Hey everyone, I’m really excited to share my latest DIY project with you all! I’ve been working on creating a 16-outlet smart power plug using ESPHome and a 16-channel relay board. It’s been a fantastic learning experience, but I’d love to hear your thoughts and get some feedback to make it even better!
So far, I’ve managed to set up the electronics hookup, and while I didn’t link all the pins yet, the concept seems solid. I’ve included a 12V relay board in the current version, but I’m planning to switch to a 5V relay board in the next iteration. This change will eliminate the need for a buck converter and simplify the power supply setup, which should make the whole device more efficient and easier to assemble.
Here’s a quick overview of what I’ve done so far:
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Hardware Setup: I’ve connected the ESP8266 module to the relay board and set up the necessary wiring. The physical build is coming along nicely, and I’ve managed to get half of it looking good, as you can see in the images I’ve attached.
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Software Configuration: I’ve written the initial ESPHome code, which includes setting up the GPIO pins for each relay. I’ve also integrated an MCP23017 I/O expander to handle the additional outputs. The code is functional, but I’m sure there’s room for improvement, especially in terms of optimization and error handling.
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Testing: I’ve conducted some basic tests to ensure that each outlet can be individually controlled via the Home Assistant interface. The results have been promising, but I’d like to test the system more thoroughly to identify any potential issues.
One thing I’m particularly curious about is whether there are any alternative components I could use to improve the power efficiency of the system. I’d also love to hear if anyone has any tips or tricks for optimizing the ESPHome setup for a project of this scale.
If anyone has experience with similar projects or has any suggestions, I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Whether it’s about the hardware, software, or overall design, your insights would be invaluable.
Looking forward to your feedback and ideas! Let’s make this project even better together! 