MiJia Honeywell Smoke Detector As Alarm?

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1

I just recieved 6 of the MiJia Honeywell Smoke Detectors. They pair up nicely for me.. :slight_smile:

The question is, can I trigger the alarm in the device via a button or a motion sensor for ex? And how is it done if possible??

Thanks Kasper.

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Battery powered devices can't usually be remotely triggered (locks being the exception). They can only inform the HE hub that smoke has been detected.

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I ported the Xiaomi MiJia Honeywell Smoke Detector driver, and can tell you from all my research there is no way to trigger the alarm by sending commands from a hub.

The only thing that can be done is to send a "test" command that makes the smoke detector beep once, and since the beep is not loud at all, it's not very useful.

Please note that I am working on a new driver for the Xiaomi MiJia Honeywell Gas Detector and based on this experience will be greatly improving the driver for the Smoke Detector.

Stay tuned to this thread for an announcement when I release that new Smoke Detector driver:

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4

This would be perfect to use for my fridge contact sensor. I'll try testing with looping the test command. The command seems to work with a bit of a delay but there's no queue that can grow that I can tell,

5

You mean to notify that the frigid or freezer door is open? I just setup up a simple Rule and TTS message that says “Please close the refrigerator door” after 1 min delay with cancel on truth change.

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Yes. But for that I have to set up either a raspberry pi to run node.js service for Amazon auth, or run it in the cloud (which actually might not be that bad).

This would be more proper "thing-oriented" set-up. I'll be getting a chromecast audio soon as well, so it might be a moot point.

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Everything you do with Amazon Echo and Google Home is cloud. There is no avoiding that, no matter how many pieces you add to the puzzle. But you don't need a Raspberry Pi just for notifications on either Amazon Echo or Google Home.

For Echo, you simply use this code from @cwwilson08. It simulates a motion sensor closing in the Alexa app, but in HE Rule Machine, you are telling it to turn on a switch.

metadata {
	definition (name: "Virtual motion with Switch", namespace: "cw", author: "cwwilson08") {
		capability "Sensor"
		capability "Motion Sensor"
        capability "Switch"
	}   
}

def on() {
    sendEvent(name: "motion", value: "active")
    sendEvent(name: "switch", value: "on")
    runIn(12, off)
}

def off() {
    sendEvent(name: "motion", value: "inactive")
    sendEvent(name: "switch", value: "off")
}

def installed() {
}

Then setup a rule that closes this virtual switch when the contact opens. In the Alexa app, it will think a motion sensor is active, and you setup an Alexa routine. When that motion sensor is active, speak your custom message.

For Google Home, you can simply use the Chromecast Integration (beta), and have your rule send the message to Google Home when the contact opens.

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I thought about that idea, and for the time being that actually seems nice. I haven't stumbled upon the code you posted, so thanks for that.

However, I think it might not be flexible enough in the long run, since it only involves Alexa TTS. More complex solutions enable you (at least what I concluded looking around) playing specific files, not only TTS. But it might be a totally moot point, and I don't end up using it :slight_smile:

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Correct. You get TTS only. That's all I use. You can get more flexibility TTS as well as sound with Google Home, but you'll get a tone before the sound files, which I don't like. Some say they also don't get consistent results with the Chromecast Integration (beta). I use both assistants, but Google is primarily for TTS as this time. I also use Castweb API for the Google Assistant because I like the official Google voice, and that is possible with Castweb API, aside from other benefits it offers. However it does require you setup a Raspberry PI or other computer that is always on. For me this was no big deal, since I already have an always on computer that runs Node.js for several other applications. I use the Chomecast Integration (beta) just for setting the volume level on Chromecast devices, because it works well for that, whereas Castweb API for some reason does not work.

In general, I prefer Alexa for home automation. They just do a much better job of it than Google does. This is primarily why I prefer Alexa for TTS, besides it just sounding better to us, and my family is more comfortable with Alexa.