Control a smart outlet using bluetooth?

Hardware
1

I want to use Node-RED on my victron Cerbo GX to control a smart outlet (for a dump load when my batteries are full)

Using hard-wired relays etc. is too much work in my case, I want to go with a remote controlled outlet, ideally replace the outlet in the junction box, but if needed add some smart outlet dongle. (Would be exposed to outside hot and cold temperatures and dust)

I know this is possible in multiple different ways using WiFi in different ways (example thread).

I would like to ideally not spend the power running WiFi radios all the time though. Is there any smart outlet that can be controlled by Node-RED using BLUETOOTH connected to the Cerbo GX?

2

I'm not sure what it is you want to do ultimately.

But reading the thread, I fear you are over constraining yourself.

3

I'm sure there will be. But BT is notoriously annoying to get working. It also has relatively limited range indoors.

While initially slightly more expensive to set up, using Zigbee would likely be a better option for you. That is still low power and while it does require a controller connected to your Node-RED server, each mains powered zigbee device acts as a mesh repeater.

To use Zigbee with Node-RED, the easiest approach is to use an MQTT broker (normally Mosquitto) and the Zigbee2MQTT service. Zigbee2MQTT auto-discovers your devices and provides a web interface to configure them. You can then both listen to device outputs and control them from Node-RED via MQTT topics.

4

I'm willing to bet the losses in the power supplies build into the sockets/outlets are such that the actual differences in power usage between a Bluetooth radio and a WiFi radio are negligible.

NodeJS Bluetooth support is not the best, while possible you may have to write your own node to support that specific hardware

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5

Another option is to use a HS103 plug

I use the node-red-contrib-tplink node and have several of them in my house with one of them connected to my coffee pot. I use it to shut off the power to the coffee maker after 20 minutes of being turned on. It fixes the problem I had when I would pour a cup of coffee and forget to turn the pot off. So I no longer come back and see the bottom of the pot is blackened from the remainder of the coffee drying up leaving some scrubbing to do.

6

Another option is to use a SMART Switch flashed with Tasmota so you can control it via MQTT.
Here's an example of the switch for the UK market. Variants for other countries are available.

athon_switch_image
athon_switch_image421Ă—417 46.9 KB

I recently posted a detailed tutorial on 'Share Your Projects' you might find useful.

https://teamwork-int.com/share_my_projects/

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