Are sonoff switches and plugs usable with HA? Ive seen the whole firmware update thing, but does that still make it work in the original app or does it only work in HA?
Or are there any other good wifi sockets/ light switches that work well with HA and google home?
Hey, Gershy
If you are on YouTube, you will find @DrZzs and he swears by Sonoffs and flashing the firmware with Tasmota. He has many videos on the subject of what to do with them etc.
I on the other hand, don’t like Sonoffs (although I have a couple of dozen of them). I think they are dangerous unless they are used properly (in a case with cables fixed on both sides so they cannot be pulled out, and earth cable passed through).
If you were to flash a Sonoff with firmware such as Tasmota, you would not be able to use it with the EWeLink app.
If I were you I would look at the Sonoff S20 smart socket (Im doing a review on this on my YouTube channel in the near future) as it’s cheap, safe and can be flashed if you want to. I don’t think there is an EWelink Component for HA though.
Alternatively, there is the TP-Link HS100 or HS110 (I’ve already done a review on the HS110 on my channel) and I love it, there is a component for it in HA, it can work with Google Home (I believe) and it can be picked up at a reletively inexpensive price.
I hope some of this has been a help, if there is anything else you want to know just let me know,
John/HASSCASTS
Hi thanks for the reply. I looked at the tp link ones but they are really expensive at ÂŁ24.99 each whereas the sonoff S20 is ÂŁ12 each.
I might consider the sonoff route for the plugs if you don’t suggest the light switch.
As you’re using GBP, you’re obviously in the UK and as such are subject to the terrible choice of smart smart light switches that we have. I am not sure if you are aware, but most of the smart light switches require a neutral wire and lighting wiring layout of most UK houses means that the neutral wire is not passed to the light switches.
I have a Broadlink TC2 light switch (which is ok). It doesn’t need a neutral wire, but it operates on RF and not bluetooth or wifi. That in turn means that you need something like a Broadlink RM Pro for it to work (https://amzn.to/2PVEqMj - affiliate link).
I do not like this solution, however, as there is no 2 way communication.
RE the Sonoff S20, you could get it to work in HA without flashing it by using the normal EWelink App and IFTTT, which in turn connects to HA. If you flashed it, you could then use it directly in Ha with MQTT but you would not then be able to use the EWelink app.
I hope I haven’t confused you with my gibberish.
John
Thanks. Which solution would you recommend? I want a cheap smart plug and am not sure which way to go. The tp link is almost double the price of the sonoff.
Flashing the S20 to use with ha or using ifttt… Which would you suggest being the better option
I would get the S20. I have one, and it’s a decent smart socket. If you’re not experienced with the flashing side of things, then just install the EWeLink app and use it that way along with IFTTT or something similar (stringify/Tasker)
Flashing with Tasmota is my preference. They are making this more challenging now by filling in some of the holes with solder but that’s easy to fix.
I also used one with IFTTT before flashing and there is a delay and you have to set up binary switches and sensors to make them display. All doable but Tasmota is much more elegant.
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You might also like to look at shelly products. They are fully open source in terms of firmware and encourage use outside their own ecosystem A little more cost, but an attitude to be applauded.
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Nick, I forgot about the Shelley, I think they are a little better than the Sonoff basic on several fronts. I would still consider them unsafe for family use, however. I know that @TheHookUp did a comparison on the Shelley 1 and the Sonoff Basic, and in my opinion the Shelley won hands down.
Although in the video the Shelley fits behind the plate of the socket/switch, this would not work in the UK where the OP is from as our light switch boxes are WAY smaller than the ones in the video and there isn’t enough room in a double socket box to swing an atom.
In my opinion, the OP would still be better off with the S20, especially if he/she has a family or pets (something I’m sure not everyone would agree with).
You are of course, correct with what you say about the Shelley and the culture the company is putting out there. I hope that Shelley go from strength to strength and make us some more products of this calibre and with the same ecosystem and user-base in mind.
I’m using the sonoff basic switches and the sonoff t1 wall switches. Im totally confident with them.
I flash them with the tasmota (first with arduino software, now with visual studio code) and thats a brilliant piece of software. The first time flashing i soldered headers on the board but with a little pressure on the wires, that’s not necessary…
@HassCasts, why do you think the sonoffs are unsafe?
