🚨 Zigbee Battery-Powered Presence Sensor with Home Assistant
Until now, presence sensors (mmWave radar) had one major drawback: they always needed to be plugged in. But that has changed. In this article, we take a look at the new wireless Zigbee presence sensor, a device you can place anywhere without worrying about cables, and one that integrates seamlessly with Home Assistant.
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Video🧐 Why a Presence Sensor Instead of a Motion Sensor?
If you’ve ever been left in the dark in the bathroom or on the sofa because the motion sensor stopped detecting you when you stayed still, you need a presence sensor.
- Motion Sensor (PIR): Detects heat changes from movement. If you stay still, you "disappear".
- Presence Sensor (24G Radar): Detects micro-movements, such as breathing, keeping the light on while you’re in the room.
⚙️ Home Assistant Integration with Zigbee2MQTT
This sensor is fully compatible with Zigbee2MQTT. Once integrated, you’ll have access to key entities such as:
- Presence: Indicates whether someone is there (binary).
- Illuminance: Light level in lux (ideal for avoiding turning lights on when it’s sunny).
- Sensitivity settings: Adjust the radar range to avoid false positives.
⚠️ EXPERT TIP: To maximize battery life, set the detection mode to "PIR Only" if you don’t have issues with false positives. Using both modes (PIR + Radar) all the time will drain the battery much faster.
For native operation in Tuya / Smartlife, it needs Zigbee Hub (for Tuya/SmartLife)
💡 Improving Your Automations
The real magic happens when we combine this sensor with the logic of Home Assistant. In the video, I show you how to improve an existing automation:
- Fast trigger: We use the PIR sensor so the light turns on instantly.
- Keep-alive: We use the presence radar so the light does NOT turn off while you’re still there, even if you’re reading or watching TV without moving.
What do you think of this sensor? Personally, I think it breaks one of the biggest barriers in today’s home automation. Leave your questions in the comments!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, you support my content at no extra cost to you. Thanks, HectorziN!
Where to buy
If you are interested in any of the options mentioned, here are the available links:
- MOES ZSS-HP05-A-MS — Reviewed in the video: Official store · Amazon · AliExpress
- Tuya mmWave Human Presence Sensor Zigbee/WiFi (Con cable): Aliexpress
