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muppet

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#322784 22-Sep-2025 14:14
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Does anyone have any recommendations for a 4way powerboard that I can flash with ESPHome?

 

I had one of these in my son's room for the last 3-4 years but it's finally given up the ghost, it powers up but then the LEDs start to dim and flash and it reboots.  Sometimes it works but it's obviously on the way out.  

 

I'm fairly sure even though I can rebuy that powerboard, the trick that allowed you to reflash it with ESPHome is long since dead.  I've got a bunch of Althom ESPHome smart plugs, but there's 3 devices in his room that we want to control via Home Assistant and a single powerboard we can toggle the plugs makes more sense than 3 smartplugs.

 

Any suggestions for something you've bought recently that works?

 

Thanks!


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richms
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  #3417410 22-Sep-2025 14:18
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Can you open the one you have up at all? It will just be the capacitors on the power supply are dead because they chose the cheapest crap possible when making it.

 

I have not come across anything recently that has the ESP8266 in it to flash, its all the low cost one that had bluetooth as well.





Richard rich.ms



muppet

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  #3417411 22-Sep-2025 14:20
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richms:

 

Can you open the one you have up at all? It will just be the capacitors on the power supply are dead because they chose the cheapest crap possible when making it.

 

I have not come across anything recently that has the ESP8266 in it to flash, its all the low cost one that had bluetooth as well.

 

 

ha yea I probably can if I extract it from the rubbish bin.  Have you repaired them before?  I bought two and they've both died, the first one died ages ago and yes, now I think about it the failure mode of the first one was very similar so it makes sense.


richms
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  #3417413 22-Sep-2025 14:26
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Not the arlec 4 way, but have done some of their equally badly made single plugs that had power monitoring. I also bypassed the relay in those since I only wanted monitoring and their failure mode was to crap out and start cycling the load which is great for a fridge.





Richard rich.ms



MadEngineer
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  #3417424 22-Sep-2025 15:27
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Make your own?

 

 

 

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/wifi-relay-controller





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richms
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  #3417427 22-Sep-2025 15:42
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MadEngineer:

 

Make your own?

 

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/wifi-relay-controller

 

 

Then add on a case, power supply, output sockets, overload protection breaker, mains wires etc and you will be well over the price of several replacements of a commercial off the shelf item that has approvals from the places that matter incase it blows up.

 

I have not got any of these to open to see if they're flashable or not, but the smart ape one is less than either of the parts of the jaycar thing. https://www.mightyape.co.nz/mn/buy/mighty-ape-smart-ape-4-outlet-smart-power-board-with-2-usb-c-ports-and-30w-pd-40082830/

 

If you want a wifi or zigbee relay, there are plenty on aliex that are either bare boards or in a token plastic case for less - like https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008891851344.html 

 

None of which is something I would want to be assembling and sticking in a kids room. The pre-made ones have a place, and if they didnt use capacitors from unknowns when making them would be great.





Richard rich.ms

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