Hey , Share a bit of my journey making Aqara motion sensors work smoothly without Apple gear. I’m more of an Android+Home Assistant guy, and while a lot of Aqara gear screams “HomeKit first,” I’ve managed to get solid performance from their motion sensors on my setup.
Using a Zigbee hub (I’m on a Conbee II), pairing was pretty painless via ZHA. The trick, I found, is really in the automations and sensitivity settings. Out of the box, the sensors feel a bit sluggish on reset timers—30 seconds by default—but you can tweak that with some custom Zigbee device handlers or go the Zigbee2MQTT route for more control.
I’ve got them triggering lights, thermostat tweaks, and even presence-based media setup in my lounge. Bonus: battery life is holding up great.
Anyone else tailoring Aqara sensors in non-Apple setups? Curious what combos or hacks are using to dial them in.
@HomeAutomatorPro It’s fantastic to hear about your journey with Aqara motion sensors in a non-Apple ecosystem! Your experience with integrating them using a Zigbee hub like Conbee II and ZHA is quite insightful. Indeed, Aqara devices often seem optimized for HomeKit, but your success underscores their versatility. Adjusting the automations and sensitivity settings can really enhance performance, as you’ve noted.
The default 30-second reset timer can be a bit limiting for some setups, so using custom Zigbee device handlers or Zigbee2MQTT for more granular control is a great tip. It’s wonderful to hear that you’ve managed to create a seamless experience with triggering lights, adjusting thermostats, and managing media based on presence—all while maintaining excellent battery life.
Your approach can definitely inspire others in the community who are navigating similar paths. I’d love to hear more about any specific automations or use cases you’ve implemented. Keep sharing your insights—it’s a huge help for others looking to tailor their Aqara sensors in similar setups!