How to modify/override default device features/capabilities?

Configuration
1

Hi!

Still learning HomeAssistant.

I just got a black and decker wifi dehumidifier. It turns out it does not appear in alexa (even though the app has a skill).
It also turns out that I can add the dehumidifier to the Tuya SmartLife app and it WILL appear in homeassistant (yay!),b ut ih has some issues. it creates only one entity, but when I bring up the “control panel” for that entity/device in HA some things are wrong:

  1. it shows the humidity setting as degrees F instead of %rh
  2. it offers fan modes of 0 and 2, but reports an error if I try to change it
  3. it says it is off even when it is on
  4. it does not show the current humidity at all - only the setpoint. I’m wondering if there are other hidden values, such as tank full, etc.

All these are only in HA - it all looks and works OK in the smartlife app.

Is there a way to tweak any of this? how?

Thanks!

Dave - Semi-Newbie

1 Like
2

A few other factoids:

  1. I set up the Tuya developer portal, and there the device reports as an air conditioner, but with temperature units of “%”
  2. the fan settings of 0 and 2 appear correct because that is what is in the DP, BUT in DP I can set the value to either one and the fan changes accordingly, but in HA if I try changing the fan speed I get “Failed to perform the action climate/set_fan_mode. network error:(2008) command or value not supported”. I can change the humidity setting in either place
  3. in HA debug log, I can see that the units of “temperature” is [correctly] “%” (“unit”: “\uff05”), but in the “control panel” for it in HA it shows as degrees F. I assume(guess) that is because the device type is recognized as “climate” by HA?
  4. also in HA debug file, it only reports:
 "status": {
      "temp_set": 35,
      "windspeed": 0,
      "fault": 0
    },

BUT in the smartlife app it also shows current humidity, and in Tuya DP it has an additional status value of “f_temper” that appears to be current humidity - why doesnt HA report this?

I’ve had a lot of trouble finding a dehumidifier that meets my needs AND can connect to HA. This one is sooo close.

3

It’s a TUYA product, so your options are to use a different TUYA integration from the built in one. The product itself does not adhere to the TUYA api, and HA follows the API to the letter. HA does not add in ‘band-aides’ to get around devices that don’t follow the standard. I recommend trying one of the many other custom TUYA integrations, or go the scorched earth route and return the TUYA device (and get something else).

4

I am looking to buy a B&D WiFi Dehumidifier BXEH60014GB. Is that the model you have? Did you manage to get this fully working yet using the Tuya integration?