SonOff Low Cost Wifi Switches for Home Automation

Stoner · 19-04-2018 12:32pm

Yeah the couple of updates were strange, didn't understand them myself.

I still have one on heating it's perfect

clint_silver · 24-04-2018 12:25pm

On the eWelink app I can turn on my immersion and then I have a 40 minute countdown that I enable that will turn it off automatically.

this requires a couple of steps, small as they are. I have a alexa dots around the house and have ewelink paired as a skill
"alexa turn on the immersion"
works perfect. very happy.

How can I automate it so that when I use voice control, it only turns on for 40 minutes. As in, how can I set the auto timer to run when it turns on? Or indeed how to run that with a single tap on the app to turn on the switch.

ED E · 24-04-2018 12:26pm

clint_silver wrote: »

On the eWelink app I can turn on my immersion and then I have a 40 minute countdown that I enable that will turn it off automatically.

this requires a couple of steps, small as they are. I have a alexa dots around the house and have ewelink paired as a skill
"alexa turn on the immersion"
works perfect. very happy.

How can I automate it so that when I use voice control, it only turns on for 40 minutes. As in, how can I set the auto timer to run when it turns on? Or indeed how to run that with a single tap on the app to turn on the switch.

Stringify + IFTTT + eWe.

I had the exact same requirement for my electric blanket.

clint_silver · 24-04-2018 12:31pm

ED E wrote: »

Stringify + IFTTT + eWe.

I had the exact same requirement for my electric blanket.

I've the same problem on an electric blanket too.

:D

Nice one, I'll look at that

taytobreath · 27-04-2018 5:41am

Hi,

I have 6 GU10 spots in my kitchen, if I were to put the cable going to these spots through these switches and then put the switches above the plaster board (in the attic) would they work, the router is in the kitchen.

Also, can you program them to come on at the same time? i.e hey google turn on all kitchen lights, and can you program them individually, i.e hey google turn on light 1 in kitchen.

If I had two lights on and wanted to turn on the rest of them could i ask google to turn on all lights, would the ones that were initially on remain on or would they turn off?

I have no need for those coloured hue lights in a kitchen and this sounds like a cheap alternative.

clint_silver · 27-04-2018 10:12am

taytobreath wrote: »

Hi,

I have 6 GU10 spots in my kitchen, if I were to put the cable going to these spots through these switches and then put the switches above the plaster board (in the attic) would they work, the router is in the kitchen.

Also, can you program them to come on at the same time? i.e hey google turn on all kitchen lights, and can you program them individually, i.e hey google turn on light 1 in kitchen.

If I had two lights on and wanted to turn on the rest of them could i ask google to turn on all lights, would the ones that were initially on remain on or would they turn off?

I have no need for those coloured hue lights in a kitchen and this sounds like a cheap alternative.

Ive 8 gu10s in my kitchen, 6 in the sitting room. Ive most of my house automated at this stage and have given a good bit of thought to putting some control on the lights.

Put a sonoff on each of the gu10s, well this is overkill and not really needed, if you always turn them all on, why do you want control over all of them now?

Only put a sonoff on the first one in the chain, pop it over the plasterboard they should all be coming off the same power, you get to hide the switch then. However...

Well what if wifi is down, you cant access that sonoff physical switch up over the plasterboard then, so put the sonoff just over the light switch, well that looks horrible so...

get the sonoff light switch
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Sonoff-1-2-3-Gang-Smart-WiFi-RF-Panel-Touch-Switch-Wall-Retome-Control-Light/142491453563?hash=item212d27087b:m:m2gxTJPVmOUytA6W-aRF8kA

If you want to control multiple things, ie turn on one turns on many, you need to create scenes, you can do some of this with the native ewelink app but use stringify and ifttt for way more control.

I have the house controlled with alexa voice control. Works superbly. Google voice is supported too.

taytobreath · 27-04-2018 11:29am

Thank u for that information, the 6 lights are on 3 different circuits.

When u said if the WiFi goes off, do u need to get at the switch to reset it.

I have no neutrals at my switches for that link.

clint_silver · 27-04-2018 11:50am

taytobreath wrote: »

Thank u for that information, the 6 lights are on 3 different circuits.

When u said if the WiFi goes off, do u need to get at the switch to reset it.

I have no neutrals at my switches for that link.

on each of the sonoffs theres a little hard switch that can be used manually to turn power on and off. Its not really a reset unless you keep it in to actually reset the sonoff.

If your wifi goes down youll need some way to manually turn them on, if the sonoff or indeed the amazon cloud where ewelink host their service, is inaccessible, you wont be able to do that, at least not easily, if youve hidden it away.

