Best Smart Switchboard for Home Assistant

sp3ctr41 on 22/08/2021 - 22:17
Last edited 22/08/2021 - 22:18

I recently bought two of these:
https://www.amazon.com.au/TP-Link-Outlets-Protection-KP303-A…

I run Home Assistant and what I didn't realise at the time is TP Link has completely dropped support for local API integration and has no plans to bring it back, so I am promptly returning these as I don't want to have to run through their cloud service just to switch on my appliances, that's nonsense.

I was doing some research on alternatives and I see that one of the best ways to get what I want is to buy one of these from bunnings:
https://templates.blakadder.com/arlec_PB88UHA.html
And then flash the Tasmota firmware using an FTDI FT232

Easy enough, I just wanted to check has anyone done this recently (last 3 months)? I just don't want to buy it only to realise they've changed something and this no longer works (as was the case with the TP Link Outlets).

The other thing I wanted to ask, is there a simpler off-the-shelf solution/product which has native home assistant support and doesn't require me to jump through these hoops?

Thanks!

Electrical & Electronics Power Board

Comments

  • joshuaspence on 22/08/2021 - 23:46

    What do you mean by "dropped support for local API integration and has no plans to bring it back"? I'm using a few different TPLink plugs and they work fine via local API. If you are referring to https://alerts.home-assistant.io/#tplink.markdown, as far as I know that only ever affected UK firmware

    • sp3ctr41 on 23/08/2021 - 01:40

      You might be on the old firmware. Mine were also working until I updated, whereby they stoped working, then I figured out why. If you go through the Kasa app does it ask you to update? Make sure you don't.

  • ettman8 on 23/08/2021 - 00:03

    I saw a note that you can raise a support ticket with them and they can whitelist your device on their end to re-enable local API
    Details here
    https://alerts.home-assistant.io/#tplink.markdown

    • ettman8 on 23/08/2021 - 00:05
      +4

      Never mind :) I just read the note that they no longer offer that service, bummer

  • gautzka on 23/08/2021 - 08:58

    Hi !

    I have the KP303 and no issues with HA at the moment. I checked in the Kasa app and there is no firmware available for the plug at the moment.
    Hopefully it will continue working longer but thanks for the heads up !

    • sp3ctr41 on 23/08/2021 - 10:51

      No problem, but really, no firmware update? That's bizarre… I'm going to install a seperate home assistant and try again, just in case.

    • sp3ctr41 on 23/08/2021 - 10:55

      Okay I'm not sure how yours are working, I just reinstalled home assistant to rule that out, Kasa device still not found. Either way, no problem, glad it's working for you.

  • JimmyF on 23/08/2021 - 10:58
    +1

    https://www.kmart.com.au/product/mirabella-genio-wi-fi-power…

    Doesn't have power monitoring, but flashable or tuya local is coming along fast, so you might not even need to go 3rd party FW!

    https://templates.blakadder.com/mirabella_genio_I002340.html

    • sp3ctr41 on 23/08/2021 - 11:48

      I haven't used any Tuya devices before, are you saying they have built in local integration already?

      I see a Tuya integration in home assistant.

      • JimmyF on 23/08/2021 - 12:09
        +1

        are you saying they have built in local integration already?

        They have it in beta, so shortly no need to flash them, it will all be local control if required.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd4aUJJl_s0

        This is being built by tuya, so not some 3rd party reverse engineered plugin

        https://pages.tuya.com/develop/HomeAssistantBetaTest_V2?_sou…

        • sp3ctr41 on 23/08/2021 - 19:51

          Oh man, I'm really excited that there is just one company out there paving the way for us to have local connectivity instead of forcing us on their systems. If they deliver on their promises, I'll be brand loyal to these guys. I'll put an order for these.

          Thanks!

        • Hargain Bunter on 14/04/2022 - 02:30

          Sadly a lot has changed since Paul’s Tuya sponsored video. It turned out local support on the official Tuya integration was a lie. Tuya changed their tune shortly after it convinced everyone to sign up to their new developer portal and start using their new API. The Home Assistant Core devs began to think local support was not happening, and may never happen.

          I signed up for the Tuya developer account and used the official integration for a month or so, but at the time there were many issues with devices not being compatible, so I switched to a HACS integration called localtuya which, as the name implies is actually local and has been reliable. It does take much more work to map out all of the sensors and controls into entities though.

          When I was fact checking myself, I did find another similarly named HACS integration called Tuya-Local, they seem to specialise in more complex Tuya devices and seem to be developing pretty quickly. Their readme says they are hoping to integrate into Home Assistant core in the future.

          Edit: Oops I feel like a goose not having checked the dates this was posted, and replying to a very old thread. Oh well, hopefully you got your power board woes sorted! 😅

          • JimmyF on 14/04/2022 - 08:44

            @Hargain Bunter:

            Edit: Oops I feel like a goose not having checked the dates this was posted, and replying to a very old thread. Oh well, hopefully you got your power board woes sorted! 😅

            All good, I was going to say, way back then ~8 months ago when I posted that, the local tuya support was looking way more promising than what it is today! It still works but still has issues and cloud hooks. I've got tuya wifi door switches that don't refresh the status after a few hours until you reload the tuya module, moving them over to zigbee :/

            But as you said, there are still options for real 'local' tuya control, just not as official as it once was looking.

            • Hargain Bunter on 19/04/2022 - 00:23

              @JimmyF: You should check out localtuya, they introduced a feature a few months ago which allows you to set a static polling period which improved the reliability of my energy monitoring plugs. Having said that, if the door switches are battery powered the battery might take a hit.

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