The whole world is gradually moving towards wireless technologies. We are no longer satisfied with the usual buttons and switches, because we need to reach for them, and often even get up from the couch. Why, if you can buy yourself, for example, remote Wi-Fi light switches? This little gadget will allow you to control the chandelier directly from your smartphone or via the remote control! It turns out that you can finish reading a book and immediately turn off the light to fall asleep - you don’t need to get up for this. All that remains is to force yourself to put down your phone without continuing to use it.
What types of switches are there with remote control?
In the relevant stores, you have been able to buy a chandelier with a remote control for quite some time now. Many people believe that getting the opportunity remote control light is only possible in this way. They don’t even suspect that now there are light bulbs with the ability to turn them on and off via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which we will talk about in the next article. However, you can do without them. Now there are special wireless remote switches. Unfortunately, they are sold quite rarely in ordinary Russian stores. However, no one prohibits using the services. And in order not to bother yourself with searching, read this article- Below are all the links you need.
The remote light switch is a special unit. It can have two modifications:
- External Wi-Fi switch - installed in place of a regular switch. Instead of a traditional key, it will have a touch button.
- Indoor unit - to install it, you will have to remove the chandelier, since you will need access to the wires inside the ceiling. But with such a device you can continue to use a traditional key switch. But if you turn off the light with its help, the application on your smartphone will be useless, because electricity will not be supplied to the indoor unit.
By the way, not all switches need to be interacted with exclusively using a smartphone. In various online stores you can easily find kits that also include a remote control. It's actually even more convenient. However, do not forget to make sure that the kit also includes a holder for the remote control, which you attach to the wall next to the traditional switch.
Best External Remote Switches
SONOFF T1 Gang
Products distributed under the SONOFF brand serve to create, if not, then at least its semblance. In the article about smart light bulbs, we talked about one of the products of this company. Now it's time to talk about T1 1 Gang. This is a remote light switch that includes a Wi-Fi module. It cannot open the contacts of the wires (otherwise there will be nothing to power the above-mentioned module), so there is no traditional key here. But there is a touch pad. This means that you can turn on the light with a simple touch of your finger.
If we talk about remote control, it is implemented here in two ways. The first is to use a smartphone on Android based and iOS, where a special application must be installed. This way you can not only turn the lights on and off, but also create a timer or even a full schedule. Interestingly, Amazon's voice assistant has access to the application. It’s a pity that he doesn’t speak Russian yet. The second control method is to use a traditional remote control operating at a frequency of 433 MHz (you can buy it at many lighting stores).
The switch can withstand a load of 400 W. It turns out that the chandelier does not have to have LED bulbs - incandescent bulbs will also do. And notice that there are different types switches - they differ in the number of contacts (number of touch keys). The cost of any such accessory will not differ; it will be approximately 1,500 rubles.
ALFA ABK-3
This is another wall switch that can connect to a router via Wi-Fi. This particular model has three touch keys, but there are also variations with fewer of them. In fact, the accessory is a copy of the model discussed above. The difference is that this switch is painted black, and the keys are placed not in a row, but in a column. A stable Wi-Fi connection is also indicated here by the corresponding icon. The manufacturer also decided to make the design of its product a little more original, as a result of which the black-painted area received some bevels.
As expected, all the keys here are backlit. We can safely say that you definitely won’t miss them even in complete darkness. The product can withstand the transmission of electricity up to 600 W. The switch housing is fire-resistant, which is also good news.
As usual, after installing such a switch, you can control the light using your smartphone. Both most popular ones are supported OS, and the functionality of the application is not limited to turning the light on and off. Since Wi-Fi is used here, you can set a timer or perform some other actions even when you are hundreds of kilometers from the remote switch. Also this model supports voice assistants from smart speakers of the Google Home and Amazon Alexa series. It’s a pity that they don’t understand Russian yet.
Yasmart T1W
And this is a single-channel switch. It is also touch sensitive, most of its body is painted white. The Wi-Fi network indicator is located above the touch key.
This is perhaps one of the cheapest remote controlled switches. It can be bought in Russian online stores selling smart electronics for about 1,200 rubles. At the same time, the product is almost no different from its more expensive analogues! There is even support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home, which allows, if you have the appropriate devices, to turn the lights on and off using voice commands.
This accessory involves installing the Yasmart application on your smartphone. In it you can implement a schedule for turning on and off the lights, as well as use a countdown timer. Of course, several switches can be grouped - this allows you to later turn on the lights throughout the house with the press of one button.
Unlike the examples discussed above, this switch can withstand 1800 W of electricity. This is great news for those who do not save energy at all and prefer to use a huge chandelier with big amount incandescent lamps.
ZDK ZW-2
Another wall switch, most of the body of which is painted white. It is distinguished from its analogues by a black stripe located in the center. It is on it that there are two touch buttons. They are easy to feel in the dark, and the keys also have light indicators. TO wireless network This switch connects as standard - via Wi-Fi. It is slightly confusing that there is no indicator here indicating a stable connection to the network. But maybe he is not needed? It is possible that he will only disturb someone.
The device body is made of fire-resistant ABS plastic. The front panel has tempered glass. It must have been because of him that the product turned out to be very expensive. Not every resident of our country will dare to spend more than two thousand rubles on such an accessory!