All the cloud services run at 5 x 9s uptime (99.999% of the time its up) and in theory if you pay your broadband bill and your electricity bill and theres no power or broadband outages, you should be ok. (unless you live in russia, see my post from a couple of posts above) so I wouldnt worry about it going down.

Theres a couple of youtube videos knocking round on how to hide a sonoff behind plaster board and you can also make your own switch, theres a few tutorials online on putting a plastic switch over the basic sonoff.

kenmc · 27-04-2018 8:11pm

Depending on the firmware in your sonoff, it could default to "on" when you turn it on. So you should be able to turn the wall switch off then on and have manual control from the wall plate

cletus · 02-05-2018 6:51pm

Quick question. I'm planning on putting a sonof onto an extension lead behind my TV. One of the reasons I bought this particular one is because there is a switch on the socket end, meaning I can switch off power to all the crap attached to my TV, without having to dislocate my shoulder trying to reach into the wall plate to turn off.

The sonof will go between the plug of the lead and the switch. Does this mean that even if I manually turn off TV etc, the sonof will still be on, and is this an issue

clint_silver · 02-05-2018 7:19pm

cletus wrote: »

Quick question. I'm planning on putting a sonof onto an extension lead behind my TV. One of the reasons I bought this particular one is because there is a switch on the socket end, meaning I can switch off power to all the crap attached to my TV, without having to dislocate my shoulder trying to reach into the wall plate to turn off.

The sonof will go between the plug of the lead and the switch. Does this mean that even if I manually turn off TV etc, the sonof will still be on, and is this an issue

the power will still be going to the sonoff, if you have the sonoff switched on, then power will still be going to the tv even if you have it manually turned off.

switching the sonoff on and off now will do nothing to the tv as its manually switched off.

Black_Knight · 02-05-2018 10:57pm

Having a sonoff on an extension lead which you're going to flip a manual switch on is a waste of an extension lead with a switch. Why bother with the sonoff if you're going to use the switch?

As mentioned above, the idea with the sonoff is that it's always powered (never truly "off"), so you can remotely power things on/off. If your goal is to cut power to speakers, dvd, tv set top box etc with the push of a button, then a sonoff on an extension lead will do the trick. It is not an issue unless you have a heavy load on the extension lead. I think the basic sonoff are rated for 10 amps.

cletus · 03-05-2018 4:55pm

Black_Knight wrote: »

Having a sonoff on an extension lead which you're going to flip a manual switch on is a waste of an extension lead with a switch. Why bother with the sonoff if you're going to use the switch?

As mentioned above, the idea with the sonoff is that it's always powered (never truly "off"), so you can remotely power things on/off. If your goal is to cut power to speakers, dvd, tv set top box etc with the push of a button, then a sonoff on an extension lead will do the trick. It is not an issue unless you have a heavy load on the extension lead. I think the basic sonoff are rated for 10 amps.

I don't intend to use the switch, but I can see it being done inadvertently by the wife, mother in law etc. Just trying to figure if that will be an issue.

On a related note, just received said sonoff switch today, the shell comes apart quite easily. Anybody tried routing the ground wire inside the switch, rather than over the front or back

cletus · 04-05-2018 7:07pm

cletus wrote: »

On a related note, just received said sonoff switch today, the shell comes apart quite easily. Anybody tried routing the ground wire inside the switch, rather than over the front or back

Just to answer my own question, turns out you can, and I did

cletus · 04-05-2018 7:15pm

Also, AvE teardown

https://youtu.be/yCkwXKRRHHs

emg74 · 07-05-2018 12:10pm

Looking for a Sonoff to put into the hotpress to operate the immersion - It doesn't have a timer or anything there at the minute..

Is this the correct one ? https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sonoff-Pow-R2-16A-3500W-Wifi-Smart-Switch-Higher-Accuracy-Power-Consumption-Measure-Monitor-Current-Energy/3063001_32860853278.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.12834cfe0WOzW0

I have a couple of the basic ones already but do I need something more heavy duty for the Immersion

Thanks

ozmo · 07-05-2018 2:07pm

cletus wrote: »

I don't intend to use the switch, but I can see it being done inadvertently by the wife, mother in law etc. Just trying to figure if that will be an issue.

Maybe check if your tv has the option to turn on when the power is applied rather than waiting for a remote- if what you are trying to do is power on the tv when power is applied?

Ak84 · 07-05-2018 4:02pm

Has anyone used the sonoff humidity sensor and also where is the best place to buy sonoff stuff?

banie01 · 07-05-2018 4:06pm

Ak84 wrote: »

Has anyone used the sonoff humidity sensor and also where is the best place to buy sonoff stuff?

