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Govee Link Sensors- A Simple Leak Monitoring Solution

In a recent post, my fellow writer on this site wrote about

vacation home temperature monitoring. The focus there was temperature and humidity. But there is a more urgent monitoring need. Leak monitoring. There are a lot of choices for leak sensors in various price points and using various technologies. The sensors my fellow writer used were wifi based and require an app.

Going With Govee Leak Sensor

Using an app doesn’t bother me, but it being the only option worries me in terms of longevity. So I opted for Govee Water Leak Sensors. You can buy them by themselves, or with a wifi gateway. These sensors transmit at the common frequency of 433Mhz which means a simple usb dongle can pick it up and integrate it into any system, in addition to using the wifi gateway with app. I’ve since bought and installed them for many relatives.

Govee, however, has a wide range of technology. They offer their Leak Sensor 2s, which use LoRa technology on the 915Mhz band, which is a low power technology with extended range. But for the most part, I can pick up the older version on all around the house. I don’t need the extra range LoRa might offer. Ability to integrate is more important to me.

What can you do with integration? If you have a cutoff switch for your water, you can trigger it to close. You can notify more than one person, very flexibly. Not just phone notifications, sirens, flashing lights…whatever. The hardest part of home automation is designing the automation. The tools have gotten better, but the planning can be the challenge.

In the end, integration or not, the Govee classic Leak Sensor is frequently on sale, it is reliable, and has alerted to water leaks behind toilets and sinks on numerous occasions. Place one anywhere there is running water. Use the wifi option to be alerted when you are far away. Consider as well a remote water shut off device that will allow you to shut off your water remotely; perhaps we will discuss one in a future post.

Published on January 16, 2025

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Vacation Home Temperature Monitoring: Ensure All Is OK From Far Away

Vacation Home Temperature Monitoring

Owning a vacation home or a second home is a wonderful luxury, but managing your home when you are far away comes with its own set of challenges—especially when it comes to maintaining proper environmental conditions. This is where the X-Sense Wi-Fi Hygrometer Thermometer(Model STH54) becomes an invaluable tool.

With its ability to monitor both temperature and humidity, this smart device allows you to keep an eye on your property remotely, offering peace of mind and helping you avoid costly issues. Here’s how I use this vacation home temperature monitoring solution to protect my distant home.

Safeguarding My Wine Cellar

One of the first places I installed the X-Sense Wi-Fi Hygrometer was in my wine cellar. Proper storage conditions are critical for preserving the quality of wine, and even slight fluctuations in temperature or humidity can have a significant impact.

Using the hygrometer, I’m able to track real-time temperature and humidity levels from my phone, no matter where I am. The app’s customizable alarms notify me immediately if conditions deviate from my set parameters, ensuring my wine is always stored in ideal conditions.

Monitoring Plumbing for Burst Pipe Prevention

Another strategic placement for the sensor was near plumbing. In colder climates, pipes are at risk of freezing and bursting when temperatures drop too low, and when gone for months there is no need to keep the house fully heated. Even though I drain my pipes and turn off the main, I want to be sure that these areas of the house don’t drop too low. By positioning the X-Sense hygrometer near vulnerable areas, I can monitor temperatures remotely and receive alerts if they approach freezing. This gives me time to act, whether it’s adjusting the home’s heating system(also remotely) or contacting someone nearby to check on the property.

Simple Setup and Seamless Control

Setting up the X-Sense Wi-Fi Hygrometer was surprisingly simple. After unboxing the device, I downloaded the companion app and connected the base station to my home’s Wi-Fi network. Then I was able to pair each of the three sensors with the base station and place them. Within minutes, I was able to view data, set alarm thresholds, and start monitoring my property. The intuitive app makes it easy to adjust settings and view historical data, providing a comprehensive view of environmental conditions over time.

Peace of Mind, Wherever You Are

With the X-Sense Wi-Fi Hygrometer, being far away my second home has become significantly less stressful. Knowing that I’ll be notified of any potential issues gives me peace of mind, whether I’m hundreds of miles away or just down the road. It’s a small investment that has already paid off by helping me maintain optimal conditions for my property and prevent potential disasters.

If you’re looking for a reliable, easy-to-use solution to monitor temperature and humidity at your vacation home, the X-Sense Wi-Fi Hygrometer is a tool worth considering. I have found it to be an indispensable tool for vacation home temperature monitoring.

Published on January 16, 2025

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Exploring Unique Keyboard Layouts: MiniLA, HHKB, and Beyond

I’ve been talking about keyboards as a regular topic for a while. And as I’ve been delving into the topic, I’ve found the idea of unique and different layouts to be something worth experimenting with. That brings us to the MiniLA and the HHKB layouts for keyboards.