To control the switch, you can use a smartphone or tablet based on one of the two most popular mobile operating systems. The application turned out to be quite functional - it is not limited to simply turning off the light. However, the program cannot offer anything surprising.
eWelink Light Touch Smart
This smart Wi-Fi switch is not officially available in Russia. However, it can easily be purchased through popular Chinese trading platforms. Here you can find several versions of it. Firstly, you can select the number of touch keys - from one to three. This is what determines the cost of the device the most. If a single-key switch costs only 890 rubles, then the version with three touch buttons will cost 150-200 rubles more. Secondly, the buyer has a choice of colors. Traditional switches have a white exterior. There are also options with black and gold body colors.
The inside of this switch uses regular black plastic. Connecting the wires is as simple as possible; they are clamped with traditional bolts. The front panel of the switch looks as simple as possible - the touch key located on the aluminum body is highlighted with a circle that should light up. Connection to the router is made via Wi-Fi. As for safety, the remote switch can withstand 10A current.
Best Internal Wi-Fi Switches
SONOFF RF
An excellent indoor unit that sells for little money and comes with a special key fob that acts as a remote control. You will be surprised, but sometimes using this remote control is much more convenient than going into the corresponding application. However, one cannot help but admit that the program developed for a smartphone is a little more functional. Despite the presence of four keys on the remote control, you cannot use them to set a timer to turn off the lights.
If you think about it, such a switch can regulate not only lighting. Theoretically, you can place it inside any section of the wall, or even somewhere in the electrical panel. In short, this way you can regulate the power supply to any outlet. Some craftsmen control an electric heater in this way, turning it on before going home from work. The maximum switch can withstand a current of 10 A and a power of 2200 W.
Coming back to the remote control, it is tiny in size and the signals are sent out by it on a frequency of 433 MHz. Of course, it will not work at a long distance. That's why you need a Wi-Fi connection - in this case, the switch will learn to accept commands even from another country. It should be noted that the eWeLink application is Russian-language, so even an elderly person can master its functionality. The product also supports the Amazon AWS cloud platform, which allows owners of the corresponding speakers to issue voice commands. We also note the possibility of combining several switches into groups.
SONOFF 4CH – 4-channel switch with remote control
This internal switch is designed to connect four channels. This means that with its help you can turn on one, two, three and four light bulbs in a chandelier, to put it very roughly. Or you can connect a chandelier and three sockets to this block. In a word, everything is limited only by your imagination! And housing conditions, of course.
This unit can withstand electricity up to 3500 W. TO home network it connects via Wi-Fi. Like other wireless light switches, the SONOFF 4CH is controlled by mobile application, developed for Android and iOS. In it you can perform both regular actions and, for example, set up a device operating schedule. And don’t forget that this accessory is always connected to the router, so you can control it from anywhere in the world - you don’t have to be near the switch.
The body of the product is made of fire-resistant ABS plastic. It has special holes that allow you to place the switch on a DIN rail.
SONOFF S10A
The cheapest switch, located under the wall or in an electrical panel, and at the same time able to connect to Wi-Fi. Russian online stores sell it for only 650 rubles or a little more. However, this is also the simplest accessory in our selection. There is no question of any four channels here - only one chandelier or socket can be connected to the switch. The body of the product is made of non-flammable plastic. On it you can find a single button, which immediately after installation must be held for 20 seconds - after which you can connect to the switch via your smartphone to further configure it. In the corresponding application, you can not only turn the electricity on and off, but also set special algorithms for the operation of the light or socket.
Perhaps this is a good choice for someone who is not yet ready to spend a lot of money on such an accessory. But we recommend not connecting to such a switch an outlet to which an iron and other electrical appliances with very high power will be connected.
QIACHIP – switch with remote control
Of course, not all internal remote switches are supplied to Russian stores. There are many products available for purchase only through AliExpress. For example, this way you can purchase a certain QIACHIP switch. Unlike some other similar devices, it can be supplied with a compact remote control operating at 433 MHz. Its dimensions are comparable to a car alarm key fob. The body of the miniature remote control contains only two buttons and an LED. Want more? Then you need to use the application downloaded to your smartphone or tablet. There are two versions of it - for iOS and Android. In it you can already activate the shutdown timer, as well as configure the device’s operating schedule.
This switch has a plastic housing. The manufacturer assures that his creation will withstand 2200 W of electricity. However, we would not recommend putting too much stress on such an inexpensive accessory. A socket with an iron connected to it, even the most low-power one, is too much.
Broadlink SC1
The simplest remote switch that can exist. It has a plastic case, on the sides of which there are loops for screws. There is an LED on the front, which also acts as a button - it signals the connection to Wi-Fi. Surprisingly, a two-channel connection is implemented here. That is, the user will have the opportunity to control two sockets or the same number of lighting sources at once.
The manufacturer writes that its remote switch can withstand an electric current of 2500 W. We do not recommend that you test this statement in practice - soft plastic may not withstand strong heat. But in stable Wi-Fi work there is no doubt about it. It is convenient to use the corresponding application on both Android and iPhone.
Conclusion
Now you know about which are the best remote Wi-Fi light switches. Don't forget that when connecting them to the chandelier you will be dealing with electrical wiring. If you are not confident in your knowledge and skills, then it is better to call an electrician - he will definitely be able to install everything as carefully and safely as possible.
Ethernet gateway PR1132. Lighting control via a computer network.
We are testing the new development of the Nootekhnika company, the nooLite system, we control the light using a computer or smartphone via a Wi-Fi network. In this article we will talk in detail about the new device of the remote lighting control system nooLite - Ethernet gateway PR1132. The noolight wireless control system is designed to control electrical appliances and lighting via radio. Thanks to the appearance of a new device in the nooLite system line - the PR1132 Ethernet gateway, the distance to the power units has increased to 100 meters (previously the distance between the unit and the remote control was 50 meters). Installing the nooLite system is quite simple. Between the load, for example, a lamp or chandelier and the 220V network, a small one, about the size of Matchbox, .
