Smart plugs/sockets, recommendations wanted

Chris,

Sonoff? there are 10A & 16A ones - simple if you reflash with tasmota (or similar). Just a web page hosted on the switch to toggle the state of the output relay.

With out a reflash works via a 3rd party server somewhere ?china?

Regards

Avpx

...and longevity is at the whim of the provider of the server.

Theo

Chris Green presented the following explanation :

I bought 8x of these -

I am using them with Alexa, but originally set up with SmartLife. A problem I noted with Alexa, is that if it fails to operate the switch it just ignores that fact. The system knows it has failed to carry out the operation, but just moves on regardless.

I had problems with a SM in my garage which is separate and a little way from the house, with poor wifi due to a metal roof. Sometimes it would fail to turn on, sometimes it would fail to turn off. Pinging produced 40 to 90% success result.

Since then, I have added a wifi repeater in a hut, midway beween house and garage. I then had to 're-pair' the garage SM to the new repeater. I have only had that working for 7 days, but ping shows 99.98% success and now reliable operation of the SM.

I have the SM's doing various regular tasks - switching my drive lights on at dusk, off at 11pm; switching battery chargers on/off to boost; Switching remote network printers on/off; electric blanket on/off; Latest is switching two lots of Christmas lights on/off at dusk/11pm.

On the whole, much better than the way I used to do things, with time switches, solar ties switches and RF remote controls. The SM's / Alexa work much better and are controllable from almost anywhere, plus will consume less watts I suspect.

I recently bought an Amazon Alexa? smart switch thing (on offer) and I have it working from the app (easy) or from voice (not quite so predictable) but haven't used it for anything yet.

I was thinking of using it to power the 3D printer so I can turn it off remotely, once I see it's finish printing (via webcam).

I have Alexa built into the Portal (Mini) and don't generally leave it on but could, if I could work out how to use the voice commands to control things like this smart switch.

Cheers, T i m

Doesn't that require a hole in the firewall to allow access from outside one's LAN?

Sounds even less secure! :-)

I have several of these and they are simple to install, no hub required, fit a 25mm deep back box you can control each socket separately Alexa can control them too. In Alexa when you do a device search two instances of the named socket will appear you will have to rename them in Alexa eg. left/right. Only drawback is the illuminated buttons are difficult to see in normal light and the brightness control for them is not very effective.

Waiting for one of these

Ah, thank you, they're the British General ones which I mentioned.

No Alexa here, we don't want it either, it'll just be Android app.

What no Amazon Echo ones? I myself have given up on the stand alone remote control ones as they seem to lose range as they age. No point in a remote switch you need to hold within 6in to operate the plug. I'd be interested in some that I can use with the echo dot and wifi, no need for any special hubs etc, even better if there was an iphone app as well. Brian

That seems a ridculous waste of the internet. How come they are not sold flashed to work locally? Brian

Are the buttons tactile? I'd not care about the lights. I'm thinking of replacing a switched spur with one for the new shed, erm workroom I'm planning. Brian

You can turn off the listening in you know and change the wake word. Is it really any less secure than a mobile which also has a camera as well as a microphone? Brian

We simply don't *have* any Alexa! :-) ... and I don't use a smartphone (my wife does, hence the original request).

Which takes me on to.... Are there any smart devices which can be controlled via the web or which even have a published interface so one can write one's own programs for controlling them?

Because, as I see it, you'd have to make a hole in your firewall to enable control from 'outside'. What I assume happens is that both your phone app *and* the smart device talk a server on the cloud (i.e. that's a 'outward' connection) and communicate that way.

I've got a cheap set of two 'plugs' with one remote used only for the Xmas lights. Must be 15 years old, and worked OK last year.

Local B&Q were doing 2 of these TCP ones for £20 last week. I bought a pair and they seem to meet your requirements

Brian Gaff (Sofa) submitted this idea :

To operate them, a server needs to be running all the time they might need to be sent operating instructions. Most people do not have a server running 24/7.

Brian Gaff (Sofa) submitted this idea :

I have all of that! I can set up operation 'routines' to control things automatically, so long as I have Internet and my routers in operation. In addition, I have manual control via my Iphone, via my PC via voice command to Alexa and I could probably control via voice to my TV., plus voice with my PC.

I have the TCP one from Screwfix installed. It's really easy.

I also have an Amazon smart plug, which is easy to control from Alexa, and it has been switching a 2Kw fire on and off without any apparent difficulty.

I have a couple of Sonoff devices. What I suggest is that you set up a guest account on your wifi, and stick all the home automation stuff on that.