Folks,
Is it possible? Yo Link temp sensors are incredible. I run them in our commercial kitchen and they report freezers and coolers, no problem. Reports -15F if needed. Really helped us once when the freezer frosted up. Their dashboard is way clunky, but functional. Would love to see Hubitat integration with YoLink devices reporting to the Hubitat dashboard.
Nope. AFAICT, they don’t have an API for access, and their gateway doesn’t have an MQTT client.
Thank you for the replies....too bad. Like I said, their system is very slick. You scan the device/sensor with your phone camera and its paired. I think for remote monitoring of equipment (temp), water leaks, etc....the system is amazing. Push notifications, cloud access. The system saved our inventory already.
If any one is curious.....
I am not sure what I am looking at but is this the API?
Wow, too bad. They are seriously missing out on a huge customer base. Their thermometer sensors, in my opinion, are truly the best. Especially, the range and the temperature range that their units support. I have no trouble in monitoring temperatures through closed, steel commercial freezer boxes.
I agree with you! I have several Yolink devices and they are the most reliable and easiest to setup I've seen. If Hubitat could integrate with them, I would not have the problems I now have dealing with Z-wave that works today and not tomorrow, then works the next day. I even have a Yolink motion detector in my mailbox to tell me when the postman has come.
Just to update this thread looks like they are working on HA integration
Awesome!
I agree completely, HE integration would be great. Sorry for the long post but I am a enthusiastic supporter of both HE and Yolink and would like to see the two integrated. Don’t know if the HE staff could reach out to Yolink directly.
I use Yolink water sensors to control a Bulldog valve as well as Yolink temp/humidity sensors to monitor freezer and refrigerator temps and they work flawlessly with incredible range, much better than my experience with Zigbee and Z-Wave. I also have outdoor Yolink contact sensors that were beyond the range of any of my Zigbee and Z-wave devices. The Yolink LoRa sensors reliably connect to the Yolink Hub through brick walls, refrigerator and freezer metal doors, and out to remote outdoor locations. Not saying that HE should incorporate LoRa, but that it would be great if HE could integrate with Yolink similar to how it integrates with Lutron (which I also use and am extremely happy with, it just works!).
Unfortunately, the only way to “integrate” with HE was to utilize the Alexa integration with Yolink to then connect via virtual devices to HE through the HE/Amazon Echo Skill, thus involving the cloud. Since I have 15 water sensors around the house, I use Alexa to announce which sensor is triggered so I know immediately where to look for the leak if I am at home (along with getting notifications through the Yolink app to my phone and dashboard), and the link to HE via the Amazon Echo Skill allows me to trigger virtual switches which can then trigger additional home automations (flashing lights or changing bulb colors to give a visual indication of a leak).
Although Yolink allows for direct connection between their valve controller, siren and the sensors so that the internet is not needed to control the main water valve controller, if I connect the sensor to the valve controller directly to avoid cloud dependency, I lose the voice announcements (at least I have not figured out a way to have both working at the same.time…local and cloud) as well as my other automations (lights etc).
The best scenario would be if I could keep the local link to control the water valve, while still also maintaining the cloud link so that if my internet connection is good, I will get voice announcements and visual leak indicators (good for WAF), but in the event that the internet happens to be out at the time of a water leak, the main water valve will still be shut off due to the direct link. I just can’t figure out how to keep both local and cloud active at the same time. I’ve contacted Yolink support several times about this but they just keep telling me that I can link the sensor directly with the valve controller (I don’t think they understand that I want to use their local link as well as have cloud access at the same time).
At any rate, HE access to the Yolink API would solve all this. I hope this becomes enabled even if it means having to purchase an upgraded Yolink Hub as suggested in the above mentioned link. Hopefully, someone can convince Yolink that this would open up a huge market for their product. Think about if Yolink LoRa could compete with Zigbee/Z-wave as a local communication protocol with its super reliability and incredible range (supposedly up to 1/4 mile). Due to my HE hub and Yolink hub location in a secured security room, Yolink sensors with their superior range and reliability have worked in situations where my Zigbee devices have failed. In addition, the battery life of my Yolink sensors has been superior to any battery powered Zigbee sensors I have.