Manage the load, i.e. You could turn the lights on and off using . With the advent Ethernet gateway PR1132 control made possible via a web browser from any device, for example, a smartphone, computer or tablet. Thanks to the possibility of cross-linking power units and launching programmed scenarios, using the noolite system it is possible to implement quite complex engineering solutions for smart home projects. On sale Ethernet gateway PR1132 There is no need to use wall switches and remote controls.
If you want to organize a wireless lighting control system in your home or apartment using a smartphone or tablet via a Wi-FI network, you must have the following equipment:
- Wi-Fi router 1 pc.
- . The number and type of power units depend on the number and type of lamps (loads) that you want to control from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. .
- Smartphone or tablet or computer.
As you can see, the list does not include wall switches or remote controls. All settings and management will be carried out from the browser of the device (smartphone or tablet or computer). If you do not take into account the cost of a Wi-Fi router and a computer, the price of the system will be significantly lower than its analogues. The scheme will work as follows: by pressing a button in your smartphone browser, you send a command to the power unit (32 independent control channels are supported). The signal over the network passes through a Wi-Fi router, Ethernet gateway PR1132 to the power unit.
Now let's move on to testing the system. To test the Ethernet gateway of the nooLite remote control system we will use the following components:
The gateway delivery kit includes: instructions, power supply, PR1132 gateway and antenna, connecting cable Patch Cord 1m.
The PR1132 Ethernet gateway with an attached antenna looks like a regular Wi-Fi router, but it is a mistake to assume that the gateway antenna is intended for organizing a Wi-Fi network. The antenna included in the delivery package serves to transmit a signal to the power units of the nooLite system at a frequency of 433.92 MHz, the distance to the power unit is 100 meters.
We want to control the lighting via Wi-Fi from a smartphone and computer, so we connect the PR1132 Ethernet gateway to our network to Wi-Fi router, as described in the instructions, diagram 2. In fact, we simply performed three steps: screwed on the antenna, connected the included Patch Cord connecting cable to the gateway and to a free socket on the router, and connected the power supply. The gateway is ready for use.
Let's move on to setting up the gateway. Initially, our computer and smartphone are already connected to the Wi-Fi network, so the setup is performed as follows: address bar Internet browser (you can use any browser), enter the gateway address, default 192.168.0.168. If the network is configured correctly, the PR1132 Ethernet gateway setup menu will appear in the browser window. The interface opened quickly, there was no need to wait.
Now you need to bind the power units to the gateway; to do this, click on the “settings” tab, then “bind/unbind”, select, for example, “Channel1”.
To bind the power unit to the gateway, you must press the service button on the power unit; the power unit LED will begin to blink. Now we press the “binding” button in the browser, the PR1132 gateway will send a binding signal to the power unit. The LED on the power unit will blink faster. To confirm the binding, you must press the service button on the power unit again. The LED will start blinking more slowly; to exit the power unit binding mode, you need to press the service button on the power unit again, the LED should stop blinking. Binding of the power block to is completed. We perform a similar procedure with the second power unit. Only in the second case do we select “Channel 2”. The binding procedure is similar to binding the power unit to the remote control. The entire binding procedure took a few seconds. For the test we used only 2 channels. The gateway supports 32 independent control channels.
Now go to the “control” tab and directly control the lighting from the computer browser.
To turn on/off we use the corresponding buttons. To adjust the lighting of the power unit, you need to reconfigure the channel type in the “settings” tab and select the “Dimming” type.
Let's move on to management. Power units respond to gateway signals instantly, without delay. The illumination is adjusted in 10% increments. To adjust the brightness, simply touch the desired division of the adjustment scale. Accordingly, when you press the “0” division, the light turns off completely; when you press the “100” scale division, the light turns on at full power.
Now let’s move on to controlling the lighting from a smartphone, in our case it’s an iPhone 4.
We type “Safari” 192.168.0.168 in the address bar of the built-in iOS browser and get to the main menu of the gateway. The cross-platform and cross-browser interface of the PR1132 Ethernet gateway easily adapts to the iPhone (supports both horizontal and vertical positions of the smartphone). Important note: in our case, the gateway interface is open on three devices at once, on two computers and on a smartphone. The gateway can receive commands from several devices at once, i.e. you can turn on the light on your computer, turn it off on your smartphone, etc.
The name of groups and channels can be renamed in the “settings”, “channels” section, select a channel.
In the same section of the PR1132 gateway settings, you can select the type of channel control. Available: on/off - for power units without adjustment " ", dimming - for power units " " (adjust the brightness of incandescent lamps) and " " (adjust the brightness LED lamps), scenario - for recording and calling a scenario of several power blocks, LED controller - for controlling an LED controller nooLite. Note: if you select the channel type "on/off" for a power unit with dimming support " " or " ", then adjustment in the control panel will not be available, only on and off.
In the "Sensors" section you can link up to 4 wireless temperature and humidity sensors. The sensors will go on sale soon.
Now let's test the timer. It should be noted that upon connection, the gateway itself determined and set the current time from the network. But in the time setting menu it is possible to set the time and date manually.
Let's move on to setting the "Channel 1" timer. For the experiment, we will select an on/off interval of 1 minute. It is possible to set up to 8 timers on one or several channels, select the days of the week on which the timers should work.
