irrigation: part 3

Author: brianhanifin

_posts/2021-02-18-diy-irrigation-controller-lovelace-ui-update.md

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+---
+title: "DIY Irrigation Controller: Home Assistant Integration"
+date: 2021-02-18 9:00:00 -0700
+categories: [Project]
+tags: [Lovelace, Home Assistant, ESPHome]
+seo:
+  date_modified: 2021-02-18 9:00:00 -0700
+image: /assets/img/2021-02-18-irrigation-controller/ui.png
+---
+
+## Home Assistant Entities & Simplified User Interface
+
+*Previous articles in this series:*
+1. *[DIY Irrigation Controller: Hardware, Electronics, and ESPHome code](../diy-irrigation-controller-esphome-home-assistant/)*
+2. *[Lovelace User Interface](../diy-irrigation-controller-lovelace-user-interface-home-assistant/) <- skip this and read the article below instead ;)*
+
+Your many questions helped me realize that I totally dropped the ball when I attempted to share how I
+created the Lovelace User Interface (UI) for my DIY Irrigation Project. Not only did I overly complicate
+the Lovelace code with custom components, but I also omitted how I created the necessary entities in
+Home Assistant.
+
+I now present you with the **simplified and complete** code to properly integrate Home Assistant with
+my ESPHome DIY Irritation Controller project.
+
+### Add Supporting Entities
+
+#### Using Helpers Configuration UI
+
+Home Assistant's **Helpers Configuration UI** [introduced in 2020](https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2020/03/18/release-107/#helpers-configuration-panel)
+is the easiest way to add these `input_text` and `input_number` entities. If you choose to go this route the YAML code
+below will be a useful reference.
+
+#### Using a "Package" File
+
+I have chosen instead to split my Irrigation Controller entities and automation into a "package file".
+
+1. First we need to create new file named `irrigation.yaml` in your Home Assistant `/config` folder.
+2. Copy and paste the following code into this file to get started.
+
+<blockquote>
+<i>Note:</i> In this example you will see that I have two irrigation zones configured. If you have more than two zones
+you will need to add enough `input_text` and `input_number` entities to accommodate your additional zones.
+</blockquote>
+
+```yaml
+---
+# Lovelace UI to set a list of irrigation cycle times.
+input_text:
+  irrigation_zone1_times:
+    name: List of Times (eg. 08:00,12:00,15:00)
+    icon: mdi:clock-outline
+  irrigation_zone2_times:
+    name: List of Times (eg. 11:00,15:30)
+    icon: mdi:clock-outline
+
+# Lovelace UI to set the duration of each irrigation cycle.
+input_number:
+  irrigation_zone1_duration:
+    name: Duration in Minutes
+    icon: mdi:timer-sand
+    min: 0
+    max: 60
+    step: 1
+    unit_of_measurement: "minutes"
+
+  irrigation_zone2_duration:
+    name: Duration in Minutes
+    icon: mdi:timer-sand
+    min: 0
+    max: 60
+    step: 1
+    unit_of_measurement: "minutes"
+
+### Optional offline notifications. Uncomment this automation if you'd like an notification 
+### should the device be disconnected from the network for two hours!
+# automation:
+#   # Warn me if the system ever goes offline for more than two hours!
+#   - alias: irrigation_system_offline
+#     initial_state: true
+#     trigger:
+#       - platform: state
+#         entity_id: binary_sensor.irrigation_controller_status
+#         to: 'off'
+#         for: '02:00:00'
+#     action:
+#       - service: persistent_notification.create
+#         data:
+#           title: "Irrigation System Offline"
+#           message: "The Irrigation System has been offline for 2 hours!"
+#           notification_id: "offline"
+#       - service: notify.mobile_app_iphone_brian
+#         data:
+#           title: "Irrigation System Offline"
+#           message: "The Irrigation System has been offline for 2 hours"
+```
+
+#### Include the "Package" file in configuration.yaml
+
+<blockquote>
+<i>Note:</i> You can skip this section if you are adding the above entities to Home Assistant another way.
+</blockquote>
+
+See the [Home Assistant Packages Documentation](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/configuration/packages/)
+for a deeper explanation.
+
+```yaml
+homeassistant:
+  packages:
+    irrigation: !include irrigation.yaml
+```
+
+### Simplified Lovelace User Interface
+
+This version of the interface simply uses the built in Entities Card and optionally a Glance Card.
+
+#### Create Irrigation Zone User Interfaces
+
+You will need to add an Entities Card for each Irrigation Zone.
+
+```yaml
+type: entities
+entities:
+  - entity: switch.irrigation_zone1
+  - entity: sensor.irrigation_zone1_next
+    name: Next 🕑
+  - entity: sensor.irrigation_zone1_remaining
+    name: Remaining ⏳
+  - entity: input_text.irrigation_zone1_times
+  - entity: input_number.irrigation_zone1_duration
+title: Zone 1
+show_header_toggle: false
+```
+
+#### Optional: Create Irrigation Controller Status Card
+
+```yaml
+type: glance
+entities:
+  - entity: binary_sensor.irrigation_controller_status
+    name: Status
+  - entity: sensor.irrigation_controller_uptime
+    name: Uptime
+  - entity: sensor.irrigation_controller_wifi_signal
+    name: WiFi Signal
+title: Controller Status
+```