Thank you for a simple comprehensive guide to this feature. I just installed one for a bathroom towel rail which I had previously added a local switch to - I wanted even more control over it for when visitors use the room. A few observations which others may find useful: 1. If the Sonoff box is to be on display (i.e. not hidden behind plasterboard) then it would be really useful if the box had an earth/ground pass-through to make wiring neater. 2. The towel rail is 500W and the magic switch feature works fine. 3. Software and App is good and integration to Alexa, Google etc is good. 4. Oddly, the instructions that came with the box did not contain the wiring guidance for or any mention of the magic switch function! 5. The connectors are very small - they only allow about 5mm of bare wire to be inserted. 6. I've got some BasicR2 versions and they have a red led that indicates the state (on/off). The BasicR4 does not seem to have that which is especially annoying. 7. However, the R4 is clearly an upgrade in terms of hardware and software. It seemed to do 5g wifi no problem. Longer screws supplied for covers. Happy New Year.
Thanks, I agree. The wiring is an issue, you need to stip a very short piece of wire and also make sure the insulation is getting crimped by the screw on top so it holds if firmly. I tend to skip over some details in my videos there are applicable to all Sonoff devices not to repeat myself too much.
That's actually quite smart approach with a few downsides: 1) requires stair switch, with L1 and L2. Most of light switches only have just one output; 2) mixing physical switch with electronic one has the same issue that stair switches - "on" sometimes is up and sometimes is down - far less intuitive than just having classic "up for on, down for off" across the whole house; 3) as with most "one wire" solution, requires leak current to operate but that's obvious - electronic devices needs current to work :) but that means that some LED bulbs will glow when off -> one solution for that is to have a few parallel bulbs or one incandescent lamp so current goes through it (less resistance) and do not power LED ones. But this is exactly the same issue with switches with a backlight. I have 5 bulbs lamp and if one of them burns, the rest 4 starts to glow when off. With 5 the current is low enough not to power them up.
Thanks for 1) and 2), I agree. But for 3) this has no leak current because if gets powere constantly from the switch via either L-L1 or L-L2 connection. It just toggles its output, but there is no capacitor installed for leak current.
I am always confused as "two way switch" is used as a term for the switch itself, but also "two way switching" is also used when you can operate the light from 2 independet switch.
The thing is I don't like is that the "ON" position of the switch change each time you use the app to change the lamp state (like a 2 ways switch) like @ziomalZparafii. I wonder if you can use a push button (closed at idle, open when activated) because the open time may be too long (making it acting as a 2 stable states relay)?
I agree. I also get quite used to how the regular switch "looks like" when the light is off or not. I have seen models where you can configure if the switch is a toggle switch or momentary, but not here.
This is a good question. I suspect that this functionality is partly hardware and software. Unless Tasmota imlements the software part, it will not work with Tasmota.
That is a very good question, I did not try this. But I thinking about it, I think you don't. But actually bridging it or not will not make a difference, should work with only one bridged.
The reason that your led light did not work is that the magic switch needs a voltage potential "leak" that can only be provided by a device that use 2 to 3 watts or more. The power to operate the Sonoiff comes from the "leak" - it is not "magic"!
Like how the capacitor on a single live wire switches leak? But in this case both live and neutral is connected to the Sonoff so it is constantly powered with full live voltage.
@@csongorvarga The R2 allows no neutral installation option. The neutral is just a pass through. I didn't look at the R4 board but might be worth a try with no neutral.
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Thank you for a simple comprehensive guide to this feature. I just installed one for a bathroom towel rail which I had previously added a local switch to - I wanted even more control over it for when visitors use the room. A few observations which others may find useful:
1. If the Sonoff box is to be on display (i.e. not hidden behind plasterboard) then it would be really useful if the box had an earth/ground pass-through to make wiring neater.
2. The towel rail is 500W and the magic switch feature works fine.
3. Software and App is good and integration to Alexa, Google etc is good.
4. Oddly, the instructions that came with the box did not contain the wiring guidance for or any mention of the magic switch function!
