Home Automation - Smartkit

[Rocket-Boy]

Had my first minor issue with they Shelly - it went "off-line" while we were away - so light automation didn't work - only way I could get it back up was by switching the trip switch.

Oddly - the wall switches also didn't work while it was offline.

How are you communicating with them in HA? via MQTT?
Using the stock firmware?
Im wondering how it handles things like retain messages. MQTT is actually a pain most of the time, it just adds a level of complexity to HA so where possible I use native API's to prevent issues.

 

[RaptorSA]

Yes that's correct.

I have mine set that when the temp is below 21 degrees between 4pm and 7am then turn on.

Excellent, the Youtube videos I've seen didn't cover that scenario, thanks phaktza!

 

[xrapidx]

How are you communicating with them in HA? via MQTT?
Using the stock firmware?
Im wondering how it handles things like retain messages. MQTT is actually a pain most of the time, it just adds a level of complexity to HA so where possible I use native API's to prevent issues.

HA - MQTT... but when it was down - I also tried the app, and IP address directly.

 

[rodga]

Yes that's correct.

I have mine set that when the temp is below 21 degrees between 4pm and 7am then turn on.

Are you guys using this with those wall panel heaters? Would a basic be sufficient to handle this or do i need a 16A sonoff? I have a few basics in the garage I could use. The heater is rated at 400w.

 

[SmartKit]

Are you guys using this with those wall panel heaters? Would a basic be sufficient to handle this or do i need a 16A sonoff? I have a few basics in the garage I could use. The heater is rated at 400w.

If you don't want the temperature monitoring you can just use a Basic. The cables don't even contain an earth.

FYI the Basic is rated to about 2000W.

 

[ebendl]

If you don't want the temperature monitoring you can just use a Basic. The cables don't even contain an earth.

FYI the Basic is rated to about 2000W.

So remember to take through the earth though. So if you cut a lead to connect your heater, make sure you still keep the earths in tact. It's actually one thing that's kinda annoying about the basic.

In terms of power ratings, 400W is perfectly fine through the basic. I'd worry about more than 1kw.

 

[SmartKit]

So remember to take through the earth though. So if you cut a lead to connect your heater, make sure you still keep the earths in tact. It's actually one thing that's kinda annoying about the basic.

In terms of power ratings, 400W is perfectly fine through the basic. I'd worry about more than 1kw.

All the panel heaters I've bought don't have an earth :-/

 

[rodga]

Cool thanks guys, is it possible to add a probe to the basic or is that only for the TH models?

Also have a POW R2 lying around somewhere I could use, but I want to make an adapter lead for testing power consumption with that one

 

[SmartKit]

Cool thanks guys, is it possible to add a probe to the basic or is that only for the TH models?

Also have a POW R2 lying around somewhere I could use, but I want to make an adapter lead for testing power consumption with that one

Sorry only the TH.

 

[SauRoNZA]

A few more automation options living in iOS13 should make life a bit more interesting.

Weirdly not all of them live inside the HomeKit app but inside Shortcuts instead, such as do X when I connect to WiFi which will help if my internet is off to trigger my arrival home to Home Assistant.

Still not enough customisation to filter only some devices to users added to your Home which remains a deal breaker for me, even though they claim upon first opening that you can “customise it as much as you want”...yeah not nearly enough Apple.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Cool thanks guys, is it possible to add a probe to the basic or is that only for the TH models?

Also have a POW R2 lying around somewhere I could use, but I want to make an adapter lead for testing power consumption with that one

I do believe it’s possible with some soldering work.

The TH just makes it plug and play prewired to a specific GPIO.

 

[rodga]

I do believe it’s possible with some soldering work.

The TH just makes it plug and play prewired to a specific GPIO.

I thought I saw something about this a long while ago
I think may have to finally move away from ewelink now and get my xiaomi stuff talking to my sonoff stuff
(have an air purifier that can potentially send the temp)

 

[SauRoNZA]

I thought I saw something about this a long while ago
I think may have to finally move away from ewelink now and get my xiaomi stuff talking to my sonoff stuff
(have an air purifier that can potentially send the temp)

That’s the wrong way to look at it.

You need a middleware like Home Assistant to bring it all together.

Don’t even try to make two end devices talk to each other.

 

[Tinuva]

Must thank @SauRoNZA for his "Secure the compound" idea. While I can't remember what all that does for him, I created something similar for myself and the wife.

In my version, I speak "ok google, trigger the garage door" to my android car radio, or my phone, and that will open the garage door I park the car in. Same sentence for her, except it opens her garage door. Will do something similar to "secure the compound" to turn on the alarm.

For this, I use ifttt.com that can have either Alexa or Google connected, and then send json to a web api endpoint, which I use a http node on Nodered, which can then basically do anything. A webhook relay is another option if you don't want to expose Nodered to the internet. In my case I do, but with authentication on Traefik (used as reverse proxy) with an except on the endpoint url.

 

[rodga]

That’s the wrong way to look at it.

You need a middleware like Home Assistant to bring it all together.

Don’t even try to make two end devices talk to each other.

yeah thats what I meant, I have most of what I need, just need to flash the sonoffs and get some free time to set everything up

 

[SauRoNZA]

@Tinuva when you say Android radio do you mean Android Auto? Or literally a car deck with Android on?

 

[Tinuva]

@Tinuva when you say Android radio do you mean Android Auto? Or literally a car deck with Android on?

The latter.

After market radio running android 8.

Edit:
Best upgrade I ever did for this 2001 paid up car.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Aah that’s very cool.

So does it take a SIM card?

 

[xrapidx]

They usually allow the connection of dongles for 3G/4G - had one in my Jimny - want to get another for the FJ.

Was nice to get in the car and it knows where you going. (calendar/google maps/etc)

 

[Tinuva]

Aah that’s very cool.

So does it take a SIM card?

Like xrapidx said, you can add a usb dongle to add a sim card to it.

I went another way. I have Tasker set up on my phone, with a rule, that as soon as it see my phone connect to the car's bluetooth, it enables hotspot which the car's radio automatically connect to and use. The car radio is set up to not do updates over hotspot wifi connections, so it only updates when at home and connected to the wifi at home.