When the indoor temperature exceeds your desired range, the air conditioner automatically turns on or off to maintain a comfortable environment.
This automation is particularly useful for pet owners who worry about their pets getting too hot during the scorching summer months when they're not home. Keeping the air conditioner running from early morning when you leave until you return home at night can significantly increase electricity bills, and it also raises concerns about the house becoming excessively cold. This automation addresses those concerns by automatically managing your air conditioning, turning it on and off as necessary when the temperature goes outside your specified comfort range. It can even be used with air conditioners that only come with a traditional remote control and lack built-in Wi-Fi connectivity.
In this automation, we utilized the Tapo H110 Hub, which can learn infrared signals from your existing air conditioner remote and control the AC without the original remote. Additionally, we used a Tapo T310 Temperature & Humidity Sensor to monitor indoor temperature, and a Tapo T110 Contact Sensor to reliably detect the air conditioner's power status. Start by installing the Tapo app on your smartphone following the provided manual, and then register your hub, temperature & humidity sensor, and contact sensor in the app.
Place the temperature & humidity sensor in your preferred location (ideally where the room tends to cool down last).
In the Tapo app, select the hub and follow the on-screen instructions to register your air conditioner’s remote. The hub should be positioned within clear line-of-sight of the air conditioner, close enough for reliable IR signal transmission, and without significant obstacles between them.
Keep in mind that infrared remotes only send commands; they cannot confirm the AC's actual status. For instance, you might send a command to turn off the air conditioner, but due to obstacles or distance issues, the AC might remain on. Additionally, if someone operates the AC with the original remote instead of the Tapo app, the current status might differ from what the app remembers. Fortunately, air conditioner remotes typically use separate commands for power on and off, avoiding unintended behavior from inaccurate status detection (unlike some fans, which may toggle states incorrectly due to a single-button system). Still, for precise status monitoring or more advanced automation scenarios, we recommend including the contact sensor in your setup. Because most air conditioners open their air louvers when turned on (unless in "Wind-Free" mode), you can place the contact sensor’s components on the stationary body and the movable louvers. When the AC is off, the louvers close and bring the sensor components close enough to register as "closed." When the AC is on, the louvers open, causing the sensor to register as "open." This allows the Tapo app to reliably track your air conditioner’s actual operating status.
Once your hub and sensors are set up, create two automations in the Tapo app as shown in the provided screenshots: one to turn on the AC when the room gets too hot, and another to turn it off when the room reaches a comfortable temperature. Now you can leave home without worry, knowing your pets will remain comfortable all day. You can even remotely check the current room temperature, humidity, and the air conditioner's status through the Tapo app anytime you wish.
Required Devices
