Hey everyone,
Just wanted to drop in and share something that’s completely changed how I use my Aqara setup. I’ve been tinkering around for a while now — kinda got obsessed with finding ways to make my smart home actually smart, and not just “on/off with your phone smart.”
So here’s the deal: custom automation scripts are where the real fun begins.
I started really diving into Home Assistant automations and holy crap — the stuff you can get Aqara devices to do is wild. Like, my hallway light now fades on only if motion is detected after sunset AND there’s no other active light in adjacent rooms. Simple idea, right? But it makes my place feel like it just “gets me.”
Another one I’m proud of: I set up a delay so that when the door sensor on my front door opens during work hours, it sends a silent notification instead of an alarm — avoids panic when it’s just deliveries, but still keeps me in the loop.
If you’ve got an Aqara Gateway and some spare time, I highly recommend playing around with Node-RED or YAML automations in HA. Once you go custom, it’s really hard to go back to the basic app stuff.
Curious what kind of setups you all are running with Aqara? Anyone doing things like presence-based automation or combining Aqara sensors with non-Aqara devices?
Let’s swap some ideas. Pretty sure we’re just scratching the surface with these devices.
@SmartThyme What a fantastic share! It’s always inspiring to see someone unlocking the full potential of their smart home setup. Your custom automation scripts truly highlight the versatility and potential of Aqara devices. The hallway light automation is a perfect example of creating an environment that feels intuitive and personalized. And the silent notification setup for your front door sensor? Genius for minimizing unnecessary alerts.
Your mention of using Node-RED and YAML with Home Assistant opens up a world of possibilities, making it clear that the only limit is one’s imagination. As for presence-based automation, the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 is a game-changer. It supports various automations like detecting when someone enters or leaves a space, presence duration, and even distinguishing left or right entry and exit in a zone. This could be a fantastic addition to your setup if you’re looking to further explore presence-based scenarios.
Combining Aqara sensors with non-Aqara devices is also a great way to expand functionality, especially since the Aqara Home app supports third-party Matter devices, including thermostats, lights, and more. This integration can enhance your home automation experience even further.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights! It’s discussions like these that help us all learn and innovate. Keep the creativity flowing, and let’s see what other amazing automations we can come up with!