5. The connectors are very small - they only allow about 5mm of bare wire to be inserted.
6. I've got some BasicR2 versions and they have a red led that indicates the state (on/off). The BasicR4 does not seem to have that which is especially annoying.
7. However, the R4 is clearly an upgrade in terms of hardware and software. It seemed to do 5g wifi no problem. Longer screws supplied for covers.
Happy New Year.
Thanks, I agree. The wiring is an issue, you need to stip a very short piece of wire and also make sure the insulation is getting crimped by the screw on top so it holds if firmly. I tend to skip over some details in my videos there are applicable to all Sonoff devices not to repeat myself too much.
شكراااااااا لك صديقي على الشرح المبسط، فكرة ممتازة جدا، لأنني كنت محتاجا إليها بالفعل.
Thanks you so much.
Thank You Sir!
Thank you for explaining this new feature.
That's actually quite smart approach with a few downsides: 1) requires stair switch, with L1 and L2. Most of light switches only have just one output; 2) mixing physical switch with electronic one has the same issue that stair switches - "on" sometimes is up and sometimes is down - far less intuitive than just having classic "up for on, down for off" across the whole house; 3) as with most "one wire" solution, requires leak current to operate but that's obvious - electronic devices needs current to work :) but that means that some LED bulbs will glow when off -> one solution for that is to have a few parallel bulbs or one incandescent lamp so current goes through it (less resistance) and do not power LED ones. But this is exactly the same issue with switches with a backlight. I have 5 bulbs lamp and if one of them burns, the rest 4 starts to glow when off. With 5 the current is low enough not to power them up.
Thanks for 1) and 2), I agree. But for 3) this has no leak current because if gets powere constantly from the switch via either L-L1 or L-L2 connection. It just toggles its output, but there is no capacitor installed for leak current.
@@csongorvarga oh snap, right about 3), my mistake
@@ziomalZparafii I hope at least this will solve those glow problems. I hope they can reduce the strobe effect when turning on the bulb.
Thanks
Yes, you would what is called a three way switch in the USA.
I am always confused as "two way switch" is used as a term for the switch itself, but also "two way switching" is also used when you can operate the light from 2 independet switch.
The thing is I don't like is that the "ON" position of the switch change each time you use the app to change the lamp state (like a 2 ways switch) like @ziomalZparafii. I wonder if you can use a push button (closed at idle, open when activated) because the open time may be too long (making it acting as a 2 stable states relay)?
I agree. I also get quite used to how the regular switch "looks like" when the light is off or not. I have seen models where you can configure if the switch is a toggle switch or momentary, but not here.
How about compatibility ? Tasmota -> "Magic Switch mode"
This is a good question. I suspect that this functionality is partly hardware and software. Unless Tasmota imlements the software part, it will not work with Tasmota.
With this magic mode, the smartbulb is always on or turn off when basic r4 turn of the bulb?
will the normal switch work if the wifi connection got lost??
Yes, it always works. Even before you link it to your eWeLin account or to the Wifi.
Hi, if i use the r4 on a 2 way switch, would i need to bridge the 2nd switch the same way?
That is a very good question, I did not try this. But I thinking about it, I think you don't. But actually bridging it or not will not make a difference, should work with only one bridged.
Also will the same device work with both android and apple?
Thanks
Yes, the app is available in both platform. Set up an account in either Android or iOS and log in with the same account on the other phone.
so can you turn it on at the switch and turn it off on the app and vice versa?
Yes, exactly.
The reason that your led light did not work is that the magic switch needs a voltage potential "leak" that can only be provided by a device that use 2 to 3 watts or more. The power to operate the Sonoiff comes from the "leak" - it is not "magic"!
Like how the capacitor on a single live wire switches leak? But in this case both live and neutral is connected to the Sonoff so it is constantly powered with full live voltage.
@@csongorvarga The R2 allows no neutral installation option. The neutral is just a pass through. I didn't look at the R4 board but might be worth a try with no neutral.