I set up the Waste Collection Schedule integration through HACS and wanted a visual aide to remind me when it was time to put out our rubbish.
While browsing AliExpress I came across these cute miniature rubbish bins, and this got me thinking. Could I illuminate the bins to show what kind of rubbish to put out?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004186109110.html
Using a LED driven by an ESP32 with ESP Home installed was the obvious way, but then I saw some very inexpensive Zigbee USB switches.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007408489605.html
I only need two bin reminders and a 2 channel switch was all that I needed. I then thought about how to wire up suitable LEDs and AliExpress again came to the rescue with very inexpensive LED night lights.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007481510062.html
I didn’t have many USB female to male extension leads, but I also found inexpensive male and female parts. I have lots of unused USB B to mini-USB leads, so I planned to cut off the unwanted mini-usb adapters and solder on female USB B adapters instead.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005366707168.html
I cut a usb sized slot in the bins, pushed the lights in from inside the bins, and hot glued them in place.
So, here is the finished product. The lids can be swapped so that the bins match the actual bins in your area. Here in Auckland New Zealand dark green bins are used with red and yellow lids. The dark green doesn’t let the light through, so I went with lighter coloured ones instead.
Once I added the usb switch to Zigbee I had two switch entities.
I set up a sensor in Waste Collection Schedule and with AI help wrote a brief automation to turn the lights on the day before the bins are due to go out and off at 10 pm.
Et voilà.