Home Assistant: Simple relays with ESPhome

As part in my effort to replace my underfloor heating control I’m taking a look at cheap rely boards from China. I wanted to design something myself but with how cheap these boards are, that’s not really useful anymore, let’s take a look at how to hook them up and if they work well combined with an ESP32, ESPhome and Home Assistant!

░▒▓[Associated blog post]▓▒░

Mentioned videos:

░▒▓[Information & Shopping links]▓▒░

░▒▓[Music]▓▒░
Intro&Outro
TheFatRat - Xenogenesis

During Video
Jahzzar – Deja Vu

[IntermitTech]

It seems I might have messed up some (confusing) terminology in the video!
So, NO is normally open and that means *no* power will flow when there is no power on the relay, and will flow if if the relay is switched on... NC is not normally closed but Normally Connect, which means without the relay on, power will flow.

The terminals depicted in the video (for instance at 6:56) and other explanations still apply just the terminology got reversed.

[alexscarbro]

It should be noted that the current rating for the relay will probably be for resistive loads.

If you are switching a motor or other “reactive” load, the rating is often a LOT lower, e.g. Maybe 1A or less. So it’s always best to understand the load and check the relay specifications, otherwise it’s switching life may be significantly shortened.

[MrPSummerfield]

Hi Quindor, thanks for a informative video. You're making me spend my money 😄. I've order quite a few relay boards, keep up the good work, your videos are great.

[sermayoral]

A really good video! I'm learning a lot with them. Thanks for your effort!!

I'm very curious to see how the system is finally. Waiting for the next part :-)

Regards!

[shanxac]

Wonderfully explained video. I have a quick question, hope you can help me out with this. I have a esp8266 board running esphome with a PIR sensor connected to it. I am presently making use of Amazon Alexa actions through homeassistant automation when motion is detected (turn on light). Is it possible to connect a 220v (AC) led strip via a 5v single channel relay to the same esp 8266 board that has the PIR sensor to trigger motion detected led strip turning on. If so, what code lines should I be adding to the config file? Sorry for the long post. Thanks in anticipation.

[Jay.M]

Hi I just wanted to say I love your channel and these videos. I don't usually use affiliate links and this will be the first time I do. I really appreciate your information since I'm new to this. Would be good if you documented more in the blog though so i didn't have to keep revisiting these videos since they are quite long.

[xanderdekok]

I also build a small test setup with your ESPhome code, but I didn't understand the inverted: true option. In my setup this resulted in the switch being turned on by default. So I put it to false.
Why did you invert the switches?

[dablet]

thank you for the code BUT please post link to the wiring. yes, we saw your pictures, but it would be clearer if you show pin connections. in my videos, i always do this to clarify

[tomare]

Gotta think about safety too. Bet that Honeyeell controller has some smarts in it to identify faults with the system and shut off the valves in that event. What if one of your relays was locked closed? Would it stop heating or just keep running hot?

[gregbrissey]

Just wondered if you had consider any I2C relay boards? (when you run out of pins)
How many pins does the ESP32 have that can be used to control relays?
Thanks

[cassio]

It's the 1st of Maj at 12.00 and The Netherlands like Denmark are checking the Sirens

[Labombab]

Hi Quindor, I purchased a (AZDelivery 16-Relais Modul 12V mit Optokoppler relay) on Amazon, the gpio inputs on this board are 5V. Problem with this one is that my Rasberry 4 is not able to switch the relays, apparently because the gpio voltage of the Raspberry uses 3.3V and has not enough power to switch the 5V relays.
I found a AZDelivery TXS0108E on Amazon, and they should convert the 3.3v to 5V. Once connected they only give contact when i mess arround with the jumper cables.
Not shure it being the cables or the logic converter boards themselfs. I hoped that a logic level converter could solve the problem i ordered another 2x Zwei-Wege-Konvertierung) on Amazon, but these are not delivered yet. So could not test Do you have any experience with these logic converters and would they solve my problem?

[jorritparmentier]

Nice video. But I think you made a mistake with the lights. The 3 lights that are off are on NO, the one that burns is NC

[jonsmol]

Is this the most effective way to control 24v analog strips?

I have four 26’ long channels of high CRI white LED strips that I’m installing over my work shop/lab - i’m trying to figure out the best way to turn them on and off and dim

Each channel will have a second 24v ID RGB strip that will be managed by ESP+WLED - I’ve got that tested and figured out from watching your previous videos but how to additionally manage analog in the same system would be wonderful!

[mariopalma]

Hi Intermit-Tech, very intresting video. I would like to do something similar but for a electrical underfloor heating system. I know that a thermostat do this job, but I would like to define a certain maximum Kw instant consumption and decide what room (based on a priority list) have to be switched off- Do you think using your project plus some device (like Shelly EM) monitoring the consumption in Home Assitant cen work? PS the heating system will have a separate switch case so it will be easy to monitor just the heating consumption vs, the rest of the house. Thanks and please continue posting videos.

[linearburn]

Just wondering IS there a More polished product that does the job of the esp32 and relay boards ect in a single comerical package

[ChazzerB]

What do you have on the tips of your wires that connect to the screw terminals?

[isaacbreuer]

How do you control the boiler circulating pump, that when any of the relays is on the pump should start, do you use on of the relays on board and nodered will do it? Or you heard wire toca separate relay

[brucerawiri]

Hi Quindor. I am very interested in this video and I have one questions. You are using a NodeMCU to control the relays or ESP32 board, which is fine and this integrates into HA, all well and good. What I would like to do is us a simple Push Button to control One of the relays on a 8 channel Board.
E.G.
If I have 3 push buttons on my wall plate in the lounge controlling 3 separate lights. If i deploy the relay board in the ceiling and connect the lights to the relays, how can I control the Relays on the lounge switch which is 3 push buttons??
Can I use a NodeMCU to connect the Push Buttons too and then send a mqtt command or something to HA to turn the relay on? I guess the lounge switch could still be a simple light switch connected to NodeMCU or ESP32 development board
I hope this makes sense. Thanks for now
Bruce

[n.r.]

coding in the meta information would have been a nice service.