Hey everyone! I’m really excited about my latest project—turning my old electric water heater into a smart one. I’ve been doing a lot of research and planning, and I wanted to share my progress and get some advice from the community.
So, here’s what I’ve done so far: I carefully opened up the heater and found the thermostat, which is pretty basic. I decided to keep it intact to avoid any safety issues. Instead, I’ll use a Wemos D1 Mini with ESPHome to control the heating element via a relay. I’ve also added two Dallas DS18B20 sensors—one for the hot water temperature and one for the cold water input. This setup will allow me to monitor and adjust the temperature based on the outside conditions.
Now, here’s where I need your help. I’m trying to decide between using ESPHome’s Bang Bang Controller or Home Assistant’s Water Heater integration. I’ve tested both with the demo platforms, but I’m not sure which one would be better for my setup. The Bang Bang Controller seems straightforward, but I’m also intrigued by HA’s water heater integration because it feels more tailored to this specific use case.
I’d love to hear your experiences and recommendations. Have you worked with either of these options for a similar project? What were your pros and cons? I’m really looking forward to diving into the coding part, but I want to make sure I’m choosing the right approach from the start.
Thanks in advance for your insights! I can’t wait to get this project up and running and start saving some energy. 