Australia - Electrically Certified Hardware

[donburch888 (Don Burch)]

@Opaquer

these Ikea ones that seem like they could be good, and are cheap enough?

I decided to adopt zigbee for future devices, and added a few temp and motion sensors, and a button. I am renting so shelly units in the permanent wall wiring of light switches is out for me Following advice i added some routers - these IKEA models - and my comments are that

• they all seem to work well with my Sonoff USB Dongle-P coordinator - so A+ for compatibility
• the Tradfri Repeaters take up a wall socket where I’m not actually needing a USB charger
• the Tradfri Power outlet doesn’t have a physical on/off switch, so not as useful as the wi-fi switches I already have
• I also bought one of their light bulbs (since I can’t change the wall switches)
• But they are fairly cheap and easily available in Australia

Adding routers didn’t immediately improve my zigbee network. Like others, I needed to delete my zigbee network, start again by adding routers first and then adding end devices. Now it is all good.

I have Home Assistant app on my phone, but find it’s too much trouble to take the phone out, turn on and log in, start the app … just to press a button. I added Automations (like close the blind at sunset, or turn TV on in time for the news), and voice assistant for most of the other stuff. I have setup a tablet as a control panel, but don’t use it much.

Incidentally I found the voice assistant was getting false positives from the TV, so disable the voice satellite in living room as part of turning TV on automation. I have also placed a zigbee button on the coffee table and automated one tap to pause and mute the TV and activate voice assistant; double tap to unpause and disable voice assistant; and long tap to start the time-for-bed automation which turns off TV and lights.

Renting really does limit home automation options … knowing that everything has to be temporary

[tom_l]

What wake word are you using that gets false positives?

[donburch888 (Don Burch)]

My living room satellite is a RasPi 3A with reSpeaker 4-mic HAT running RasPi OS with Rhasspy 2.5 (without Docker) and Porcupine as the wake word.

To be honest I believe the issue is mainly that I was impatient and didn’t do a good job of figuring out the best ALSA settings to get a clean recording …

[ezpz155]

@girkers

That fan is currently controlled with a wall switch, so happy to take suggestions.

I’m using these and think they’re great but you do need the hub to integrate into HA.

https://zimi.life/product/fan-light-controller/

[jivesinger]

@Opaquer

I can’t see why you’d have it instead of just using your phone?

I have 4 ZigBee buttons and wish I’d ordered another 4 !

I have one sitting just inside the front door.
Single click toggles the garage door
Double click toggles the shed door
Long click toggles an automation that gets the porch light to act as a sensor light in tandem with the front door camera.

Another button sitting on my dining room table toggles one of three lights / lamps in the living area.

Pulling out the phone, unlocking, open the app, select the correct page. It gets tedious quickly.
I have widgets on my home screen but the physical button is SOOO much simpler.

[patfelst (Patrick)]

I agree about convenience of zigbee buttons. Also have a number of Aqara ones. One on the front hall stand to open front gate, one in the garage to open garage and driveway gate simultaneously (one tap), hold to close both. Double tap for to toggle just driveway gate.

Another button on wife and my bedside tables. Tap to toggle bedside lamps, hold to turn all lights off and enter sleep mode, double tap to turn all lights on (for suspected intruder).

Another one on side of washing machine to reset the “washing cycle finished” indicator (purple light on RGB light globe).

[switched (Jason)]

Is there a good option to provide a switched 32a outlet to charge a EV for 7kw charge? Ideally I’d like to charge when there’s solar during day and use an energy plan to charge overnight eg with OVO or AGL for 8c kWh charges.

[Mahko_Mahko]

I have quite a few of the Xiaomi and Aqara ones but eventually went down a different path:)

I have them in arms reach of all high occupancy locations (couch, desk etc).

Use cheap RF 433mz remotes for home control

I’ve had pretty good success repurposing cheap rf remotes for smart home control. Thought I’d share. https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20220126215649&SearchText=433mz+remote+control My Sonoff RF Bridge flashed with ESPhome learns and listens for the RF codes and triggers whatever you want. I’ve even printed some little desktop stands/mounts for them. [image] [image] [image] Labels are a bit rustic but they do the job. I generally have them programed as up, …

[jivesinger]

@switched

Is there a good option to provide a switched 32a outlet to charge a EV for 7kw charge?

Do you already have the charger ?
If not, shop for one with wifi and OCCP or one with a HA integration.
You’ll then be able to control the charger directly.

Also, if you have a Tesla, you can control charging via the car rather than the charger.

Options for switching 32 amps will be limited.
Basically you’d be using something like a Shelly controlling a contractor ( relay ) which will switch power to your charger.

[patfelst (Patrick)]

I know this is a HA forum, but its worth checking out this app which will work with OCPP compliant EV chargers. May do a better job, and / or be simpler than we can using HA automations to ensure only excess solar is being used to charge your EV.

Charge HQ - charge your EV from solar at home

Believe it or not, Tesla’s wall charger is not OCPP compliant, but the Charge HQ guys use the Tesla API to effectively achieve the same outcome if you do have Tesla’s charger.

[OzGav]

@jivesinger

If not, shop for one with wifi and OCCP or one with a HA integration.

Have we got a list of those anywhere? I was thinking EMONEVSE via a 3 phase wall outlet if I ever got anything but something that can brought locally that works with HA and can adjust charge rate and turn on and off is all I need. All other inputs are in HA and I am happy to do the automations there.

[patfelst (Patrick)]

EV Charger Comparison : Compare Prices And Specifications

[OzGav]

Thanks! Needs a HA integration row though

[patfelst (Patrick)]

OCPP == HA compatible as there is a HACS OCPP integration

[OzGav]

Reading through here there are conflicting reports as to whether this is true (OCPP == HA compatible)? Can anyone clarify? OCPP Server Plugin for linking electric car chargers! - #41 by malakudi

[jivesinger]

@patfelst

Tesla’s wall charger is not OCPP compliant, but the Charge HQ guys use the Tesla API to effectively achieve the same outcome

I believe this is via the Tesla car itself and not the charger though.

[wattmatters]

@jivesinger

I believe this is via the Tesla car itself and not the charger though.

Correct. There’s a functional difference.

With an OCPP charge station the control is via the wall charger no matter what vehicle it is plugged in to.

With Tesla the control is limited to the car only.

[patfelst (Patrick)]

and also, the Tesla API can only change the charge power in steps of 750W. Most OCPP can do finer steps than this. So OCPP will do a better job of using every bit of excess solar.

TESLA EV CHARGER vs FRONIUS WATTPILOT

[obrien.craig]

Well, It finally happened by Brilliant Plug failed, It started turning itself off and then losing connection. Also, it was super-hot when I removed it.

Like Tom’ it spammed my network for a bit. Into the e-waste trash. It certainly lasted longer than the Kogan,

[markpurcell]

@patfelst

Tesla API can only change the charge power in steps of 750W

My use of the Tesla API does 230W steps on single phase (1 Amp x 230 Volt).

On three phase I get 690W steps (3 Amp x 230 Volt).