Thank you all for the research and dedication to this. I also bought mine from costco when the were on Sale and ordred 3 more. . I installed tasmota following OP’s guide, works great, but of course the infamous state update bug. I have’t seen a concrete answer whether ESPHome is a better choice than tasmota. Now that you’ve had these installed in your homes for a while, would you say ESPHome worth moving towards from tasmota?
Thanks @TheEebb for your fix. Quick Question, I installed the tasmota 8.1.0.2 firmware that was bundled with tuya-convert, I’m assuming that I download the tasmota.bin from your releases page and flash via the web UI. Would I be correct in this?
Update: Tried uploading the tasmota.bin from @TheEebb release through the web interface and get the below error.
Upload Failed
Upload buffer miscompare
Am I missing something?
Edit: Further digging, found this. https://tasmota.github.io/docs/Upgrading/#upgrade-by-file-upload
You’ll need the tasmota-minimal.bin flashed first before flashing @TheEebb tasmota.bin. It exceeds 500kb.
Fix has been updated to Tasmota 8.5.0. Please verify that no Tuya issues have popped up with this release.
In case you lost the URL
I had success with the with the first 2, so i ordered 3 more from Costco.com and these seem to be patched from tuya convert. Can someone point me in the right direction?
Here is the back of one of them, I tried all 3.
Here’s the terminal output from raspberry pi.
Tahoes-MacBook-Pro-6:~ mxd$ ssh [email protected]
[email protected]'s password:
Linux raspberrypi 5.4.51-v7+ 1333 SMP Mon Aug 10 16:45:19 BST 2020 armv7l
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cd tuya-convert/
pi@raspberrypi:~/tuya-convert $ ./install_prereq.sh
Get:1 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease [15.0 kB]
Get:2 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster InRelease [32.6 kB]
Get:3 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster/main armhf Packages [13.0 MB]
Get:4 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster/main armhf Packages [330 kB]
Fetched 13.4 MB in 12s (1,091 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
build-essential is already the newest version (12.6).
curl is already the newest version (7.64.0-4+deb10u1).
git is already the newest version (1:2.20.1-2+deb10u3).
haveged is already the newest version (1.9.1-7).
hostapd is already the newest version (2:2.7+git20190128+0c1e29f-6+deb10u2).
iw is already the newest version (5.0.1-1).
mosquitto is already the newest version (1.5.7-1+deb10u1).
net-tools is already the newest version (1.60+git20180626.aebd88e-1).
python3-dev is already the newest version (3.7.3-1).
python3-setuptools is already the newest version (40.8.0-1).
python3-wheel is already the newest version (0.32.3-2).
screen is already the newest version (4.6.2-3).
dnsmasq is already the newest version (2.80-1+rpt1).
libssl-dev is already the newest version (1.1.1d-0+deb10u3+rpt1).
python3-pip is already the newest version (18.1-5+rpt1).
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 11 not upgraded.
Looking in indexes: https://pypi.org/simple, https://www.piwheels.org/simple
Collecting git+https://github.com/drbild/sslpsk.git
Cloning https://github.com/drbild/sslpsk.git to /tmp/pip-req-build-2cc7vuxy
Requirement already up-to-date: paho-mqtt in /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages (1.5.0)
Requirement already up-to-date: tornado in /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages (6.0.4)
Requirement already up-to-date: pycryptodomex in /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages (3.9.8)
Building wheels for collected packages: sslpsk
Running setup.py bdist_wheel for sslpsk ... done
Stored in directory: /tmp/pip-ephem-wheel-cache-ld25em6t/wheels/19/5d/ca/bb92c9b2e4aa13e12306893a6eadd16dbfcdfca942476ecfa1
Successfully built sslpsk
Installing collected packages: sslpsk
Found existing installation: sslpsk 1.0.0
Uninstalling sslpsk-1.0.0:
Successfully uninstalled sslpsk-1.0.0
Successfully installed sslpsk-1.0.0
Ready to start upgrade
pi@raspberrypi:~/tuya-convert $ ./start_flash.sh
tuya-convert v2.4.4
Checking for network interface wlan0... Found.
Checking UDP port 53... Occupied by dnsmasq with PID 558.
Port 53 is needed to resolve DNS queries
Do you wish to terminate dnsmasq? [y/N] y
Attempting to stop dnsmasq.service
Checking UDP port 67... Available.
Checking TCP port 80... Available.
Checking TCP port 443... Available.
Checking UDP port 6666... Available.
Checking UDP port 6667... Available.
Checking TCP port 1883... Occupied by mosquitto with PID 544.
Port 1883 is needed to run MQTT
Do you wish to terminate mosquitto? [y/N] y
Attempting to stop mosquitto.service
Checking TCP port 8886... Available.
======================================================
Starting AP in a screen..
Starting web server in a screen
Starting Mosquitto in a screen
Starting PSK frontend in a screen
Starting Tuya Discovery in a screen
======================================================
IMPORTANT
1. Connect any other device (a smartphone or something) to the WIFI vtrust-flash
This step is IMPORTANT otherwise the smartconfig may not work!
2. Put your IoT device in autoconfig/smartconfig/pairing mode (LED will blink fast). This is usually done by pressing and holding the primary button of the device
Make sure nothing else is plugged into your IoT device while attempting to flash.
