Support for APC SurgeArrest?

Hardware
1

I have recently come across a very cool power strip by APC called Surge Arrest.
It has 3 outlets that can individually be controlled. So it’s pretty much 3 smart plugs in one.

It has an app that can control the strip. The app seems to use the local network to send commands to the power strip. this results in immediate actions on the power strip.

It also has an Alexa skill. From what I can tell, the Alexa skill works in “cloud-pull” mode. the device sends queries to some cloud server every 5 minutes and then acts on the commands. It’s pretty slow, and unreliable!

Since this device supports local communication, is it possible to get support for it for home-assistant?

Here’s a link to the device:

2

As it’s Alexa enabled, surely not pure local.
I bet it’s a Tuya device of sorts…

3

Per the (Android) app store, it is almost 3 years ago when the official app got any update.
… and the ratings of 1.9 on the app sounds bad also.
… plus recent reviews on Amazon…

I would stay away from this, if I were you.

4

It has a local component. I did some tcpdumps on the wire and in the case of using the app, there is direct connection between app and the device.
they seem to do some json type exchange.

In the case of not using the app, it talks to aws every 5 minutes.

5

Hence the opportunity. If we can get it to work, there’s a cheap supply of these out there because other people read the reviews.

anyways… was hoping someone would have some knowledge of the protocol.

6

Item is discontinued now by APC.
Should be cheap to find.
Have 4 of these PH6U4X32 power strips in gray.
Please advise how to examine local control commands.
I would be happy to assist in developing support for this device

7

I know this post is 2 years old, but a while back I did some reverse engineering and figured out how the local control works. I wrote a bridge that connects to homeassistant via mqtt. GitHub - jakecrowley/AylaLocalAPI at mqtt