How do Single Switch and Wall Plug communicate with iOS devices?

[Gilimanjaro 0]

Hi All!

 

Next week I'll get the keys to my new home, and will be installing Single Switch's all over the place, and I plan to use a Wall Plug 2 floors down (parking garage) to control charging of my EV.

 

It'll be a few weeks before I actually move (and will have internet), but I already want to go ahead and install the technology while I wait for all the contractors to be done (and because I've requested pulse-switches, which will be really annoying unless backed by a single-switch, and hue bulbs).

 

My plan was to setup an old router I have to provide a WiFi network for my devices (just a local WiFi LAN as I won't have internet yet), and also so I can hook up my Hue bridge to be reachable by WiFi from my phone.

 

My questions are:

• How do the Fibaro HomeKit devices communicate to HomeKit 'controllers' like iPhone? Do they use WiFi or Bluetooth?
• If Bluetooth, will my iPhone be able to talk to the Fibaro devices even if there is no WiFi anywhere?
• If WiFi, if I set the devices up in my current home and setup the new router to 'mimic' the same WiFi network, will my devices be able to communicate?
• Should I disable my home hub (iPad) to prevent my phone being confused when in the new place? (Though it'll be confused in either place, and neither will have all devices present right?)
• Is the Wall Plug across 2 floors even feasible? If guess if it uses WiFi it might be.
• If the Wall Plug can't reach my home from 2 floors down, will I still be able to control it when standing next to it with my phone regardless? (for reading power usage, to turning charging on or off)
• The max wattage on the Wall Plug reads 2300 Watt. Is that the max it can measure? Or will it die a horrible death if I go over? (Still looking into how to limit my EV charging draw to be within limits).
• Sort of off-topic; anyone have experience of using non-HomeKit Fibaro devices with Homebridge? (I'm looking at the double switch for instance)

 

Thanks all! I plan to do a write-up of all the home automation solutions I have in place once I've moved. I'll post it here too.

 

Cheers, G

 

[mszfcz 5]

I can answer some of your questions about Wall Plugs:

Wall Plugs comunicates with other Homekit devices and controllers  only with wifi so you need always a local wifi network and need a good wifi reception because wifi receivers in Wall Plugs are not so strong. Right now Wall Plugs are using bluetooth only for discovering and setup process.

I can't tell you what happen if you go over 2300 Watt but I'm sure Fibaro can answer this question. There is also a build in software option to shut down a Wall Plug if you go over a custom amount of Watts. It is called "Overload control"

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Edited March 19, 2018 by mszfcz

[I.Srodka 4]

Hi @Gilimanjaro!

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

How do the Fibaro HomeKit devices communicate to HomeKit 'controllers' like iPhone? Do they use WiFi or Bluetooth?

Each device has it's own communication method and I would say it's

Please login or register to see this link.

.

Wall Plug uses Wi-Fi, Single Switch uses bluetooth. 

 

If the device is out of your iPhone range, it communicates via Home hub (Apple TV, iPad, HomePod).

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

If Bluetooth, will my iPhone be able to talk to the Fibaro devices even if there is no WiFi anywhere?

If it's a Wi-Fi device, you won't communicate with it via bluetooth when you don't have the Wi-Fi.

If you have an Apple TV and it communicates with our Single Switch via bluetooth, you don't have to have bluetooth on your phone or nearby because your iPhone will communicate with this Single Switch via Wi-Fi via Apple TV.

 

Home hub is a relay for all remote connectivity.

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

Should I disable my home hub (iPad) to prevent my phone being confused when in the new place? (Though it'll be confused in either place, and neither will have all devices present right?)

iPhone doesn't confuse anything at any place.

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

Is the Wall Plug across 2 floors even feasible? If guess if it uses WiFi it might be.

It connects via the Wi-Fi so wherever it picks up the WiFi signal, it can connect.

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

If the Wall Plug can't reach my home from 2 floors down, will I still be able to control it when standing next to it with my phone regardless? (for reading power usage, to turning charging on or off)

Wall Plug has to be connected to some Wi-Fi network. Otherwise it won't be usable.

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

The max wattage on the Wall Plug reads 2300 Watt. Is that the max it can measure? Or will it die a horrible death if I go over? (Still looking into how to limit my EV charging draw to be within limits).

It has overload protections, it won't just die right away ; )

 

On 19.03.2018 at 2:32 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

(Still looking into how to limit my EV charging draw to be within limits).

You can connect Single Switch to a contactor which can support, for example, 10kW. You will loose measuring abilities but you can calculate the usage off-the-app and just set time rules for it.

