Please help me understand the SONOFF Mini

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zippy320

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Hi guys!
Hope everyone is well . I hope im not repeating this question , been breaking my head over this and I cant figour it out.

So im looking into getting these sonoff Mini devices for some of the switches at home to control the lights , I like the idea of this new device in that it can hide behind the switch and I could still use the switch normally from the wall as well as from my phone . Now heres the where im confused .

1) In all the bedrooms , we have one switch on the wall by the door and another by the bedside . ( So this is a two way switch) each with one button on them
Can I connect the Mini to one side and will it allow the other side to work as normal ?

2) In most parts of the home , we have switches with multiple buttons on them , for example , in the lounge , we have 3 buttons on one switch panel , one controls the left side down lights , another controls the right side and the middle controls a single light in the middle of the room .

Do I need a Mini for each button? Or can one mini be used for all three buttons on the switch panel? with each button bieng represented as an individual button on the ewlink app?
Will it allow me to individually switch on and off each button?

If that's possible , how is it all wired up?

Thanks guys , Hope I made sense .
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated , Im trying to understand how the system works before I take the leap and purchase the mini.
 
EDIT:
Watch this part of this video. Explains perfectly how to install a Mini without putting in side a wall box or running an extra neutral wire.


@zippy320
764816
Left = Mini working as a basic, Right = switch override mode

In SA we normally wire the house so only the live goes to the switch. The switch breaks or closes the circuit to the light fitting. This method doesn't work for the Mini as it needs a neutral. This is not as big a problem as you think because it is easily installed, just not in the box that houses the switch. It needs to go where the switch takeoff is.

You have to find where the Live is taken off to the switch. There will be 3 wires, Live (normally red), Neutral (normally black) and an earth (bare wire or yellow/green). The Live wire goes to the switch and then to the light fitting.

So here is how you install the Mini. (see the left figure)
Disconnect the wires going to the switch
Both Live and Neutral, from the DB, go into the Mini. Neutral to 1 and Live to 3.
A Neutral goes from 2 to the light fitting.
A live goes from 4 to the light fitting.

Now the Mini works as a Basic. You can turn it on or off or add rules

Next the switch (see right figure)
Those wires going to the switch, they go into 5 and 6.
The order doesn't matter.

Now, if you use the switch it will work the light regardless of the rules you set.
A Mini is just a Basic with a built in override.

For 2 way switches where you have a switch on either side of the room, is simple. All you need to do is find the switch wires closest to the wire from the DB. Disconnect the switch wires and insert them into 5 and 6 of the Mini.

Edit:
Multiple button switches, you need a mini for each button. Now you can use SonOff switches, but this requires changing the wiring as you need the Live and Neutral, coming from the DB to the switch and then back to the fitting. Two sets of wires for each button, although you can use a common Neutral.
 
Last edited:
bwana said:
I prefer replacing the actual wall switches with these.
Click to expand...
Only problem is you need an extra Live back to the light fitting. If your electrician didn't use conduit (say they used lay flat) it means chasing a new cable.

Sorry I made a mistake. You just need to run a single Neutral to the switch box. Easy if you have conduit. A mess if you need to chase. One thing could save you. If you have more than one wire running to the switch box, convert one of the insulated earth wires to a neutral. It must be an insulated, not a bare, wire. There must be another earth wire that you can use to earth the fitting.
 
Last edited:
Dairyfarmer said:
Only problem is you need an extra Live back to the light fitting. If your electrician didn't use conduit (say they used lay flat) it means chasing a new cable.

Sorry I made a mistake. You just need to run a single Neutral to the switch box. Easy if you have conduit. A mess if you need to chase. One thing could save you. If you have more than one wire running to the switch box, convert one of the insulated earth wires to a neutral. It must be an insulated, not a bare, wire. There must be another earth wire that you can use to earth the fitting.
Click to expand...
Anyhow it's usually worth the effort in my books mostly because you don't need to worry about the status of the light switch.
 
bwana said:
Anyhow it's usually worth the effort in my books mostly because you don't need to worry about the status of the light switch.
Click to expand...
With the Mini you can:
override the switch status with the wifi
override the wifi status with the switch

Say you have a rule that states 8am to 4pm light must be off. Regardless of the switch status the light will turn off.
Anytime during 8am to 4pm you can manually turn the light on or off with the switch.

