We have been experiencing issues with our Server Room air-conditioning unit due to the increase in load-shedding frequency. The problem is that during load shedding, our backup generator does take a couple of seconds to start up, and we’ve had numerous occasions where the aircon unit does not power up with the backup generator, or when the grid returns.

Our initial idea was to simply implement a temperature sensor that can send a notification to our IT team when the temp exceeds 24 degrees to go and switch on the aircon manually. However, what if this happens at night when we are not at the office?

The solution was relatively simple and very cost-effective. We used the Aqara Hub 2 with a Temperature sensor. The reason why we opted for the Hub 2 is that this allows for adding additional accessories such as the aircon (which in our case supports Wi-Fi connectivity).

To set up the Hub 2, simply power up the unit, connect it to the same network as the smartphone is connected to, and onboard the device using the QR code on the back. The Aqara App’s prompts are straightforward to use. The Temperature sensor was also added within seconds and placed strategically in the server room.