Question:

How can I use ESP8266 to automate the control of a water pump connected to a Smartlife device? >
> I have built a water level sensor using ESP8266 and I want to turn on or off a water pump that is plugged into a Smartlife wifi switch. I want to avoid using paid cloud services like IFTTT and instead use a free cloud or local solution. I have tried to register the Smartlife device on the Tuya IoT platform, but I don’t know how to integrate it with ESP8266. Can you please advise me on how to achieve this?.

Answer:

How to use ESP8266 to automate the control of a water pump connected to a Smartlife device

ESP8266 is a low-cost WiFi microcontroller that can be used to create various IoT projects. One of the common applications of ESP8266 is to build sensors that can monitor different physical parameters, such as temperature, humidity, light, motion, etc. In this article, we will show you how to use ESP8266 to build a water level sensor that can automatically control a water pump connected to a Smartlife device.

Smartlife is a popular app that allows you to control various smart devices, such as lights, plugs, switches, cameras, etc., from your smartphone. Smartlife devices are compatible with many cloud platforms, such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, etc. However, if you want to avoid using paid cloud services or prefer a more local solution, you can also use the Tuya IoT platform to manage your Smartlife devices.

What is Tuya IoT platform?

Tuya IoT platform is a cloud service that provides various features for IoT developers, such as device management, data analysis, automation, etc. Tuya IoT platform supports many smart devices, including Smartlife devices. You can register your Smartlife device on the Tuya IoT platform and use its API to control it from your ESP8266.

How to register your Smartlife device on the Tuya IoT platform?

To register your Smartlife device on the Tuya IoT platform, you need to follow these steps:

1. Create a free account on the [Tuya IoT platform](https://iot.tuya.com/).

2. Go to the [Cloud Development](https://iot.tuya.com/cloud/) section and create a new project.

3. Go to the [Device Management](https://iot.tuya.com/cloud/device) section and click on the “Add Device” button.

4. Select the “Smartlife” option and scan the QR code of your Smartlife device. You can find the QR code on the device itself or on the packaging box.

5. Follow the instructions to pair your Smartlife device with the Tuya IoT platform. You may need to reset your Smartlife device by pressing and holding the power button for a few seconds until it flashes rapidly.

6. Once your Smartlife device is successfully paired, you can see it on the device list. You can also rename it or assign it to a group for easier management.

How to integrate your ESP8266 with the Tuya IoT platform?

To integrate your ESP8266 with the Tuya IoT platform, you need to follow these steps:

1. Install the [Arduino IDE](https://www.arduino.cc/en/software) on your computer and the [ESP8266 board package](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino#installing-with-boards-manager) on the Arduino IDE.

2. Install the [Tuya Cloud API library](https://github.com/TuyaAPI/TuyaCloudAPI) on the Arduino IDE. You can use the Library Manager or download the ZIP file and import it manually.

3. Connect your ESP8266 to your computer via a USB cable and select the correct board and port on the Arduino IDE.

4. Open the [example sketch](https://github.com/TuyaAPI/TuyaCloudAPI/blob/master/examples/Basic/Basic.ino) of the Tuya Cloud API library and modify the following parameters:

• `WIFI_SSID`: The name of your WiFi network.
• `WIFI_PASSWORD`: The password of your WiFi network.
• `TUYA_CLIENT_ID`: The client ID of your Tuya IoT project. You can find it on the [Project Overview](https://iot.tuya.com/cloud/project) section of the Tuya IoT platform.
• `TUYA_CLIENT_SECRET`: The client secret of your Tuya IoT project. You can find it on the [Project Overview](https://iot.tuya.com/cloud/project) section of the Tuya IoT platform.
• `TUYA_DEVICE_ID`: The device ID of your Smartlife device. You can find it on the [Device Management](https://iot.tuya.com/cloud/device) section of the Tuya IoT platform.

5. Upload the sketch to your ESP8266 and open the Serial Monitor on the Arduino IDE. You should see some messages indicating the connection status of your ESP8266 and your Smartlife device.

How to build a water level sensor using ESP8266?

