I understand your frustration with the product as you mainly use wifi. As for me, everything is Zigbee running on Home Assistant, and I've never had any connection problems. "It just works" as Paul Hubert would say😂😂😂
It works well for some people, it seems, but it's far from out of the box and without a specific device, be it USB radio or hub, I can't access it and that's a no-go for me. Also, not only can I reach my devices from any device on my network, I can also simply connect to each device's secure ad hoc network, so if things went absolute bonkers on the network or something, I can access any device directly from my phone. The Shelly stuff anyway, which up until recently had been at least 95% of my setup.
Just me guessing - you probably didn't have latest firmware on hub - I think I needed to upgrade it in order to pick the device. But than again, HA supports it out of box - no eWeLink or cloud is needed.
That is possible. I updated the water valve the first time I got it connected, but I didn't update the bridge. Today, however, I will say that the "Not Supported Yet" did go away, so perhaps it was even an app update that was standing in my way. I may come back to this device if I expand the Zigbee part of my system now that I have one. I have another Sonoff device review coming up that doesn't end quite as badly as this one. Perhaps this device is just too new to me. Thanks for watching my video and contributing your knowledge, it is always more than welcome here!
Oh, one more thing. It's not out of the box functional for me because I don't have a Zigbee coordinator on my Home Assistant machine. Perhaps I'll give that a go soon, though.
Duly noted. I definitely want to pick one up and give it a test drive. Perhaps I'll be revisiting this device in the coming weeks. I have a few other things in the queue, but I will definitely give it a try. Anything that would make those devices instantly work with Home Assistant would be worth it for sure.
I thought hose bib connectors weren't supposed to use PTFE tape, and instead a gasket in the female part? Hose threads aren't tapered, which is required for PTFE tape to be effective. Could explain the spray when you first turned the water on.
You are correct, they are surface seal connectors; however--even though it's not needed here--it can be effective in preventing bonding between two different types of metals (steel and brass as an example). The really interesting thing is that the bottom port actually is an NPT port, but the thread pitch matches, so I think they just went with it.
@drumslapper I picked up a coordinator for my HA machine so I could give it a try. I'll probably do a follow up setting that up and connecting everything. Thanks for watching and good to know your experience!
Funny you should mention that. I did just that a couple videos ago: th-cam.com/video/zi-okZ1D1Po/w-d-xo.html You'll have to let me know how you like it.
@hidden2753 only the ones that don't require constant power. I wish they made them like the 1950s low voltage lighting relays so you'd have two coils and three wires. That would be a bit simpler.
you might not skimp on your wifi ... but let's be cheap with zigbee and then bash it. get yourself a good controller, and maybe a router near the spigot if it's too far. it clearly worked beside that crappy controller. this was zero review on the product itself and all you ranting against the most established and used home automation protocol in the world. sticking to wifi is needlesly limiting, the devices themselves need a LOT more power and a LOT more babying. (separate vlans, permissions, routes, dhcp for that vlan, dns) ... zigbee? it just works.
I am aware that wifi takes more power and I don't mind as much because I tend to like direct access and I am willing to make that trade. Zigbee is not the most used home automation protocol in the world, arguably, HTTP is because it's always involved regardless of the pub/sub or other control schema in the last leg to the functional device. And, even more than that, TCP. Modbus and DNP3 are probably the most common commercial automation or IIoT. I wasn't being cheap, I was given these and told to test them. I'm sorry that you didn't feel I covered the product completely, and this isn't my only product review nor is this the only criticism of this video--I hope you'll read through some of the others. I have improved the Zigbee network mesh by adding more Zigbee devices (again, that I was sent and asked to test). I will be doing a video on the results and I hope you'll give that video a chance as well. My biggest gripe is the need to have so many devices in order to get where you need to be and that I prefer simple but powerful web interfaces like those on the Shelly devices I have. I will grant you Zigbee has upsides. I will cover those more later on in a video I'm hoping to do on the protocols and histories of those protocols. I've been working on research and testing for that video, but it still needs much more before I speak to such a technical level of detail. Power savings is the top, I know that. But it's not my first priority because I can save elsewhere. Also, while I don't think it's quite as efficient, there's also BLE. I have a video to do on that as well because of devices I was sent. I don't need to baby my wifi network. I do tend to futz with it more than I really need to because that's just sort of what makes me happy, but everything I have is only a few steps from plug-and-play. The Shelly devices really are a simple get it on wifi and go situation, but I will concede that there are others that are not so clear. There is always more potential for advanced automation through common protocols such as HTTP because there is naturally much more hardware to support it beyond purpose-driven tech. Now, I say common here in a broader scope than just Iot or even IIoT. I had to do more than just plug in the Zigbee devices, just like anything else, so I don't think it's always "it just works". Especially when you don't have as many devices--and that's something that gets under my skin a little as well; The manufacturers' tendencies to itemize these systems to death to keep you buying more, but that's everywhere else at varying degrees, too. Honestly, while I don't think this is the best or most tested video I've done--partly due to other obligations and time sinks--I do think there's more validity than you give credit. I'll own a degree of rushed preparation and missed coverage here. I'm not irrational or too proud to go back and retest a previous view or even change my mind. Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to counter a few points and also let you know that this channel and my own perceptions and opinions are fluid and changeable. I will continue to go back and test--and hopefully improve--everything I've explored or built so far. Again, I hope you'll stick around to see how this progresses.
