I’m getting addicted to these little micro controller boards in combination with ESPHome. But I have the need for continuous operation (24/7) in some areas. (powermeter etc.)
Which boards can you recommend for this type of operations? And which power adapters would you use?
I’m not searching for the cheapest option but for an option that can be safely operated 24/7.
Thank you very much in advance.
There’s a good list here:
One with the appropriate certifications for my country.
Not sure what geo area you are located. For me in US, buying something with UL or similar listing is probably first and largest influence. It is fun to do DIY stuff, but factor in safety and ‘significant other acceptance factor’. Also, IMHO, from a price perspective it is a no win from either DIY or Off the ‘TOP’ shelf, it is a money pit 
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I have DIY stuff turning on/off mains devices, that said I feel better when it is a certified device.
Doing sensors and non-mains voltage (however even 12 volt LEDs, though they will not electrocute you, but they will easily start a fire) stuff first with DIY ESP devices is a good place to start to get a comfort level with your abilities and the vendors.
There is some amazing and fun stuff you can do with ESP devices, USB wall warts and 3d printed enclosures. So do experiment and reach out to the fun and helpful community here and other ESP related communities. For example, I about to go down the ‘rabbit hole’ of ‘local voice control’. I am about to deploy several ESP32 devices with microphones and USB-C wall warts around the house to see if I can get near or on par to Google Assistant, Siri or Alex voice commands with no cloud component.
Good hunting!
I think a lot of people run them 24/7 365 days a year. I do. No big deal I reckon.
You may get better stability with better quality ones if reliability is important to you.
For a power adapter, whatever one you have spare is probably fine. A cheapish one from your local store would probably be ok. If you’re worried, spend a little more…