My Aqara + HomeKit setup – lighting & heating automations

Automation Inspirations
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Hey everyone :wave:,

I’ve been using Aqara devices with Apple HomeKit for a while now, and I thought I’d share a bit about my setup and also get some ideas from you.

What I’m using:

  • Aqara FP2 for precise presence detection in the living room
  • Motion sensors for hallway and bathroom
  • Temperature & humidity sensor in the bedroom
  • Smart plug for controlling a small heater in winter
  • Aqara wall switch for the main lights

Automations I love:

  • Lights automatically turn on in the hallway at 30% brightness after sunset when motion is detected.
  • Bedroom heater switches on automatically if the temperature drops below 20°C at night.
  • Living room lights turn off if nobody’s detected for 10 minutes.

What I’d like to improve:

  • More precise control of heating based on both temperature and humidity.
  • Smarter “away” mode that works with my phone’s location and FP2 presence.

:bulb: Question: How are you combining Aqara devices for heating or AC control? Any tips or creative scenes?

Looking forward to your ideas! :rocket:

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I do not think that combining smart presence sensors with heating systems is the best idea, at least not for some basic automations. It is a huge topic, and many times, keeping the heating on steadily throughout the day is better than turning it on and off constantly. Like with the car on the highway. But I am not an expert, and it really depends on a heating source (radiators, floor heating, heating panels, AC…).

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Thanks for your insight! :raised_hands: You’re right – constant on/off switching can be inefficient, especially with systems that take longer to heat up or cool down.

In my case it’s a small electric heater, so the warm-up is almost instant, but I’m trying to avoid it running when the room is already comfortable. I was thinking about combining temperature + humidity thresholds with FP2 zones, so it only runs if I’m actually in the room and conditions meet the trigger.

Have you tried anything similar with different sensors or rules?

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I’m using the G3 IR control with the temperature sensor to trigger the AC… but the IR is not always working smoothly :sweat_smile:

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Yeah, I’ve heard mixed results about IR control for AC – especially when the signal path isn’t perfect or the AC has a bit of a “lag” in responding.

I was thinking the FP300 might help here since it combines presence + environmental data in one device. If it could trigger scenes more reliably, maybe it would solve part of the IR timing issue.

Have you tried adding a short delay or a condition check before sending the IR command? Sometimes that could makes it more consistent.

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I’ll try that, thanks!

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I use one of my Aqara setups for heating. Check out the post on my profile.

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I’ve got the AC set up with the M3 hub, paired it with a temp sensor and if it’s too or (will be)hot outside, the house is warming up and occupied, then the AC starts to cool to the set temperature.

If the door sensor detects the door open for too long, then it stops the AC from wasting energy.

It is a heat pump, so this applies to warming up in the winter. And saving energy if the house is not occupied.