Hey everyone! I’ve been diving into the world of smart home automation lately, and I wanted to share my journey and experiences with you all. I live in an old brick house, which comes with its own set of challenges when it comes to wiring and installation. I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect smart switches that can seamlessly integrate into my setup without requiring a complete overhaul of the existing wiring.
I started with Tuya switches, which looked promising with their in-wall and wireless options. They did the job to some extent, but I ran into some reliability issues—occasional missed clicks and slow automation responses. I switched to Home Assistant with zigbee2mqtt, hoping that would solve the problem, but the issues persisted. The wireless switches would sometimes flash their LED indicators randomly, which was a bit annoying.
This led me to explore other options. I came across Sonoff M5 and R5 models, but the R5 didn’t support zigbee, which was a deal-breaker for me. Then there’s the Aqara E1, which seemed like a solid choice, but I’ve heard mixed reviews about their reliability with Home Assistant. The Shelly 2 Plus caught my eye too, but it would require some wall modifications to fit everything neatly.
What I’m really looking for is a switch that allows custom firmware, like ESPHome, which has worked flawlessly for me in the past. I stumbled upon some ESP8266-based relay modules on AliExpress, but I’m not entirely sure how to integrate them with a wall button without messing up the on/off positions. I also wonder if there’s a Bluetooth option that could work with HomeKit or other ecosystems.
Has anyone successfully tackled a similar challenge? I’d love to hear about your setups and any tips or tricks you’ve picked up along the way. Let’s keep the discussion going and help each other navigate the wonderful (and sometimes tricky) world of smart home automation! 