EasyStart Home Assistant Integration

• https://www.microair.net/products/easystart-flex-home-ac-soft-starter

This project integrates the Micro-Air EasyStart soft start device with Home Assistant using ESPHome and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication. Monitor your AC unit's performance, track connection history, and view real-time electrical data directly in your Home Assistant dashboard.

Features

• Real-time monitoring of AC unit electrical parameters
• Automatic reconnection when EasyStart device comes online
• Connection history timeline showing on/off patterns
• Live Current, Line Frequency, Status and fault monitoring
• Total starts and faults tracking
• Clean dashboard integration with all data in one card

Prerequisites

• Home Assistant with ESPHome integration installed
• ESP32 development board (ESP32-Dev recommended)
• Micro-Air EasyStart device installed on AC unit
• Smartphone with Bluetooth capability
• Basic knowledge of YAML configuration

Installation Steps

1. Install EasyStart on Your AC Unit

Follow the manufacturer's instructions to install the Micro-Air EasyStart device on your air conditioning unit. Ensure the device is properly wired and functional before proceeding.

2. Acquire EasyStart MAC Address

1. Download the Micro-Air EasyStart mobile app
2. Connect your smartphone to the EasyStart device via Bluetooth
3. Navigate to device settings and record the MAC address (format: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
4. Keep this MAC address handy - you'll need it for configuration

3. Install ESPHome in Home Assistant

1. Navigate to Settings → Add-ons → Add-on Store
2. Search for and install ESPHome
3. Start the ESPHome add-on
4. Open the ESPHome web interface

4. Install ESPHome Dashboard

If not already installed:

1. In Home Assistant, go to Settings → Integrations
2. Click + Add Integration
3. Search for and add ESPHome

5. Program Your ESP32 Device

1. Visit ESPHome Projects
2. Connect your ESP32 to your computer via USB
3. Click "Connect" and select your ESP32 device
4. Choose "Install" and then "Skip" to create a blank project
5. Configure the device with:
   • Device name: esphome-web-52afa0 (or your preference)
   • WiFi SSID: Your home WiFi network name
   • WiFi Password: Your home WiFi password
6. Click "Install" to flash the basic ESPHome firmware

6. Add Device to ESPHome Dashboard

1. Open the ESPHome dashboard in Home Assistant
2. The ESP32 should appear as "Discovered" - click "Adopt"
3. If not discovered, click "+ New Device" → "Continue" → "Skip"
4. Enter device name and click "Next"
5. Select "ESP32" as device type
6. Verify the device shows "ONLINE" in ESPHome dashboard ✅

7. Extract Configuration Information

1. In ESPHome dashboard, click "Edit" on your device
2. Copy and save the following information to notepad:

   # Lines 1-11: Device configuration
   esphome:
     name: esphome-web-52afa0
     friendly_name: micro-air
   
   # Copy these specific values:
   api:
     encryption:
       key: "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
   
   ota:
     password: "YOUR_OTA_PASSWORD_HERE"
   
   wifi:
     ap:
       ssid: "Micro-Air Fallback Hotspot"
       password: "YOUR_FALLBACK_PASSWORD_HERE"

8. Apply New Configuration

1. Replace the entire configuration in ESPHome editor with the configuration from this repository
2. Update the following values with your saved information:
   • Line 45: mac_address: "C7:5B:B2:8E:D0:EC" → Replace with your EasyStart MAC address
   • API encryption key → Use your saved key
   • OTA password → Use your saved password
   • Fallback hotspot password → Use your saved password
3. Save the configuration
4. Click "Install" → "Wirelessly"

9. Verify Communication

1. Check ESPHome logs for successful BLE connection messages
2. In Home Assistant, navigate to Settings → Devices & Services → ESPHome
3. Your device should show multiple entities (sensors, switches, binary sensors)
4. Toggle the "Read Status" switch - you should see data updating

10. Enable Device (If Needed)

Important: Sometimes the device gets disabled during initial setup.

1. Go to Settings → Devices & Services → ESPHome
2. Find your micro-air device
3. Click the three dots (⋮) next to the device name
4. If you see "Enable", click it
5. If already enabled, try "Disable" then "Enable" to refresh

11. Dashboard Setup

1. Navigate to your desired Home Assistant dashboard
2. Click "Edit Dashboard" (three dots menu)
3. Click "+ Add Card"
4. Select "Manual" card type
5. Copy and paste the vertical stack configuration from this repository:

type: vertical-stack
cards:
  - type: entities
    title: AC Unit - SoftStart
    entities:
      - entity: switch.esphome_web_52afa0_read_status
        name: "Read Status"
      - entity: binary_sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_easystart_connected
        name: "EasyStart Connected"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_easystart_diag
        name: "EasyStart Diag"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_last_start_peak
        name: "Last Start Peak"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_line_frequency
        name: "Line Frequency"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_live_current
        name: "Live Current"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_scpt_delay
        name: "SCPT Delay"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_status
        name: "Status"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_total_faults
        name: "Total Faults"
      - entity: sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_total_starts
        name: "Total Starts"
  
  - type: history-graph
    entities:
      - entity: binary_sensor.esphome_web_52afa0_easystart_connected
    hours_to_show: 24
    refresh_interval: 0
    title: "Connection History (24 Hours)"

6. Click "Save"

12. Final Verification

✅ Toggle the "Read Status" switch - should turn ON and start collecting data
✅ Verify sensor values are updating (Current, Frequency, Status, etc.)
✅ Check connection timeline shows activity in the history graph
✅ Confirm automatic reconnection works when EasyStart cycles

Troubleshooting

Device Shows as Disabled

• Go to ESPHome integration → Find device → Click three dots → Enable

No Data/Unknown Values

• Verify MAC address is correct in configuration
• Check ESPHome logs for BLE connection errors
• Ensure EasyStart device is powered and nearby

Connection Issues

• Restart ESPHome device
• Check WiFi signal strength
• Verify Home Assistant ESPHome integration is working

Timeline Not Showing

• Confirm entity names match in dashboard YAML
• Check if binary sensor is updating in Developer Tools → States

Configuration Files

• esphome-config.yaml - Complete ESPHome device configuration
• dashboard-card.yaml - Home Assistant dashboard card configuration

Hardware Requirements

• ESP32 Development Board (ESP32-WROOM-32 recommended)
• USB Cable for initial programming
• Stable 3.3V/5V power supply for permanent installation

Contributing

Feel free to submit issues, feature requests, or improvements via GitHub issues and pull requests.

License

This project is provided as-is for educational and personal use. Please ensure compliance with your local electrical codes and manufacturer warranties when installing AC unit modifications.

Support

For questions specific to this integration, please open a GitHub issue. For EasyStart device support, contact Micro-Air directly.