Simple Home Assistant automation to run 'dumb' unidirectional A/C with an IR blaster like the Broadlink RM4

configuration-for-home-assistant-control-of-dumb-AC-with-Broadlink-IR-blaster.yaml

# These lines are added to Home Assistant's configuration.yaml and/or
# automations.yaml.
#
# I use this to control my Pioneer mini-split for which I have only a simple
# remote control. The remote is  one-way communication. The mini split does not
# provide feedback about whether it's running. Therefore I use a timer,
# `cooling_timer`, that starts the A/C unit (through the Broadlink) and then
# turns off the A/C unit when the timer finishes. A second timer,
# `cooling_upkeeper_timer`, refreshes the main timer if more cooling is needed
# so that unnecessary IR commands are not sent to the A/C unit. This is
# particularly needed because the unit beeps whenever it receives a command,
# which is annoying if it happens often.
#
# Requires:
#
# - An IR blaster with an integration like
#   https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/broadlink/ called
#   `remote.broadlink_remote` here. The device must have been set up with
#   commands like 'Turn off' and 'cool-auto-77-swing' for a device named 'AC'.
#
# - A sensor `sensor.room_temperature` that provides the current temperature.
#
# Better alternatives include
#
# - https://github.com/smartHomeHub/SmartIR for wrapping the controls in a
#   proper Climate integration (https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/climate/).
# - Use a door sensor on the A/C exhaust louvers to detect if they are open thus
#   to sense if the A/C unit is running. (My unit is hardwired so I don't to detect
#   activity using electric draw.)

timer:
  # This main timer turns the A/C on when the timer starts and off when the
  # timer finishes.
  cooling_timer:
    name: "Cooling timer"
    restore: true

  # The upkeep timer checks the temperature  when it finishes. If more cooling
  # is needed, it restarts cooling_timer.
  cooling_upkeep_timer:
    name: "Cooling upkeep timer"
    restore: true
    
automation:
     
  - id: 'automation-turn-on-ac'
    alias: Turn on AC cooling when high temperature
    trigger:
    # Turn on above 78 degrees F.
    - type: temperature
      platform: device
      entity_id: sensor.room_temperature
      domain: sensor
      above: 78
    action:
    - service: timer.start
      metadata: {}
      data:
        duration: 00:31:00
      target:
        entity_id: timer.room_cooling_timer
    - service: timer.start
      metadata: {}
      data:
        duration: 00:30:00
      target:
        entity_id: timer.room_cooling_upkeep_timer
    mode: single

  - id: 'automation-cooling-upkeep-timer-finished'
    alias: Living room cooling upkeep timer finished
    trigger:
    - platform: event
      event_type: timer.finished
      event_data:
        entity_id: timer.cooling_upkeep_timer
    condition:
    - condition: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.room_temperature
      above: 76
    action:
    - service: timer.start
      metadata: {}
      data:
        duration: 00:31:00
      target:
        entity_id: timer.living_room_cooling
    - service: timer.start
      metadata: {}
      data:
        duration: 00:30:00
      target:
        entity_id: timer.living_room_cooling_upkeep
    mode: single

  - id: 'automation-start-ac-with-timer'
    alias: Room cooling timer - started
    trigger:
    - platform: event
      event_type: timer.started
      event_data:
        entity_id: timer.living_room_cooling
    condition: []
    action:
    # Must be set up with Broadlink integration or similar: 
    # https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/broadlink/
    - service: remote.send_command
      metadata: {}
      data:
        num_repeats: 1
        delay_secs: 0.4
        hold_secs: 0
        device: AC
        command: cool-auto-77-swing
      target:
        device_id: remote.broadlink_remote
    mode: single
  
  - id: 'automation-turn-off-ac-after-timer'
    alias: Turn off A/C after timer
    trigger:
    - platform: event
      event_type: timer.finished
      event_data:
        entity_id: timer.living_room_cooling
    action:
    # Must be set up with Broadlink integration or similar: 
    # https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/broadlink/
    - service: remote.send_command
      metadata: {}
      data:
        num_repeats: 1
        delay_secs: 0.4
        hold_secs: 0
        device: AC
        command: Turn off
      target:
        device_id: remote.broadlink_remote