Using internal: true, esp32 still transmits every update

ESPHome
1

I’m using the esp32 hall sensor to count pedal rotations on a stationary bike. To catch the passing pedal, I need to set the update_interval fairly high. But that ends up sending a ton of network traffic unnecessarily when I only need the hall sensor spikes to be noted.

My plan is to ultimately use a template binary sensor to only trigger when the hall_sensor spikes. From what I understand, setting the actual hall sensor to internal: true should keep it from transmitting updates.

sensor:
  - platform: esp32_hall
    id: pedal_hall_sensor 
    update_interval: 0.1s 
    internal: true

But the Tx light still flashes for every update and the log say it’s sending a value every update:

[15:22:26][D][esp32_hall:016]: 'pedal_hall_sensor': Got reading 125 µT
[15:22:26][D][sensor:125]: 'pedal_hall_sensor': Sending state 124.54213 µT with 1 decimals of accuracy

Am I misunderstanding internal true? Is there another way to keep updates local to the esp? Thanks!

2

Maybe I’m missing something but:

Is not the same.
But internal is only that it doesn’t create an entity in HA as far as I know, not sure if that means hide it from the debug window also.

3

Sorry about that, I had edited the name in the code (for a clearer question) and missed it in the logs. I’ll fix the post. They do match in reality.

So internal just doesn’t a home assistant entity, but am I right to think every time the tx led flashes it’s transmitting an update?

4

I think you can look at throttle and delta sensor filters if you want to maintain high resolution on the device but limit traffic to Home Assistant?

Although I guess you probably want to convert the spikes to a binary sensor in ESPHome and then process that further?

With internal IIRC you’ll still see logs, but data is not sent to HA

1 Like
5

Thanks! I will look into that.

Maybe I’m taking the tx led on the esp32 too literally? Even when I have internal: true set, the tx led still flashes to whatever update_interval I have set.

6

Reading the provisos on the ESP32 hall sensor I would think that this is probably not a good use case for it anyway. Wouldn’t you be better off using an external sensor and the pulse_counter sensor component?

1 Like
7

After monkeying around with the internal sensor for awhile now, I think you are probably right about the external sensor. Probably would be a better signal and more options for positioning.