Thanks. I think I’m going to go with sonoff… Probably end up flashing it too…
Unless I can find something for a similar price that is better.
I would flash the sonoff, I have half a dozen running fine. When I plugged the S20 I monitored the traffic for a day and that thing phone home all kinds of data to China, I tent to not trust any software so I only use it if I can replace the firmware.
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@sholofly Hey, Rudolf. I don’t think I’ll be recommending the Sonoff basic for family environments any time soon.
I have a medium size dog and an 8 year old son [at the time] and they were playing and rolling on the floor together. About half an hour after, I noticed that the Sonoff had been pulled clear of the mains/live side, this left the live side wires totally exposed and not far from each other (live & neutral that is).
The wiring wasn’t substandard, I make sure that when I wire them up, the stripped strands are just long enough to go in as far as they can and no further; the out sheathing (not the sheathing for the conductive cores) is always cut so that either starts immediately after the sonoff case finishes (within 1-2mm), or if it is a simple 2 wire cable then it will be inside the sonoff case.
If it is a 3 core cable then the earth goes through the hole inside the bottom of the sonoff case by the terminal blocks. This is on both sides and they are connected with on the outside (bottom or side) of the Sonoff case.
If the supplied screws aren’t strong/long enough (say the out sheathing is too thick), then I change out the screws so that the top is secure.
The plug itself was by a bare wall going from a lamp to a socket (about 2m)
So… my dog and child pulled the Sonoff away from a secure cable and it is only with God’s grace that they didn’t roll back on to the wire.
All of my Sonoffs are now hidden away. I wouldn’t use any in exposed situations now unless they were in a secure case with cables glued in place.
In general, I do not recommend Sonoffs as many people do not bother putting them in a case and securing the wires (just from what I see online), indeed, if people often use the supplied screws then I suspect that the wires will not be that secure as they are.
If a user is single of has grown up children then this won’t be too bad, but for families with active pets or active children, I wouldn’t recommend them.
One of the many videos I have waiting to go on the HASSCASTS Channel on YouTube is explaining all of the above, showing how this can happen and warning against the Sonoffs for the customer base I mentioned above. Obviously, this may not be to everyone’s liking, but as a “Video Influencer” I feel it is my duty to make people aware of the side to the Sonoff setups that they don’t see. Often you just see the basic setup to show how it works, but you never see the practicalities. The only video I’ve seen that goes into this is the Australian guy (Justin, I think) that has his “Six sonoff secrets” video where he shows how it should be done properly
https://hasscasts.com/6-sonoff-secrets
I hope that this answers your query as to why I think they are unsafe (in family environments) and I would be eager to hear what you think to my reasoning.
@ryanrdetzel That is brilliant information about the S20 sending [I assume] unnecessary information back to their servers. That is of course one of the great advantages of flashing the Sonoffs and indeed one of the strengths of HA.
@HassCasts Hi John, Thank you for your reply.
You’re absoutely right. I use my basics only in child-free environments, just because of this. Good to point this out.
I was curious if you had your concerns about the electronics itself, because i vaguely remember a story about a sonoff basic suddenly catching fire. Nice video btw.
Thanks, but that video isn’t mine 
even though I would like the amount of views it has got. I’m still in the early learning part of my video making career and hopefully they will be as professional as this one soon 
I hadn’t heard of the catching fire things, but it is something I shall keep an eye out for.
Someone mentioned the S20’s… I’m using the S22’s which seem to be a more streamlined shape and are a few dollars cheaper as well. Work great. These are both plugs - not wired into the mains power. Just smart plugs.
Another point to mention is that sonoffs (basic and s20) are only rated to 10amps the tplink is rated to 13amp. Depends on what you are planning to use it for but something else to bear in mind
In 240/250V countries the maximum current to a single circuit is usually 10A, delivering 2.4/2.5kW
I didn’t know that. I am in the UK but don’t profess to be an expert at electrics. I only recently looked at this when the tplink for my cinema room started playing up.
When looking at a replacement, I thought it made sense that if the sonoff socket isn’t fused and is rated less than the fused extension then I would prefer the fuse in the extension to be the weakest link.
This maybe flawed logic going on what you’re saying??
No not flawed at all I think.
It is always better to over engineer. The fusing is important, and I think it is DrZZs who shows how to fuse a sonoff.