[Official] Home Automation Thread

[Solidus_GZ]

Those are the surface mounts for the switches. They are the standard size for USA. Get those as they are deep so wires can fit inside. I used them for my Wemo light switches.

bro do you need to do some hacking before installing?
as the light box is bigger than our local ones?

 

[bullfrog]

bro do you need to do some hacking before installing?
as the light box is bigger than our local ones?

No as these are meant for surface mounting.
My current place is those old resale hdb units where all wiring must be exposed. Hence no hacking. I just removed the square ones and fitted these.

My new place is all buried. That's why i'm planning to buy the xiaomi Zigbee switches with neutral wire. The new owners of my place are very excited that they getting a home with smart switches all wired up for them.

 

[Solidus_GZ]

nice... i dunno whether is it a good idea to spend 400-500 dollars just for switches anot... im looking seriously at insteon now and its hub (buy a transfer for the v differences)
anyone currently using Insteon now in his/her home now? wonder how is the feedback...
and anyone pull the netural line before? my ID charging me $50 per point.... dunno got chop me anot

 

[bullfrog]

nice... i dunno whether is it a good idea to spend 400-500 dollars just for switches anot... im looking seriously at insteon now and its hub (buy a transfer for the v differences)
anyone currently using Insteon now in his/her home now? wonder how is the feedback...
and anyone pull the netural line before? my ID charging me $50 per point.... dunno got chop me anot

Seems fair. Market rate is between 40 to 60. I guess it depends on the hacking works too.

 

[spiffy123]

Seems fair. Market rate is between 40 to 60. I guess it depends on the hacking works too.

I just did for my new place at $55/point, so $50 is good.

 

[MaoZeDuo]

$40 for mine

 

[bullfrog]

$40 for mine

40 is cheap! Are your wires buried or exposed?

 

[MaoZeDuo]

Buried... kinda regretted not pulling more... haha

40 is cheap! Are your wires buried or exposed?

 

[Solidus_GZ]

Den every point also put haha

 

[powerpack8]

Yup, highly recommended pulling neutral line. I wasn't intending to lay neutral line until I saw the melted Aqara switch, instantly ask my ID revise quotation and lay neutral line to all my 20 switches. Also offloaded all my Non-neutral Aqara switches. Thanks to the poster sharing the melted switch, pocket burnt big hole but for safety it's okays..

 

[Z_Dash]

Any lobang to pull neutral wires?
Understand only pull for light switches.

My Id's electrician told me as my new home electrical conduits are casted inside wall........impossible to lay neutral as HDB don't allow hacking to access the pipes.

 

[Solidus_GZ]

i gg try this electrican 1st, if he is good i let you know, will be meeting him tmr.
btw can Aqara work with any hub? or can it directly work with Alexa?

 

[bullfrog]

i gg try this electrican 1st, if he is good i let you know, will be meeting him tmr.
btw can Aqara work with any hub? or can it directly work with Alexa?

Works with xiaomi gateway officially.
I have smartthings and from what i read, the smarthings community got it working with smartthings too.

 

[9N1Y9N1Y]

hi i'm new to this after reading the thread got some Q

wanted to get xiaomi aircon control. anyone manage to use? i'm staying hdb bto and the aircon plug is outside at aircon ledge not sure can i fit in the plugs especially the xiaomi is not UK pin

inclined to get the wifi control switch as well to automate on/off with the motion sensor. read about the 'neutral' line in the earlier page. mine is 4yrs ago bto how do i know if i'm lined already with neutral line to use with the plug?
any electrician to recommend?

and lastly i'm already using xiaomi smart plug but some appliance can't work with just switiching on the power. e.g. my sharp purifier (https://sharp.com.sg/web/products/prodDetail.asp?prodId=552) once u on you still need to press the setting. how to go about for such cases?

 

[powerpack8]

hi i'm new to this after reading the thread got some Q wanted to get xiaomi aircon control. anyone manage to use? i'm staying hdb bto and the aircon plug is outside at aircon ledge not sure can i fit in the plugs especially the xiaomi is not UK pin

- It has to placed at the line of sight to the aircon. Usually, people would use IR blaster; broadlink, sensibo, harmony

inclined to get the wifi control switch as well to automate on/off with the motion sensor. read about the 'neutral' line in the earlier page. mine is 4yrs ago bto how do i know if i'm lined already with neutral line to use with the plug?
any electrician to recommend?

- You will see a blue colored wire at your switch, like this:-

My electrician work under my ID so can't really help on this..

and lastly i'm already using xiaomi smart plug but some appliance can't work with just switiching on the power. e.g. my sharp purifier (https://sharp.com.sg/web/products/prodDetail.asp?prodId=552) once u on you still need to press the setting. how to go about for such cases?

- I don't think you can automate if it needs to on physically unless there is a remote control. It needs to have some smart capability like the xiaomi air purifier.

Refer to the comments above, hope this helps

 

[shacboi]

Hello guys, any of you trying out with raspberry pi, with home assistant and broadlink? Just waNt to know by using off the shelves products and having raspberry pi as the "brain"?

whats the main differences, the things can do, cant do?? Appreciate it anybody can share... Thanks in advance.

 

[hexanol]

Hello guys, any of you trying out with raspberry pi, with home assistant and broadlink? Just waNt to know by using off the shelves products and having raspberry pi as the "brain"?

whats the main differences, the things can do, cant do?? Appreciate it anybody can share... Thanks in advance.

i'm using hassio on my raspberry pi connected with broadlink rm pro+. Yet to venture to switches.

 

[shacboi]

i'm using hassio on my raspberry pi connected with broadlink rm pro+. Yet to venture to switches.

arr... nice, so u currently using it to on/off wat devices ???

abit backgrd on wat im doing, im already using alexa + broadlink rm pro +livolo rf switches, able to use voice cmd to turn off switches.. however the livolo switches seems to be on toggle on/off (just like ur tv on/off, same button) . im thinkin if i use raspberry pi + broadlink, am i able to detect the on & off cmd and apply the on or off on different occasions rather than current 'toggle' mode.

do you have similar experiences ?

 

[hexanol]

arr... nice, so u currently using it to on/off wat devices ???

abit backgrd on wat im doing, im already using alexa + broadlink rm pro +livolo rf switches, able to use voice cmd to turn off switches.. however the livolo switches seems to be on toggle on/off (just like ur tv on/off, same button) . im thinkin if i use raspberry pi + broadlink, am i able to detect the on & off cmd and apply the on or off on different occasions rather than current 'toggle' mode.

do you have similar experiences ?

If the frequency for the on and off is the same, then it's a bit redundant.. i configured in my home assistant, different commands, but actually sending the same signal. If i say turn on the light, it will turn on the light.. and vice versa for off.. but the thing is, if i say turn on the light twice, then it will turn off the light.. you get what i'm trying to say?

 

[shacboi]

If the frequency for the on and off is the same, then it's a bit redundant.. i configured in my home assistant, different commands, but actually sending the same signal. If i say turn on the light, it will turn on the light.. and vice versa for off.. but the thing is, if i say turn on the light twice, then it will turn off the light.. you get what i'm trying to say?

yep, cause of the same signal.... nvm, will try to explore, maybe can use for other DIY purposes too.

May i ask, if lets say u setup triggers/actions in raspberry PI with Hass.io.... can you do those if-else checking of the state of devices to determine the path to take ?

for eg.
if door sensor triggered, turn on door light if door light is OFF.
if door sensor triggered, no action if door light is already ON.

Thanks!