I use the Temp and Humidity sensor with a TH16 to automate heating in my mancave. Works a treat and I usually buy via Amazon, Sonoff sell direct there too AFAIK.
You may need to use Parcel Motel tho.

clint_silver · 07-05-2018 7:41pm

emg74 wrote: »

Looking for a Sonoff to put into the hotpress to operate the immersion - It doesn't have a timer or anything there at the minute..

Is this the correct one ? https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sonoff-Pow-R2-16A-3500W-Wifi-Smart-Switch-Higher-Accuracy-Power-Consumption-Measure-Monitor-Current-Energy/3063001_32860853278.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.12834cfe0WOzW0

I have a couple of the basic ones already but do I need something more heavy duty for the Immersion

Thanks

Yes that POW 2 is the one to get. Ive it on mine.

corkscott · 08-05-2018 3:29pm

Anyone having problems with units at the moment I purchased 4 sonoff basics they all connect to my wifi and I can rename them etc but they are always offline. I have tried connecting to my router, my TP-Link wifi extender even my phone they all install but are always offline. I have 7 other devices which I have had for over 6 months all working fine. Any help would be appreciated.

xckjoo · 08-05-2018 4:10pm

cletus wrote: »

Also, AvE teardown

https://youtu.be/yCkwXKRRHHs

I'd agree with him on most of those points. As much as I'd love to start wiring these to my central heating, the risk isn't worth it (IMO). But I'm still going to pick up a few to mess around with. After I flash custom firmware of course

msmx5 · 08-05-2018 5:49pm

corkscott wrote: »

Anyone having problems with units at the moment

Haven't had any issues at all recently. I have 3 units in constant use and 1 on the shelf waiting for me to decide where to deploy it.

Have yours ever worked? Ie were you been able to remote control them after you paired/connected them to your wifi the first time around??

Sounds strange than none of them work at all... perhaps try deleting your
ewelink account and setting up a new one before adding the devices again.

b.gud · 09-05-2018 5:13pm

Anyone put a SonOff in a light switch like detailed here? Was thinking about doing it and was just wondering would there be any issues I'd need to be aware of

clint_silver · 09-05-2018 5:15pm

corkscott wrote: »

Anyone having problems with units at the moment I purchased 4 sonoff basics they all connect to my wifi and I can rename them etc but they are always offline. I have tried connecting to my router, my TP-Link wifi extender even my phone they all install but are always offline. I have 7 other devices which I have had for over 6 months all working fine. Any help would be appreciated.

Pick one of bad ones. move close to the router and see does it connect.
If still not, turn off the 7 other connected ones (leave off for remainder of testing)
if still not, Reset bad one, make sure it can see router
if it stays connected, great, move back to original location
if fails you have a router distance issue,
if stays connected turn back on 7 good ones
if fails check router logs for connections maxxing out
if all fails, maybe faulty..

JaCrispy · 23-05-2018 8:27pm

Any problems running CH pump and standard oil burner from the Sonoff 4CH Pro?
Some specs from it.

Brand Name: ENJOWI

Rated Current: 10A

Application: Industrial,Residential / General-Purpose

USB Ports Number: None

Grounding: Standard Grounding

Extension Cable Length: None

Master Switch: Yes

Outlets Number: 1

Synchronous Rectification Technology: Yes

Overload Protection: Yes

Support Quick Charge: No

Single USB Max Output: None

Rated Power: 2200W

Surge Protector: Yes

Rated Voltage: 100-240V

USB Total Power: None

WIFI: Yes

Model Number: Sonoff -4CHPro

Sub-control Switch: Yes

durtybit · 24-05-2018 8:25am

b.gud wrote: »

Anyone put a SonOff in a light switch like detailed here? Was thinking about doing it and was just wondering would there be any issues I'd need to be aware of

You can buy Sonoff light switches.

b.gud · 24-05-2018 12:02pm

durtybit wrote: »

You can buy Sonoff light switches.

Yeah, wanted to avoid if possible because I want to flash the sonoffs with Tasmota because I'm planning on having the switches, and as much else as possible in the house, run off Hass.io

bluemachaveli · 24-05-2018 2:36pm

b.gud wrote: »

Yeah, wanted to avoid if possible because I want to flash the sonoffs with Tasmota because I'm planning on having the switches, and as much else as possible in the house, run off Hass.io

The switches can also be flashed with Tasmota (little harder than flashing a basic but nothing major). GPIO isn't attached to the button so you need to manually pull it to ground. I switched all mine over and run them off hass.io with no issues. Much tidier solution IMO, but you need to have a neutral connection to each switch.

The above instructions are for the Sonoff Touch. If you get a T1,2 or 3 you can follow these.

SonOff Low Cost Wifi Switches for Home Automation

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