This is not like the Basic.
If the Basic is installed before the switch, the Basic is on, you can operated the light via the switch
If the Basic is installed before the switch, the Basic is off, the switch is not operational
If the Basic is installed before the switch, the Basic is on, the switch off, you can't operate the light with wifi
If the Basic is installed before the switch, the Basic is on, the switch on, you can operate the light with wifi
If the Basic is installed after the switch, the switch is on, you can operated the light via the wifi
If the Basic is installed after the switch, the switch is off, there is no power to the Basic
 
Last edited:
Dairyfarmer said:
With the Mini you can:
override the switch status with the wifi
override the wifi status with the switch
Click to expand...

If you’re going to go through the effort of running another wire why not put in a proper switch?
 
bwana said:
If you’re going to go through the effort of running another wire why not put in a proper switch?
Click to expand...
You are not running another wire.

Without Sonoff:
Neutral straight from DB to light fitting
Live from DB to switch then to light fitting

With Mini:
Live and Neutral from DB to Mini
Neutral out Mini to fitting
Live out Mini to fitting
EXISTING switch wires to Mini
 
Dairyfarmer said:
With the Mini you can:
override the switch status with the wifi
override the wifi status with the switch
Click to expand...
Sounds cool. Thanks
Dairyfarmer said:
You are not running another wire.

Without Sonoff:
Neutral straight from DB to light fitting
Live from DB to switch then to light fitting

With Mini:
Live and Neutral from DB to Mini
Neutral out Mini to fitting
Live out Mini to fitting
EXISTING switch wires to Mini
Click to expand...
So, if I have a three gang? switch how many minis would I need?
 
Tinuva said:
Why run a neutral to the switch box for the mini? I would install the mini at the light itself then there is no need to run a neutral wire.
Click to expand...
The Mini needs to be installed between the DB and the fitting.
The switch then plugs into the Mini.
Currently your wiring will look like a "T". Neutral direct to fitting. Live comes down to switch then back up to fitting.
You install the Mini where the Live is taken off. This can be anywhere between the DB and the fitting, but you want as easy a path from the switch to the Mini.

Watch this part of this video. This is what I'm talking about.
 
Dairyfarmer said:
The Mini needs to be installed between the DB and the fitting.
The switch then plugs into the Mini.
Currently your wiring will look like a "T". Neutral direct to fitting. Live comes down to switch then back up to fitting.
You install the Mini where the Live is taken off. This can be anywhere between the DB and the fitting, but you want as easy a path from the switch to the Mini.

Watch this part of this video. This is what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...
Ok so why cant you do that at the light itself?

At least in my current house both live and netural runs to the light. Then there are 2 wires to the switch from there, which are looped into the live usually. You can plug those 2 into the mini from the above diagram using the switch as an override switch.

So other houses must then be wired vastly different for this method not to work.

Edit:
You still need to buy extra wires, but they can be short if the mini is at the light fitting. But you save yourself from trying to pull a long neutral through from the light to the switch..
 
Tinuva said:
At least in my current house both live and netural runs to the light. Then there are 2 wires to the switch from there, which are looped into the live usually. You can plug those 2 into the mini from the above diagram using the switch as an override switch.
Click to expand...
That is what I said.
 
Rocket-Boy said:
Yup, every single switch in my house is either a T1 or T3.
My wife likes to press a button, I like to yell at Alexa to turn it on.
Everything is integrated into HA so I have all of the rules I want running from there.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but I'm going to order a ten pack of these minis off Amazon. I've identified a couple of places it will be easier using one (or three) of them instead.
 
bwana said:
Yeah, but I'm going to order a ten pack of these minis off Amazon.
Click to expand...
Why not just order them from Banggood? R963.69, tax free delivery (R57.60) included with Buffalo. Delivered to your nearest PEP store.

www.banggood.com

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