Wink Automation in Hubitat

I hate to mention this but if you like to tinker a bit there is a way for all your hubitat devices to show up in Apple HomeKit.

This requires the use of separate server (like a Raspberry PI), an app called HomeBridge, and an HE app called "Homebridge Plug-in"

Unfortunately you cannot do the reverse - expose HomeKit devices to HE.. but it works very well otherwise.

Just thought I'd mention it if you had any interest!!!

:grinning:

edit: Also the HomePod Mini makes a great Apple Home Hub and is the (or one of the) cheapest Apple gizmo(s) out there right now.

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@Hubirat - to add to @erktrek's suggestion. There's even a pre-packaged version of Homebridge that can be purchased as a hardware device called "HOOBS". HOOBS is also available as a download that can be run on any RPi.

As an iPhone guy, I use HomeBridge to bring all my Hubitat devices into the Apple ecosphere. And on the rare occasion I need to directly control a Hubitat device, I just use the Home app.

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I'll check it out! Thanks!

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This is what Hubitat devices can look like in a room in the Home app

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Oh... that's pretty sexy... :heart:

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With zero effort. All it took was to get HomeBridge up and running and connected to Hubitat. The devices appear automatically in the Home app, and you can put them into rooms.

I am using an Apple TV4 as my Home hub, but I agree with @erktrek - the HomePod mini is the cheapest way to go.

There are two Hubitat integrations to get devices into HomeBridge (or HOOBS). I'm using the one by @dan.t - it is super simple to setup.

And there's a lot of us using his integration for a long time - so plenty of help if you need any.

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Welcome @Hubirat!

@erktrek and @aaiyar are correct about ways to stand up HomeBridge. It does make things slick for getting to/from Homekit.

You can pass states from Homekit to HE by setting up virtual devices in HE to mirror the Homekit ones you want to see in HE. You will have to create the necessary automations in Homekit to pass the Homekit device state through.

If you setup HomeBridge you can connect your MyQ garage door opener by adding a MyQ Bridge. It connects MyQ to Homekit. That's what I've done, and it works well.

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You have successfully taken the ‘gateway drug’ for true home automation. :slight_smile:

Most of us here tend to spend WAY more on automation now than we did with Wink, not because we have to, but because of the nearly limitless possibilities and fun you can have.

A few months after I got my Hubitat, I got a Pi and setup Homebridge/HomeKit. Then I set up a PiHole since I already had the Pi... then, anytime I faced a minor annoyance in my house I thought ‘I bet I could automate that...’ and now I have 150 devices.

Hubitat is dangerous, because of how much it empowers you. 1 smart outlet is $30, not too bad... 20 outlets over 2 years adds up, but you won’t realize it till you one day hit a point where you’ve automated all the things. And then the system just works. Then you almost start to miss the process of setting up and tinkering with things... getting excited at the rare times when you think of a new application for automation and get a new smart plug, etc.

This is when you’ll think back to Wink and realize it was a really great interface for turning on and off things from your phone along with some basic automation. That’s when you’ll wonder how you got by with just Wink before you had Hubitat :slight_smile:

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This.

I live alone - my most recent automation is a "deadman switch" - to automatically notify a few people if there's been no sign of life in my house for 12 hours, by virtue of monitoring state changes for things that require human intervention (eg. motion active, getting out of bed, opening/closing doors, raising/lowering toilet seat, turning TVs on/off, opening/closing fridge, using the kitchen garbage can, etc. etc).

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That is a really good idea.

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I think I'm so locked in the "Wink On/Off" level of automation that I'm struggling with the bigger picture that I know HE can bring. I have some Wyze cams and I'm fine they're in their own app. I have a home security system with it's own app and again, I'm Ok with that. I'm in the What else can I do? phase.

I think I need a "Here's a cool thing I did with HE!" section of the forum! :joy:

Hubirat :rat:

You mean something like this? :grinning:

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Like this?

