Problems with node-red-contrib-smartlifeair

General
21

First try pressing refresh channels. But I guess you have already done it.

Yah, That happens sometime. Some manufactures customize the firmware and map to their own UIs instead of the generic UIs. At this point you are out of options.

But I usually use a way around it by setting up an automation rule in the app

Example
You can turn this light on when the other light come on

22

Maybe the documentation needs to be changed from "any tuya, smartlife supported devices" to some/most ? :slight_smile:

JFI I bought these switches from amazon.co.uk and they are labelled ConnectBeat. After I couldn't get them to work with this node, I tried using the OTA firmware update to flash them to Tasmota but that didn't work either.

23

Some of the vendors have been doing other weird things as well, to stop over-flashing. I had a smart wifi power strip fail... the mechanical relay died... if happens, right? And it was one of the devices I could not over-flash.

Well I used that as in excuse to open the thing up, and there as no easy way to replace just the relay, given the board design, and the specific relay was a really odd on, I could not find as just a individual part.

So I am in the middle of tweaking my firmware image I developed for my ESP8266/ESP32 endeavors, it used REST API not MQTT... don't ask. The ESP module, 1 Diode and a Mosfet IR520. Will not be pretty but no vendor API foolishness.

24

JFI - Just bought a switch that works :slight_smile:
I bought it from Wickes (UK) Ā£12 - its called TCP Smart - its square with a button that sticks out slightly (other one was flush) indicator LED on front is small and dim and goes from magenta for on to blue for off

Smartlife Air app says firmware is 1.0.0 for main and MCU module

I've got 3 lights that are controlled via 2 IR switches so hopefully I can replace them with this one and the ConnectBeat and use an app automation rule to sync them and control them both from NR :slight_smile:

2020-09-03 14.55.45-1
2020-09-03 14.55.45-13968Ɨ2976 1.5 MB

25

And :slight_smile: On todays real-world, retail therapy shopping trip I bought one that works using the node from Tesco :slight_smile:

Its called a Calex SMART Power Plug - also cost Ā£12 - square (but with more rounded corners that the TCPSmart one -flush power button - Smartlife Air app couldn't find it using standard method but it connected using the seconday method (the one that sets up the plug as its own AP) and it worked fine after that

Firmware says 1.1.6 for both Main and MCU Module

2020-09-03 16.27.40
2020-09-03 16.27.403968Ɨ2976 1.91 MB

26

Cool - you you know if either of those can be Tasmota'd?

27

Put Ā£12 into a escrow account and I'll find out for you :slight_smile:

28

Haha, if I wasn't a tight git, I'd go buy one myself and find out thanks.

29

Just a day or so ago... I finally got some smart plugs that do not yet work with the tuya.local node for NR.

I tried to use smartlife-air, but hit an issue with the app web site. The smartlife air web site is kicking user out before they can select any country code. The bug is confirmed, and a code fix is pending. So once they get that resolved, I will try smartlfe air again.

The interesting thing is, all the plugs I have work with the tuya generic app just fine, and the smartlife air phone app. So, I contacted the author of the tuya.local node, and he mentioned that his node has not been updated, and is looking for someone to update the node, i.e. take over support, and test with the latest tuya.local API version as well.

30

With all due respect to the clever folk who have invested time and effort into creating the smartlife-air service, quite a lot of us use Node-RED for home automation so that we can avoid being tied into 3rd-party cloud services that have a tendency to come and go at the whim of the vendor and sometimes have dubious privacy and security (if not dubious, at least unknown).

There is no way I'm going to want to have to rely on 2 such services in series. Additionally, I don't want to have to rely on a working Internet connection for my home automation. I've been caught out with broken Internet connections a couple of times in the past where they have taken 3 months to resolve.

If I can't control something directly, I don't want to use it.

31

Yup, I think you are 100% right on the mark. Although I am using some automation, smart plugs, for lights and simple things. The heavy lifting stuff, my sprinkler/garden controller, AC units/thermostat control, garage door controller, pool controller, are all localized, no web services in the designs. Even my pending dog food treat deliver controller will be local only by design.

32

:+1:

Now, since the smartlifeair folk have been clever enough to be able to create a cloud service to intercept many smartlife clients, maybe the would now like to create a locally run service.

:mage:

33

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