Wireless Outside Temperature sensor suggestion?

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SpookyAwol

594 posts

Ultimate Geek

#295933 6-May-2022 12:45

Can anyone recommend a (cheap) outside temp sensor that I can integrate wireless / zigbee with HA?
Currently just using a xiaomi temperature humidity sensor which is bluetooth.
It works fine, and its out of the weather but obviously with no IP rating, not sure how long for.

mattenz

190 posts

Master Geek

#2910976 6-May-2022 13:11

I just hiffed one of the AUBESS Zigbee ones off Aliexpress under the eave, but then you could probably do that with the Xiaomi!

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kyhwana2

2553 posts

Uber Geek

#2910978 6-May-2022 13:15

If you have a spare rtl-sdr lying around, you can use rtl_433 and sniff any neighbours wireless weather stations ;)

timmmay

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#2910987 6-May-2022 13:36

I use the HA Open Weather Map integration. It's fairly close to the actual temperature outside, not always perfect but within 2-3 degrees.

richms

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#2910988 6-May-2022 13:40

I was using some fine offset outdoor sensors, and for receiver an arduino with a 433MHz receiver on it which put it out serial to the computer.

Gave up because 433MHz is a trashfire band that makes 2.4GHz look clean and it was missing more than it got. So bad that the actual receiver for the weather station would give up and lose sync with when the sensors transmitted.

Apparently the SDR reception solutions deal with the crapness of the band much better than the simple $1.50 receiver boards, but I never bothered to do that, ended up just using the data that the tuya app gets and its rules to turn things on when it was getting cold. That seems to work fine and was easier.

Richard rich.ms

kobiak

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#2910991 6-May-2022 13:42

I attached xiaomi sensor to the bottom of $1 container and placed it upside down outside under the deck. 4+ yrs. Replaced battery twice in that time frame. No issues :)

helping others at evgenyk.nz

SpookyAwol

594 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2911083 6-May-2022 15:57

kobiak:

I attached xiaomi sensor to the bottom of $1 container and placed it upside down outside under the deck. 4+ yrs. Replaced battery twice in that time frame. No issues :)

Ha, then perhaps I have nothing to worry about then. Mines just under the eaves, but they arent exactly a sealed unit

eonsim

261 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2911162 6-May-2022 19:58

SpookyAwol:

kobiak:

I attached xiaomi sensor to the bottom of $1 container and placed it upside down outside under the deck. 4+ yrs. Replaced battery twice in that time frame. No issues :)

Ha, then perhaps I have nothing to worry about then. Mines just under the eaves, but they arent exactly a sealed unit

I've also got one up under the eaves, been there a couple of years without issue. You can also extend the range by using a ESP32 in bluetooth monitoring mode and send the data back via Wifi if you want to position it further away from the Home assistant host.

MaxineN

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#2911164 6-May-2022 20:06

SpookyAwol:

kobiak:

I attached xiaomi sensor to the bottom of $1 container and placed it upside down outside under the deck. 4+ yrs. Replaced battery twice in that time frame. No issues :)

Ha, then perhaps I have nothing to worry about then. Mines just under the eaves, but they arent exactly a sealed unit

I too have a few of the Xiaomi temp sensors. One's in the bathroom, one's outside on our balcony and the other inside my office.

None of them have ever presented issues. Only had to replace the battery on the balcony and the office one(they're the older ones).

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

Opinions are my own. They don't represent my employer.

mattenz

190 posts

Master Geek

#2911165 6-May-2022 20:34

timmmay:

I use the HA Open Weather Map integration. It's fairly close to the actual temperature outside, not always perfect but within 2-3 degrees.

I find that it is more extreme than the measured temperature, but then the probe is attached to the house, which might tend to dampen it.

neb

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#2911194 6-May-2022 23:06

I've got a YoLink LoRaWAN one that I use to check the temp+humidity down by the basement as opposed to the weather station up in free air, runs for about a year off AAs and once set up just works.