Grid Connect, Tips, Tricks and Help - Please post and share

[CSParnell]

Hi all,

I thought it may he good to have a feed where we could share any tips and tricks to do with any of the Grid Connect Range being Arlec, Deta, Verve, Orion.

I am learning from trial and error and really just accident so sharing with others and sharing back we may be able to create some good learning information for us all.

Please post below starting with what the trick is as the title then how to do so as the body of information.

Carl 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @davejonesau,

You might like to send the images through to the helpful team at GridConnect, and hopefully, they'll be able to let you know exactly what they mean.

I might need to call on @CSParnell's expertise, but I don't believe the inline switch is designed to lose power for any amount of time. Many GridConnect products need to be manually re-connected to WiFi even if power is turned off momentarily. That's the issue with running a device like this on a circuit that you wish to cut power to for other lights. It really needs to be on a line that has constant power. Well, that's my understanding of it, at least. I'm sure @CSParnell will correct me if I'm wrong.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[davejonesau]

Thanks. That’s disappointing. 

Might chance opening one up. The micro won’t be running on 240v. Battery backup should be possible in theory. 

(Trade qualified electronic tech so quite able to do so before anyone makes other observations.). 

Like the need for DETA light switches to have double pole single throw relays so they can be used in dual switched light circuits this would cost very little (cents) to achieve devices that retain WiFi settings. 

just dumb when companies stop a few cents short of making good products better products. 

Dave

[CSParnell]

@davejonesau it should hold its internet settings it will be stored into its IC or Prom. SSID - Passkey, the only time they would loose their setting if they enter back into pair mode or under fault. 

These devices are meant to have permanent power and switched via the app or via sensors they are not really designed to be switched via 240v.

You can install a smart switch mech and switch static lights via manual operation because the switch has permanent 240v to it.

If you do want to have smart globes or downlights switched via standard 240v switches the  you can run the risk of unpairing, disconnection, disruption to programming but saying that I do have a few fan lights with smart globes and it is handy to switch them off with my phone when I'm already settled in my seat. 

But if you ask Arlec like I have a long time ago and if you consult the FAQ it will say devices are meant to have permanent power and switched with devices like sensors, app, voice, timers, other triggers.

[CSParnell]

@davejonesau it can also be dependent on where the product originates from including the updates coming from. A fair amount of products come for Tuya, the apps are built on Tuya, the APIs are built on Tuya this goes for Mirabella, Brilliant and a few others hence why you can use all these brand devices on any apps under the Tuya Brand 

In Australia, several apps are built from or utilize the Tuya app/API for smart home solutions. These include:

1. **Mirabella**: Users have controlled Mirabella products like the Mirabella globe using the Tuya Smart app, as the Mirabella app itself does not offer an API for Home Assistant integration 

2. **Arlec GRID Connect**: The Grid Connect app is mentioned alongside other Tuya-based units such as Mirabella, Laser, Kogan, and Brilliant. It appears to be one of the apps used by consumers who have Tuya-based devices 

3. **Brilliant Lighting**: Tuya partnered with Brilliant Lighting to offer an accessible smart home solution in Australia known as BrilliantSmart, developed through Tuya's platform

These apps and integrations showcase how Tuya's technology is being utilized across various brands and products in the Australian market, offering smart home and automation solutions.

You can also use the Tuya direct apps

Tuya Home and Smart Life.

Tuya brand hardware of course works across all platforms 

[CSParnell]

@davejonesau as stated earlier comment they should be retaining, I have taken down smart globes and installed in different areas months later and they are still coded to the last area.

One point i did forget to mention is wifi architecture, if devices are dropping in and out then this could be to either trouble connecting to the 2.4g bandwidth or just on the edge of the wifi range. Also check the amount of devices connected to your modem or mesh and how many are allowed to connect at one time. 

I went to great lengths to set my house up with Wifi and ethernet to achieve stable connection which included 4 x M50 Deco mesh poles, putting 10 devices on ethernet where I could, Nbn modem only traffic is from the Deco Mesh, the Mesh wifi is split into 2, 1 for home automation and 2 4g devices 1 for 5g devices. 

