I just saw this article, and it may present another option but you’ll need to read it through to see if it will work for your use case. You could integrate them into HA using IFTTT.
I am running ZWave for all of my switches and sensors.
My motion sensors are “Ecolink Z-Wave PIR Motion Detector, Pet Immune (PIRZWAVE2-ECO)”. Battery powered, reliable, work well. I have been running them for a year without issue.
You could also go for a Kerui P829:
You’ll need a 433mhz rf receiver (either a usb stick, a receiver connected to the pi or a esp8266 mqtt bridge https://1technophile.blogspot.fr/2016/04/433tomqttto433-bidirectional-gateway.html )
Hi,
Do you have a link for a USB 433MHz receiver?
I ordered some receiver but I am lazy in soldering and prefer a “clean” product not cables running around my pi3
p.s. if DIY costs 5 USD, a ready made should not cost 70USD+
I am using the Philips motion sensors for some weeks now. They perform very well. I programmed them with an iOS app, iConnectHue, where time windows and actions can be defined, but I guess all can be done in HA as well.
The batteries claim to last for several years, let’s see how far they get, so far I have great experience regarding battery life with the dimmer switches, after > 6 months all are at 100%. Battery status of the motion sensors is also exposed to HA.
In HA I use the motion sensors to help setting my presence when I get home, detect intruders or tell me if my cleaning help is present when I am not at home (push notification), and monitor temp and lux in several rooms. The sensors are always monitoring, even when they should be silent according to the iOS app. I noticed that temp and lux monitoring are smart. When there are no changes in temp or lux, they do not write changes in HA history.
Next steps are to have my hue lights switch on based on room light levels close to the outside window, and to increase and decrease brightness based on light levels on dark cloudy days.
Ruud
I think you expect to have too much, yes 70USD is the price to pay when someone less lazy soldered it for you ^^ (and created an app to configure the bridge, organized a production line and ensured customer support).
You can use a Wemos D1 Mini, you’ll only have to solder 3 cable to receive 433Mhz signal, and another 3 if you also wish to emit 433Mhz signal.
Here is an example of 433Mhz receiver/emitter. Here is another receiver, if find this one to be the best I could find.
To avoid at all cost is this kind of module (it’s hard to have a signal 1 meter from the receiver!):
Here you can order the Wemos d1 mini.
If you are really allergic to solder, you might use a CC1101 serial receiver. They are only 10€ but as far as I know, you’ll have to write some code to make it work.
See here for (a little) more info.
3 Likes
As I wrote earlier - I’m using the Fibaro motion sensor on battery power since three months non-stop.
It’s placed at the entrance to my living room to turn on lights if needed when someone enters.
I also use it to monitor light and temperature levels.
It’s not polled by HA - it regularly sends reports (intervals and thresholds configurable).
Motion detection happens instantly, i.e. the lights turn on with a delay well under 1s after motion is detected.
And I’m still at 100% battery level…
It’s not using AA or AAA batteries though; it has a single CR123 cell, so a replacement might be slightly more expensive than a AA(A) battery.
Sebastian
To the OP: If you plan to add more sensors (door/window sensors, locks etc.) in the future, I’d go with ZWave.
If the motion sensor is your “final piece”, get the Hue motion sensor and iConnectHue to configure it.
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I kind of disagree. Why the Sonoff cost 5 US
yes I bought the Superheterodyne type, its coming.
I think I will go the route for 433MHz sensors: dorr/window and PIR mainly, hoping to find a light sensor too. And fill each room of the house with it.
Hope our head will not fry from all these signals ahah 
these are nice
Because it is developed and produced in a low salary country. Because it is not allowed in most countries (If your house burn down, there is a big chance you will not have insurance), an online published certificate is not enough in European union at least. And because it does not cost 5 US when if you are going to import it in a lawful way. No middleman also means lower cost but also no local support. By going the Wifi or 433 route you are also getting things cheaper but with less security than with for example z-wave (that cost developers and producers more money in licens fees e.t.c.)