I'm not sure what particular aspect of my speech you are referring to. Perhaps the lightly pontificating tone or some nuance to my inflection. Perhaps it's the slow cadence or the deliberate long pauses. If it's any of these things--or anything else, really--I'm sorry my performance is not to your liking. Maybe a different video may be more your thing. I do have a tendency to adjust vocal qualities and tweak techniques for shooting, delivering, and editing, I'm self-teaching most of this, so it's a lot of hit or miss. Even if you don't find my stuff entertaining--or maybe you disagree with my views--I do appreciate the view and the comment. TH-cam likes that stuff.
I understand your frustration with the product as you mainly use wifi. As for me, everything is Zigbee running on Home Assistant, and I've never had any connection problems. "It just works" as Paul Hubert would say😂😂😂
It works well for some people, it seems, but it's far from out of the box and without a specific device, be it USB radio or hub, I can't access it and that's a no-go for me. Also, not only can I reach my devices from any device on my network, I can also simply connect to each device's secure ad hoc network, so if things went absolute bonkers on the network or something, I can access any device directly from my phone. The Shelly stuff anyway, which up until recently had been at least 95% of my setup.
Just me guessing - you probably didn't have latest firmware on hub - I think I needed to upgrade it in order to pick the device. But than again, HA supports it out of box - no eWeLink or cloud is needed.
That is possible. I updated the water valve the first time I got it connected, but I didn't update the bridge. Today, however, I will say that the "Not Supported Yet" did go away, so perhaps it was even an app update that was standing in my way.
I may come back to this device if I expand the Zigbee part of my system now that I have one. I have another Sonoff device review coming up that doesn't end quite as badly as this one. Perhaps this device is just too new to me. Thanks for watching my video and contributing your knowledge, it is always more than welcome here!
Oh, one more thing. It's not out of the box functional for me because I don't have a Zigbee coordinator on my Home Assistant machine. Perhaps I'll give that a go soon, though.
I have a sky connect with my home assistant. Using the default ZHA, and pairing and using worked right out of the box. No magic needed.
More importantly I don’t use their hub or account. Local control, no internet ever needed.
Duly noted. I definitely want to pick one up and give it a test drive. Perhaps I'll be revisiting this device in the coming weeks. I have a few other things in the queue, but I will definitely give it a try. Anything that would make those devices instantly work with Home Assistant would be worth it for sure.
I thought hose bib connectors weren't supposed to use PTFE tape, and instead a gasket in the female part? Hose threads aren't tapered, which is required for PTFE tape to be effective. Could explain the spray when you first turned the water on.
You are correct, they are surface seal connectors; however--even though it's not needed here--it can be effective in preventing bonding between two different types of metals (steel and brass as an example). The really interesting thing is that the bottom port actually is an NPT port, but the thread pitch matches, so I think they just went with it.
No problem here. Paired to Home Assistant on a ZigBee dongle, no E-wee app used, paired quickly with no issues.
