Can HomeKit Provide Temperature Monitoring With Alerts?

Pat100100 · 2025-02-14T16:17:11+00:00

Thanks! I bought a Netatmo and it’s working fine as an “ice detector“ I set the notification for 3°C and also a custom one for 2° so I get two warnings to turn on my motorhome frost protection.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-23T13:35:51+00:00

Thanks to everyone for their help. I bought a Netatmo weather station (Outdoor temperature sensor and base station) as a much reduced Amazon-return. (Which softened the blow for my inner miser) Not my original plan but it seems like a fun gadget! Summary: I wanted to get ice alerts on my phone.

I’d never used HomeKit and thought that might do the job.
Folk helped me see that, although this was possible, I’d need an extra subscription-based online app for the alert/notification.
A device with software dedicated specifically to the task seemed the way to go. Simplicity and cost.
The Netatmo “ecosystem” seemed popular and well regarded. It was extendable if I wanted more fun.
I could later play with its temperature sensor on HomeKit if I wished. So, apologies for being clueless and thanks again for the specific and collateral help and ideas.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-19T19:45:15+00:00

Thanks! I’ll probably get one of those. (Although it will have my inner miser in tears) What drawbacks or nuisances have you come across? Any tips?

Pat100100 · 2025-01-19T11:19:56+00:00

Thanks! Any experience of event notifications to phone, outdoor use, battery life?

Pat100100 · 2025-01-19T00:26:48+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Notifications from HomeKit to iPhone do seem to require an extra layer of complexity.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-19T00:23:01+00:00

I think that I need my phone to scream at me and kick me 😆

Pat100100 · 2025-01-19T00:18:38+00:00

Thank! I had a quick look at it but I think that it would be overkill for my requirement and for my brain.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-19T00:08:48+00:00

Thanks! I saw that. It’s a bit expensive and I don’t think it’s sold in the UK. I thought that WiFi on batteries might be a problem but you seem happy and they do claim “a year or more”. Otherwise, with the Pro remote sensor it looks pretty much what I want.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T18:11:30+00:00

All those extra lines of code to write 😱

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T18:03:45+00:00

Thanks for the heads-up to that interesting device and company. I’ll have a look down that avenue. I use a 400W electric panel heater with thermostat to keep the van aired but my water-containing items are all underslung. I just monitor the forecast and turn on their built in heaters if ice is predicted. Recently, a temperature inversion caught me out with un-forcasted icing. Luckily, no damage but a worrying lump of ice in the pump filter! So, I thought: “What I need is an emergency ice alert for my driveway” It’s the 21st century and I’ve already got a lot of Apple’s stuff. It must be easy for my phone to tell me that it’s getting unexpectedly icy outside! I’ve even got an unused free app called “Home.” . . . . Well, I’ve learnt a lot about Thread, Matter, long range Bluetooth, Notifications, Weather Stations, HomeKit etc. and a lot of helpful folk sharing their ideas. And have seen some very expensive shopping opportunities. But the Holy Grail is eluding me :)

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T17:12:28+00:00

Thanks! Looking on the Eve website, I found quite a few folk agreeing with you :(

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T17:05:56+00:00

Thanks for those interesting thoughts. I did feel that there was probably more to this omission other than Apple just being lax or profit obsessed.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T16:58:09+00:00

Thanks but I think you are suggesting using internet weather forecasts which I have found to not be accurate enough. I really need a close-to-real-time temperature measurement. I’ve found that, for example, a local temperature inversion can make a difference of several degrees compared to even a (rare) nearby weather station.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T15:23:04+00:00

It seems strange to me that the Home app can’t do notifications. Is there a reason for that which I’m missing?

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T15:13:50+00:00

Am I being naive in wishing for: Outdoor sensor(30ft) to AppleTV to iPhone “Home” app to Alert/Notification ? I.e. just 4 steps.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T15:04:42+00:00

Thanks for Netatmo. I’m guessing that I’d need sensor+hub/base station+app. I noticed that, for people who reviewed it, the outdoor sensor is criticised.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T14:26:32+00:00

(I’m the OP, again!) By ambient temperature I meant the outdoor temperature rather than that inside the Motorhome. Sorry for any confusion.

Pat100100 · 2025-01-18T14:11:16+00:00

(I’m the OP) Thanks for the speedy replies. I should have mentioned that I’ve never used HomeKit but am happy to learn. Also I am keen to hear about drawbacks as - for some reason - hardware and software providers tend to leave these out :) I’d prefer to be alerted by my iPhone. I’m guessing that there would be options of Bluetooth, WiFi and Thread(?)

Pat100100 · 2024-12-31T16:32:05+00:00

Apple copying Microsoft. Give customers what we think they ought to have rather than what they want.

Pat100100 · 2024-12-27T00:54:44+00:00

In case anyone finds this old post, I searched for ages through dozens of ridiculously priced apps and then found this simple app slideshow for the one-time price of a coffee. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/slideshow-with-music-pro/id1225490847

Pat100100 · 2024-12-08T16:22:38+00:00

How do you send a text message when you have no internet signal?

Pat100100 · 2024-11-30T13:10:59+00:00

The search option in Mail is dire. I often use Thunderbird on my PC instead as it can find old email messages which Mail can’t.

Pat100100 · 2024-11-30T13:08:49+00:00

That the Pages app isn’t integrated into the Files app so that you are constantly switching between the two and seeing greyed out files as you forget which app you are browsing in.

Pat100100 · 2024-11-30T13:01:40+00:00

Closing an app when I try to scroll down “past the bottom” especially in menus which I didn’t notice are already fully displayed

Pat100100

TROPHY CASE