With that said, I still think Sonoff seems to have well design products.
Well I don’t want to nuy a 433MHz USB receiver made in USA or Norway … I am ok if it comes from China or Vietnam, as 99,9% of the product for home automation.
Because sonoff sell thousand of unit per month, while a MQTT bridge is an extremely restricted market and the cost cannot be shared among a big number of unit.
I can second that!
Actually I use both environments, Z-Wave and 433 RF (based on pilight and a breadboard connected to my RPi with sender and receiver on it (doesn’t require soldering BTW)) and it both works. But if you want something really reliable, I’d recommend going for Z-Wave. Its bidirectional and not fire and forget, therefore you always have a status and the frequencies used are way more noise resistent the 433 stuff.
I use both because I like to tinker and therefore can decide whats important to me and whats not and based on thise where I use Z-wave or 433 stuff. And all the money I’ve spend to improve and optimize my 433 infrastructure would at least last for one Z-Wave PIR also!
Wow what a discussion I created. Thank you everyone but I think I will avoid the soldering as I just really want plug and go. Z-Wave it is and 1 Gen 5 usb and 1 gen 5 Fibaro…to start with plus found some Innr GU10s for £15, cheaper than the Hues
They are great! I have six of them in the corridor and they are triggered by a Fibaro Multisensor 
ahh great to hear! and this is all via Home Assistant I presume ? 
@MarkR Of course. Innr Bulbs connected to hue, hue connected to HA, HA connected to the Z-Stick and the Z-Stick connected to the Fibaro Sensor. 
I use an Aeotec multisensor, which may be very different from the Fibaro so I can only speak to my direct experience.
I base my comments on this info from Aeotec’s support site:
There is a big difference to USB power and Battery Power in the Multisensor 6, though it may only be a few small items, it greatly changes the usability of your miniature Multisensor.
USB Power
Always awake, this allows for easy configuration of this device
Allows for faster sensor reports
Can be used as a repeater node
Parameter Settings Change Recommendations:
Parameter 101 [4 byte]: 240 (report Light, Humidity, Temperature, and UV)
Parameter 111 [4 byte]: 30 (report every 30 seconds)
Parameter 40 [1 byte]: 1 (enable selective reporting, automatically updates reports when passing a threshold)
Battery Power
Mostly sleeping, you will need to wake up the Multisensor in order to configure it (this is common for all Z-Wave Battery Devices)
Minimum report time for sensors is 240 seconds, but setting this would greatly reduce its battery life to a matter of a few months or less if set to this.
Wakeup Interval sets the minimum setting for parameter 111-113, by default this is set to 3600. You must change the Wakeup Interval in order to set parameter 111 under 3600. (ie. If parameter 111 is set to 240, and wake interval is 3600, then the report interval will still be 3600).
Cannot be used as a repeater node
Parameter Settings Change Recommendations (Leave most items as default):
Parameter 101 [4 byte]: 241 (report Light, Humidity, Temperature, UV, and Battery) [default settings]
Parameter 111 [4 byte]: 3600 (report every 3600 seconds or 1 hour) [default settings]
Parameter 40 [1 byte]: 0 (disable selective reporting)
I made my choice of Aeotec over Fibaro based on the number of people posting here with problems getting the Fibaro set up over the number of people with problems with the Aeotec. Not a scientific survey for sure, but I bought two multisensors and had them up and running immediately. I have not had an issue with them since installing them and they register motion fast enough for me to use them to turn on lights when I enter a room.
As always, any opinion I give is just that - an opinion. It’s based solely on my personal experience.
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I was using 433mhz sensors with pilight. But now i have Xiaomi sensors. What i like about the motion sensor is that it is really small compared to the 433mhz ones. The price is not to bad either under € 10 for the motion sensor. And the motion sensor works with the Yeelight bulbs i have.
But you need the gateway which is used to control all Xiaomi devices it costs arround € 25.
Right now there is no official Home Assistant component. but there is a good working custom component.