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I would almost argue its the mundane, day to day stuff you can automate that makes it great.
Stuff like:

  • Controlling exterior lights based on lux and other things.
  • Dimming/Brightening lights based on lux..
  • Lights turning on when you go into a room then turning off after a period of no motion.
  • Bathroom Fans automatically coming on for 5 mins after a light is turned off.
  • Turning lights off that have been left on for an extended length of time.
  • Simulating occupancy when you are away.
  • Alerting you to leaks and being able to shut off the water main if necessary.
  • Garage door control..

etc etc etc...

edit: I do not mean to imply that the Wink "can't" do most of these... just that it will likely be more reliable/faster using HE.

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This right here. You can’t do this with Wink and have good results because of the 3-4 second delay between a motion sensor and a light turning on.

With Hubitat, get an inexpensive Zigbee motion sensor. (Out of stock on Amazon but you can likely find them on eBay or elsewhere. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXPGXQ1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KFQJ1RYRDWXA4HSTXT5G?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 )

Make a rule based on motion to turn on lights when you enter a room, and they come on in 0.2ms. Faster than you can reach for a light switch. After a while you’ll have your house full of these motion sensors and never touch another switch. Then you’ll go on vacation and your spouse will be thoroughly confused as to why the lights in the hotel bathroom don’t automatically turn on because of how used to automation you’ve become...

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Don't worry, it can't.

:grin:

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Ok, this is a great list.

What jumps out:

  • Dimming/Brightening lights based on lux.. AND "controlling lights based on lux" jumps out at me. Where's that tutorial!??!
  • Also the fan bit. I think I'd want a "turn off after being on for 10 mins" or something like that. Is that as simple as getting a wall switch and then watching for On/Off and IF On for 10 min THEN turn Off?
  • Simulating occupancy when you are away is cool, but who's away much these days. Thanks 'Rona! :wink: I should do this tho, I'll be away in April....
  • "Alerting you to leaks and being able to shut off the water main if necessary" Wait, wut? :flushed: Turn off the Main automagically??
  • "Lights turning on when you go into a room then turning off after a period of no motion." I'm going to do this one today, I hope....

Thanks @erktrek!

Hubirat :rat:

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Planning on doing this today in my garage!

I'm curious, you mention Zigbee vs. Z-wave. Do you prefer Zigbee over Z-wave? The motion sensor I bought is z-wave... I've always just figured they were equivalent, are they not? Note: the 20 odd wall switches/dimmers I have are all z-wave so I figured I just keep riding that wave :ocean: considering the mesh network and all.

Thanks,
Hubirat :rat:

You can use illuminance as a trigger or condition.

Yup.

Yup. There are several controlled water valves that work with Hubitat. Here's the zigbee one that I use:

https://shopleaksmart.com/collections/leak-detector-products/products/protect-by-leaksmart-shut-off-valve

For this particular one, you need only the valve - it pairs directly to Hubitat (also worked with Wink!). You don't need their WiFi-zigbee gateway/hub.

There are many z-wave models.

I have a total of ~15 z-wave/zigbee leak sensors in my house. And an automation that notifies me as well as turns the valve off if there's a leak. It is also super-convenient to just tell Alexa to shut the main valve when I need to do any plumbing maintenance.

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Let me add a few of my favorite automations to that list:

  • I have CT bulbs in my nightstand lamp. When I wake up, I gradually increase the level, while simultaneously raising the CT from 2000K to 5000K. It really simulates a sunrise, and I love it. At night, I do the opposite. As the light gets warmer, I start feeling drowsy.
  • When I wake up, I have my bedroom Sonos speakers play the news with the volume gradually increasing from 0 to 30 over 30 minutes. And this going on while the nightstand lamp is getting "bluer" and the level is rising.
  • When I go to bed, I have classical piano playing that gradually decreases in volume as the lamp gets "redder", and then turns off completely about 10 minutes after the lamp goes off.
  • When my TVs come on, I have bias-lighting at 6500K come on automatically, and go off when the TV goes off. At the time, other lights are changed in intensity or turned off. When the TV goes off, all the lights are restored to their previous state, unless the house is already in sleep mode.
  • When the HVAC comes on, to compensate for the noise of air coming out of the supply registers, the living room sonos sound bar increases in volume and then decreases when the HVAC goes off.
  • When the door bell rings, my TVs are paused automatically (if they're on), and I get a phone notification.

Lot a little things like that which make life easier!

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