ESP32 BLE tracker can't find anything

Hi,
I need some help. I’m trying to integrate ESP32 into my home assistant.

I have esp32dev board with bluetooth and wifi. BLE tracker enabled, but probably not working properly.

esphome:
  name: bluetooth1

esp32:
  board: esp32dev
  framework:
    type: arduino

# Enable logging
logger:

esp32_ble_tracker:

I recently flashed Xiaomi LYWSD03MMC B1.4 with custom firmware v3.9 (pvvx.github.io), the device is responding and working perfectly. But I can’t find it in BLE scanner in ESPhome. I followed already different youtube tutorials and it usually should be discovered very soon after scan start. But it doesn’t, well no device shows up.

Any ideas what am I doing wrong?

Thank you
Jakub

Missing some important stuff in your yaml?

Ether do like described in the docs on how to get your LYWSD03MMC working :point_down:

Or go full monty with the bluetooth proxy so HA will handle all the payloads etc.

Thanks for your answer, I found the mac address with a different app on my phone and then set it directly as sensor. It works now, but the scanner still nothing :man_shrugging: nevermind, sensor is working

I experienced something similar recently as well. I could not get any devices to appear when using esp32_ble_tracker to scan. After a lot of trial and error, I found this solution.

Thank you @icecreamtruck! Exactly, this solves the problem and BLE tracker found the device.

In the last few days I experienced another issue - the sensor freezes for no reason. The sensor physically keeps measuring, but stops sending data. I tried HA restart, sensor restart but nothing helped. I had to unplug esp32 and plug it back. But when I checked if the esp32 is working, it was logging everything normally. Now I tried to downgrade custom firmware of the Xiaomi sensor, noa I’m waiting if it happens again, it took few days to happen.

The above solution did not work for me. But the following did: I disabled the continuous search and made 2 buttons that start and stop the search. So when I started the search the devices appeared in the log

esp32_ble_tracker:
  scan_parameters:
    continuous: false  
  id: ble_tracker_id

button:
  - platform: template
    name: "Start Scan"
    on_press:
      - esp32_ble_tracker.start_scan:
  
  - platform: template
    name: "Stop Scan"
    on_press:
      - esp32_ble_tracker.stop_scan:
2 Likes

I have 16 of the Xiaomi BLE temp sensors around the house and they works really well!
I use the bluetooth proxy and have 2 ESP 32 boards on either side of the house.
I flashed the custom firmware onto the temp sensors and enabled the BTHome reporting.
Install the BTHome integration and it seems to just auto discover them no problem!