Home Assistant : Q&A, Tips & Tricks, Your Configs

[Priapus]

Is it on constant charge? I have read that it can cause issues with the batteries after a while. Some people put the charger on a smart switch to keep the battery between 40-60% or similar.

In this application; I think battery performance isn't relevant. I'd just have it charged all the time.

 

[TedLasso]

I am gonna retrofit two old iPads to do the same . iPad Retina and the original iPad Air. May use a more modern frame though

 

[furpile]

Yeh, its on all the time - not really interested in the battery as it never comes off the wall.

In this application; I think battery performance isn't relevant. I'd just have it charged all the time.

Sorry, not about affecting battery life. Some people say the battery gets swollen and could start a fire. Probably not really a concern though.

 

[w1tw0lf]

Busy playing around with something similar. Using a cheap android tablet. The tablet performance well, but when using in kiosk mode via fully kiosk browser it becomes horrible slow. Tried wallpanel, which seems bit better now.

From what I read, they all use android webviewer which is the issue.

 

[Tinuva]

Sorry, not about affecting battery life. Some people say the battery gets swollen and could start a fire. Probably not really a concern though.

Can confirm, this happened to my laptop battery since WFH and just leaving it on the charger 24/7. Had to get a new laptop, not cheap when it is a macbook. Lucky for me, I was due for a new laptop anyways.

So now, there is a smart plug that turns off when the alarm turns on in the evening and back on in the morning. Also have a usb adapter connected that keeps it semi alive and drain some battery during the evening while charger is off.

When I didn't WFH, laptop was disconnected each evening and left in a laptop back over night.

 

[Veroland]

Busy playing around with something similar. Using a cheap android tablet. The tablet performance well, but when using in kiosk mode via fully kiosk browser it becomes horrible slow. Tried wallpanel, which seems bit better now.

From what I read, they all use android webviewer which is the issue.

I used a 10 inch touch screen hooked up to a pi3. I first tried a pi zero but chrome was killing that one.

 

[w1tw0lf]

Nice. That's my idea as well. Got the tablet for free, so thought I might use it.

 

[calypso]

Yeh, its on all the time - not really interested in the battery as it never comes off the wall.

The probably is, constant charge at 100% is terrible for lithium batteries. It still start to blow up in under a year which will damage the screen
Just get one of those elcheapo timer swtches and figure out what just over the min it needs to charge a day to keep going so it spends less time at 100%.

Sure you could be more fancy and put the charger behind a sonoff/HA with high/low rules for the battery, but I don't think it's with the effort.

 

[xrapidx]

The probably is, constant charge at 100% is terrible for lithium batteries. It still start to blow up in under a year which will damage the screen
Just get one of those elcheapo timer swtches and figure out what just over the min it needs to charge a day to keep going so it spends less time at 100%.

Sure you could be more fancy and put the charger behind a sonoff/HA with high/low rules for the battery, but I don't think it's with the effort.

It must of missed the memo - its been up for 4/5 years.

 

[deesef]

Is it on constant charge? I have read that it can cause issues with the batteries after a while. Some people put the charger on a smart switch to keep the battery between 40-60% or similar.

Yeh, its on all the time - not really interested in the battery as it never comes off the wall.

My android tablet is powered via a smart switch. When the battery drains to 30%, it starts charging. 5 minutes after reaching 100%, charging is switched off.

Rather safe than sorry...

 

[Tinuva]

Check this zigbee hub

ZigStar LAN Gateway - ZigStar

ZigStar LAN Gateway (CC2652P Zigbee Coordinator) Design Files and Description, working with Zigbee2Mqtt (Z2M) and ZHA

zig-star.com

 

[gbyleveldt]

Check this zigbee hub

ZigStar LAN Gateway - ZigStar

ZigStar LAN Gateway (CC2652P Zigbee Coordinator) Design Files and Description, working with Zigbee2Mqtt (Z2M) and ZHA

zig-star.com

Pity no one locally sells the CC2652 type devices. It’s cheap though

 

[Veroland]

Pity no one locally sells the CC2652 type devices. It’s cheap though

I really searched but could not find any CC2652. I ended up flashing tasmota onto a sonoff ZB bridge and using ZHA.

I must say it is work better than my CC2531 did.

 

[gbyleveldt]

I really searched but could not find any CC2652. I ended up flashing tasmota onto a sonoff ZB bridge and using ZHA.

I must say it is work better than my CC2531 did.

Ah, that’s great news. I also have one of those bridges on the way, hoping to improve the cc2531 dongle I have now.

Did you take any precautions as far as channel separation goes between WiFi and zigbee?

 

[Tinuva]

Btw, Loki logs in Grafana is pretty awesome too. Only started playing around with it now.

Here is my HA logs.



Can create graphs based on errors/warnings etc and then set up alerts. Also can just create a logs pane to make it easily viewable.

 

[Veroland]

Did you take any precautions as far as channel separation goes between WiFi and zigbee?

No I haven't, I have not had the same issues as I have had with the CC2531. I have 3 extenders on the network and it seems my devices are balanced nicely between them.

I just had some issues when pairing where I had to have the end devices close to a extenders or bridge.

 

[gbyleveldt]

No I haven't, I have not had the same issues as I have had with the CC2531. I have 3 extenders on the network and it seems my devices are balanced nicely between them.

I just had some issues when pairing where I had to have the end devices close to a extenders or bridge.

Ok great, that's good news thank you. Do you use ZHA or zigbee2mqtt?

 

[Veroland]

Ok great, that's good news thank you. Do you use ZHA or zigbee2mqtt?

ZHA, I don't think you can use zigbee2mqtt as the sonoff bridge uses wifi to connect.

 

[xrapidx]

What is the general range of zigbee devices? I want to get 5 thermostat / humidity sensors for a couple of rooms (ensuite, main bedroom, kids bedroom 1 + 2, kids bathroom) - the rooms are all near each other.

 

[Veroland]

general range of zigbee devices? I want to get 5 thermostat / humidity sensors for a couple of rooms (ensuite, main bedroom, kids bedroom 1 + 2, kids bathroom) - the rooms are all near each other.

It is supposed to be 10m at least but it depends on your coordinator as well, and then line of sight, walls, wifi etc.

I ended up having a couple of sonoff ZBR3's around the place and have coverage over a fairly big area in my house.