The timer worked accurately, turning on the lighting at 12:40 and turning it off at 12:41, according to the specified parameters. Now let’s simulate a power outage and see if the PR1132 Ethernet gateway will save the settings. Turn off the power to the gateway for 10 minutes. After powering up the gateway, all settings were saved. Therefore, you should not be afraid of a power outage; the gateway will resume its operation and retain the timer settings after the power supply is restored.
In the "network" menu you can change network settings.
In the "system" menu you can update the interface and export/import settings. To log in you will need a login and password, by default: Username: noolite. Password: 111
Below is the management interface of the PR1132 Ethernet Gateway on iPhone screen 4
We can say with confidence that the new product from Nootekhnika, the PR1132 Ethernet gateway, was tested successfully.
INTELMART.RU is the official dealer of Nootekhnika. System - control the light without leaving the couch.
Despite the presence on the market there are enough large quantity companies involved in Smart Home systems, most of them require deep integration into the existing electrical system of your apartment, home or office. The prices for such devices from famous manufacturers are also not encouraging; in particularly advanced cases, you will have to part with a four-digit sum for just one remote control lighting. And I’m not talking about rubles or hryvnias.
But in the last few years the situation has begun to change dramatically. One after another, companies are born that offer home automation systems with good functionality at affordable prices. The company " ", which has been producing lighting control devices since 1997, provided me with its Mini Kit “Smart Home in 1 Hour” for review, which I will try to talk about today in the most accessible form. Looking ahead and in order to avoid premature comments, I will say that the set from the Belarusian company will not turn your home into a truly “smart” one, but at least it will allow you to get one step closer to this goal.
The text may and most likely does contain grammatical, spelling, punctuation and other types of errors, including semantic ones. I strongly encourage readers to point out these errors and correct me through private messages.
▌About the company’s products and the reviewed set
Now "Nootekhnika" sells two sets for self-installation: Mini and Maxi Kit. The latter is distinguished by the ability to manage a larger number of load groups and is equipped with additional temperature/humidity and motion sensors. I received a Mini Kit and it consists of:
The red wire extending outside the housing is a jumper that determines the operating mode of the unit. Initially, the unit operates in relay mode, i.e. simply turns the load on and off. Breaking this connection puts the device into dimming mode, which makes it possible to regulate the power of the corresponding devices (incandescent lamps, heaters, fans, etc.).
Blocks of the “SU” type have appeared on sale quite recently; before that, dimmable (SN, ST) and “relay” (SL) blocks were sold as separate devices. There are only 5 models in the SU series, which differ in maximum switching power: 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 3, 5 kW. There are also modules included in the phase break (SB series), waterproof blocks for outdoor use (SR series) and an LED strip controller (SD series). The catalog of power units with prices can be viewed on the official website of Nootekhnika, where all existing models and the SU111 series of units are also available.
Switches (radio transmitters)
The delivery set includes two remote controls: PU311-2 and PU313-2. The company has a great variety of remote controls, although in fact there are only 3 structurally different versions plus remote control. The PU series has two revisions, which are designated by the prefix “1” and “2” at the end of the name. These are switches with touch keys in white or beige and they differ primarily in the functionality of the keys themselves (they are not universal, despite the fact that they are touch sensitive).
The working area of the remote control is matte to the touch, and the frame, which is its basis, is made of glossy plastic. In the left top corner There is an indication LED that lights up every time you press one of the buttons.
The remote control runs on CR2032 batteries. Guaranteed time battery life remote control is 1 year, but in reality it should be much longer. On the company's official website, when using the remote control 48 times a day (with a standard battery capacity of 210-240 mAh), the remote control will last for 3.8 years, taking into account the self-discharge of the battery. 1 year guaranteed, because the maximum declared range (50 meters) is maintained in the first 1-1.5 years of operation. As such, the remote control does not have a low battery indicator; in the future, it will be possible to determine a low battery by the dimly lit indicator at the moment the command is transmitted.
Remote controls come in one-, two- and three-channel types. An unlimited number of power units can be assigned to each channel. The main thing here is not to get confused, since only up to 32 remote controls can be linked to the blocks. The maximum operating range in open space is 50 meters. I experimented with the range and this is what I can say: the unit receives and executes commands at the stated distance, provided there is direct visibility to the window of the room in which it is installed. With reinforced concrete floors, everything is a little more complicated: in the entrance of a panel high-rise building, the block is enough for 2-3 floors, and the signal no longer passes through. Within the apartment, of course, there are no problems.
The third version of the remote control that I mentioned at the beginning is this. As such the switch in in this case no, there is only a transmitter unit for connecting to return (push-button) switches. Here is the tactile response desired by many and the ability to use switches of any design you like. The remote control, the variety of wall switches and their cost can be seen at.
Ethernet gateway
It is included in the local network and acts as an intermediary between the nooLite system and computers or mobile devices. It looks like a small black box with an external antenna. The package includes a power supply and a patch cord for connecting it to a router or modem.
An album with additional photos, including pictures taken during the preparation process, is located at.
The Ethernet gateway does not have direct access to the Internet and operates in local network. It also does not know how to request a DHCP address and is only available via 192.168.0.168, which can be changed to something else during subsequent configuration. I cannot help but note that regular user There may be problems connecting of this device, especially if this static address is already in use by someone on the subnet. But I'll tell you about this later.
Motion sensor PM111
It was purchased separately in order to equip one of the rooms with automatic lighting control. In size it is identical to the wall switches included in the Mini Kit, and in its functions it is completely reminiscent of them, because simply sends an on and subsequent off command to a pre-bound power unit.
An album with additional photos, including pictures taken during the preparation process, is located at.
