I make a fresh install of HA, parallel to the running instance. This gives me time to set everything up properly.
Labels and categories are relatively new to me and I don’t really know how to use them properly. Before I set up any devices I want to add areas (rooms), floors and also labels and categories.
How do you use labels and categories?
I find the best use of labels is for grouping a set of resources I want to see the history of at the same time. I don’t really use them for filtering in the entity/automations tables.
Can you give me an example?
I label all these sensors so I select a label and I don’t have to build this history dashboard from individual sensors every time when I’m trying out a new automation that involves many different resources.
This is one I’m currently working on so my dumb HVAC system can tell me to change the filter based on power usage when running the fan only. Power usage will climb as the filter gets clogged because the HVAC system tries to maintain a constant CFM (cubic feet per minute). As it gets clogged, the fan will need to speed up to keep the desired CFM and use more power which I can monitor.
From this I can use a longer term statistics sensor to filter out the noise and trigger an alarm once the wattage gets to a value where I know the filter is dirty.
I’m monitoring the power with an esp32, ADS1115 and SCT-013 CT Clamp
Interesting use case. The only label I currently use is light just for a button to turn all lights in the house