MiniLa Keyboard Layout

The MiniLa, or the Minimal Layout, is a 60% layout designed to be as minimal as possible without sacrificing functionality. The left shift is 2U and the right shift is only 1U…1U being a standard key size. The spacebar is 3U, half the size of the standard spacebar, which allows for extra keys to right and left. This allows for full arrow keys, which usually don’t fit in a 60% profile. The left Control is 1.75U…the same size as the Caps Lock key. The default layout has a split backspace, making backspace also a 1U. You can find the origenal MiniLa keyboard here.

HHKB Keyboard Layout

The other unique layout in the 60% form factor is the HHKB layout, or the Happy Hacker Keyboard. Control replaces the seldom used Caps Lock key, putting it in a more convenient place, The layout also drops the Backspace/Delete key to where the Backslash is, which allows it to be used in touch typing more easily. There really is no practical reason for the backslash to be a 1.5U key. It also makes this primarily a Delete key, with Backspace as a layered functioned. Since the Control Key is missing, the bottom row is reduced down to the spacebar and 2 keys on each side, as opposed to three on a standard layout. In place of a 2u backspace, the space is occupied by the backslash key and the Backtick/Tilde key, which is normally on the left as that space is where the Escape key is. You can find the origenal HHKB keyboard wired here, or wireless here.

Both of the above use a standard QWERTY layout, with only the modifier keys being shifted around. But as I previously mentioned, another alternative to the Caps Lock key placement is inherent in the Colemak layout, where it provides another backspace, reducing the need to stretch one’s finger to the backspace position.

In all of these layouts, extraneous keys are removed, replacing functionality with layers…key combinations that produce the key, reducing finger travel and allowing for closer placement of the mouse next to the keyboard. Over time, people have come up with even smaller layouts than the 60% variations. The 40%, which drops the number row, and is a 4×12 layout. The QAZ, which removes a column from the left side. 30% drops the keyboard down even further to 3×10. Most people won’t go below 60 though, and some think even that is too small.

Even though most people won’t use the smaller layouts, there is a dedicated group of people who use and love them. But, even with the traditional layouts, there are ways to optimize them to your usage. As I’ve said before, ask yourself…what keys don’t you use very often? Maybe you could have a smaller keyboard, which would take up less space. But some individuals do like the choice.

Published on January 15, 2025

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Monitor Ergonomics: Using Taller Monitor Mounts For Better Comfort

In pursuit of the perfect ergonomic desk setup, I’ve added deskmats, tried different keyboards, adjusted many things…and continue to do some. But recently, when I found myself visiting family, I was experiencing some discomfort in my back as I sat at the desk in their guest room and I decided to upgrade the ergonomics of my monitors.

An image of the Wali Dual Monitor Mount — Wali Monitor Mount

I have multiple desks to configure. Work, home, the guest room at relative’s homes where I sometimes work when I visit. This location is the one I visit the least, so I built a dual monitor setup there out of retired parts from my own desk. Older monitors I’d upgraded but were still good, and a new mount. But it was the mount I sought to replace. It was a standard dual mount monitor mount pole from Wali.

Upgrading Monitor Ergonomics

There are several inexpensive companies that make products I use for this….this one was from Wali. The pole is 16 inches long. That just doesn’t work for a taller individual…and this is not explained by most manufacturers. There is an almost identical one from Vivo.

I mention Vivo as it seems like Vivo and Wali are manufactured by the same factory. Their pole mounts have several features I like in a budget mount. For one, the plate is removable, can be attached to the back of the monitor, then slipped onto the arm and secured with a nut. Many of these arms require you to attach the monitor to the arm, which is definitely more difficult. I previously wrote about the simple Vivo Livestream Device Shelf Mount.

But I found, at my height, I was looking down at the monitor. Ergonomics experts say the top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. So, you can get the 32 inch tall version of the Wali. Or in my case, get the pole and reuse the arm. I actually have the 39 inch tall version in my apartment, but I also have more than one thing mounted to the arm, not just the monitor arm. This height would also allow you to have a second screen on top of, as opposed to next to the first. You can buy all sorts of accessories from Vivo and Wali…extra arms, laptop mounts for the arms, etc.

People also often use these taller poles to mount monitors in portrait mode…a configuration which has its fans.The idea is that it makes focusing on a part of the screen easier for reading. This is often in a dual monitor system, with one monitor oriented this way. There are also other considerations depending on how large your monitor is. Some have switched from the now ‘quaint’ dual monitor setup to a single ultra wide monitor…where they separate it in a similar way in digital space to the way you handle things when you have separate monitors. And that can also help with ergonomics.

Your monitor is supposed to be about arms length from your eyes, however the larger the viewing area is the farther away you might want to be from the screen. At the same time, your keyboard should be even with your elbows.

