I also had my iot core for my tuya account expired. but I was able to list all the device (including the bluetooth and zigbee ones) just fine.
though the only difference is that my fingerbot is paired via a tuya multigateway hub. but pairing it to esphome bt proxy works fine as long as you get the necessary stuff which you can just query using API explorer.
I finally able to pair those fingerbot fully local.
I hope the ha_tuya_ble integration supports other BLE based tuya device (or rather, majority of the tuya devices already have BLE built-in anyway used for board-in configuration and also local control via tuya app using bluetooth).
About “Device is not registered in Tuya cloud” message. It means that integration has successfully opened Tuya IOT API with provided credentials but hasn’t found the device by MAC address. Only reason which I know it the device is still not “added” to mobile application. If the device is added, it must appear on this page:
@IamMattM
Keep us informed as this Fingerbot is very cheap and if it can work on your side or with others using ha_tuya_ble, I will definitively buy a couple Fingerbots!
I am very pleased to say that this integation now works brillantly with those cheap AliExpress FingerBot Plus -
My issue was indeed, as suspected, the need to renew the “IOT Core” component in the iot.tuya.com
platform.
Tuya renewed this API service for another 1-month overnight.
Once I had confirmation of the “IOT core” component being renewed for 1 more month, I could simply reload the main Tuya Integration and the TuyaBLE integration from @PlusPlus-ua got going with no issues and is now working really well (all modes tested push/switch /retract % etc…) Thank you for sharing this integration with us.
I should nevertheless check/keep an eye on the reason why the Battery is now being reported at just 85% when it was at 100% when I got it integrated only a few hours ago…I hope that it is not something to do with constant query of the state of the Fingerbot…
It could be something to do with an always-on active connection established with the FingerBot through the use of the ESPHome-ble-proxy perhaps…I never see a “disconnect” from the FingerBot…However I do see messages every 5mins about a connection active.
I would confirm this as well: No need for an actual BT/BLE dongle attached to HomeAssistant instance.
My homeassistant-docker running on Synology NAS cannot support native Bluetooth dongles (no driver supported built for DSM7…) and therefore I get around this aspect, by using ESP32 running some variations of a ble_gateway…
Until recently I used the esp-ble_gateway to “passively” monitor (no control) various ble devices (MiFLora etc…).
With the introduction of the TuyaBLE integration and the need to also control the Fingerbot, I also introduced an ESP32 running ESPHOME-ble-proxy in order to monitor but also control the device which if I understand correctly requires an “active” connection at the expense of ore battery drain.
I still need to figure out how the active connection can be “disconnected” as to not drain a ble device battery too rapidly…
Very detailed feeback @IamMattM! THANK YOU so much!
I’ll go forward and buy a couple Fingertbots, and if you or anyone else have more insights about how the active connection can be “disconnected” as to not drain a ble device battery too rapidly, I think we will be interested to learn more!
According to my observations during development and debug, stable BLE connection doesn’t drain a battery. Unstable connection, when BLE device has to often reconnect, increases battery usage but not dramatically.
“Cloud Section” tab on left-hand side
“Open Project” previously created.
“Service API” tab
In my case , the “IOT Core” had expired and a warning was being displayed.
“Request extension/EXtend Trial period” button for this service - I only asked for 1month as this period is normally free for new accounts so thought it would have more chances to be approved…
but it means that I need to have received those additional x2 Fingerbots, just ordered once more from AliExpress, before the IOT core trial ends again…or I will go through the same steps otherwise…
@PlusPlus-ua
I was wondering if, once a device is added successfully in the TuyaBLE integration , the ble encryption key can be seen/retrieved from any HomeAssistant files to keep a record of it…in case Tuya IOT access eventually gets closed and by mistake one reloads the integration and gets stuck.
At which point in the future , a manual way of entering those recorded details for the device (MAC+ ble Key) might come handy.
At this rate, I’ll be spending more on replacing the CR2 battery than the fingerbot itself…I’ll take that battery out until I have time to investigate…
An update on the matter of FingerBot battery drain: a non-issue:
It has now been a few days and the battery maintained its last recorded 70% capacity.
What changed since 5days ago: I had noticed that I had the ESPHome-ble-proxy running on D1mini off my PC USB Hub -
I think that when the PC switched off so did the ESPHome and its acttive connection to the FingerBot…
Since powering the ESPHome end, off a proper USB power-point that remains turned ON, the Fingerbot has not been drained anymore than 5 days ago.
Still reporting the same 70% as last time and still working within 1s of triggering the HomeAssitant “PRESS” trigger
So, it looks like quite possibly like the reason for the battery draining of the Fingerbot and would match up with @PlusPlus-ua findings about a stable connection required:
“stable BLE connection doesn’t drain a battery. Unstable connection, when BLE device has to often reconnect”
I don’t have a Bluetooth-Proxy next to the Fingerbot but my Raspberry Pi 4B is about 10 meters from it. I fear the battery will run out by this week end. Is a BT-Proxy necessary and how close should it be? Or is it an integration issue that is constantly interrogating the Fingerbot? @PlusPlus-ua?
For your information everyone, @MarkWattTech just released a new video about the new Fingerbot Sense with integrated Zigbee. Available on Aliexpress. If the battery drain issue cannot be solved, maybe the Zigbee version will be the best option…
@donparlor: How strange. There is another thing that I did in my setup after having move the ESPHOME proxy to a permanent USB supply and that is removing the Tuya Cloud integration - Just in case.
My FingerBot maintained the 70% capacity that was last registered when I was concerned about the battery drain…and it still works straight away…
I have added two more Fingerbots this morning and both are currently still showing 100% -
How many active connections can you have out of the raspi+BT le ? dongle ? IS it possible that the raspi handles other active BT connections and drops the one with the Fingerbot ? Which might trigger the Bot to start some “draining activities” ?
For example ESPHOME ble-proxy can handle x3 active connections concurrently.
More than that and you need to bring in another ESP32 ble-proxy.
Thanks for the pointer to the Zigbeee version - It is twice the price that I paid for the ble version though…And ESP32 d1 mini in a 3d printing case running esphome ble-proxy works out ot be $5 approx and would support x3 ble-Fingerbot.
