Govee WiFi Water Sensor

Hardware
81

Battery readings are sent when you put batteries in and when the state changes. The easiest way to get one is to remove and put back in one of the batteries. Conveniently, this means it’s sent when you first remove the pull tab. So if you have retain set to true then you don’t even have to open it up when setting up a new one (assuming you have rtl_433 configured and running first).

82

Well shit, you’re right. I reluctantly pulled the batteries on one of them and it reported a few seconds later. Now I’m debating pulling another 16 screws (4 per unit!) or just letting them read unavailable for a few months until they dip to 75%. I think I’m taking the lazy option. Thanks again!

83

I was able to get the govee working with rtl_433, but for some reason it crashes on me after a few hours. Does anybody else have this problem? Im not sure if its related to the 2nd conf for the govees or not. Does anybody know how i can restart rtl_433 along with a -c command whenever it crashes?

84

anyone have the H5179001 ?

85

I have one of these.

1 Like
86

After upgrading to the latest Home Assistant, all of my previously working binary leak sensors are now showing as unknown. When you push the test button, they show up again. It appears to be related to this breaking change?

Previously, binary_sensor entities could have the state on, off, and in case the device was unreachable: unavailable.

However, compared to other entities, it wasn’t able to have the unknown state, which has been added this release.

So, a binary_sensor entity can now have the on, off, unavailable, or unknown state.

You might need to adapt your automations or scripts to take this new unknown state into account.

Any idea how to fix this or change new unknown to off? Below is my code:

binary_sensor:
  - platform: mqtt
    unique_id: 8877698c-5ec1-436e-8977-5171599c982d
    state_topic: rtl_433/Govee-Water/35794/event
    json_attributes_topic: rtl_433/Govee-Water/35794
    name: "Basement Utility Leak Sensor"
    device_class: moisture
    payload_on: "Water Leak"
    payload_off: "Button Press"

Thanks

87

Noticed today that I have the same issue. Ever find a fix?

88

Unfortunately I personally have not. Although hitting the button returns them to off. Not sure how long that lasts

89

@seasideCT Thank you for highlighting this. I think you are correct in your diagnosis of the issue’s origin. The docs were updated to clarify as well: “… the initial state displayed in Home Assistant will be unknown .”

It took a month for me to realize I had this issue. I’m going to have to also update some notifications that should occur if critical sensors are unavailable or unknown!

I have quite a few binary sensors it seems that the 2022.2.x applies to, including the govee ones. I am using the mqtt implementation through the Sonoff RF bridge for the govee sensors. The solutions I have thought of initiall (though have not tried yet):

  • Update RF bridge to send retain messages
    • Though, I don’t think this will work because I am using an off_delay: to turn off my sensor
  • Update a payload template to default to off unless the on payload is received.
  • Set the state upon start up with an automation.
    • I am not seeing an easy way to do this. There doesn’t seem to be a “set state” service. (like what you can do in the developer tools)
  • Add availability info to the sensors.
    • I am thinking of trying to either, make the sensors always online, or make the sensor availability linked to if the RF bridge is online.
    • This is the solution that is probably ‘best practice’ barring a deciphering of periodic codes sent by the sensors themselves

Here is my yaml binary sensor:

  - platform: mqtt
    state_topic: "tele/SonoffRFBridge/RESULT"
    name: "Govee Water 1"
    unique_id: "xxxxxxxx" 
    device_class: moisture
    value_template: '{{value_json.RfReceived.Data}}'
    payload_on: 'ACBFFB'
    off_delay: 10
    qos: 1
1 Like
90

-deleted-
I created a new topic for my question here:

MQTT State - Configuration - Home Assistant Community (home-assistant.io)

91

Hopefully it is ok to bring up an older post. Have any of you encountered issues with reading these on with RTL_433?

Using RTL_433 with a USB sdr or OpenMQTTgateway with RTL_433 only one device outputs as expected. I have 4 others from the same batch that do not report anything. I purchased a second set and they too do not report anything.

I have a SONOFF RF bridge with ESPHome on it and it does report more raw data like
code: efb8fb
code: fffffb
I have been using those in my automations but do not feel like this is the most reliable approach. I have just ordered the Govee WiFi set will see if it works as advertised in the state I don’t like (running from app on phone). I would like to use the API but that doesn’t seem promising for my skill set. Has anyone tried to use the API?

EDIT:
Got the official WiFi half of it, one device paired without issue and reports “button pressed” in rtl_433 but 4/5 did not pair so I suspect this batch had something really off about them.

1 Like
92

No mqtt data coming in from a 5 pack I purchased as well. I’m tracking an issue on github it looks like a board revision was made and the commands were changed.

Can see my acurite temp sensors and my home security sensors

93

if they get govee wifi water sensor working, i hope they can get govee wifi hygrometer working

94

hey - anyone have a yaml example of the battery for sonoff rf bridge (not rtl_433)

95

I don’t know if this helps anyone, but I just connected mine up to Alexa with no issue at all, and then I just have my Alexa trigger whatever I need done. For some things, Home Assistant just sucks. I couple Home Assistant, Alexa, and many other automations and usually one or another works for me. If HA is the only good way (Like for Govee Home switches), I just have it turn on/off a different switch that my Alexa can see, then have Alexa trigger the things that HA is too difficult to setup. I didn’t want to buy another dongle, so this works for me. I’m having my Alexa turn off my main water valve if there’s a leak detected in the basement or behind my washer and dryer. I used to use IFTTT for that, but ever since they started charging, I dropped it and just use Alexa.

96

How did you connect the H5040 to Alexa? I don’t where that device is supported.