I’m planning AC installation in my new flat (multi split with 3 units per each room), and I can’t decide what company should I choose from. I assume all major players create AC which simply works in terms of cooling/heating capabilities, but since I plan on adding automation that works locally (privacy and performance concerns), it’s important to me to pick the brand that simply works with HA.
The problem is, it’s not that obvious in 2022.
I’ve checked the following companies so far:
Daikin - they closed their local API and you need to go through their cloud (Daikin AC - Home Assistant)
Samsung - HA officially supports SmartThings, but I’d like my home automation to work on LAN, and SmartThings is Samsung’s cloud if I understand it correctly. There are some custom integration with Samsung AC’s (i.e.GitHub - SebuZet/samsungrac: Home Assistant Climate Device for controlling (not only) Samsung AC), however I’m not sure if Samsung’s newer models produced in 2021/2022 will not remove it (as there are some concerning issues reported in SebuZet’s library Issues section).
Can you recommend what AC provider (from the ones that are proven on the market - like LG, Mitsubishi, etc.) integrates with HA well? Or if newer Samsung units keep on exposing local API?
You won’t find a lot of manufacturers that openly advertise a “local API”. Even the ones that do have that feature, won’t give support, at least I don’t know of any of them.
But, you can check this list, for known working models, that are based on Midea:
As you can see, there are numerous manufacturers that re-brand the Midea units with their name and these work totally local if you use an ESPHome based connection.
I recently purchased a GE window A/C unit, and after configuring the WiFi, it was recognized by the HomeKit integration in Home Assistant. As I understand it, this GE unit is manufactured by Haier.
I really doubt that you will find any manufacturers who will have a local API. More IOT manufacturers are going to a cloud-only control because it reduces their support costs. It’s hard enough to get support personnel who can read the manual, let alone know what an API is.
But this is not local. It is using the cloud, so no A/C fi the inet is down. But there is a project around, where some people tried (and maybe by now they succeeded) to get Haier A/Cs into a custom_integration with local connection only.
What about ACs that work via HomeKit? If you connect it via the HomeKit controller doesn’t that mean it’s controlled locally? I think Haier can be controlled via HomeKit. I’m still doing my own research and haven’t done this firsthand. Here to learn too.
Hi, I’m very interested to control my AC locally but I can’t find nothing good.
My installer has Haier ACs for install. I will try an integration but works via cloud.
The good thing is that there are ways with an esp32 to control manually. I will test it.
Since this topic has been resurrected, perhaps good to mention I went with Midea in the end (I installed two units in January). The version I got has a dongle that works directly with HA via a custom integration. It’s being actively maintained. There are many brands that whitelabel Midea.
It is using the cloud, so no A/C fi the inet is down. But there is a project around, where some people tried (and maybe by now they succeeded) to get Haier A/Cs into a custom_integration with local connection only.