Recently I moved into a house that has a Diakin mini-split system (FTX12NMVJU / RX12NMVJU) in the bonus room. Mini-splits are known for being extremely energy efficient but unfortunately, I was not able to remotely control the unit on a schedule as I did with my Ecobee smart thermostats, so unless I remembered to manually turn the unit off at night, it would run for no reason. Definitely a first-world problem. I research options Diakin offered. From what I could find, the only option to turn the dumb unit into a smart unit was to by a Daikin Wireless Adapter that required taking the unit apart. Not to mention, the wireless unit cost around $165 so I started searching for other options.
Since the Diakin unit is controlled by an IR remote, I figured if I could find a smart IR blaster, the unit could be automated. A quick search on Amazon and I found the Famisafe WiFi Smart IR Infrared Remote. This smart IR blaster works with the Smart Life app, (which I already used with my smart switches). This IR blaster can also be used to control a variety of other devices such as TVs and other IR electronics.
It took around 5 minutes to get the IR remote connected to my wifi and added to the Smart Life app. The toughest issue was finding a location that the blaster had a clean line of sight to the mini-split. Once I found a good location, I used a command strip to attach the IR blaster to the wall. Finally, I set up a schedule to start the unit in the morning and turn it off at night.
There are a few other options that are more expensive but offer additional features. The Cielo Breez Plus has a display that shows the current temperature and looks similar to a smart thermostat. Another option is the Sensibo Sky which has a build-in temperature reading that you can see in the app.
Hopefully, this helps you to turn your dumb air conditioner unit into a smart unit! Leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Thanks for reading. Make sure you follow me on Twitter to stay up to date on the progress of my side projects T.LY, Weather Extension, and Link Shortener Extension. If you are interested in the tech I use daily, check out my uses page.
I would like to automate my IR controllable AC as you have but would like to control it based on temperature in addition to time, etc. Have you found a way to do this?
For example, a python interface to the Famisafe would permit an RPi to do it.
I believe the Cielo Breez will do this https://amzn.to/2lgk4SZ
Too pricey.
Yes I agree. Get a remote temperature sensor and have it control the IR blaster
Why not just a raspberry pi and relay? Pi controls the relay, relay switches AC on and off. No need for fickly IR signals.
Using a raspberry pi is an option but this is cheaper and already setup to work with a/c units and iOS app.