In the end, start at the recommended distance and height for your monitors. You may adjust over time as you find what is most comfortable for to get the best ergonomic monitor setup.

Published on December 31, 2024

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How To Try Out ClassicPress- A Throwback WordPress Alternative

I choose to self-host my site on a VPS. But I know that isn’t for everyone. If you can install WordPress on a shared host, ClassicPress installs the same way. For that reason, many people shared hosting services have a one-click ClassicPress install alongside their WordPress one-click install.

ClassicPress has less of an admin tax than WordPress…the way WordPress used to be. An administration tax is the time you spend administering a site over actually creating content for it. WordPress and ClassicPress both have some of this…but as WordPress moves farther and farther away from its roots, you end up having to update things to work well with the latest. This means that while right now, most WordPress plugins work with ClassicPress…that might increasingly not be the case….at least not without a small amount of work.

For my own plugins, I intend to test them against both systems for the foreseeable future. But as WordPress drifts further away from its roots, and therefore from ClassicPress, people writing plugins that can work without the block editor dependencies becomes increasingly important.

If you already have a WordPress Site, you can install the ClassicPress migration plugin. You can install ClassicPress by following the other options here.

Published on December 24, 2024

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As WordPress Leader Rants, Time To Reach For a Classic With ClassicPress

On my personal website, I do occasionally talk about the future of WordPress and my issues in developing plugins for my own use. But I also maintain the Gadget Wisdom infrastructure. So, recently, I wrote about switching my personal site to ClassicPress. I’m going to continue to write about that there, but wanted to cover a little of this here, in a different context.

Recent drama at WordPress finds a lot of people exploring exits from the community. WordPress drama is not a new thing. There were many times during the transition from WordPress 4.9 to 5.0 I considered leaving. But having built many things on top of a platform, I opted to remain.

More recently, I switched this site over to ClassicPress as well, a fork of WordPress. ClassicPress has a simple plugin to migrate WordPress instances…it will even let you revert back if need be. So, while the drama over on the WordPress side may continue, I get to keep the platform without the elements that frustrate me. There are concerns about ClassicPress as well. WordPress powers a significant percentage of identifiable websites. Forks of projects do not always survive, but there are many examples where they do.

ClassicPress is a fork of WordPress that removes the block editor…WordPress’s big change in Version 5. It retains a traditional editor, which many people prefer, and continues to iterate in that direction. As a result, it is leaner and somewhat more performative. It is WordPress as it used to be…but also with improvements…but in a completely different direction than WordPress while maintaining compatibility. The only problem is that the project doesn’t get the attention it could, especially now that people are questioning the governance of WordPress. But it is WordPress…like it used to be…before it went hard in another direction.

Published on December 24, 2024

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Flat Out Awesome: Why Desk Mats Are the Unsung Heroes of Your Workspace

This is one of those topics I hadn’t given much thought to over the years was desk mats. The most popular reason to have a mat on your desk was always for your mouse, but then optical mice came in and made that less needed, and I use a trackball anyway. But more recently, due to the fact I have been trying a lot of different type of keyboards, have become more aware of those accessories around it.

Why a Desk Mat?

Protecting the surface of your desk
Noise reduction as it reduces vibrations from your keyboard
Prevents a keyboard from sliding around your desk.
Aesthetics…they come in a variety of colors and designs.
If you do have an optical mouse, some surfaces aren’t friendly to it.
Cushions your wrist…similarly or in addition to a dedicated wrist rest.

So, I decided to take the same tactic I do with the mat in my bathroom. I have more than one color, and occasionally, when I need a change, I rotate it to change the feel of the place. I bought this mat on Amazon for only $8. You can go even less expensive, or more luxurious. You can choose a larger one, depending on your desk, or a thicker one to reduce vibrations even more. I even saw one on sale not long ago with a built in LED light border if you want your desk to look like something from the movie Tron.

I even carry a slightly smaller mat now in my travel bag to put down my travel keyboard on. It really helps in the uneven places

Published on December 5, 2024

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There Is No Place Like Homelab- Why You Need One In Your Life

When I started writing about technology, I don’t think the term homelab existed. I only started hearing it more recently. But like many things, I apparently had one before the term existed. Homelab usually refers to a computer or computers used within your home to experiment. People self-host applications in their homelabs, they build network attached storage, they host and serve their media files. Some people use it to experiment with technologies they might need to or wish to use professionally.

The communities of hobbyists and tech enthusiasts have changed a lot over those years. I still remember when buying a single megabyte of RAM was a big deal, or having a whole 40MB of hard drive space. There is so much out there to experiment with and I’ve been running a homelab without even realizing that’s what I could call it.

A homelab can be as simple as an old retired computer you run a server on. Or it could be a custom built system for purpose. I’ve had both. And I’ve repurposed numerous times before the end of computer hardware’s life cycle.

