![[2 Pack] DC 6-30V Timer Relay Programmable Delay Relay Module Cycle Timer with LCD Display / 5V Micro USB, Smart Home Controller](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51a+8flcK5L._AC_SR160,160_.jpg)
⭐ This review is an expansion of my previous one, as I have used more of the devices and gained more experience.
First impression:
👀 These are really small, with a row of connectors, for live in/out, neutral, and the two for the switched connections in a different colour. There is a pairing LED and a re-pairing button, although I have never had to use it. I used to create custom circuitry for my own home automations in the early 1990s and it’s a real boon to get something like this in such a small package that just works without all the pain of creating your own circuit boards etc.
Installation and use:
🔧 One of these was being installed on a landing light that was always being left switched on in the night. I was fighting a losing battle so I thought I would let Home Automation take control.
🔧 For this installation you really need to know what you are doing. I changed the 2-way switch wiring to be unpowered and installed it above the ceiling rose in the loft. In that location it needs an enclosure in the loft for UK regulations, but a cheap 100mm JB secured to a joist will do the trick. Use a qualified electrician if in any doubt.
🔧 This control paired quickly with Home Assistant using ZHA protocol and I could then rename the device as the Landing Light. In use, there is a tiny delay, maybe a 10th of a second, between switching on and the light activating – which is acceptable. This device also acts as a Zigbee router to extend the hub network and the range seems very good through plaster walls. This does require a negative lead and in most modern houses this is at the ceiling rose and not the light switch. The device works in 'manual mode' so if your Home Automation hub is down for any reason then your lights still work as normal.
🔧 I installed a second one in a shoe cupboard where the light was left on by the family whilst we were on holiday. Installation was similar to the previous one and took about 30 minutes, but then again this is my sixth now. The control was left inside the cavity wall with the control wires I made going through a grommeted hole and wiring to the switch and the mains inside the switch pattress. Again, no problems with signal propagation through the wall.
🔧 A third went to control the hall light. The only challenge was that this is above a ceiling rose and obtaining a space to house the unit was quite difficult. I managed to squeeze it between the plaster and the wooden joist holding the light fitting and the floor above. The lesson here is to check the installation possibilities before you get carried away like I did. I got it installed in the end.
Pros:
✔️ Endless possibilities, especially if you like to tinker with home automations.
✔️ Easy to use if you have the experience.
✔️ Pairs quickly and reliably in Home Assistant – my automation software of choice running on a Raspberry PI 4.
Cons:
❌ You need electrical experience.
Conclusion:
✅ I wrote HA automations for these light controllers. The landing and hall lights are part of a complicated one called ‘holiday mode’ that simulates evening activity with people moving about the house after dark. The cupboard light, I simply set the automation in the hub to detect the light going on and switch it off after 5 minutes. Just an illustration of the possibilities once you have these installed. The devices relay their status to the hub, and have not let me down. I now have 6 of these and will get more as application occurs. Recommended.
| Manufacturer | SONOFF |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 40 g |
| Product Dimensions | 4.26 x 4.26 x 2 cm; 40 Grams |
| Size | ZBMINI-1 Pack |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Power source type | 100-240V AC, Live and neural wire required |
| Maximum power | 2200 Watts |
| Temperature Range | -10-40 Degrees Celsius |
| Switch Type | 2-way |
| Plug profile | Wall Mount |
| Switch style | Rocker Switch |
| Specification met | CE, FCC, ROHS |
| Specific uses | Connect a pair of 2-way switches to turn on/off the downstairs light from upstairs |
| Batteries included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
