A good locking switch/button for "oldschool" mysensor-device control

[LastSamurai]

Hi,

I have searched for something like this but haven't come up with a nice solution yet, perhaps you guys can help.
I currently have several led strips with my controller nodes illuminating some rooms. While most of the time I simply control them with my smartphone/pc/motion sensor there are some instances where a simpler solution is needed (near the frontdoor to shutdown everything quickly when leaving, beside the bed to kill the lights in the evening,...).
We already have several boards that are very small and flat with CR2032 batteries but I havent found any casing for them so that they don't look so out of place. A normal lightswitch cover would be perfect as it should be (nearly) big enough to house the pcb while looking normal on the wall. I don't want to drill into the wall for these as the might change positions more often.

Do you have any idea how to build something like that? Or are there any cheaper device that already do something like that (only found really expensive hardware like the flic button)?

[mfalkvidd]

@LastSamurai which part of the world are you in? If you're in North America, this project might be useful https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/4243/custom-node-for-usa-wall-switch-module

[LastSamurai]

@mfalkvidd I am living in germany so the size of this project doesn't really fit. Still a great idea though, thanks! I was thinking about bying some of these touch sensors and getting a small plate of plexiglas as a cover + some kind of very small box for the pcb => (livolo) glas like looking switch which should not cost that much Perhaps I'll build that...

[vorowski]

http://shop.ezcontrol.de/fernbedienungen/elv-fs20-s6a-6-tasten-aufputz-wandsender/a-10164/

Would ne neat....not Sure if You Can buy enclosure only though....

Anybody knows?

W

[mfalkvidd]

Conrad has a few light switch covers, for example https://www.conrad.de/de/gao-einsatz-wechselschalter-nova-aufputz-weiss-0325-625031.html
Not sure what they look on the inside though.

[Nca78]

Our friends at Aliexpress have some nice 433MHz remote controls in the shape of glass switches for less than 10$:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Vhome-Smart-Home-EU-433MHZ-black-Glass-panel-Switch-shape-remote-control-Wall-Light-Touch-Switch/32727839576.html

Else here, much more expensive but nice colors and option up to 3 buttons :
https://fywfactorystore.aliexpress.com/store/group/Single-Remote-Control/2182093_508229474.html

I see 3 buttons version is still under 10$ in the shop of the first link, so pay twice the price only if you crave for blue/pink switches

[LastSamurai]

@Nca78 Wow, that looks great! I guess I will order some
Have you already used them? Do you know if there is any documentation for the signal codes they are sending? I would use them with a mysensor node connected to a 433MHz sender/receiver and one of the arduino libs for that.

[Nca78]

@LastSamurai no not yet, I'm hesitating right now to order them. If I do I will just replace the PCB I guess.

Edit: ok, just bought one. See you in march when it will arrive

[LastSamurai]

@Nca78 I guess I won't be able to stop myself from ordering one too Please keep me updated about your progress!

[Nca78]

Hello,

it's a already here, which is impressive if we take the lunar new year holidays into account.

I have quite a good feeling about it :

• looks ok with glass front
• in two parts, back that you fix on the wall (using screws or tape) and the front panel which pops in
• there's a blue led for each button to confirm action when you press it. It's very dim but it's visible in dark room and it's a nice touch at this price
• it's using ev1527 encoding chip so it's all "standard" 433MHz switch. Recognized at "PT2262" type by rfxtrx433 / domoticz. If you have rfxtrx just activate "Lighting 4" type and you can receive the commands. If not I think it'll be recognized easily by the 433MHz switches libraries.

I wanted to make a PCB to replace the board, but I'll try to use it as it is at the moment. Not sure if it can be managed correctly in Domoticz though, as it's only sending "on" signal (with a different "ID" for each button, "Unit" is always 0).

[Nca78]

[gohan]

There is also the xiaomi button but it uses zigbee or its own smart gateway, but it's a quite cheap solution

[LastSamurai]

@Nca78 Thanks for the pictures! Looks nice. I ordered mine about ~2 weeks ago, hopefully it'll be here soon too. I don't have a rfxtrx (yet) but will try to build my own node with an arduino and a cheap 433 receiver/sender.

[Nca78]

@LastSamurai said in A good locking switch/button for "oldschool" mysensor-device control:

@Nca78 Thanks for the pictures! Looks nice. I ordered mine about ~2 weeks ago, hopefully it'll be here soon too. I don't have a rfxtrx (yet) but will try to build my own node with an arduino and a cheap 433 receiver/sender.

Yes it will be fine with that. I plan to do that too as I regularly have inverted usb port between rfxtrx and mysensors gateway when pi restarts. I'll probably make a PCB later but it's not a priority at the moment.

[LastSamurai]

@Nca78 did you already work with the switch? Mine should arrive soon too

[Nca78]

No, not yet I've been busy with many things and my MySensors project have been slowed down. On holidays right now so one more week of delay

[LastSamurai]

I just received mine and did some testing. As I don't have an rfxtrx433 (thats more than 100€ :() I used a cheap 433Mhz receiver and the RC-switch library. It receives a unique code for every button. You have to press the button pretty long though (not just touch it once). Was it the same with yours?

Also do you have any idea if these buttons all have unique codes? If this work I want to get more that one

Here is the output of one of the buttons of my switch, in case someone needs this:

• Decimal: 12587345 (24Bit) Binary: 110000000001000101010001 Tri-State: 10000F0FFF0FÖ PulseLength: 409 microseconds Protocol: 1
  Raw data: 12680,1304,360,1300,340,388,1288,388,1200,452,1220,400,1212,472,1156,452,1216,512,1120,456,1212,444,1160,1276,412,412,1200,464,1224,348,1268,1284,324,504,1152,1296,332,508,1128,1284,384,444,1180,468,1204,396,1196,1304,380,

[Nca78]

Hello, I have ordered 2 more so I will confirm you when I receive them. But based on the circuit used it should be different for each switch.

I don't need to press a long time on the buttons, just similar to livolo. I just touch the button and the LED around the butto lights on immediately to confirm sending. Maybe you have problem with your receiving code ?

[LastSamurai]

Ah nice, I was thinking about doing the same. Only possible downside might be the battery runtime. Otherwise they look great and seem to work just fine in my apartment (nearly everywhere).
I don't own any other switches to compare this but its not just a touch. I think it might be a pairing request although I sadly have no clue how to respond. Do you have any idea?

[Nca78]

I think it's just a touch, there's no receiver on it and from the cheap used it's just made to send a code through the 433MHz when you press it. Each button has it's own code and sends a "on" command associated with that code.

I tried long press (>5s then >10s) and it's not sending a different signal, always "on" command.
This is what I have in Domoticz, each button is seen as a different device using a different ID.

[LastSamurai]

I'll test some more the next days. Thanks for the feedback though!
My long press is also more like 1-2s max, just not a single touch. Pressing it any longer just keeps sending the same message. Haven't tried it without the protective film on it though, perhaps that changes things.

[LastSamurai]

Thanks for your help here @Nca78 ! I have my setup up and running now. I created a openhardware.io project here that describes the build of my bridge that I used to work with the switch(es).
You have to press a little longer than a simple touch (but still less than a second) after removing the protective film but thats ok for me. It works about 80-90% of the time but that might get better once I add a seperate power supply to the bridge. Only slightly annoying thing is how long domoticz needs to react to the button press. ~half a second of delay to switch on the lights is very long when you are used to instant reactions from normal light switches.
Looks great though I will buy some more as they only cost ~8 dollars at the moment.

[Nca78]

Just made a MySensors PCB for the "VHOME" touch switch/remote from Aliexpress