this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2026
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What's the best way to detect when I'm taking a shower? (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by batshit@lemmy.world to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world
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I would like to turn on mood lighting automatically when I'm taking a shower, what's the best way to detect that?

  • I've considered humidity sensors, but that will take a while to kick in and not immediately when the shower starts.
  • I've also considered a water leak sensor but those are not meant to be trigger every day for a long time like 10-15 minutes. That would kill the battery, right?
  • Smart valves can kind of work, but it feels like overkill because I don't care about the valve functionality.

I would prefer the solution to be battery powered (don't want to be messing with too many cables around a shower), but I can't seem to find one.

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[–] KitB@feddit.uk 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

If it's an electric shower, you can do what a salamander pump does and add some detection wires on the shower box's on-switch. I appreciate you don't want wires around the shower but it's a fully direct "is the shower on" detector and the wires are technically in the shower rather than around it.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Electric shower...?

[–] KitB@feddit.uk 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

A shower that takes cold water from the mains and heats it with electricity. Common as muck in the UK.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

That makes sense. I'm not sure we have those in the US. It does sound a bit like a euphemism for an execution method haha

[–] WilmBoerhout@mathstodon.xyz 1 points 3 days ago

@TrickDacy @KitB famous 1960’s LA band

[–] batshit@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

I wanted an electric diverter but it was way too expensive so sadly I have to stick with manual buttons (it's thermostatic though so I don't mind)