Automations only start after I open the Home app and go to tab Devices

[jwfukkink]

In the Home app I have configured some automations that switch groups of lights (WiZ) in the living room and kitchen on and off, triggered by a starter (Shelly Motion Sensor (via PlugS) or Aqara FP2).

This has worked correctly for months until last night.
Apparently my Internet-router went berserk but it is working okay again now.

Since then the automations will only trigger after I open the Home app and go to tab Devices. Then they all work correctly.

So far I have tried several things but with no success:
- re-install the Home app
- re-start my mobile phone
- renew the Shelly integration in the Home app

Any suggestions how to fix this?

[mestrec]

Same thing started happening here since last week. Automations that are not triggered by a voice command are only starting when I open the Google Home App and then the Automatons tab.

Are you in the Public Preview as well? Wondering if that's a bug with a non-stable version.

Also using Shelly devices for the automation.

I have already restarted the router and all devices - turned off the main switch for my home but didn't solve the problem.

[jwfukkink]

> Are you in the Public Preview as well?
No, I am not using the Public Preview-version.

[JimmyGlass]

FYI, I was able to fix this by registering my Tuya contact sensor with the SmartLife app, rather than the Tuya app... I am presuming that registration with the other application does not result in events proactively being sent to Google, and Google would only care about the status of that device by polling. 

[mestrec]

Thanks @JimmyGlass ! The odd thing for myself and @jwfukkink is that everything was working and suddenly stopped working last week.  It looks like there was a recent change that was rolled out and broke the automations.

[JimmyGlass]

I do wish that there was a little more detail on how device status updates are gathered... I would expect that each "device" either has a status polling capability or an event based trigger... and that is  probably reliant on code from the vendor. Google does not want to produce a DOS attack on a Vendor service, cause it is polling too frequently. So, it would make sense why Google would not want to poll a device for status, unless the App was up... I did figure out that I had to join the Preview Program to get the Script Editor Routines working... It would be nice to talk to a developer at Google..

[silencer22]

same here, experience this myself
I have one routine that supposes to be triggered by home presence, does not work either.

[MFMV]

I had several routines that worked very well and since 2-3 weeks they stopped working, both involve shelly devices and the Google Home routines simply stopped working, I've tried everything to solve it and nothing, I just have to wait for google go back to how it was, that is, working.

[ajar]

Hi there - also affected. Ally my routines/automations in google-home that are triggeres by shelly devices stopped working as described here.

Meanwhile I noticed that when I create a new routine I even cannot select ANY shelly devices. They all are now filtered from the trigger devices list. Can someone confirm this? That would be really important because I'm in contact with the shelly support and that would help very much when arguing to them.

[Kidibul]

Any updates?? Still not resolved after almost 2 months!

My Shelly devices doesn't even show up anymore in the supported devices when I want to make a routine.

[ajar]

I have in total 7 different vendors linked up to google-home. All but shelly still work fine in this regard. So its a shelly issue. That's why I opened a ticket with shelly. It would help if I could prove to them that I'm not the only one affected by this issue. Can you please take a look if you still are able to select a shelly device when you create a new household routine? In my case not a single shelly device is available anymore as a device-type trigger for a routine. It seems shelly messed up the integration completely.

[mestrec]

Same thing here - they have disappeared from the add a starter to the routine.

[Kidibul]

Same problem here.

[MFMV]

Me too. Only sonoff works, Shelly almost disappeared, only few ara available, and routines don't work 

[mestrec]

Shelly support replied to me saying:

"We will discuss the case with our developers who are responsible for the Google Home integration.

We will update you with further information."

[ajar]

today I received the following chat from shelly support:

"Fix for this have been deployed.

Please, test the integration now."

But at least for me there is unfortunately not difference, yet. Maybe someone else can give it a try and report here?

[ajar]

update: it seems that at least status updates are now being pushed through to google. So any existing routines should work now. The only thing at least for me is that I still cannot create new routines with shelly devices as triggers.

[mestrec]

Exactly the same behaviour here - still cannot see the devices as triggers.

[Kidibul]

Still not possible... I can select other brands except for Shelly.

[Juni]

Hi folks,

Thanks for reaching out, and sorry for the delay. Since there was a confirmed update from Shelly support and it’s still not working, try to relink Shelly and observe if it makes a difference.

Keep me posted.

Regards,

Juni

[ajar]

no it doesn't

[mestrec]

I have reconnected my account 3 times, but still no luck. Sheely support also contacted me asking for the same. They are investigating.

[MFMV]

Here is the same automation only work with other devices different from Shelly 

[Kidibul]

Hi Folks,

Good news... my automations are working as before. All my Shelly devices can now trigger other devices.
You must go to: https://home.google.com/ and make your routine with the build-in script editor. You can there choose your Shelly device as a starter for the routine.
It's not that easy, but with the documentations from Google I managed making my automation to work.
Give it a try! 😉

[MFMV]

Thank you very much for the tip, actually when I saw it on my phone it seemed very confusing and I thought: this isn't for me, but today on the computer I was testing it and saw that all my devices were there and I just had to choose the actions for them, It seemed very difficult but I've already managed to get my automations working, one of which is playing calm music when the bathroom light is turned on, another is to notify me on my 4 speakers whenever the gate is opened, these are little things that make a big difference. Thank you very much

[Kidibul]

Hi, your're welcome! I'm glad to hear it works for you too with the script editor. Your routines are even complicated then mine... Here my decoration light goes on at a specific time when I turn off the main light and vice versa. Well done you figured out how to make the script.
I was also skeptic in the begin but after 1 hour or so playing it was working. But unfortunately it's not that user friendly because if you make 1 mistake you can't even activate the routine, so it's definitely not for everyone without that knowledge.
But yeah it was pure coincidence I found it, haven't seen any other topic yet with that solution.

[ajar]

Hi, while this is good news and for people which are capable of using a script editor this will work. But the home app remains broken and for most people who want or need to use the app it will not. So let's keep chasing shelly to come up with a real solution.

Btw I was asked by shelly to provide them access to my shelly account so the can link my devices to their Google home account. Not sure if that is the right approach and it feels somehow awkward to provide them access to my devices.

[mestrec]

Hi @ajar , same thing here. Have given them access to my account but they came back saying the issue is not reproducible.

[Kidibul]

That is not something you want te hear... It has been working very well before, and suddenly nothing works anymore. First the automations won't trigger if the Home app was not open, and after that they disappeared from adding as a starter.
It looks like they're giving it up.

[ajar]

Today I used an older phone with a different Google account to link up my shelly account, same issues. I will record that and send to shelly. I also replied to them that providing access to may account might not give them any information but an excuse to close my case if they can't reproduce the issue.

[Kidibul]

Hi, I also prefer the interface of the home app, but since it hasn't been working for 3 months, I did it true the script editor... It might take another year before they fix it, who knows.

Little bit weird that they ask your Shelly login, don't they have any devices on themselves for testing??
If your light/socket etc. is turning on/off suddenly, you know it might been them ^^

[sKenDread]

Definitely following this. After 2 attempts of re linking and changing all device types in Shelly cloud and Google Home, no Shelly's appear in starter.

I suppose I'll have to script them instead.

I should've googled this first 🤦

[ACABoom]

Hi All, I am having the same issue with an automation I set for Heatmiser.

Google home accepts the device and I can use it as a starter point, but the automation does not run unless I open Google Home and click on devices.

I can see there is a way to run a script and I may have a go, but that means learning how to do it.

I also contacted Heatmiser and they said this is something that Google needs to fix!

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Thanks

[ACABoom]

Right, I managed to create the scripts and they were successfully validated. Unfortunately that did not resolve the issue and I still need to open Google Home and click on Devices for the automations to run.

Any other recommendations anyone?

[ajar]

yes - as with shelly: tell them by e.g. apointing them to this page that shelly had the very same issue and shelly was able to resolve it. At the same time I still have 7 different vendor-integrations that still work flawlessly - so its not a generall google issue (IMHO).

[Chris-Thailand]

We have a similar issue with a switch linked with "Smartlife" and a Carrier aircon linked with "Carrier in the Air". We set up an automation so that the aircon would turn on when pressing the switch. But it only works if we go into Google Home and refresh the device list. Does anyone know why this could be happening? Thanks! Chris

[AndyRoid]

Same here... for me it's with an Aqara FP2 controlling some Philips Hue bulbs. Working fine until recently. Now I need to go to Google Home app and (if it was already running in the background) refresh Devices in order for the Automation action to run.

[Chris-Thailand]

Yeah, this is so frustrating. The strange thing is, we have 3 of the same aircons in different rooms. With one of them, it actualy works without going into Google Home. But the other two don't - even though the switches are exactly the same, with the same set-up. Really odd. I had a chat with a Google support agent and he said that it isn't a Google issue - I should contact Tuya, the company behind the Smartlife app with which the switches are connected. I'll have a look on their support forums. But there are obviously many issues with the way the different applications interface with Google Home - not surprising considering how complex the whole smart home universe has become nowadays.

I hope they get these issues solved somehow.

[eliaseje]

Same problem....automations were working fine a few weeks ago. I have a Aquara FP2 sensor that detects motion and turns off/on my Govee light bulbs. The scripts are correctly made but they are not triggered by motion in the Google home app. When I go onto the app and into devices the script will run. Annoying!!! I have Uninstaller Google home and reinstalled. I have unlinked Aqara App and relinked....nothing works!! 

[AndyRoid]

I've currently made a basic workaround using IFTTT. If I use that instead of Google Home, then the automations work, but only if I use the overall device as a trigger, not a zone. I've raised a TKT with Aqara, awaiting response. Guess I should also report to Google. Unfortunately, I can imagine that each will blame the other...