 

 

[chaicka 195]

Well summarised, Srodka. Perhaps even good enough to make it into an FAQ thread for common HomeKit related questions.

[Gilimanjaro 0]

On 3/27/2018 at 3:51 PM, I.Srodka said:

Hi @Gilimanjaro!

 

Each device has it's own communication method and I would say it's

Please login or register to see this link.

.

Wall Plug uses Wi-Fi, Single Switch uses bluetooth. 

 

So would a Single Switch be controllable just by having my iPhone with bluetooth nearby? Without either being inside or connected to my 'home' in any other way?

 

 

On 3/27/2018 at 3:51 PM, I.Srodka said:

 

If the device is out of your iPhone range, it communicates via Home hub (Apple TV, iPad, HomePod).

 

Okay; my garage is two floors down with massive concrete slabs in between, so it won't be able to reach my Home hub. I read Apple TV's can be used as 'range extenders', but I'm guessing that's only for bluetooth and the Apple TV's still have to be wired or wifi connected to the home LAN.

 

On 3/27/2018 at 3:51 PM, I.Srodka said:

 

If it's a Wi-Fi device, you won't communicate with it via bluetooth when you don't have the Wi-Fi.

If you have an Apple TV and it communicates with our Single Switch via bluetooth, you don't have to have bluetooth on your phone or nearby because your iPhone will communicate with this Single Switch via Wi-Fi via Apple TV.

 

Yeah, so that's the problem. I'd like the plug or single switch to be two floors down, probably well out of range of bluetooth, but /maybe/ I can get some wifi. So I would need to use the Wall Plug in that case.

 

On 3/27/2018 at 3:51 PM, I.Srodka said:

 

Home hub is a relay for all remote connectivity.

 

iPhone doesn't confuse anything at any place.

 

It connects via the Wi-Fi so wherever it picks up the WiFi signal, it can connect.

 

Wall Plug has to be connected to some Wi-Fi network. Otherwise it won't be usable.

 

I can understand it won't be controllable in any way. Does it still measure usage though? Which I can then later read when I bring the plug up to my apartment?

 

Speaking of which, how the hell do I reset the measured usage? Or is that not possible at all?

 

 

On 3/27/2018 at 3:51 PM, I.Srodka said:

 

It has overload protections, it won't just die right away ; )

 

You can connect Single Switch to a contactor which can support, for example, 10kW. You will loose measuring abilities but you can calculate the usage off-the-app and just set time rules for it.

 

 

 

Thanks for your awesome replies by the way! You've helped me in the past too; very pleased!

 

Thanks G!

[chaicka 195]

Just sharing what I know. To reset power consumption readings, use the Fibaro HomeKit app, go to device setting (eg Single Switch) and look for ‘Reset Energy Counter’ function. Not sure if the Wall Plug has this function or not since I am not able to confirm without having any HK Wall Plug. The HK Single Switch has that function available.

[mszfcz 5]

Just check the manual:

 

Energy metering:
The Wall Plug counts energy consumed by connected device and re- ports accumulated value to your iOS device.
To reset energy counter:
1. Press and hold the button.
2. When the LeD glows green, release the button.
3. immediately click the button again to confirm.

[I.Srodka 4]

On 18.04.2018 at 4:34 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

So would a Single Switch be controllable just by having my iPhone with bluetooth nearby?

Yes, but since it's a BLE device, the connection in the constant move may not be as reliable as with Home hub.

 

On 18.04.2018 at 4:34 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

I read Apple TV's can be used as 'range extenders', but I'm guessing that's only for bluetooth and the Apple TV's still have to be wired or wifi connected to the home LAN.

Yes, that Apple TV still needs the Internet (either WiFi or cable LAN).

 

On 18.04.2018 at 4:34 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

I can understand it won't be controllable in any way. Does it still measure usage though? Which I can then later read when I bring the plug up to my apartment?

It only remembers the total use for now.

 

On 18.04.2018 at 4:34 PM, Gilimanjaro said:

Speaking of which, how the hell do I reset the measured usage? Or is that not possible at all?

It's available in our app, you can check all custom skills and parameters in this Knowledge Base article:

Please login or register to see this link.

(you will find Single Switch reset procedure there).

To reset Wall Plug use, you need to follow the procedure which can be found in the manual:

Please login or register to see this link.

 

Energy metering:

The Wall Plug counts energy consumed by connected device and reports accumulated value to your iOS device.

To reset energy counter:

1. Press and hold the button.

2. When the LED glows green, release the button.

3. Immediately click the button again to confirm.