PM111 is powered by two AAA batteries (included), and their charge should be enough for at least a year of operation. When the charge level is critical, the LED located under the thermal sensor lens will notify you with three short flashes repeated every 8 seconds. On the rear panel there are three trimming resistors for setting: the response threshold depending on the illumination (1 ... 100 lumens), the shutdown time after operation (5 s ... 21.8 minutes) and the sensitivity of the sensor. Parallel operation with any nooLite remote control is supported. For reference: sensor in and its.
▌Installation and configuration using the example of your own home
The most interesting thing is the installation. I'm a little afraid of electricians, despite the fact that I'm friends with electronics. For reasons unknown to me, she has a grudge against me and, as soon as the opportunity arises, she tries to show her superiority. This time there were no incidents; the kit can actually be installed in an hour if you plan and prepare everything in advance.I will demonstrate the installation using the example of the apartment in which I currently live. This is a rental property, the owner of which agreed to install the system and my subsequent “entertainment” with the apartment, provided that everything returns to its place upon moving out. We have an unremarkable one-room apartment in a panel house with the following lighting scheme:
The model was created in the program. Ceiling chandeliers were replaced with lamps for clarity
Even before receiving the kit, it was decided to purchase a motion sensor and an additional power unit, since one of the lighting sources would be deprived of control if the Mini Kit was used in its “pure” form. The application scheme ultimately took the following form:
By default, instead of the fourth block, block No. 3 is assigned to the third channel of the remote control, but for experimental purposes it was decided to swap them. The process of binding/unbinding is quite simple and is described both in a separate and in a full-fledged one for the entire system. The second and third channels of the remote controls control the light in the bathroom and corridor, which is essentially a clear example of the implementation of a pass-through switch, only without wires.
I started connecting the power units from the living room, having previously de-energized that part of the apartment’s electrical network that is responsible for lighting. Additionally, I recommend getting an indicator screwdriver (if you don’t already have it) to check for the absence of potential on the lines you are going to work with. The process of dismantling the chandelier did not cause any difficulties, but the obscenely twisted wires, although not surprising, still left a certain residue.
An album with additional photos, including pictures taken during the preparation process, is located at.
Two white wires coming from the block are connected to the mains, and two black wires are connected to the subsequent load. For connection, the kit includes a set of 12 WAGO lever terminals. If you are still twisting, then stop immediately, I advise you to at least read on Geektimes and the comments to it (there is valuable information on another such article).
Both single- and stranded copper wires can be clamped into the VAG terminals. I learned this fact already in the process of writing the article, so the stranded wires from the chandelier were pre-tinned. I cleaned the conductors sticking out of the ceiling in order to remove the oxides that had formed on them.
The block did not fit into the chandelier bowl, so it was left outside. If there was a neutral wire in the wiring box of the old switch, then it would be possible to place the block there or be a power block in the set. The unit's antenna (white wire) must not be cut, twisted or hidden in metal bowls to avoid shielding.
In the kitchen, the block also did not fit into the plastic cover of the “chandelier”. Yes, in quotes, because it’s just a wire with a socket on which a hefty white cap used to be put on, absorbing a huge part of the light flux. It's time to lobby for the purchase of normal lamps. Similar steps were taken to install power units in the bathroom and hallway.
For absolutely all points, 300-watt units are redundant since I use 20-watt fluorescent energy-saving lamps. In the living room, the total power consumption is 60 W. Even taking into account the manufacturer’s recommended twofold power reserve (especially when placed in places where air convection is difficult), such units are still redundant. With incandescent lamps comparable in luminous flux to those installed by me energy saving lamps the situation would be diametrically opposite. Most likely it will not fail, but it will feel very “hot”.
Installation of switches where easier connection power blocks. They can be placed any way and anywhere, with the exception of mounting on metal surfaces. By default, the mounting panel involves installation using self-tapping screws or pre-applied strips of tape.
We remove the old switch and, using the same WAGO terminals, close the wires as if the switch was always on. As it turned out, the mounting box in the case of this switch was simply missing and the latter was inserted stupidly (precisely stupidly) into the drywall slot.
Yes, the yellow-green wire is the phase for connecting the corridor lamp. It's sad, isn't it?
The original strips of tape are too small for the resulting hole, so I used my favorite foam double-sided adhesive tape. Now I’m afraid that during subsequent dismantling I will tear off the mounting frame with a piece of plasterboard wall.
An album with additional photos, including pictures taken during the preparation process, is located at.
That's it, one switch is installed and ready to use. With the second one, I was rushing around the room for a while, deciding where to place it - by the bed or in the same place near the sofa. In the photo below, during the experiments, it was installed along with a stationary switch, which was later completely dismantled.
But the remote control by the bed is also convenient, despite the ability to control the light from a watch or smartphone. Therefore, the purchase and installation of it is just around the corner. On this moment The lighting control circuit looks like this:
Where B are blocks, P are remote controls, and D is a motion sensor. The latter, similar to remote controls, can be attached to self-tapping screws or double-sided tape. To begin with, a small piece of adhesive tape will be enough, since you will most likely have to play around with the placement of the sensor. At the maximum set sensitivity, its viewing angle, determined experimentally, reaches 120-130 degrees, and the operating range completely covers my kitchen (2.5 x 2.5 meters). After some experimentation, the sensor was placed on one of the kitchen drawers so that it would not be affected by local cooking lighting or hood lights above the stove.
