Hedda
June 21, 2023, 2:03pm
7
Candybar:
my goal with a aqara sensors (currently RTCGQ11LM), is to use each pair as occupancy sensors (as motion sensors all PIR sensors are problematic when someone is not moving around a lot), the idea is the place pairs on each side of a doorway and count this way. This requires reducing the “sleep time” to 5 seconds, and I don’t think it’s possible with the hubs but I have. I also tried the hardware hack, and destroyed two of them.
FYI if such attributes are configurable might be a limitation of that specific Aqara device firmware so just be aware that is might be a limitation of the device and not a limitation of the Zigbee gateway. Read → Xiaomi & Aqara Devices - Pairing & Keeping them connected - Devices - Hubitat
Candybar:
… I would like to purchase the easiest in simplest to configure zigbee dongle, and whatever necessary repeaters, before I buy a whole lot more of these or other recommended sensors at a budget.
on several posts, I read that with sonoff hardware, and ZHA integration, it’s not necessary to perform the hardware hack, or make changes in the platform, just create automations.
That would probably be the ideal solution but I wanna verify what exactly I need to buy and what kind of repeaters for a fairly large space (around 150 sqm- although aqara hub placed in the center covers all over them just fine).
Any advice on what to purchase and how to make this work with his little need for my two left hands and poor technical skills, would be extremely appreciate.
Suggest buying ITead’s “Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus” (model “ZBDongle-P”) as a Zigbee Coordinator for use with HA’s built-in ZHA integration → Zigbee Home Automation - Home Assistant
If get the “ZBDongle-P” (and not the "ZBDongle-E”) then it is CC2652 based so you have the alternative to later migrate to Zigbee2MQTT (a.k.a. Z2M) if want more advanced Zigbee gateway solution.
If you will mostly have wireless Zigbee sensors then they will not work as Zigbee routers so recommend buying at least three “known good” dedicated Zigbee Router devices → Zigbee networks: how to guide for avoiding interference and optimize for getting better range + coverage
Optimizing your setup and having many Zigbee Router devices isvery important for the battery life.