I’ve been struggling with the first task I’ve set for myself preparing for home automation project - selecting power outlet (not a plug that sticks out of the outlet, but actual outlet installed in the wall) and light switch, which I can control with HA (and yes, as pretty much everyone in this community - something that doesn’t require manufacturing account and cloud communication). After few days of reading forums and checking different devices I feel I go crazy… Zigbee, Wifi, Z-Wave, Tasmota, ESPHome, ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT etc etc etc. Even starting with wireless protocol - none are ideal, all suffer from interference and there are advocates and critics of every single one of them which to me seem to be direct evidence that no matter the choice - there will be hours and days wasted solving stupid problems hence defying the main premise of home automation - to save time and increase efficiency. With hundreds of hours looking for a proper channel combination on Wifif and Zigbee and then hundreds hours buying a new seemingly better solution, flashing it with a new firmware just to discover that you need to spend another 100 hours to solve new problems … a lot of fun for someone who has a lot of those spare hours
But I’m hoping there might be something for those who doesn’t have those spare hours and wants somethign that takes a little to set up and works without issues for foreseable future. Maybe I’m just a dreamer
While struggling with those questions, I realized that there is one logical solution which if existed, could make that idealistic vision a reality - using wires instead of wireless. No interference, no fancy configuration, no security concerns…
So my question is - is there a wired smart power outlet. There are two possible options - 1) using the power wire for signals. Definitely possible but may have some limitations/issues. or 2) using dedicated wire - ethernet or twisted copper…
And if not, what is the most reliable solution in terms of set once and forget.
There are Ethernet over power wires that you could use and then have an ESP32 with Ethernetport controlling a relay and/or contactor.
Will it work better than wifi/zigbee/zwave, absolutely not. But it’s wired.
Again… Possible with the above method but without the Ethernet on power wires.
Will work better for sure.
There is an Australian youtube channel who has a lot of home made mqtt wired switches all over his house.
I can’t remember the name of the channel, but I can see if I can find it.
Hey there, I understand your reluctance but wireless is in fact not a problem. It is a good thought whether you can install a wired solution, e.g. in new construction, but you will eventually be limited and mentally blocked by wired systems.
My approach: Wired where possible and easy to set up, wireless anywhere else.
In reality most of my smart home ecosystem is wireless (without any noteworthy issues). I’m just about to renovate a part of the house and did decide AGAINST special wiring. Light switches will be wired centrally so I can add a multi-channel smart home controller with Ethernet uplink. Wall sockets will be non-smart (there is no use case) and dedicated “plugs that sick out” where meaningful (most of the time they end up in multi-socket power strips. For light etc you want to look at smart light bulbs etc anyhow.
as you search for wall socket and switches you should mention your location! Why is that? Because different locations have different voltages and types of outlets
Yes, airtime isn’t exclusive. It’s a shared medium.
But what I can say with about 100 esphome devices (most wifi, some ethernet) is that it shouldn’t be a probably at all within your home. On the other hand battery operated devices can be (much) more challenging as they have limited power (to conserve battery).
On the other side may think how often your wifi on your phone doesn’t work (when in range)? Even streaming some heavy 4k content?.. Never? No problems at all?Right! Proven that it works even in heavy congested areas.
Wires can also be interfered, just try a unshielded ethernet cable beside a active power line
No fancy configuration? My wifi and ethernet based devices (esphome) configure exactly the same - no difference at all
And security? Well, ethernet doesn’t offer any encryption at all! On the other hand wifi is (in best case) encrypted. But you can even secure your ethernet communication with esphome by just using the api with (noise) encryption
Depending on your need (types) you get ready made wall switches and wall sockets already running esphome from athom (for example)