Currently the sensor is located on the right side of the handle
The sensor is triggered instantly, but there is still a slight delay due to the fluorescent lamp - it does not turn on immediately. I set the shutdown time to about 10 minutes. The sensor seems to be supposed to check for motion before sending a shutdown command to the unit, but I either freeze at these moments, or the sensor simply does not notice me. As a result, the light goes out and you have to wait 4-5 seconds to check for movement again. The light threshold was set to 30% of the state when the sensor is constantly on and tracking movements. At this level, operation occurs even on particularly cloudy winter days, which is what I was trying to achieve.
Regarding the catch regarding this sensor that I mentioned earlier. Let's imagine that in addition to the sensor itself, the controlled unit is tied to wall remote control, for manual control of lighting in the kitchen, as in my case. Neither sensors nor remote controls have feedback, and if the light in the kitchen turns on as a result of a motion sensor, and you turn it off using the remote control or the web interface, which will be discussed later, the motion sensor will continue to think that the light was turned on with its help and will continue to count down the preset 10 minutes to send the light off command. Did you get the point? If you re-enter the kitchen after turning off the lights manually, the sensor will not work. Therefore, I disconnected this unit from all remote controls, including the “Turn everything off” scenario channel, since the motion sensor itself is capable of turning off the lights in the kitchen in the absence of movement.
Scenario channels are a no less interesting topic. In the Nootechniki catalog you can find both remote controls with one script key and with all three. Scenarios allow you to control an unlimited number of blocks (this is the basic ability of the remote control): turn them all off at the same time, turn on the corresponding block to a preset brightness or color level (for an LED strip), or turn on the required group of lamps. With one channel you can only perform one action, i.e. It is not possible to turn on and off a group of lamps with one key. More about the scripting capabilities is written in (chapter 6) on the entire nooLite system. In general, before purchasing, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with it - this will save you from most questions.
Ethernet gateway, controllable mobile devices and Pebble watches
For now, I’ll only tell you about the basic capabilities of the gateway. Information about the API and its integration into other Smart Home systems deserves a separate article. When installing, the manufacturer recommends that the router and Ethernet gateway be separated by at least half a meter, because wifi signal network interferes with signal reception in temperature/humidity sensors. Of course, the younger set does not have the latter, but why not play it safe for the future?
Special thanks to the developers for the green indicator(!) LED, and not the eye-catching blue spotlight that Chinese manufacturers like to use (the Xiaomi standing nearby, despite the blue LED, is an exception).
The first connection to the local network was not successful. Firstly, my network is built on addresses like 192.168.1.x, which has already made the gateway impossible to operate. Okay, we transfer the subnet to 192.168.0.x, but nothing still happens, I can’t access the address 192.168.0.168. I assume that this address on the network is already occupied by some of the home devices and directly connect the gateway to the computer using a patch cord. I assign the computer the address 192.168.0.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.
That's it, now you can go to the gateway and even play with turning the lighting on and off. I first recommend updating to current version software, and change the standard gateway address to the one allocated to it in the settings of your router. detailed instructions on flashing there is in - I don’t see the point in repeating myself once again. There is already a third version of the software, but the second one is current and stable, while the gateway itself comes with the first version. The web interface is updated separately from the update software and is the second stage in general process updates. The firmware itself can be downloaded from the Nootekhniki website.
The main innovations of the second version are the authorization setting, which did not exist before (any person on the local network could control the lighting knowing only the gateway address), the “Dawn” and “Sunset” functions, which will be discussed later, and, in fact, the ability to “forward” the required port to access the gateway from the external network. To do this, you need to have an external static IP address (as a rule, you can order it from your provider, rent costs about $1-2 per month) and perform a set of simple manipulations with your router. Instructions on this topic are in the archive with the update files.
The main function of the gateway is mediation between devices on the local network and the radio lighting control system. The gateway, not surprisingly, copes with this task. On home page The web interface displays blocks and preset scenarios previously associated with the gateway.
Inside the menu item responsible for a specific block there are two buttons and an improvised LED. In the case of dimmable blocks, a “slider” is added to the page to set the desired lighting level.
In addition to the “Turn everything off” scenario, there are “Morning” and “Evening” functions. All of them are independent and are not synchronized in any way with the scenario channels on the switches due to the absence of any feedback.
Writing a script is quite easy. You need to turn on, turn off or set to a certain power all the lamps that you want to use in the scenario and click the “Save” button. In this way, you can create any scenario, for example, “Watching a movie,” when the lights in the entire apartment turn off, and a sconce or something like that is activated near the bed at minimum power.
In addition to scenarios, it is possible to set 8 weekly timers (icon in the upper right corner) and use them in scenarios. Here you can recall the “Dawn” and “Sunset” functions added to the second version of the software. Using weekly timers, you can set, for example, that from Monday to Friday at 8 am the “Dawn” action will be performed, as a result of which the selected group of lamps (scenario, in fact) is activated with smooth rise brightness This mode will only work if dimmable lamps are used and power units are configured accordingly.
In principle, that’s all, this is where the basic capabilities for controlling lighting from the gateway via the web interface end. Information about connecting sensors and working with them is in the user manual, which I have already consulted.
In general, the interface does not look very good on computers with large monitors, because... originally designed for mobile devices. Applications for , and in turn are stripped-down versions of the web interface, because there are no opportunities to create timers, scripts, bind and unbind blocks, and much more. In the case of the Android client, slide switches are used to turn the load on or off. Already created scripts can be overwritten directly in the application.
After a whole month of using the system, I never used the web interface, simply because there was no need for it. Using a smartphone, I played with the light several times to demonstrate the system to friends, and a couple of times in bed when the clock was left on the table. Regarding watches, everything is completely different. I resorted to their help every time I forgot to turn off the light using the switch. Yes, in the future I will most likely add another remote control near the bed (for a girl, for example), but for now they can cope with this task quite well.
