I am brand new to this… just ordered a HA Green to keep startup simple and 2 SONOFF modules to get started. Everyone tells me Zigbee is the most common and the way to go but a lot of people tell me Shelly but they seem to be mostly WiFi and ZWave. I am actually having a hard time finding vendors with the Zigbee products even though it is claimed to have thousands of items out there.
I am looking for simple stuff, some modules to convert existing wiring to control flood lamps and a couple of fans. For the fans I could use a deco switch which would be easy to replace since it’s a new install outside and I have an extension ring on my 1 gang box ready for a module. The floods are on round metal rings outside and I have purchased some 1in extensions for those rings so I can add a module to each and control them independent of each other.
My order was with ameridroid.com hopefully they are a good dealer. Any other suggestions ? Amazon seems overpriced on most of their home automation items compared to other people. Attaching 2 photos which is the start of my HA system for the kennel area. The rest of the house will take some time and planning since it’s existing wiring.
One of the #1 things I noticed is everyone was pricing the green at below $100 while Amazon was asking for $130 plus shipping. I also checked out several Shelly items and they were all higher from the other non-amazon sites I had seen.
I’ve found this too, and even when it doesn’t, it’s usually not by much and the ease of returns when something doesn’t work quite like I expected/wanted is also really nice.
I just checked and it’s now $120 with free shipping. The other three I checked (linked from the HA “getting started” page) were around $100, with “shipping calculated at checkout.”
I didn’t bother to go through the checkout process to get the exact amount. Nor would I do so if I were actually purchasing it. Even if it ended up a few dollars less, the up-front pricing and reliable return policy at Amazon wins out in this case.
I still comparison shop. It’s just that Amazon is often hard to beat.
It was 130 last night, that’s probably due to some PRIME day deal or something. Either way the green is ordered and 2 different SONOFF switches. I saw a thermometer/humidity sensor they have that I like vs the others I have seen on line on Amazon and I have not been able to find this ONE model on Amazon. I’d like to have the unit monitor the temp in the kennel area and kick the fans on if they go above 78 degrees.
I’ve seen a few different Sonoff knock-offs carrying the “ThirdReality” brand on Amazon. They had Temperature & Humidity sensors which look similar to the Sonoff. I’ve heard them mentioned here, and they have good reviews on Amazon. I ordered a few smart plugs to try. Maybe others can chime in with their experiences with this brand, too.
I ordered one of these and it should be here on tuesday. If it works then I plan on purchasing a few more. This one will be mounted outside in the dog kennel area. Not exactly critical now since we are in fall but I want to have it kick the fans on for the dogs when it get’s above 78 or so degrees.