To build a water level sensor using ESP8266, you need the following components:

• ESP8266 board (such as NodeMCU or Wemos D1 Mini)
• Breadboard and jumper wires
• 10k ohm resistor
• Water level sensor module (such as this [one](https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-Detection-Surface-Arduino-Raspberry/dp/B01N058HS6/))

The water level sensor module consists of a series of exposed parallel wires that measure the water level by the change of resistance. The module has three pins: VCC, GND, and SIG. The VCC and GND pins are connected to the 3.3V and GND pins of the ESP8266, respectively. The SIG pin is connected to the A0 (analog) pin of the ESP8266 through a 10k ohm resistor.

The circuit diagram is shown below:


The code for the water level sensor is shown below:

“`c // Include the Tuya Cloud API library #include
// Define the WiFi credentials #define WIFI_SSID “Your WiFi SSID” #define WIFI_PASSWORD “Your WiFi Password” // Define the Tuya IoT project credentials #define TUYA_CLIENT_ID “Your Tuya Client ID” #define TUYA_CLIENT_SECRET “Your Tuya Client Secret” // Define the Tuya device ID #define TUYA_DEVICE_ID “Your Tuya Device ID” // Define the analog pin for the water level sensor #define WATER_LEVEL_PIN A0 // Define the threshold for the water level (0-1023) #define WATER_LEVEL_THRESHOLD 500 // Create a TuyaCloudAPI object

TuyaCloudAPI tuya;

// Create a variable to store the water level value

int waterLevel = 0;

// Create a variable to store the water pump status

bool waterPumpOn = false;

void setup() {

// Initialize the serial communication Serial.begin(115200); // Initialize the WiFi connection WiFi.begin(WIFI_SSID, WIFI_PASSWORD); Serial.print(“Connecting to WiFi”); while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) { Serial.print(“.”); delay(1000); } Serial.println(); Serial.println(“WiFi connected”); Serial.println(“IP address: “); Serial.println(WiFi.localIP()); // Initialize the Tuya Cloud API connection tuya.begin(TUYA_CLIENT_ID, TUYA_CLIENT_SECRET, TUYA_DEVICE_ID); Serial.println(“Connecting to Tuya Cloud API”); while (!tuya.connect()) { Serial.print(“.”); delay(1000); } Serial.println(); Serial.println(“Tuya Cloud API connected”); }

void loop() {

// Read the water level value from the analog pin waterLevel = analogRead(WATER_LEVEL_PIN); Serial.print(“Water level: “); Serial.println(waterLevel); // Check if the water level is above or below the threshold if (waterLevel > WATER_LEVEL_THRESHOLD) { // If the water level is above the threshold, turn off the water pump waterPumpOn = false; tuya.setSwitch(false); Serial.println(“Water pump off”); } else { // If the water level is below the threshold, turn on the water pump waterPumpOn = true; tuya.setSwitch(true); Serial.println(“Water pump on”); } // Delay for 5 seconds delay(5000); } “`

How to test the water level sensor and the water pump control?

To test the water level sensor and the water pump control, you need to follow these steps:

1. Connect the water pump to the Smartlife wifi switch and plug it into a power outlet.

2. Connect the water level sensor module to the ESP8266 board and the breadboard as shown in the circuit diagram.

3. Connect the ESP8266 board to your computer via a USB cable and upload the code to the board using the Arduino IDE.

4. Open the Serial Monitor on the Arduino IDE and observe the messages showing the water level value and the water pump status.

5. Place the water level sensor module in a water tank and adjust the water level by adding or removing water. You should see the water pump turning on or off accordingly.

6. You can also use the Smartlife app or the Tuya IoT platform to monitor and control the water pump manually.

Conclusion

In

this article, we have shown you how to use ESP8266 to automate the control of a water pump connected to a Smartlife device. We have used the Tuya IoT platform as a free cloud solution to integrate the ESP8266 and the Smartlife device. We have also built a water level sensor using ESP8266 and a water level sensor module. We have tested the water level sensor and the water pump control using a water tank and a water pump. We hope you have enjoyed this project and learned something new. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!