🧪 I test the watering valve L14 We

It all starts one morning when I want to pilot the pool filling, even remotely. I receive the Connected valve L14 from We. Quickly, I unpacks the package, I analyse each technical detail, then Iintegrates the valve in Zigbee2MQTT and Home Assistant. Then I realize a real flow meter audit (you will see, the history of the gallons is worth a visit!).

Finally, I make a Lovelace Card ready to use, then I take stock after several watering sessions and a complete filling of the pool.

📦 Product Overview

First contact: the L14 works in Zigbee 3.0, totally in local without depending on the cloud.
The big advantage is its Integrated Flow Meter which measures each litre consumed at the outlet of the tap.

🔍 Detailed technical specifications

Function	Detail
Radio protocol	Zigbee 3.0 / Tuya TS0601
Power supply	4 × AA batteries (supplied)
No screws	¾″ input & output, ½″ adapter included
IP Index	IP66 (dust + projections)
Features	Flow meter, child lock, timer, reset counter
Operating temperature	-10 °C → 50 °C (notice)
Actual dimensions	96 × 152 × 79 mm (excluding fittings)

📸 Unpacking and box contents

When I open the box, I find:

• The Valve L14 already assembled
• The ½″ → ¾″ adapter, ideal for old taps
• An extractable battery drawer
• A Torx screw to secure the drawer
• A note designed for the mobile application (see annex for some unusual translations)

🛒 Where to buy this equipment?

Here is the link to the page dedicated to L14. I referenced the sellers and prices.

🔋 Installation of batteries

I remove the orange drawer, insert the four AA batteries while respecting the polarity, and then return: the valve is ready to be paired.

🔧 Integration Zigbee2MQTT / Home Assistant

The integration steps are as follows:

1. I launch the pairing mode in Zigbee2MQTT
2. I press the red button for 6 seconds (don’t rely on the leaflet that says ‘5-7 °C’ 😅)
3. The LED flashes rapidly: successful inclusion

I then rename the module as Watering Valve for clearer management in my automations.

📑 Parameters Exposed in Zigbee2MQTT

Name	Type	Description	Usefulness	HA sensor
State	✅ Command	ON/OFF	Open/Farm	switch.vanne _watering
Status	ℹ Info	off, app_manual, key_control	Current state	sensor.vanne _arrosage _status
Countdown	✅ Command	Timer	Timed watering	number.vanne_arrosage_countdown
Countdown left	ℹ Info	Time remaining	Before closing	sensor.vanne_arrosage_countdown_left
Total water	ℹ Info	Volume (gal)	Meter Index	sensor.vanne_arrosage_water_total
Water current	ℹ Info	Flow rate gal/min	Snapshot	sensor.vanne_arrosage_water_current
Current switch	✅ Command	Start/Stop measurement	Battery economy	switch.vanne_arrosage_current_switch
Reset switch	✅ Command	Discounted to 0	Index 0	switch.vanne_arrosage_reset_switch
Child lock	✅ Command	Child lock	Disable button	switch.vanne _arrosage _child _lock
Battery*	ℹ Info	%	Battery level	sensor.vanne _arrosage _battery
Linkquality	ℹ Info	dBm	RSSI Zigbee	sensor.vanne _arrosage _linkquality

* After 10 days of use, the value remains at 0 % : The firmware does not reassemble the battery. This is a known problem on this model.

Sources Integration Zigbee2MQTT

🤯 Gallons?? What is this story?

In wanting to convert gallons into liters, I find that the L14 does not use or US gallon (3,785 L), nor the gallon UK (4,546 L): it underestimates by around 5 %. So I do the bucket test:

🔬 Small Bucket Test

Step	Measure	Result
10 L real	2,098 gal	→ 7.94 L (-20 %)

⚔ 🇺🇸 The Gallon War 🇬🇧 vs

Unit	Expected for 10 L	Deviation
Gallon US	2.64 gal	-20 %
Gallon UK	2.20 gal	-5 %

To correct in Home Assistant, I therefore use the magic constant: 4,456 L/gal.

📐 Template Home Assistant corrected

# templates.yaml - sensor: - name: "Total watering valve litres" unit_of_measurement: "L" device _class: water state_class: total_increasing state: >- {% set gal = states('sensor.vanne_arrosage _water _total') | float %} {{ (gal * 4.456) | round(2) }} - name: "Water current litres" unit _of _measurement: "L/min" device_class: water state_class: measurement state: >- {% set gpm = states('sensor.vanne _arrosage _water _current') | float %} {{ (gpm * 4.456) | round(2) }}

⚙ Commands & statuses I use

• ON : the valve remains open until OFF
• Countdown : I inform a time in minutes, the valve closes alone
• Reset switch : by sending "ON", the counter starts again at 0
• Status : alternates between off, app_manual, key_control

📊 Carte Lovelace: my Water Dashboard

To keep track of all consumption, I design a Lovelace card showing: the instantaneous throughput, the total index (L), a ‘Reset counter’ button and the 24-hour or monthly histories.

type: vertical-stack cards: - type: gauge entity: sensor.vanne _arrosage _water _current _litres name: Instantaneous flow unit: L/min min: 0 max: 15 severity: green: 0 yellow: 5 red: 10 - type: entities title: Water meter – Watering valve show _header _toggle: false entities: - entity: sensor.vanne_arrosage_water_total_litres name: Total water (L) icon: mdi:counter - type: divider - entity: switch.vanne _arrosage name: State of the valve icon: mdi:valve - type: button name: Reset counter icon: mdi:restart tap_action: action: call-service service: mqtt.publish data: topic: "zigbee2mqtt/Vanne Watering/set" payload: '{"reset _switch":"ON"}' qos: 0 retains: false - type: statistics-graph title: Flow history (24 h) entities: [sensor.vanne_waterwaterwater _current _litres] stat_types: [mean] days_to _show: 1 chart_type: line - type: statistics-graph title: Monthly consumption entities: [sensor.vanne_waterwater _total_litres] stat_types: [min, max] days_to _show: 31 chart_type: area

If I rename the valve, I think about modifying the topic MQTT in the map.

⚖ Strengths / Weaknesses

• 👍 Strengths : price, local integration, flow meter, IP66, standard AA batteries
• 👎 Weaknesses : unclear notice, % Absent battery, limited accuracy at low flow rate

✅ Conclusion

For less than 45 €, the We L14 fulfills (almost) all my expectations. Thanks to the gallon-to-litre conversion and a tailor-made Lovelace card, I perfectly control the outdoor watering and I know exactly how much water is used, even for the pool!

📑 Annex (humorous): the decrypted paper record

Some pearls found in the manual:

• ‘Connection to the Wi-Fi network’ (although this is Zigbee …)
• "Keep 5-7°C" (not seconds!)
• An entire paragraph on a … camera that does not exist
• Translations like "spill light" … we appreciate!

Download the original notice: PDF