Simple affordable home automation for non technical folks

[arnprasad]

Hi all

For the past few years IOT, AI...etc are being used everywhere and I too wanted to get in - something even non engineers can understand and install affordably.

If one were to refer to youtube - broadly there are two types - (a) videos made abroad where they control room temperature, garage doors, electric curtains..etc which dont make sense in an Indian context and there are engineering students tinkering with adrduino, raspberry pi..etc but giving demos by connecting bulbs and switches on a table and not really telling us how we can do it on actual appliances - not just demo it.

The only sensible alternative I found was Sonoff - where the Sonoff 4 channel Pro if installed behind the switchboard can control four devices. I got four of these installed at my place. One directly on the wall and three inside switch boards. They work well as advertized - but if they are behind the switch board and you have an issue (for example as I type this - I changed my provider from ACT to hathway yesterday night) - so I switched on my fan when I was still on ACT at 8 PM yesterday. At 9 PM, ACT disconnected and now i cannot switch off the fan!! ( i need to remove the switch board, reset the sonoff.etc - painful coz i am not technically smart)

What are the more affordable home automation projects that you guys are using not spending tens of thousands of rupees and also that is practical in an Indian set up?

there is this famous jarvis video from zuckerberg from three years ago..any of you doing something similar?

my current set up is

4 sonoff R2 pro controlling 16 switches over two floors
two google minis and two echo dots that i use to switch on and off these devices.

 

[HTuser]

There are many Home Automation companies in India now and some of them are making videos of their installation with demo.

Below video is from Home Tech Group and they have lots of videos on their channel.

Initially there were many Chinese products got rebranded and was being sold, but reliability and support was a problem.

Best way to plan the automation while the flat/villa getting constructed and do the necessary wiring while planning the electrical layout.

If the gang box size is compatible, then traditional switches can be replaced with touch switch panels.

Insert modules also can be used which will go into the switch box as you mentioned. But the physical switch continue to work even if internet is not there.

For some brands the internet is required to control from the mobile app.

Hogar, Fibaro, Zipato, ABB etc. some of the known brands in Home Automation area.