Hey everyone! I wanted to share a fun project I’ve been working on with my Husqvarna Automower 305. I’ve always been curious about how to track my mower’s activity without relying solely on the built-in app, so I decided to get creative with some smart home tech I already had on hand.
The Setup
I hooked up my mower’s charger to a Shelly Plug S. The idea was to monitor the power consumption, as I noticed the mower has distinct power modes:
- Charging: >10W
- Parked: <1W
- Mowing: 1-10W
By tracking these power states, I figured I could infer the mower’s activity and even detect if it gets stuck. Here’s how I set it up:
- Power Monitoring: The Shelly Plug S provides real-time power consumption data. I configured it to send updates to Home Assistant.
- Automation Rules: I created a simple automation in Home Assistant that triggers when the mower spends too much time in the mowing power state. If it’s mowing for over 2 hours without returning to the charger, I get a notification.
- Custom Sensors: I built a sensor template to track the mower’s activity status based on the power data. This gives me a clear overview in my dashboard.
Why I Did It
While the Husqvarna app is great, it doesn’t provide detailed insights into the mower’s operational efficiency. By monitoring power usage, I can:
- Detect if the mower is stuck or malfunctioning.
- Track battery health over time.
- Optimize mowing schedules based on usage patterns.
Results
So far, this setup has been a huge success! I’ve had zero false alarms, and it’s given me peace of mind knowing my mower is working efficiently. The automation has already alerted me to a minor issue with the mower’s wheel alignment, which I was able to fix before it became a bigger problem.
Tips for Others
If you’re thinking of trying something similar, here are a few tips:
- Start Simple: Begin by just monitoring the power states and observe how your mower behaves under normal conditions.
- Test Thresholds: Adjust the time thresholds in your automation based on your lawn size and mowing patterns.
- Use Custom Sensors: They’re incredibly flexible and can help you visualize complex data in an easy-to-understand format.
Conclusion
This project has been a great way to combine my love for smart home automation with my gardening routine. It’s also shown me how versatile devices like the Shelly Plug can be when it comes to monitoring and controlling various home systems.
If anyone else has tried something similar or has ideas for improving this setup, I’d love to hear about it! Let’s keep the smart home creativity flowing! 
