Hi,
I have a raspberry pie 3B+ with openhabian 2.4.0. Also I have several cheap 433mhz mains switches with dip switches. Also I just bought an Alexa 3rd generation.
Now I want to control my 433mhz switches with Alexa.
Can you just give me a quick hint what’s a recommandable way to do that? (So I dont start in the wrong direction).
Or should I replace my 433mhz switches with another technology?
What has the best power consumption ratings? Isn’t that 433Mhz? Also it has a good range?
In order to control those switches with openhab you need something to send a command on 433mhz. That is independent of using an echo device, Google home or if you just use a smartphone with a sitemap.
Sending could be done with a CUL stick using the intertechno binding ( intertechno being the quasi standard for nearly all those switches). Search the forum for CUL and intertechno, there are lots of posts.
RFCOM device will interact with 433 devices.
there is a binding:
Or otherwise, there is RFLink a bit more DIY, but I managed to get it running on my system. a bit cheaper to put together and can also work with 433Mhz, 315Mhz, 915Mhz or 868Mhz devices as well as 2.4Ghz (I originally used this to control Milights)
and there is a binding:
I personally use RFLink , purchased kit and soldered it together.
Then I used a script (one of the linked ones on rflink.nl) that puts it on mqtt, then it was “easy” to get it in node-red and/or openhab. But I will move from 433 to Ikea wall switches as 433 is quite unreliable due to one-way communication. I now use it for Christmas tree lights and such non-essential things, where I do not care basically if it doesn’t turn on or off, then I just do it manually as I would have to otherwise.
So if you did not invested a lot in 433, for important mains switches and sensors (heating and alarms) I would recommend z-wave, next best thing is probably Ikea (at least for mains and lights), and for sensors I would go for xiaomi if possible. All proven technologies and relatively easy to get by.
433 is one way communication, others mentioned above are two way, which gets you from “dummy remote control” to “a bit smarter home automation”.
And from there Alexa-Openhab integration basically does not care for the protocol
p.s.I read that Ikea is going into cooperation with Xiaomi on the home-automation appliances, they basically use very similar technology and protocols (I’ve seen people using one gateway for both even, but with limited functionality). But nothing on a timeframe.
What is better z-wave or ikea?
Why xiaomi for sensors?
Also is there some other approach still possible? I saw some people installed some stuff in their breaker board which uses the existing electricity lines for coummunication. Any idea what that is?
Well z-wave is a protocol, meaning there are a lot of products from different manufactures which work very nice together. F.eks. I use Aeotec multisensor sensor and Sensative contact strip to get relevant factors for heating control in the house, and Fibaro wall plug is turning on/off wall panel own (and measuring power it uses). Three different manufacturers.
Another example is f.eks. Philio button to control Quibino shutter controller to raise shades on windows (like this). Button and shades work independently from the controller, so if I take down z-wave network, these two still work independently, which is a great thing for WAF (wife acceptance factor)
With z-wave there you have much more products/manufacturers/possibilities to chose from as they all fallow same specs, so everything from this list should work fine together (click more on each category).
But it does cost more, for me it is worth it though (and I am pretty cheap and have a lot of very cheap but capable diy arduino sensors and actuators, 433mhz, xiaomi, ikea).
Ikea has its own products, same for xiaomi, philips, etc. Some do work with others, but for me that is an extra variable I have to think about if something gets updated.
Xiaomi has small nice looking temperature (and other) sensors (and Ikea has no sensors at all), they are cheap and work quite well (although I have one outside and it always shows 100C when it is very cold, so I will put some z-wave there).
In my country I am not allowed to do “anything” on the mains, so I didn’t look into communication over electricity lines, but I remember of some protocols using it (x10 ?). I think they are used in commercial automation, and I think they are “the standard”, but for me personally they would be insanely expensive to retrofit.