My HA Simple Home (for parents...)

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I’ve spent the past 3 weeks setting up my parents’ HA simple smart home. Total cost was just under $860 (I’m a big bargain hunter, but it’s still a significant financial investment). I’ve created a zip of all of my yaml’s, configs, etc. & posted a link below.

first, I have to give thanks to @jimpastos , @joshua_lyon & @jun3280net for their posts re: wink relays.

devices.pdf lists all devices & costs. entities.txt is a full list of my created entities. PANELS.txt is my dashboard (designed for the wink relays & phones - see samples below - relays only display 1st 3 rows but can scroll to 4th). wink_readme.txt details the workflow I used to hack & set up my wink relays. wink_manager.ini is a sample config I set up for 1 of the 3 relays.

I set up HA OS on my mom’s always-on docked WIn10 laptop, along with eclipse mosquitto broker. For now I’m using Nabu Casa to retain integration w/ their ST & tuya devices.

I printed “business cards” for them so their guests can access their wifi & lovelace phone panels via scanning a simple QR code.

The MHCozy IR/RF bridge/gateway provides an interface for their 3 ceiling fans & 2 electric hurricane shutters via tuya scenes. (note: it appears that amazon removed the IR/RF version & now lists the IR-only version with the same asn & price)

All wifi light switches were re-flashed with tasmota for mqtt. The gosund 3-way switch was modified to work along with a dumb 3-way switch.

I’m debating adding Zigbee2MQTT to move all the zigbee devices fully into HA, but I currently use rboy’s IFTTT ST handlers to enable blink motion alerts, so I’m not sure I can ever retire the ST hub.

Gosund console commands:

Template: {"NAME":"Gosund SW6","GPIO":[17,0,56,0,9,0,0,0,0,0,22,21,158],"FLAG":0,"BASE":18}
SwitchTopic 0
switchmode1 1
Rule1 ON Switch1#state do Power1 2 endon
Rule2 ON Button1#state do Power2 2 endon
Rule1 1
Rule2 1

Integrations:
Alexa Media Player
HACS
Lyric-B7406D HomeKit Controller
MQTT
SmartThings
Tuya
VeSync

Dashboard Resources:
button-card
kiosk
mini-media-player

Automations include:
motion/contact sensor countdown automations to control laundry light
contact sensor & thermostat countdown automations
freezer/fridge power countdown automations
nighttime motion sensors

google drive share

panels
panels1024×410 57.8 KB

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Nice. I thought about doing this for my in-laws, but decided not since they are not tech savvy. Any updates to HA at any point will break something.

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I’m with them every other month now, so I can handle any necessary HA updates & potential fallout. my goal is to create simple/basic automations that can keep them safer as their memory & mobility slip away - eg lighting dark spaces, alerting them via alexa devices when anything needs their attention, etc. (they’re mid-80’s & both in very poor health). they’ve embraced basic alexa commands pretty quickly/easily, but they can always use physical switches whenever they prefer. plus my siblings & I can receive alerts, view cameras, & drop in any time (and my parents know they can call out to alexa for help from any room in the house).

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How have you implemented this?

I have a system in place but always looking for ideas/improvements.

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For now, I simply put all emergency service numbers in their alexa contact lists: sheriff, ambulance, hospital, EMT, fire department, etc - plus neighbors & all us kids. so, eg, they can just say, “Alexa, call 911” and that contact will connect them to the sheriff’s switchboard (I entered that contact as “Nine WonWon”). I tested each contact using my own number before changing to the real emergency number.

Now that I have HA set up (w/alexa media player), I’ll start developing a routine so they can say, “Alexa, help me!” and I can automate a comprehensive emergency response.

I’ve tried several non-subscription emergency alert devices, but haven’t found anything that satisfies me. I got them a cheap singcall alarm system with 2 buttons that has an incredible 1/4 mile range - so dad can even signal for help while he’s scootering the dog or working in the yard, and the 2nd button stays on a low hook in their shower - but I’m still looking for a long-range SOS system that will tie into HA. maybe I can modify the singcall system.

Currently, neither of them can get up independently after a fall - so I got them an (expensive $800) air-lift device from Easy LiftUp and they’ve already used it successfully once. And I just got a used $200 ddu-100a AED today that I’m modifying the dead battery pack to use replaceable cr123a’s (although I’m sure any new battery will outlive my dad at this point - he’s gone into a-fib 3 times since I’ve been here this month - but he’s finally stable after starting a new med).

The most important action I took was to set up everything so I (or a sibling) can access everything remotely if/when needed - front door lock, laptops (jump desktop), router, HA, phone (motorola axh01 connected to an obi200 w/google voice), blink doorbell/cameras, etc.

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I didn’t know that was a thing. I’ll definitely look into it.

thanks.

I don’t have older parents that I need to look after but my wife stays home alone a lot when I work 12 hour night shifts and you never know what might happen.

I started using the Alexa Media Player Actionable Notifications integration for basically the same actions.

If anyone says “Alexa, I need Help” or “Alexa, help me” it replies with an “are you sure?” message and if there is a “yes” response or no response at all it carries out the phone calls and SMS messages to every one of our family members at the same time. If the response is “no” then it says “OK I heard no so I’m not calling anyone”. It gives a bit of assurance that there aren’t any unintended emergency calls.

So far it seems to work well. No false alarms and I test it occasionally to make sure it is still working.

I haven’t tested it with 911 but the Twilio number I use is supposed to be 911 compatible. But at least I know it can get someone’s attention so they can call 911 for us. And it’s better than nothing if you can’t get to a phone in the first place.

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those are fantastic ideas - thanks! (fwiw, you must enable alexa communications in the app, & then set up the contacts list - but it’s a great interface to phone contacts, I think)

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How did you achieve this? I use actionable notifications, but I didn’t know that voice (Alexa, I need Help) could be used as a trigger.

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not sure how @finity does his, but I use alexa routines to fire HA triggers (eg use “help me” as the spoken trigger in the alexa app routine).

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What action do you use in the routine to fire a HA trigger?

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just create an input_boolean helper in HA for each alexa routine you create (reload your alexa media player integration & you should see the helper in your alexa app) - then write your automation to trigger from the helper.

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exactly how I do it. :+1:

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well after 3 weeks of development & 3 days of complaints, I’ve decided to pull the parents off HA. mom insisted that the ac was running even when the inside temp was within the comfort hi/lo temps she established, and she refused to view the thermostat history that proved this wasn’t the case at all - bottom line, she felt like she no longer had control.

so I removed the ST hub, along w/all the attached lights, contact sensors & motion sensor. I reinstalled their old thermostat, removed the tuya RF hub for their ceiling fans & hurricane shutters (they all still work with their original RF remotes), put in 4 basic BLE lights connected only to alexa (1 in each bedroom lamp & 1 in family room lamp). and I put a motion sensor light switch in their laundry room.

so they now have all the automation that mom wants - she’s back in control, and I saved about $350. everything I learned, especially MQTT & wink relay integration, will be useful if I start installing HA systems for friends & neighbors, so I’m happy to gain that experience and move on.

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Sorry to hear that (except the saving $350 part :slightly_smiling_face:)

Some people just don’t like/can’t understand technology.

I have similar situations with my wife. No matter how much I try to explain some things to her she just says “I know how it works, you don’t have to explain it to me” even when she clearly doesn’t. :man_shrugging:

But, I guess I feel the same way about self-driving cars as your mom feels about HA. I know the studies that say they should be safer but I just can’t ever see me trusting them enough to relinquish that control. :laughing: