DIYANI MS1 Zigbee Rain Sensor – IP65 for Outdoor Use

DIYANI MS1 Zigbee Rain Sensor with IP65 for Outdoor UseAutomatically retracting your awnings when it starts to rain, stopping garden irrigation, or receiving a notification when it rains: this requires a reliable rain sensor. The DIYANI MS1 is a compact binary sensor that does one thing: detect if it's raining. Via Zigbee 3.0, it sends a signal directly to Home Assistant as soon as water touches the snake pattern on the detection plate. No Wi-Fi, no cloud, no adapter: just two AAA batteries and a Zigbee coordinator.Power and ConnectivityThe DIYANI MS1 runs on two 1.5V AAA batteries (not included). Power consumption is less than 1mA, allowing the batteries to last up to a year under normal use. Communication is via Zigbee 3.0; the device is a Zigbee EndDevice and requires a Zigbee coordinator. The sensor features IP65 protection: dust-tight and resistant to water jets from all directions.Detection and OperationThe detection plate has a snake pattern of conductive traces. As soon as raindrops bridge two traces, the circuit closes, and the sensor registers rain. The MS1 reports two states: rain (1) or no rain (0). It is not a pluviometer; the amount of precipitation is not measured. The response time is almost instantaneous: the sensor reacts as soon as water touches its surface.Mounting and EnclosureYou can attach the sensor with the included screws and plugs, or using the enclosed sticker. Two screw holes on the back provide secure outdoor mounting. The back cover closes with a rubber seal to keep the inside dry. Mount the MS1 in an open, unsheltered location so that rain falls directly onto the detection plate. Also check out our smart irrigation systems for a complete outdoor installation.Home AssistantThe DIYANI MS1 works directly via Zigbee2MQTT and ZHA, completely locally without cloud. In both platforms, the device is recognized as eWeLink SNZB-05. No custom converters or quirks needed.Pairing procedure via Zigbee2MQTT Put Zigbee2MQTT in pairing mode via the interface or the HA dashboard. Open the battery compartment on the back of the MS1. Press and hold the pairing button between the two batteries for 5 seconds until the LED flashes rapidly. The device will automatically appear as eWeLink SNZB-05 in Zigbee2MQTT. In HA, go to Settings > Devices & Services > MQTT; the rain sensor will appear as a new device. Entities after pairing via Zigbee2MQTT: water_leak (on/off for rain detection), battery (percentage). Local control confirmed, cloud is not required.Pairing procedure via ZHA In HA, go to Settings > Devices & Services > ZHA > Add Device. Open the battery compartment and press and hold the pairing button for 5 seconds. ZHA will recognize the device as eWeLink SNZB-05; the water_leak entity will be immediately available without additional configuration. eWeLink appThrough the eWeLink app and a compatible Zigbee gateway, you can create scenes and automations based on rain detection, such as turning off a smart outdoor plug or sending a push notification. This requires an active internet connection for cloud functions.HomeyThe DIYANI MS1, as a Zigbee device, may be connectable to Homey Pro (2023) via its built-in Zigbee stack. Official support is not confirmed. The most reliable route is via Zigbee2MQTT as an external coordinator in combination with Home Assistant. See our Homey assortment for compatible hardware.Other PlatformsThrough the eWeLink app, the sensor can be linked to Alexa and Google Home for rain detection notifications. Apple Home is not directly supported; indirect linking via Home Assistant and Homebridge is possible.Automation ExamplesExample 1 – Automatic awning retraction on rain Trigger: binary_sensor.regensensor_tuin turns on (rain detected). Condition: cover.zonwering is not closed. Action: call cover.close_cover for cover.zonwering_terras. Optional: send push notification "Rain detected, awning retracted." Example 2 – Stop garden irrigation and resume only when dry Trigger 1: binary_sensor.regensensor_tuin turns on; turn off switch.tuinbewatering. Trigger 2: binary_sensor.regensensor_tuin turns off; wait 30 minutes and then recheck if the sensor is still dry. Condition: time falls within the irrigation schedule (06:00-08:00) and binary_sensor.regensensor_tuin is off. Action: turn switch.tuinbewatering back on for the remaining irrigation time. Points of Attention A Zigbee coordinator is mandatory; the sensor does not work standalone. The MS1 only detects rain or no rain, not rain intensity or quantity. Mount the sensor unsheltered so that rain falls directly on the detection plate; do not place it under an eave. IP65 protection applies to the closed device; always check that the back cover closes correctly after inserting batteries. The sensor dries by itself after rain, after which the status automatically switches back to dry. Batteries (2x AAA) are not included in the package. Box Contents 1x DIYANI MS1 Zigbee rain sensor 1x mounting sticker 1x screws and plugs for wall