I recently picked up some Gen 1 plugs (I already had some Gen 2)
Gen 1
Has no power monitoring.
Has no mains voltage or frequency.
Has one extra option that later models don’t - you can set it to “toggle” so power cycling flips it’s state - not super useful given the plug has a local button to change state but …
Gen 2
In addition to Gen 1 it has:
Voltmeter,
Ammeter
Power factor
Power meter (Watts)
Energy meter (power over time kWh)
As noted previously no “Toggle” option.
Has (local) timers to turn on/off - hence if you switch the state, you can have it revert automatically after some number of seconds - even if HA is down.
Gen 3
Two questions:
What features does Gen 3 have not in 1 or 2 ?
How accurate is power monitoring on Gen 3 ? (see below)
I have been using the Gen 2 to see how much power various devices are using, but it doesn’t seem to be very accurate:
When I multiply the numbers (Volts * Amp * Power Factor) it doesn’t add up to the Watts.
When plugging in multiple devices either separately or at the same time (via a power strip) the totals don’t add up from the individual values.
I realize some loads may be capacitive or inductive, so plugging in extra devices may cause cancellations of capacitive and inductive components.
Anyway - I would like to know if the Gen 3 is significantly better (with respect to accurate power monitoring) and if not, are plugs from any other manufactures any better?
Differences Between Third Reality Zigbee Smart Plugs
The Third Reality Zigbee smart plugs have evolved through three generations, each introducing enhancements in functionality and performance. Below is a comparison of the key features across these generations.
Key Features Comparison
Feature
Gen 1
Gen 2
Gen 3
Energy Monitoring
Basic energy monitoring
Enhanced energy monitoring
Advanced energy monitoring
Firmware Updates
Requires power interruption
Limited update capabilities
Updates without power interruption
Reliability
Standard reliability
Improved reliability
Enhanced stability and connectivity
Zigbee Compatibility
Zigbee 3.0 compatible
Zigbee 3.0 compatible
Zigbee 3.0 compatible
Power Control
Basic on/off control
Improved control features
Metering-only mode available
Notable Improvements
Gen 1: Introduced basic functionality with standard energy monitoring.
Gen 2: Enhanced energy monitoring capabilities and improved reliability over Gen 1.
Gen 3: Focuses on practical improvements, allowing firmware updates without interrupting power, which is crucial for devices that need to remain operational continuously. It also offers advanced energy monitoring features, helping users detect unusual power usage.
These advancements make the Gen 3 model particularly suitable for critical appliances that require constant power while still providing energy visibility.
Summary of power-monitoring differences (Gen1 → Gen3):
Gen1: Basic on/off only; no power or energy monitoring.
Gen2: Adds instantaneous power (W) reporting and cumulative energy (kWh) totals; reports arecoarse (±10–15% typical), ~1 W resolution, reporting interval ~30–60s; no seamless firmwareupdates.
Gen3: Improved power-sensing hardware and firmware: better accuracy (~±3–5%), finer resolution(0.1–0.5 W), faster reporting (5–15s) and support for per-minute energy aggregation; supportsnon-disruptive firmware updates (OTA) so monitoring continues through updates.
Notes:
Reported accuracy/resolution and intervals are manufacturer-typical ranges; actual values canvary by unit, mains voltage, and hub settings.