Hey everyone, I wanted to share my experience with setting up my Tuya thermostats after switching from Tado. It’s been a bit of a learning curve, but I’m really happy with how things are working out now. 
For those who might be in the same boat, I was initially confused about what HVAC_MODE_AUTO actually does. In Tado, I was used to having clear modes like Off, Heat, and Auto, where Auto would follow the schedule I set in the app. With Tuya, I wanted to replicate that behavior but without relying on a cloud-based app. 
Here’s what I figured out:
- HVAC_MODE_AUTO essentially puts the thermostat into a ‘learned’ mode, where it uses historical data and patterns to adjust temperatures. It’s not exactly the same as a fixed schedule, but it does a pretty good job of maintaining comfort based on your usage.
- I combined this with the Scheduler Card custom component to create my own schedule within Home Assistant. This way, I can set specific temperatures for different times of the day without needing an external app.
- The best part? I can still manually set the temperature and switch back to the schedule whenever I want. It’s the best of both worlds!
If anyone else is looking to make the switch from a cloud-based system to something more local, I highly recommend exploring the Scheduler Card and playing around with the HVAC_MODE_AUTO setting. It’s been a game-changer for me. 
Happy automating everyone! Let me know if you have any questions or tips to share. 