3. Press ENTER to continue
======================================================
Starting smart config pairing procedure
Waiting for the device to install the intermediate firmware
Put device in EZ config mode (blinking fast)
Sending SSID vtrust-flash
Sending wifiPassword
Sending token 00000000
Sending secret 0101
................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
.................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
.................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
.................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
.................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
.................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
..................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
..................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
..................
SmartConfig complete.
Resending SmartConfig Packets
............
Device did not appear with the intermediate firmware
Check the *.log files in the scripts folder
Do you want to try flashing another device? [y/N]
I checked the logs, but nothing obvious.
Hi Max,
You did have another device connected to the AP? Also the dimmer is mentioned here, looks like you can capture data to contribute.
Andy
I did, I had my phone connected to the AP.
Yep, I saw the post also, and added the dimmer to the list.
I am toying with the idea of desoldering the TYWE2S which essentially has the ESP8285 chip under the shielding. Anyway, here’s the github issue I opened and got closed.
I got a four pack of Treatlife switches that also failed to flash via tuya-convert. I saw the same output in the console as you. I ended up soldering and flashing with tasmotizer. I followed the digiblur guide. Wasn’t bad at all. By the last one I could solder it all up in about a minute or so.
Edit: it sounds like you can’t get to the pins? Hmmmmm desoldering the chip might not be all that bad.
Just a heads up. I desolder this device for dev purposes and you won’t be able to do so with a soldering iron. You’ll need a hot air gun since the solder pads are underneath the module. Note: the module is designed to be solderable two ways, either at the edge or reflowed-- feit uses the later.
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I have 4 of them running ESPHome with no state update issues. One of them is wired in a 3 way circuit, and still reports state properly when the dumb switch is triggered.
I ended up skipping tasmota, based on early reports though, so no firsthand comparison.
No issues here either with the fix that was mentioned earlier in this thread, works as expected. going on 2 weeks, and lights get used daily in my automations and physical touches all registering properly.
Just installed 2 switches from Menards. One of them is stuck in an interrmediatery firmware, I will crack that one open as a test bench. The new firmware works great with no issues.
I never had any state update issues with ESPHome, but I did have drop out issues (loss of connection, no heartbeat, etc.) if I suddenly asked too much of it. Rapid brightness changes for example would sometimes make it crap out for a while. Kind of made me a bit skittish to changing those settings sometimes. Honestly though I made the switch to Tasmota using Ebb’s custom fixed firmware for the enhanced improvements and ease of use. Tasmota allows for Hue Emulation (for Alexa discovery & control), device grouping & control, and easy rule implementation. I know some automation tasks can be done with ESPHome, but it’s just a ton easier via Tasmota, which also allows modification of those rules and settings via HA on the fly (i.e. no firmware flashing every time you want to change a setting). Heck with Tasmota’s grouping and rules you can set these switches to work with other Tasmota devices (e.g. WiFi lights not electrically connected to the switch, etc.) to work together without HA or any other central server/hub (WiFi is obviously still needed). That alone made the switch worth it!
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Hi all,
just read most of all this thread and I am not sure where to go.
I bought a kit of 3 dimmer yesterday…that’s insanely cheap…38.99 CAD.
So, as of today, should I go with ESPHOME or Eebb TASMOTA’s fork ?
I already have a mix of ESPHOME device and TASMOTA here.
thanks for your comment.
Your first challenge will be flashing the TYWE2S chip.
The current firmware prevents the use of Tuya-Convert so you must open the device, connect an appropriate serial-to-USB adapter to the chip, and flash it with new firmware.
What complicates this step is that one of the required connection points (GPIO0) is underneath the chip. You have to remove the chip in order to access it. Removal means desoldering it from the PCB.
Well I’ll give a try of tuya…maybe I have an old bunch of device.
Otherwise i’ll return it to store, don’t want to mess with the soldering.
Give it a try but there are existing posts in this thread (and in Tasmota’s GitHub repo), as recently as a month ago, reporting that these devices no longer work with Tuya Convert.
Let us know if you are successful.
FWIW, the Costco in Vaudreuil-Dorion is liquidating its stock of CE Smarthome outlets for CAD$9.97 for a pack of two outlets. If you have a need for controllable outlets, it’s hard to beat the price (CAD$5/each). It’s possible other branches of Costco have them as well.
I can confirm that they are compatible with Tuya Convert. Here’s the configuration template:
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Hi , I recently bought these dimmer from Costco , I am not able to flash them using tuya converter . I put the dimmer in flashing mode by pressing the button for 5-7 second and lights keep blinking but tuya converter not able to find the device .
Any step am I missing here ?
You haven’t missed a step. They are incompatible with Tuya Convert.
The alternative is described in my previous post.
Thanks Taras for confirming, wondering how other people were able to flash it on Tuya ( mentioned earlier in the thread). Anyways I will have to return them 
I believe the first report (in this thread) of incompatibility was posted in September. So it appears to be a fairly recent firmware update that renders it incompatible with Tuya Convert.
The traditional way of flashing the chip would be acceptable (these devices are easy to open without causing any damage) if it wasn’t for the fact you have to remove the chip to access GPIO0. I suspect its location (under the chip) is by design (Tuya’s decision) to discourage modifications (i.e. unable to discontinue use of the Tuya cloud service).