When did I change the batteries in my sensors?

Last month I learned about the integration which helps track battery change status in various devices connected to #homeassistant.

Today I finally had some time to install #HACS integration (source) called ‘Battery Notes‘ which was written by Andrew.

After the installation and HA restart, it automatically found my #Aqara battery devices (#Zigbee buttons, magnetic door sensors, temperature and humidity):

These devices now have 3 new entities: Battery replaced (date), Last replaced (time since replacement), and Battery Type (e. g. CR….).

The status of the battery’s last replacement is shown like this:

… and the type of the battery like this:

This integration is surely useful because I always forget what type of CR…. batteries should I buy.

I just hope I will remember to press ‘battery replaced’ in HA when changing the batteries.*

*Update 1: The author suggests the following automation: If the battery is 100%, then update ‘Last replaced’. Sounds good.

But unfortunately, my Aqara sensors report 100% battery all the time. Maybe some other sensors (that report battery correctly) could benefit from this automation idea.

Comments

8 responses to “When did I change the batteries in my sensors?”

trusty flxtr 🧠📯

2024-01-03

@tomi

Author is on :mastodon: -> @codechimp
1. Tomi the Slav and 1024 others
  
  2024-01-05
  
  @flxtr @tomi @codechimp Oh great, will update the post with a reference to the author.
Andrew

2024-01-03

@tomi Thanks for the post and glad you like the integration. You could write an automation that when batteries go from low % to 100% they call the battery changed service to automatically mark them as changed.
Some devices glitch on their battery levels so I’ve not added this as part of the integration but may think about an include/exclude list for this later.
1. kaybeeque
  
  2024-01-04
  
  @codechimp @tomi this is a great integration. Thank you! 👍
  
  Just finished setting up 11 devices (half auto-discovered) and have about 10 to go. It's great to be able to record this info in a logical place.
  
  Re: low % to 100% auto-press, I would suggest an upper of maybe 90% instead. I've noticed that some of my devices don't get a 'full tank' on a battery change.
2. Tomi the Slav and 1024 others
  
  2024-01-05
  
  @codechimp @tomi Thank you for this painless integration and for the automation tip!
  Regarding the battery status: I think my Aqara sensors don't report % correctly (they've been 100% for ages).
  
  I like to write about stuff I learn about HA, because of 2 reasons: 1. I forget things and 2. maybe I'll help someone who is on a similar amateur level.
  1. Andrew
    
    2024-01-05
    
    @po3mah @tomi I got a lot of new Aqara motion sensors about a year ago and all showing 100% still, some others are showing less so maybe they drop a big percentage very quickly.
    1. Tomi the Slav and 1024 others
      
      2024-01-05
      
      @codechimp @tomi
      Similar. See for example this door sensor: it keeps oscillating between 90-97% 🙂 I think it's drunk.
      1. Andrew
        
        2024-01-05
        
        @po3mah @tomi I think temperatures seem to have a lot to do with the % reported, I have one in my garage and that drops and rises again overnight.

When did I change the batteries in my sensors?

Comments

8 responses to “When did I change the batteries in my sensors?”

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