Smart light switches

SAguy said:
I went ahead and took a gamble on these:
View attachment 1340158

Opened it up and unfortunately it's not ESP82xx so can't be flashed with Tasmota.

It's got the Beken BK7231 chip:
View attachment 1340164

If this software supports MQTT maybe I'll continue to use it - otherwise it's a fail for me.
Click to expand...
If you willing to solder, you can replace it with an ESP-01 like seen at https://github.com/arendst/Tasmota/discussions/12022#discussioncomment-2793677

Not an easy feat, I only know of 1 person on mybb that will probably be able to do it.

Or if MQTT is all you want, look at flashing https://github.com/openshwprojects/OpenBK7231T_App
https://github.com/openshwprojects/OpenBK7231T
 
Quick question guys. If one has a lets 4 gang switch, and you want to go Sonoff minis, do you need 4 x Sonoff minis? or how does it work?
 
another question, the smart 2 or 4 gang switches, if you lose connection or something, i assume the switches would still power the lights on and off with a manual push of the button like a regular switch?
 
Icemanbrfc said:
another question, the smart 2 or 4 gang switches, if you lose connection or something, i assume the switches would still power the lights on and off with a manual push of the button like a regular switch?
Click to expand...

Yes the physical switch still works exactly the same and completely locally.

The connectivity only makes a difference to the smart home side of things.

You could use all these switches without ever connecting them to anything.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yes the physical switch still works exactly the same and completely locally.

The connectivity only makes a difference to the smart home side of things.

You could use all these switches without ever connecting them to anything.
Click to expand...
Cool thanks.
 
Tinuva said:
Isn't there like a sonoff mini dual?

If not get the Shelly 2.5 then you only need 2 for a 4 gang
Click to expand...
Highly recommend the Shellys. HA discovers them without any additional integrations etc.

Has lots of options in settings and local control without tasmotizing soldering etc.
 
Any good affordable light switches? Don't really care about flashing, or Home Assistant etc. Just ones that work with Google Home or Alexa, where I can just use motion sensors to turn them on and off during certain times.
 
96a4389ec5c163427879adfef130629a.jpg


Narrower than expected, but this particular wall box also seems to have been cut quite badly, so hopefully not the case for all of them.

Will fill up with some silicone or polyfilla or something.

The plastic back does seem very fragile and screwing it in too hard I’m sure will see the circuit board breaking or coming right off.

Also means that the touch buttons didn’t work reliably until I “levelled” it more nicely so it wasn’t flexing.

Even so they don’t seem nearly as responsive as when I tested them off the wall and now actually require a bit of pressure which isn’t the worst since I was actually looking for a more physical switch.

The WAF is going to struggle with the LEDs come darkness.

The neutral connection is a joke. It's maybe 2mm wide hole that goes 3cm deep and you definitely could never fit more than one solid core wire down in there. So I had to bridge the neutral connections first and then run a separate wire into the switch.

For ease of use fitting it into the wall box I'm probably going to fit a chocolate block right on the back of the switches to facilitate the neutral connection when I get to the rest.

At R220 it's pretty good value.

isphome.co.za

Tuya Smart Light Switch - 4Ch White No-Neutral at 50% OFF - ISP Home

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I've setup the second button to run an automation to turn on bedside light and LED strip and that works pretty nicely.
 
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SauRoNZA said:
96a4389ec5c163427879adfef130629a.jpg


Narrower than expected, but this particular wall box also seems to have been cut quite badly, so hopefully not the case for all of them.

Will fill up with some silicone or polyfilla or something.

The plastic back does seem very fragile and screwing it in too hard I’m sure will see the circuit board breaking or coming right off.

Also means that the touch buttons didn’t work reliably until I “levelled” it more nicely so it wasn’t flexing.

Even so they don’t seem nearly as responsive as when I tested them off the wall and now actually require a bit of pressure which isn’t the worst since I was actually looking for a more physical switch.

The WAF is going to struggle with the LEDs come darkness.
Click to expand...
Yup one of the reasons I avoid these types. People may complain about difficulty getting a shelly or sonoff-mini in there behind a physical switch, but it ends up just being better.

What some have done, is 3d print another back plate that you put between this and the wall, which I think probably solves most of the issues you see in this photo.
 
Tinuva said:
Yup one of the reasons I avoid these types. People may complain about difficulty getting a shelly or sonoff-mini in there behind a physical switch, but it ends up just being better.

What some have done, is 3d print another back plate that you put between this and the wall, which I think probably solves most of the issues you see in this photo.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have actually seen some of the switches get sold with an extra backing plate as you mention it, not sure if it covered these specific ones but also could venture up the road to @EyeSuc and get some made.

But I do think this is just an exceptionally bad cavity.

A Shelly/Sonoff would have worked fine for this use case where there's only 1-gang required but the moment it becomes 2 or more it's going to be a **** show and then lack uniformity.

I'm about to post in the HA thread with an Automation question, so hoping you can help with that.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yeah I have actually seen some of the switches get sold with an extra backing plate as you mention it, not sure if it covered these specific ones but also could venture up the road to @EyeSuc and get some made.

But I do think this is just an exceptionally bad cavity.

A Shelly/Sonoff would have worked fine for this use case where there's only 1-gang required but the moment it becomes 2 or more it's going to be a **** show and then lack uniformity.

I'm about to post in the HA thread with an Automation question, so hoping you can help with that.
Click to expand...
Shelly2.5 works great in 2gang switches. There is a dualmini sonoff too I think. Its only 3 and up I agree, but at least in my house, those have double cavity size.
 
Guys, I need a cheap smart idea for a door bell. Doesn't have to ring, camera or anything, but I'm looking for a solution, where I can place some outdoor switch, which can then alert me on my phone or Nest hub that somebody is at the door.. don't really want to spend money on a nest door bell, as I have cameras outside already.

Is there something like this out there, or ways one could implement something like this?
 
You can either use a Shelly smart button (battery operated version). Or Aqara etc.

OR

eiferer.co.za

RF Doorbell Chime — 433MHz Wireless Receiver (52 Tunes)

🔔 RF Doorbell Chime — 433MHz Wireless Receiver (52 Tunes) A wireless 433MHz RF doorbell chime receiver with 52 selectable melodies. Pairs with compatible WiFi video doorbells and RF doorbell buttons to play an audible ding-dong inside your home when someone presses the doorbell. Plugs into a...
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With a

eiferer.co.za

Eiferer | Official Sonoff Distributor South Africa

Official Sonoff distributor in South Africa. Sonoff WiFi switches, Zigbee sensors & smart home devices from R149. Free delivery over R2,500. Same-day dispatch from Gauteng.
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Could link via Home Assistant to the phone or speaker etc.
 
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