As for the application itself for Pebble, Vlad Zaitsev (vvzvlad) quite justified it when he talked about an excursion to the production of the Nootekhnika company. I subsequently got used to the logic of the application in just a couple of days, so I can still use it. There is also an application for Apple Watch, but I don't have an Apple Watch, so I won't show it to you.
▌Why do I (you) need this? Application of the nooLite system
Along with the solutions used in my apartment, I will show a few more examples of using this system.1. A trivial opportunity to post switch anywhere in the room: near the computer, bed, near the sofa or even on the window. No wiring needed. It is enough to purchase a power unit with a double power reserve and any remote control you like. Read more about this.
2. Pass-through switch. most often used in corridors, where one switch is installed at the beginning of it, and the other at the end. A person who enters the corridor turns on the light using the first switch, and at the exit turns it off with the second switch. Have you calculated how many wires need to be laid in the wall? What if we add another switch?
One power unit and two switches completely solve this problem. In the case of a completed renovation, it will be even cheaper than re-drilling the walls.
3. Use in wooden houses where there are special requirements for the installation of electrical wiring. For those who didn’t know, hidden electrical wiring in wooden houses is at least not recommended, and in the case of using corrugated PVC pipes, it is completely prohibited. In general, the standards for wooden structures are quite strict and those who adhere to the rules and fear for their lives will be forced to either spend money on good hidden wiring in metal sleeves, or cover the beautiful wood with a 10 mm layer of plaster and lay the wiring under it. In the case of open wiring, so-called “retro wiring” using stylized cable and ceramic insulators has recently gained popularity. The solution is beautiful, but far from the most practical, time-consuming and expensive.
4. Wireless motion sensor for automatic lighting control. I would, of course, like to see more sensors in various form factors in the Nootekhniki arsenal, but even what we have already allows us to automate the lighting in the apartment and save on electricity. The main advantage of the sensor under review is the absence of wires. Typically, these devices are connected to the phase wire of the lamp and additionally require zero for power. Those. Both installation and subsequent movement of the sensor is complicated in case of unsuccessful placement. Read more about this.
5. Light control from watches, computers and mobile devices located on the same local network. You can, of course, get tired of it and purchase a static IP address from your provider, forward the port to an Ethernet gateway and completely control the lighting from anywhere in the world, but taking into account the lack of feedback from the nooLite system units, the rationality of this solution, in my personal opinion, comes down to zero.
I'm afraid that if I continue to describe all sorts of scenarios, I will exceed the character limit set on the site for one article. There are more examples of using devices from Nootekhnika on their website. And yet, I know that similar control can be implemented on Arduino or even by assembling an independent device, so there is no need to write about this in the comments. It’s better to calculate how long it will take you, and then multiply it by the cost of one of your hours. Unless, of course, this is your hobby, but your wife, children or roommates can put up with the lack of light due to the debugging work you are doing.
- How convenient are they? touch switches? What to do in the dark? Is there any backlighting?
No, there is no backlight, in the dark you will have to navigate by touch. In the switches of the first revision it was more convenient to do this, since the buttons could be felt in the corners of the frame. In the second version, I periodically miss the center key. As such, there is no pitch darkness in my house; either a table lamp or a night light is always on, and given the “creative disorder” that I love, no matter how brave I am, I will not risk moving around the apartment in the middle of the night without, for example, a smartphone. If desired, you can change the touch switches to return ones using remote controls.
- Is it possible to turn on the light with the toe of your left foot while wearing warm socks?
You can use either your left or your right, but either in thin conductive socks or without them at all. You can also use your nose, yes. I'm not joking, because such situations happen.
- What happens if the lights in the apartment are turned off? Will the blocks lose their binding? What condition will they be in after the power supply is restored?
Nothing will happen. In the event of a power outage, the blocks will not lose their binding since all information is stored in non-volatile memory. If we talk about the SU series units supplied in the set, they do not have the function of storing the state when the 220 V network is lost. For other models, see the company’s website.
- Is it easy to hack the system and gain control over the control of lights and electrical appliances?
It’s quite easy, because the system doesn’t have any serious protection. And if you have an open Wi-Fi network and you are using an Ethernet gateway with the first version of the software, then any “passerby” will only need to connect to this network and go to the standard gateway address 192.168.0.168. For radio control, only 16 address bits are used, so searching through the possible 65536 combinations will take a matter of hours. There is also no protection of the proprietary protocol; the signal from the remote control is easy to “catch” and record. There was even an article on Habré about. The question is, who might need to “hack” the lighting control system in an average apartment or house? Except for some naughty schoolchildren, but they usually welcome other methods.
- How to predict when the batteries in the remote control will run out? I wouldn't want to be left in the middle of the night without the ability to turn on the light.
I have already raised this question higher in the text, but I will repeat it anyway, since it really arises often. As such, the remote control does not have a discharge indication, but as the critical charge level approaches, the indication LED will glow dimmer and dimmer when transmitting commands. This is an indicator that it is time to replace the batteries. If during this time you do not bother to replace the batteries, and you are not at home (as a person capable of replacing the battery in the remote control) or, in fact, CR2032 batteries, then yes, there will be no opportunity to turn the light on or off.
▌Results
If you read this article to the end, then you are at least a hero, since I have never written such large materials before. It is simply unrealistic to cover in one article all the diversity of a seemingly simple system like nooLite; I’m afraid to imagine what will happen if I get some full-fledged smart home controller with a bunch of peripherals for review. Probably, it would be possible to divide the review into two parts, but then there would be even more text. From this material I excluded the chapter on the operation of the system at the data transfer level and the dissection of the main components, but I will definitely write it later.I can safely recommend the official Nootekhnika website as a comprehensive source of information for further study of the system. There is one for almost every device detailed guides, videos and short infographics. There, on the website, the system and its individual components are collected, so there will not be a traditional “Related Links” section at the end of the article.
