After spending several days searching through forums and conducting Google searches, I couldn’t find any straightforward method to connect my Govee light strips to Hubitat. As someone who has recently transitioned to Hubitat from Alexa and cloud-based devices, this was quite disappointing, especially since Govee offers excellent light strips. However, I decided to take matters into my own hands and eventually discovered a workaround that works perfectly for my setup.
The Solution
This method allows for basic power on/off functionality, meaning your Govee lights will turn on using the last saved settings. It’s important to note that this workaround requires an Alexa device since Govee doesn’t integrate with other third-party platforms. I’m unsure if Govee works with Google Home, so this solution might be your best bet.
Hubitat Setup
- Create a Virtual Motion Sensor: Name it something meaningful, as you’ll need this name in the Alexa app.
- Link the Virtual Motion Sensor to Alexa: Open the Alexa skill within Hubitat and configure the new virtual motion sensor to be recognized by Alexa.
Alexa Setup
- Create a Routine:
- Select “When this happens”
- Choose “Smart Home”
- Select the virtual motion sensor you created
- Click “Detected” and proceed
- Add an action, selecting “Smart Home” and then your Govee light(s)
- Choose to turn them on and save
Automating with Hubitat
If you’re looking to automate, navigate to Rule Machine (RM), create a trigger, and set the action to either “Set Mode or Variable” or “Run Custom Action”. From here, select the virtual motion sensor and choose “Detected”. Once saved, your Govee lights will activate when the trigger is met. You can also set up a virtual switch for dashboard control, allowing you to toggle the lights directly.
Conclusion
This workaround has been flawless in my experience. I’ve tested both the automation and the virtual switch, and both function perfectly. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out—I’m happy to help!