Hi @DeekB1983,
im looking at purchasing some Local Bytes Plugs, im currently running ESP home and have sucsefully reflashed some Sonoff BasicR2, so i have a basic understanding of flashing devices, are thease easy to convert from Tasmota to ESP home? Thanks
They are easy to convert yes yes, the process I use is as follows:
Takes a few minutes once you have created your ESPHome bin file for the plug.
Happy for you to use it!
Has anyone tried these? https://cpc.farnell.com/ener-j/sha5264/smart-wifi-plug-uk-with-energy/dp/PL16049
Rated higher load: 16 amps
Hi @AAllport, are you able to ship the Local Bytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug flashed with ESPHome instead of Tasmota? This would be the clincher for me.
Hi @codersaur,
We do not currently sell an ESPHome variant of our plugs.
It’s worth noting, as @DeekB1983 wrote above, you can switch from Tasmota to ESPHome fairly easily.
I’ve found the first few steps (downgrading the FW) aren’t totally necessary!
Thanks!
Adam
Hi,
I just thought I’d mention my own config for the Local Bytes smart plugs:
I’ve taken the example configs from this thread, and expanded on them. A notable feature is the ability to calibrate the smart plugs via home assistant. Instead of having to monitor the console logs, compare them to another device, and then update your yaml - all while the logs are constantly scrolling up the screen, you can just enter the currently correct readings (taken from daisy-chained known-good plug) for power, voltage, and current into a service call. This calibration data is then written to the flash storage.
I’ve configured the yaml to allow dashboard import on ESPHome to make things as simple as possible. I’d welcome contributions if you have any ideas.
To switch to my esphome firmware:
minimal.bin file from the latest release (or review the code and build the binary yourself via esphome)Install it will flash the full firmware along with your wifi credentialsHi James,
I noted this in your ESPHome config…
#Try to solve overheating issue
- platform: gpio
pin: GPIO15
restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF
id: pin15
Can you provide some background to this (as I can’t see any mention of this anywhere)?
Thanks
Hi @codersaur. Ah yes, that’s a little side project I’ve been testing as I make changes to the config.
Perhaps “overheating” was too strong a word. I noticed when running the configs in this thread that the plugs run hotter with the esphome firmware, compared to the tasmota firmware. Not scary hot, but noticeable when you touch them. I’ve been trying to track down the reason. I came across a few mentions of GPIO pins not being configured leading to high temperatures/power use, so thought I’d put that little snippet in the latest commit just to see if it actually made any different.
I haven’t had a thermometer on them to do proper AB testing, but from anecdotal “how hot does it feel to the touch” testing, it actually has made a noticeable difference. I’m planning to dig out my thermometer and do some AB testing with and without that confugration to get real data. If I find something reproduceable, I’ll bring it to the ESPHome project’s attention.
For now, the config line either does nothing, or is lowering the temperature.
I’d be very grateful for any experience you’ve had and any other suggestions.
So, I’ve done some testing. I actually introduced two changes in that commit to try to lower the heat output:
power_save_mode: light
ALWAYS_OFF (even thought that pin isn’t used on this device).So I’ve used three plugs to test the three options. These are the results:
power_save_mode: light): 35 Cpower_save_mode: light and GPIO15 OFF): 34 CI’m using a digital thermometer (the kind you use to check your head temperature), so depending where exactly on the case you test you get different results. So I took lots of readings and used the highest one I could get.
So the results are clear, setting power_save_mode: light makes a huge difference to the power usage (and heat output), but in my testing has made no difference at all to the reliability of the plugs.
It seems that the GPIO15 OFF makes no difference. I’ve removed that config from the yaml.
It might not make a difference to the temperature but setting GPIO15 to Always Off does seem to reduce wattage from 1w to 0.7w, note that once you change a full power cycle is needed or it stays at 1w
without it i was at 1w, add that and still at 1w, unplug and replug and now i’m at 0.7w
remove it, still at 0.6/0.7w, unplug and replug and back at 1w
I’m in the market for some energy monitoring plugs for high load appliances, dishwasher, washer, kettle etc and don’t trust my gosund/maxcio plugs. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
me too, rather have zigbee plugs than wifi
ZigBee an option for me too.
Hi mrrodge,
any specific reason why you don’t trust your gosund plugs? I have few of them running ESPhome and they perform just fine.
This sounds really silly - it’s the physical size. They don’t look big enough to carry those loads.
I’ve had no problems with mine either, also on ESPHome. Call me a snob but it’s putting higher loads on them that scares me (dishwasher, dryer etc). In my eyes they’re a typical Amazon nonsense no-name brand and anything printed on them (RoHS, CE markings etc) are all more than likely fake.
I haven’t had one in bits yet but I look at the internals of a Sonoff Basic which is supposedly 16A and I see that yes, the relay inside is 16A but nothing else looks remotely big enough to carry sustained high loads, so don’t trust those either but I’m using those and minis all over the house without fear due to being lower load applications.
Previously for higher load uses I only used my TP-Link HS100/HS110 plugs, but those obviously aren’t an option any more.
I’ve been using mine to monitor both the washing machine and tumble dryer for months and I had no issues but I see your point about the fake RoHS/CE markings
That’s just the kind of info I was looking for, thanks - reassuring!
I use one for a 2.5kw Air compressor without issue - but the load is not sustained for long just a few mins whilst it fills normally/ very rare its running for extended periods continuously
I do have a 2.5Kw pool heater - and I run that through a proper DIN rail Contactor (relay) controlled by a smart device as I wouldnt trust anything else for the much longer sustained high loading that does take.