The ability to integrate with other ha systems like HE would really open up their potential market. Unfortunately, IMHO, being a relatively small company, Yolink risks fading away like so many other smaller home automation companies if they keep their system a closed system. I hope this does not happen as their implementation of LoRa is vastly superior to Zigbee/Z-wave (again just MHO).
Yup. They could have sold a TON of devices if they would have used LoRaWAN instead of a proprietary LoRa implementation.
Even then, they could have sold a ton of hubs + devices if they would have provided a local API to use for integrations (even if it was just push the data to MQTT, which literally takes minutes to implement on the development side). That would be most of the benefits of LoRaWAN without an expensive hub and complicated setup.
But they did neither, so they will almost certainly die off at some point in the not distant future. I am not optimistic at all about their chances of surviving if they stay on their current path.
Yup,
When will these companies realize that they cannot all be the next Apple (closed system)? Even Apple allowed their OS to operate Windows at one time in response to market forces due to the dominance of MS programs). If Yolink fails to survive, I hope I can still link the valve controller (as the receiver) directly to the sensors locally. Hopefully, they will see the light and continue to try and develop their integration with Home Assistant, then eventually HE.
I guess... But even their HA integration sounds like it is most likely going to be all cloud based. I'm not interested in that at all.
Oh,
I did not realize that. I agree, Not any benefit to cloud integration for me as I can already get it integrated through the cloud with HE via Alexa workaround and virtual devices in HE. Goal for me is to get as much as possible off the cloud, especially with mission critical stuff like my security system, fire and leak detection.
Question:
Can it integrate with ifttt ?
Answer:
Yes, all YoLink will integrate with IFTTT. Currently the YoLink door Sensor, leak Sensor, motion sensor and smart plugs are integrated with IFTTT system. Other YoLink products will be added to IFTTT later.
So that's another path... (although doesn't say temperature yet...)
Thanks Kevin.
IFTTT is certainly another option, but still cloud based, in addition to monthly charges now for more than 3 programs IIRC.
Still hoping for eventual local integration with HE even if thru the Yolink hub, but like JasonJoel, have my doubts this will occur. I have been involved with home automation for around 40 years now (am on the more “mature” end age wise and started with X10 in 1980 and Stargate in the 1990’s and progressed from there) and have witnessed so many companies like Yolink (great technology for the time but shortsighted business strategies) fade away.
I just think that Yolink is missing a great opportunity to move hubs and devices by not opening their API. Several hubs are currently making their way into the marketplace now or are planned, and while several of these companies will also go under, if Yolink leverages their proprietary LoRa technology (having missed the boat by not using LoRaWAN) by exposing their API, they can at least take advantage of these hub companies (including of course HE) for at least as long as these hubs survive the marketplace. In addition, this doesn’t prevent Yolink from continuing to sell their own hub especially to people who like its simple plug and play design and don’t mind cloud dependency. Small consumer home automation companies (and even larger ones) trying to survive with closed proprietary systems just don’t seem to have a good history for survival in my experience.
Guys,
Keep us posted on this thread...to have YoLink temp probes report to the Hubitat Dashboard would be beyond awesome!
I struggled with implementing the canonical "Mail has arrived" detection using Zigbee door contacts or motion detectors with multiple repeaters to reach my mailbox at the curb but couldn't achieve a reliable system; 20 minutes after I unboxed the YoLink hub and door contact (total cost < $50) I basically had it working, integrated with Hubitat and Alexa via IFTTT. Even after moving the hub down to my wiring closet in the basement it was still communicating 75 feet out to the sidewalk through the concrete foundation AND the 16 gauge steel mailbox.
Yup. Range on LoRa sensors is amazing. That's why I can't wait for Zwave LR.
Hi @Eric-YoLink,
Your potential future local integration with HE sounds great and I look forward to the time I can cut the cloud dependence of my YoLink sensors and still integrate with HE without having to go through a cloud interface (using Alexa currently to do this). I am a big fan of YoLink and the LoRa technology with its incredible range and low energy use as well as the quality of your sensors. I believe I have spoken with you for various technical issues over the phone, and although the lag time in responses to your online support portal can be significant (like several weeks sometimes), I understand that you are a small company and resources are limited. Keep forging forwards and I look forward to your future developments (particularly full local control and integration with third party hubs like HE).
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