Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Have you ever wished you could integrate your dishwasher into your smart home and be automatically notified when it's done? In this blog post, I'll show you how you can do just that with a simple NFC tag and Home Assistant - for just 50 cents! This clever automation not only saves you time, but also notifies you as soon as your dishwasher is ready and you can empty it. This works for both iOS and Android!
For detailed instructions and an explanation of all configuration options, I recommend the YouTube video linked below. In this video, every single setting is explained in detail so that you receive comprehensive instructions for the exact setup. You can find any code from the video in this article so that you can use it directly without having to type it in.
Why an NFC tag?
An NFC tag is an inexpensive and simple solution to make your household appliance, in this case your dishwasher, smarter. You can attach it anywhere, e.g. directly to your dishwasher, and then scan it with your smartphone to trigger an action. In combination with Home Assistant, you can customize the automation to your needs.
How it works
You attach an NFC tag to your dishwasher and scan it when you start the wash cycle. Home Assistant recognizes this scan and sends you a notification in which you can set the duration of the wash cycle. As soon as the timer has expired, you will be notified again that the dishwasher is ready and you can empty it.
What is Home Assistant?
Home Assistant is an open source platform for home automation that aims to connect and centrally control all devices in the home. It is designed to provide a unified user interface and simple, flexible control for a variety of smart home devices from different ecosystems. Here are some points in favor of Home Assistant:
- CompatibilityHome Assistant supports thousands of devices and services from various manufacturers, including lighting, air conditioning, heating, cameras, weather sensors, voice assistants and more.
- Local controlUnlike many commercial smart home platforms that rely on cloud services, Home Assistant runs locally on your network. This means increased privacy and reliability, as your smart home devices work even without an active internet connection.
- Automation and scenesOne of the main features of Home Assistant is the ability to create complex automations and scenarios. For example, you can have lights switch on automatically when it gets dark or turn on the heating when the temperature falls below a certain level.
- Simple user interfaceHome Assistant offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to monitor and control devices. This interface is fully customizable.
- Integration with voice assistantsHome Assistant can be integrated with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to enable voice-controlled control of your smart home devices.
- Open source and community-drivenSince Home Assistant is open source, it is supported by an active community that is constantly developing new integrations and improving existing ones.
- Data protection and securityAs a locally running platform, Home Assistant has the advantage that the data remains within its own network. This protects privacy and increases security compared to cloud-based solutions.
In summary, Home Assistant is a powerful and flexible solution for those who want to design their own smart home and control their devices centrally, regardless of the manufacturer or ecosystem.
Step-by-step instructions
Here I explain how to set up automation in Home Assistant:
Configure NFC tag
First, you need to set up an NFC tag that you can scan with your smartphone. You then link the tag to the automation in Home Assistant.
Integrating an NFC tag into Home Assistant is easier than you think! With an NFC tag and your smartphone, you can trigger automations by scanning the tag. Here I explain step by step how to integrate an NFC tag into Home Assistant.
Prerequisites:
- An NFC-enabled smartphone (Android or iOS)
- An NFC tag (usually costs less than 50 cents)
- Home Assistant installed
- The Home Assistant Companion app on your smartphone
Step 1: Get the NFC tag
NFC tags are inexpensive and easy to get online or in electronics stores. Make sure that your smartphone supports NFC and that the tag is compatible. You can attach the NFC tag to your dishwasher, for example.
Step 2: Install the Home Assistant Companion App
If you have not already done so, install the Home Assistant Companion App on your NFC-enabled smartphone. The app is available for both Android and iOS in the respective App Store.
- For Android: Home Assistant in Google Play Store
- For iOS: Home Assistant in the Apple App Store
Step 3: Scan the NFC tag in the Home Assistant app
Once you have installed the app, proceed as follows:
- Open app: Launch the Home Assistant Companion app on your smartphone.
- Open the NFC function: In the app, under "App configuration", select the item NFC tags from.
- Scan NFC tag: Click on "Scan NFC tag" and hold the NFC tag to the back of your smartphone until the app recognizes the tag. You will receive a Tag ID which you will later use for automation.
Create automation in Home Assistant
Here you can see the code that you can use for automation:
alias: Dishwasher ready
description: https://github.com/andrewtavis/sf-symbols-online
trigger:
- platform: tag
tag_id: 11256d86-322c-4e23-9ca7-b8c09dc9aaf4
enabled: true
condition: []
action:
- action: notify.smartphones
data:
title: 💦 Dishwasher started💦
message: Set timer
data:
actions:
- action: STANDARD
title: Standard (3:24)
icon: sfsymbols:timer
- action: REPLY
behavior: textInput
title: Enter minutes
icon: sfsymbols:square.and.pencil
- wait_for_trigger:
- platform: event
event_type: mobile_app_notification_action
continue_on_timeout: false
- choose:
- conditions:
- condition: template
value_template: "{{ wait.trigger.event.data.action == 'STANDARD' }}"
sequence:
- action: input_number.set_value
data:
value: 205
target:
entity_id: input_number.spulmaschine_timer
- conditions:
- condition: template
value_template: "{{ wait.trigger.event.data.action == 'REPLY' }}"
sequence:
- action: input_number.set_value
data:
value: "{{ wait.trigger.event.data.reply_text }}"
target:
entity_id: input_number.spulmaschine_timer
- delay:
minutes: "{{ states('input_number.dishwasher_timer') | int }}"
alias: Delay until dishwasher timer has run up
- action: notify.smartphones
data:
title: 💦 Clear out dishwasher 💦
message: "Dishwasher is ready after {{ states('input_number.dishwasher_timer') | int }} minutes!"
data:
notification_icon: mdi:dishwasher
channel: Emergency
priority: high
ttl: 0
color: purple
mode: singleExplanation of automation
Trigger:
The NFC tag starts the automation as soon as it is scanned. The tag_id of the NFC tag.
First notification:
As soon as the automation starts, you will receive a notification on your smartphone with two options:
- Standard: You select a preset flush time (e.g. 3 hours and 24 minutes).
- User-defined: You can manually enter a time for how long the rinsing process takes.
Set timer:
Depending on your choice (standard or user-defined), the automation sets a timer for the flushing time.
Delay:
The automation waits for the specified time before the next notification is sent.
Second notification:
As soon as the timer has expired, you will receive another notification reminding you that the dishwasher is ready and you can empty it.
Advantages of this solution
- Cost-effective: With a simple NFC tag that costs less than 50 cents, you can integrate your dishwasher into your smart home.
- Flexibility: You can start the rinsing process at any time and set the duration individually.
- Automation: You no longer have to worry about when the dishwasher is ready. Home Assistant notifies you automatically.
YouTube video implementation
Conclusion
With an inexpensive NFC tag and automation in Home Assistant, you can make your dishwasher smart without having to retrofit expensive appliances. This solution is ideal for anyone who wants to make their household appliances smarter with the convenience of notifications sent directly to their smartphone. Try it out and make your everyday life even easier!
2 Comments
JoeM · 17. September 2024 at 15:14
A pointless tip, I might as well set a timer on my smartwatch, I don't need any NFC stuff. Why make it easy when you can make it complicated!
Sascha Brockel · 17. September 2024 at 15:33
Hi, I accept your criticism, but not everyone has a smartwatch or wears it all the time. And so you can still create a simple workaround with just a quick scan and confirmation on your smartphone.