@drumslapper I picked up a coordinator for my HA machine so I could give it a try. I'll probably do a follow up setting that up and connecting everything. Thanks for watching and good to know your experience!
Hi, does it work with ZHA?
Sir
Why not take on a little project where you build your own with a Pico W and Solenoid? Would love to see it
Funny you should mention that. I did just that a couple videos ago: th-cam.com/video/zi-okZ1D1Po/w-d-xo.html
You'll have to let me know how you like it.
@@smartercircuits
Loved it.. Thank you..
Did not know that the solenoids required reversing the polarity. Bit more complicated than I anticipated
@hidden2753 only the ones that don't require constant power. I wish they made them like the 1950s low voltage lighting relays so you'd have two coils and three wires. That would be a bit simpler.
you might not skimp on your wifi ... but let's be cheap with zigbee and then bash it.
get yourself a good controller, and maybe a router near the spigot if it's too far. it clearly worked beside that crappy controller.
this was zero review on the product itself and all you ranting against the most established and used home automation protocol in the world.
sticking to wifi is needlesly limiting, the devices themselves need a LOT more power and a LOT more babying. (separate vlans, permissions, routes, dhcp for that vlan, dns) ... zigbee? it just works.
I am aware that wifi takes more power and I don't mind as much because I tend to like direct access and I am willing to make that trade. Zigbee is not the most used home automation protocol in the world, arguably, HTTP is because it's always involved regardless of the pub/sub or other control schema in the last leg to the functional device. And, even more than that, TCP. Modbus and DNP3 are probably the most common commercial automation or IIoT.
I wasn't being cheap, I was given these and told to test them. I'm sorry that you didn't feel I covered the product completely, and this isn't my only product review nor is this the only criticism of this video--I hope you'll read through some of the others.
I have improved the Zigbee network mesh by adding more Zigbee devices (again, that I was sent and asked to test). I will be doing a video on the results and I hope you'll give that video a chance as well. My biggest gripe is the need to have so many devices in order to get where you need to be and that I prefer simple but powerful web interfaces like those on the Shelly devices I have.
I will grant you Zigbee has upsides. I will cover those more later on in a video I'm hoping to do on the protocols and histories of those protocols. I've been working on research and testing for that video, but it still needs much more before I speak to such a technical level of detail. Power savings is the top, I know that. But it's not my first priority because I can save elsewhere. Also, while I don't think it's quite as efficient, there's also BLE. I have a video to do on that as well because of devices I was sent.
I don't need to baby my wifi network. I do tend to futz with it more than I really need to because that's just sort of what makes me happy, but everything I have is only a few steps from plug-and-play. The Shelly devices really are a simple get it on wifi and go situation, but I will concede that there are others that are not so clear.
There is always more potential for advanced automation through common protocols such as HTTP because there is naturally much more hardware to support it beyond purpose-driven tech. Now, I say common here in a broader scope than just Iot or even IIoT.
I had to do more than just plug in the Zigbee devices, just like anything else, so I don't think it's always "it just works". Especially when you don't have as many devices--and that's something that gets under my skin a little as well; The manufacturers' tendencies to itemize these systems to death to keep you buying more, but that's everywhere else at varying degrees, too.
Honestly, while I don't think this is the best or most tested video I've done--partly due to other obligations and time sinks--I do think there's more validity than you give credit. I'll own a degree of rushed preparation and missed coverage here. I'm not irrational or too proud to go back and retest a previous view or even change my mind.
Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to counter a few points and also let you know that this channel and my own perceptions and opinions are fluid and changeable. I will continue to go back and test--and hopefully improve--everything I've explored or built so far. Again, I hope you'll stick around to see how this progresses.
Why do you talk....... like that?
I'm not sure what particular aspect of my speech you are referring to. Perhaps the lightly pontificating tone or some nuance to my inflection. Perhaps it's the slow cadence or the deliberate long pauses. If it's any of these things--or anything else, really--I'm sorry my performance is not to your liking. Maybe a different video may be more your thing.
I do have a tendency to adjust vocal qualities and tweak techniques for shooting, delivering, and editing, I'm self-teaching most of this, so it's a lot of hit or miss.
Even if you don't find my stuff entertaining--or maybe you disagree with my views--I do appreciate the view and the comment. TH-cam likes that stuff.