Major automation overhaul - need advice!

I prefer the option of 'remote' control as opposed to automation. Horses/courses.

The remotes are cack. Custom all the way to achieve what you want. Either strategically placed tablets, else here's a work-in-progress.

Cheap buttons. 12v power. Controllable leds (colour too). Nodemcu/konnected.

If you've set up an 10-based system, and you're interested and actually want to put the effort it (again), hubitat is your adult version of a kids playground.

Welcome.

I think there's a fork that does, but you're right -- the main app is driven by humidity changes within a band.

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That looks like something straight out of Space 1999

Red Alert Computers GIF by GerryAndersonTV

As far as your master controller concern the Stream Deck or a scene controller like a Zooz Zen 32 may be your best option. The Zen32 has 5 buttons but recognizes multi-tap. So i believe it can act as up to 25 buttons.

One thing I want to bring up just so it isn't over looked is that the HE is a very power device when it comes to its programing abilities, but it is a quad core ARM based system. Coming from a PC setup it could be easy to overlook that and get caught with cpu resource issues. Always try to create actions based on events if possible. I know sometimes it is easier to have something run every 5-10 seconds, but that can create resource issues if it happens to much.

I would also urge you to automate were it makes sense. If something is extreamly predictable it may make sense to simply allow it to happen by hubitat.

It is also good to not lock yourself into a single connectivity technology. Like a few others have mentioned I have zigbee, zwave, and Lan devices. I have mostly Zwave though. Always remember to build the mesh of the technologies you are using as well. A bunch of battery powered devices may come back to bite you later if the mesh is non existant or weak.

I would also suggest you look at repurposing that PC or getting a raspberry pi to provide a seconday server setup. Many folks here run Home Assistant or Node-Red to provide some ancillary service that may not be native to Hubitat. Don't be intimidated by Node-Red as it may look complicated but once you get the hang of it, it isn't to bad. I have used it at times for things and there is a great number of folks here that can provide advise as needed. There is also a flow sharing thread as well.

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Cheap way of having dumb controls. Thats for my central heating, multi zone.

If you move to the desert then you don’t have to worry about automating an exhaust fan. Just leave it off all year round. :grin:

That’s sound advice.

I’ve ended up with two cron based routines. One rule machine rule that runs every two minutes and simply turns on a dummy light. This keeps a MiLight controller from going to sleep. When I first set it up it would take two or three seconds for the lights to come on. Some day I should look at the code on the controller and keep it from sleeping internally.

The other is a custom app that runs every minute to check some schedules, settings, and the current mode. It then sets values for color temperature and a few RGB scenes. Then my lights can use the values when triggered. It gives me a nice circadian rhyme on the white lights during the day and keeps the lights synchronized. It is subtle enough that you don’t notice the change.

Granted neither of those are doing any heavy lifting but they will eventually move to a hub dedicated to some apps and a few oddball devices. I have seen some community apps tax the system but luckily nothing I’ve ended up implementing.

I wouldn't mind moving there, but my wife doesn't wanna leave Pittsburgh lol....(Though to be fair, Pittsburgh is kinda awesome)