Thus covers a 4 bed + media room single story, outside area and a large man shed. Up to 80 devices. Prior to that I had all sorts of issues with drop outs and connection issues. 

So you have to look at the whole picture from your device through to your modem.

[GreenHouse]

That’s VERY weird ! ! !

As a test, I just plugged in a similar line switch that had been disconnected from the mains for a month or so.

(The line switch had been previously 'paired' on my network with the Grid Connect App some months ago and had been 'off-line' all this time.)

Within seconds of being plugged back in, it was back 'on-line' and the Grid Connect App was able to control it without any further configuration.

Can't think why your switch wouldn't automatically reconnect unless there had been some change to your WiFi network.

It's a real mystery. 🤔

[GreenHouse]

4 Gang Smart Switch Review:

I spotted this '4 gang smart' switch on Temu the other night and couldn't resist giving it a go!  (Also available from AliExpress.)

For $12.55, I figured it was worth giving it a try.  I wasn’t sure if it would work with Grid Connect, but to my amazement, it did! 😀

The only catch is that it requires a ZigBee hub. 🤔

ZigBee Hub:

I’m using a ZigBee 3.0 & BLE Mini Multi-Mode Gateway hub (Around $16.00). This hub pairs and operates with Grid Connect without any problems.

Then it’s just a matter of pairing ZigBee devices with the ZigBee hub.  (Could be worth buying a ZigBee hub to open up your 'ZigBee World'. 😎 )

Once paired, ZigBee devices then appear in the Grid Connect App, allowing full control, and any Scene / Automation can be setup as required.

Review:

The 4 gang smart switch looks and feels great and appears to be robust and made extremely well.  Functionality is exactly as advertised.

The device paired with the ZigBee hub in seconds and then it appeared in the Grid Connect App. Everything worked correctly straight out of the box!

(The black area above button 1 incorporates a blue LED which flashes during the pairing process and blinks as buttons are pressed.)

Each button has ‘single click’, ‘double click’ and ‘long press’ modes to facilitate control of up to 12 devices.

I have 3 Arlec ‘Smart Buttons’ which will now be replaced by this one device with functionality to spare!

Setting up each button in the Grid Connect App is basically the same as for the Arlec Smart Button.

PS: Thanks again to Carl for all your generous help and encouragement. 😉

Box, Remote & Wall BracketManual

[GreenHouse]

PAYS NOT TO OVERTHINK THINGS:

I thought I would share my experience constructing a little ‘two channel smart switch’ project . . .

I built this little project which I hoped would help automate the control of my (dumb) TV, external speakers and FM transmitter for my headphones. (Circuit diagram and photos below.) I was experiencing a few limitations with the Grid Connect App programming a single Arlec Smart Switch to simplify the automation of my TV and speakers etc.

I came up with the idea of using a two channel smart switch, which in theory, would enable me to switch my TV AND speakers/transmitter On/Off with one Smart Switch button and another Smart Switch button would control my speakers/transmitter.

Whilst this did work, it created a few unforeseen programming problems for other Automations. The project cost a little more than I’m prepared to admit and was obviously overly complicated for the task at hand.

Until the recent purchase of the 4 Gang Smart Switch, as per my previous post, I ended up using two separate Arlec Smart Switches to achieve the required functionality.

This did work, but it was always a problem having two Arlec smart switches on my armchair and trying to remembering which switch to use etc.

After the purchase of my new 4 Gang Smart Switch, I used the Grid Connect App to program the Smart Switch to achieve the above functionality and added a few more TV related automatons as well. (TV light On/Off, Mute, Volume Up/Down etc)

Now my little ‘two channel smart switch’ project is a solution looking for a problem and I have two spare Arlec Smart Switches in the ‘spares’ box.

Sometimes it pays NOT to overthink things!  Oh well, I had a bit of fun.

I have been so impressed with the 4 Gang Smart Switch covered as per my previous post, I’ve purchased another as a spare. (You can’t have too many spares, can you!?)

The funny thing is, at the moment, Temu have 1, 2, 3 and 4 gang models of this smart switch and the 4 gang model is the cheapest!  🤔