run from stale state.
How do you design around that? Do you send explicit mode and setpoint commands instead of toggles, infer operation from a separate sensor, or treat the AC state as unknown until a fresh command? I’d be especially interested in how you avoid unnecessary cycling when the physical remote remains in daily use. I’m asking about the control pattern, not claiming a specific AC model behaves this way.
My own presence-based climate automations in Home Assistant control the AC through an API, so this is a control pattern suggestion, not a tested W100/M3 solution. For an IR setup, I would keep the last requested settings separate from confirmed AC state. Even a receiver hearing the original remote only tells you what was transmitted, not whether the AC applied it. Home Assistant notes that distinction in its LG Infrared documentation.
If the protocol supports it, I would send explicit mode, target temperature and fan settings rather than a toggle based on stale state. I would also suspend automatic control after a detectable manual change. If remote use cannot be detected, a manual override button is a more honest fallback than assuming the controller knows.
To avoid cycling, I would use hysteresis and a minimum interval between automatic on/off changes, based on the AC manufacturer’s timing requirements. A brief change in presence should not bypass that protection. A separate room sensor can guide comfort decisions, but it cannot confirm the AC’s selected mode or target temperature.
The louver-mounted P100 sounds like a useful independent on/off signal. Does your automation keep that observed state separate from the last IR command? If someone changes mode or setpoint with the original remote while the unit stays on, the P100 would still report “on” — how do you handle that remaining unknown?