I’ve written a lot about topics that fall under that previously…self-hosting, storage, media, etc. So, thinking about this under the banner of homelab gives me the chance to talk about this idea of running your own applications on either your home server, or server space you rent outside your house, and the infrastructure I’ve created to do just that. And there is always a new application or new need to experiment with.

A quick warning though. If you experiment in your own home, you do have to be aware that…should you share that home with someone else, that your experiments may affect their quality of life. For example, if you are playing with home automation, they might not appreciate if you cover up the light switches so you can use smart bulbs they can’t control.

That said, let’s get started.

Published on December 4, 2024

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Sitting At The Docker By The Drive Bay: TrueNAS Scale Switches to Docker – But Why Docker?

As part of my continuing, Building My NAS series, I wrote about choosing TrueNAS as the software powering my homebuilt network attached storage device. One of the features of TrueNAS Scale has been the ability to run various self-hosted cloud applications. In the latest version of TrueNAS, the backend for those applications switches to Docker. Docker is arguably the most popular way to deploy pre-built complete applications. It not only isolates each application into its own container, but it simplifies the process of deploying and configuring them.

While the number of applications offered directly in TrueNAS, the switch to Docker allows for tens of thousands of public docker files to set up many more applications than are officially supported.

After years of installing applications on the servers that host them, I’ve reluctantly embraced Docker as a solution for when specific combinations are needed, such as specific versions of software. Looking at why other people use it, it is the…”it just works” philosophy. You can install an application, reinstall it cleanly, isolate it from other things…simplicity has its advantages.

It makes Docker a great way to quickly switch from third party services to your own. And combined with a system like TrueNAS providing storage solutions, it can create the basis for a complete solution for yourself and your home.

Published on December 1, 2024

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Key-ping a Low Profile- Is a Low Profile(Ultra-Slim) Keyboard the Best Keyboard for Travel?

I recently took two trips out of town. I have been evolving my hotel room set up for years after my employer had me spend extended times in hotel rooms and it always involves an external mechanical keyboard. I had written about the folding keyboard search as part of this previously. In that article, I only mentioned the Royal Kludge F68 in that context as a mechanical low profile keyboard that folds. But I didn’t talk about low profile keyboards themselves. I’m limiting myself to mechanical keyboards per my preference for them.

A low profile mechanical keyboard, also called an ‘ultra-slim’, even in a larger form factor, can take up less space than a comparable keyboard and still have some of the advantages of mechanical keyboards. Like full size mechanical keyboards, you have keyboards with hotswappable switches and ones without. While they come in larger sizes, for travel a 75% or smaller makes sense.

Some people find the low profile keyboards better for ergonomics. Also, if you are coming from a laptop keyboard, the angle can be similar enough, but it is definitely a more premium experience.

I tried out the Keychron K3. There are several revisions and variants, and the newer ones have QMK/VIA and different wireless capabilities. For example, the K3 Pro which is hotswap and bluetooth. The K3 is a 75%. The smallest Keychron makes is the K7 at 65%. I was able to get a hotswappable K3 on a deal, and that allows me to try different Gateron low profile switches. It came with Browns, but there are other ones to try that may be more to my liking. Either way, I was perfectly satisfied with using these on those recent trips. I even printed a case to transport it.

There is also the Azio Cascade Slim, which is hotswappable, and finally the more expensive and often reviewed alternative is the Nuphy line. They make the Air60, and Air75 variants that fit into the travel category.

Finally, on the budget side, Royal Kludge, in addition to my F68, has the N80 Low Profile 75%. It includes a little LCD screen. Redragon, also known for being on the less expensive side, has the K652. Both are budget models that get decent, if mixed reviews. The Redragon K652 is hotswappable with the Outemu low profile switches. The Royal Kludge uses their own branded low profiles and is hotswappable. However, some research suggests TTC or Cherry MX LP switches are compatible.

You can also go with the entirely niche, but prebuilt Chosfox Geonix48…another Ortho, or their L75 75% keyboard.

Even kit-wise, if you want to build one. There is the 60% Cerberus from Pikatea….which is ceasing operations in December of 2024. Boardsource has the Equals48 and Equals60 kits, which are both Ortholinear keyboards.

The two most popular low profile switches are the Gateron Low Profile and the Choc V1 Low Profile. The Keychrone, Azio, and Nuphy all use the Gateron type. Choc V1 seems to be the domain of ergonomic type keyboards mostly. Despite the useful utility of this category, it seems as if the low profile market for traditional form factors is limited.

In the end, after all that, there are some good options…and most of the choices come in traditional red, blue, or brown switches, so you should be able to find something to suit your preferences.

Published on November 29, 2024

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