As for the system itself, not only does it deserve attention, it is also worth the money. Hobby solutions based on Arduino and the like are still not plug&play devices and require painstaking installation and configuration, and advanced home automation systems based on the Z-Wave or X10 protocols will cost much more.
What I liked
- Basic system price (switch block)
- Easy to install and configure
- System expandability
- Control from mobile devices on the local network (especially from watches)
What I didn't like
- Lack of feedback, remote controls and gateway are not synchronized in any way
- Gateway cost and functionality
What would you like
- Any kind of protection (encryption of the data transfer protocol)
- Expansion of the capabilities of scene channels (the ability to turn the light on and off with one scene button, double tap to assign additional functions) , . On my website I duplicate my publications from all over the Internet, so too. :)
Today I want to show you an interesting device with which you can control anything via the Internet using the Wi-Fi module ESP8266 (ESP-01) and the ATmega8A microcontroller.
In this combination, the module acts as a controller WiFi networks and web server, and ATmega8A acts as a power node controller, receives a line via a simple protocol from ESP8266 and having processed it issues a command to open one or another relay through a shift register 74HC595 and transistor assembly ULN2003.
Device diagram:
By accessing the specified IP address, default: 192.168.4.1, you can configure various modes and control the lighting in your apartment or house. The device has a web interface. Firmware for ESP8266 is based on "web dumps" from the respected «
PVVX". I just added a couple of handlers in the file so that when a certain line is received from the web side, a 4-byte string will be sent to the UART interface - the command identifier. There are two such commands for each control channel: turn it on and off. Also, there are two additional commands that can turn on and off all lighting channels at once.
And then, by writing a simple web page, I can easily control the lighting of the apartment.
The device works as follows:
From the web side: to put it simply, when you click on any of the buttons, a script is first called that changes the background of the button and changes variable value from 1 to 0 and vice versa with each click and then the AJAX handler is called, which is processed by the program in the ESP8266 and sent to the UART code corresponding to the AJAX command. And ATmega8A accepts and processes this line.
From the microcontroller side: a string is received, processed, and if the string matches the test string, then the necessary actions are performed. It looks like this like this:
Void send_data() ( static char buff_data=0, rel_data=0; static char x=0; if(string_search("@1A00",rx_buffer)) // LIGHT ON kitchen ( rel_data|=0x81; printf("1CH ON\ r\n"); clear_buffer_rx(); x=0; if(demo<42000 && demo_off==0) demo++; } .................... .................... else if(string_search("@2A00",rx_buffer)) // LIGHT OFF кухня { rel_data&=~0x81; printf("1CH OFF\r\n"); clear_buffer_rx(); x=0; if(demo<42000 && demo_off==0) demo++; } relay_send(rel_data); }
This function compares the string that arrives in the UART with a string that executes certain commands. If it matches, then the action is performed.
The UART parser function is homemade, here is its code:
Char string_search(char *str1,char *str2) ( unsigned char addr=0,x=0,y=0; str1+=0; str2+=0; while(str1!=0) ( addr++; ) while(str1[y ]!=0 && str2[x]!=0) ( if(str1[y] == str2[x]) ( y++; x++; ) else ( if(y The web page does not qualify for an award, and looks like this: When you press any of the buttons, the lighting turns on! The settings web pages are hidden from the main page and open when you enter links. I will indicate them below. If desired, anyone can modify the main page by adding a button or link to it to go to the settings. 192.168.4.1/protect/wifi.htm For questions about updating the firmware, you can. Photo of the mounted device: Attention! Printed circuit boards were designed to be universal (for general use) and boards were used from what was already manufactured, this is all due to the reduction of development time and saving costs on the production of factory boards. Therefore, some nodes are not wired for the task of lighting control. Modern progress and computer technologies, which are becoming more and more advanced and innovative systems and devices every day, provide new opportunities for the Smart Home system, which now also provides the ability to control light via WiFi. The unique technology of interacting components, which act as receivers and transmitters, has made the life of a modern person even easier and has given rise to the installation of more rational lighting control, both in residential buildings and in office premises. But it’s not only the control of light via WiFi that the system developed by the best minds of mankind can set up. With access to the Internet, you have the opportunity to: Its essence is that a wireless network allows us to control the Smart Home system, including the lighting system, from any device. You will be able to give commands to the lighting system of your home, cottage, office or apartment. Lighting control is possible through any computer, tablet, or smartphone that is connected to a WiFi network; naturally, the Smart Home must be connected to the same network. Light control via WiFi can be carried out both in wired Smart Home systems and in wireless systems. The setup of one or another type of system is carried out by our experienced specialists - you can be sure that both system options, both wireless and wired, will provide you with reliable and faithful service. The light control system via WiFi is another pleasant bonus that makes life easier for modern progressive Smart Home users. In a word, if you have a WiFi access point and a “Smart Home” system from BE SMART, then you can install a control system for light, sound and other household “joys” in a residential area, in an office, and even in public places - restaurants, hotels, etc. Moreover, the operation of the equipment will not only make your household worries easier, but will also help you save on energy costs.
192.168.4.1/protect/setup.htm
192.168.4.1/protect/uart.htm
192.168.4.1/protect/upload.htm
How does WiFi control work?
Control Features