187 Automations, 300 Devices: Josh’s Smart Home Assistant Journey

Josh from Josh’s Smart Home joins Phil and Rohan to unpack a 300-device Home Assistant setup running on Home Assistant Green. We dive into the move from SmartThings, building a reliable Zigbee mesh, energy automations with Tesla Powerwall and a smart pool pump and theatre room presence.Watch this episode on YouTubeShow notes for this episode are available at https://homeassistant.fm/HA215Support the PodcastGet early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon.https://homeassistant.fm/patreonShare your storyWe wouldn't be able to do this podcast without community members and home automation enthusiasts sharing their stories. To register your interest to come share your home automation journey, head over to homeassistant.fm and click share your story.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:01:22 - Meet Josh00:02:18 - Early smart home missteps00:04:12 - SmartThings and Lutron00:05:54 - WebCoRE ends, HA begins00:09:29 - Home Assistant Green setup00:09:34 - Zigbee mesh with Aqara00:12:55 - Theater gear quirks00:14:18 - Theater automation philosophy00:22:02 - Time-of-use energy automations00:23:00 - Powerwall + solar in HA00:26:31 - ROI and arbitrage00:28:28 - Tesla automations00:32:42 - Dashboards and voice control00:37:19 - Washer/dryer and doorbell alerts00:40:37 - 187 automations, time saved00:44:20 - Motion and humidity control00:48:56 - Measuring automation impact00:50:02 - Smart blinds convenience00:50:19 - Yarbo mower and snowblower00:58:43 - Security and utility uses01:06:59 - Starting Josh’s Smart Home01:10:27 - Automation content plans01:12:45 - Top new-build tips01:15:56 - Designing and building01:21:26 - Where to find JoshThis episode was made possible thanks to our sponsorsHome Assistant Cloud by Nabu CasaEasily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.ZoozIf you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.For the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to https://thesmartesthouse.comProducts DiscussedReolink Video Doorbell: https://amzn.to/4a7LIIdApple TV 4K: https://amzn.to/4prsT7nNarwal robot vacuum and mop: https://amzn.to/3KgSaSKUV insect light traps: https://amzn.to/484CNEYYarbo robotic core with mower/snow modules: https://amzn.to/3LOtOQVHostsPhil HawthorneWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @philhawthorneBluesky: @philhawthorne.comBuy Phil a CoffeeRohan KaramandiWebsiteSmart Home ProductsTwitter: @rohank9Buy Rohan a CoffeeThis podcast contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on one of them and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy