A whiff of innovation wafted through the air when IKEA released their low-cost VINDRIKTNING air quality sensor. As expected, it didn't take long for the hacking community to dive in and tinker with its potential. Like a gust of wind carrying the scent of blooming flowers, ESPHome officially embraced the hacked VINDRIKTNING and began supporting it in the very next release (version 2021.8.0).
The hacked IKEA VINDRIKTNING can now be read by ESPHome
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The spark behind the PM1006 component
Sören Beye, a trailblazer in the field, was the creative spark behind ESPHome's PM1006 Particulate Matter Sensor component. His work inspired the developers, and they crafted a user-friendly configuration that requires a mere seven lines of YAML code. To get ESPHome and VINDRIKTNING to dance harmoniously together, one must configure the UART bus, linking the RX pin to the PM1006's TX pin. However, this dance doesn't allow for an interval setting, as the component passively listens to the data shared by the integrated MCU.
Finding the perfect nesting spot
The Home Assistant Community has been abuzz with chatter, trying to figure out the optimal spot to nestle the ESP8266 or ESP32 within the VINDRIKTNING's enclosure. The prevailing wisdom suggests positioning it beneath the fan, ensuring the airflow remains unobstructed. One resourceful user even managed to snugly fit a small 5V to 3.3V converter and an ESP-01 alongside the VINDRIKTNING's circuitry.
