Lidl SilverCrest Smart Plug Stripdown (very frustrating)

[@Frankhe78]

Right to repair. We now know how to repair it the right way. Thank you for opening it up.

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

It's funny that you turn up the iron temperature to do a joint on a large surface, but what you really need more energy from a higher wattage iron. A low power iron turned up to 300°C if running flat out, will not get much hotter if turned up to 400°C, it can only get as hot as the energy flowing in will allow.

[@DerHeilendeLotus]

I find that even my lower power iron (similar wattage to the TS100 Ilett is using, has an LED to indicate when the heater is on), never maxes out the heating even with joints like this, and the duty cycle is still fairly low while doing so. The problem is also one of heat transfer and dissipation - a bigger tip can only do so much, and the heat doesn't make it throughout the joint (the thermocouple inside the tip will be reporting 300c, while the unmolten edge of the joint will be too low temperature to melt). Bumping up the temperature by 100c also increases the temp at the edge of the joint by 100c, allowing it to melt.

[@benbaselet2026]

I just bought a nedis smart life socket to toggle the car heating in the garage. Seems to do the job and has energy/power/voltage measurements too which is nice.

[@notyoung]

You need some serious mass in the soldering iron tip - or a lot more watts in the heating element - to get a good connection on that much metal. I don't consider your connection adequate for 13 amps - probably not much more than 5 amps. Yes, I still have a 150-200 watt (not sure how big) "billy club" soldering iron in the bottom of the tool box. Something I use once on 3 years, maybe?

[@flagpoleeip]

The reason why you would want to WiFi a heater would be to warm your home before you get there

[@Ratchet_effect]

Very true that ^^ Also if your elderly, disabled etc.. using the Wi-Fi from a mobile-phone for example to turn the heater on/off is a god send.

[@Ratchet_effect]

I'm old excuse the mistakes 🤦‍♂️

[@toxicpadda]

that is how I warm my shed before I go there 🤣

[@Ratchet_effect]

Look on the Brightside use your brain and unplug things like that, when you know your not going to be able to control it, for a long period of time. Then upon return, to your home/shed/workshop etc.. It isn't a burnt pile of waste & peeved off your neighbours.

[@toxicpadda]

@Mr Brightside I only use it for a couple of minutes before I go there, so the shed (summerhouse) won't be freezing, when I get there.

[@fumthings]

if you need to power cycle something, you can either rewire this to the nc contact, or build your own low voltage switch if your router is 5-12 volts dc etc...

[@VVerVVurm]

the FR thing is a fuseable resistor

[@ytrew9717]

but why do they need another fuseable (after the big one)? EDIT: I guess the big one protect the devices plugged in, and the fuseable resistor protect the circuit of the smartplug

[@chrisrogers2848]

For your router application couldn’t you source a normally closed relay and fit that, so when you turn it ‘on’ in the app it energises the coil which opens the contact when you turn ‘off’ in the app the power to the router returns?

[@andrewfidel2220]

Julian, I've got a trailer that I'm using for a home office, right now I'm using a smart thermostat to warm it up in the morning before I start work. Unfortunately that burns propane, it would be great if I could have an electric heater that was smart that I could just tell to warm up an hour before I start!

[@keithking1985]

i suppose they would be handy because, anything that can plugged in, can be made smart as far as turning "on & off"!

[@DrGreenGiant]

You should treat yourself to an iSesamo spudger like Clive has. I have a few and they are superb

[@laurencefeeney1661]

I use an old Sheffield Steel thin blade knife

[@csongorvarga]

I thought you took it apart to see if you can change the relay pins from NO to NC. These things usually have a pulse mode in the settings, so could have been ideal for resetting the router.

[@m00str]

I looked up the datasheet and it indeed seems to be a NO/NC type of relay, so by cutting the trace and soldering some wire to the unused contact you could modify the socket to NC. Nice idea

[@NiHaoMike64]

Or a smart plug that uses an ESP8266 and just reprogram it. Or even better, embed a watchdog microcontroller into the router.

[@pfeerick]

ESP8266 driving a mosfet, on the DC line into the modem... nowhere as much power loss whilst it's in always on mode, and no need to rely on external API to control it... can be all local control. After all, if the gateway is controlled via the 'cloud' service, if your modem packed up, you won't be able to tell the gateway to turn the plug off an on again! 😂

[@andymouse]

Looks very nicely made, you took one for the team there Julian...cheers.

[@JulianIlett]

I did indeed :)

[@AK90]

There was also 2 empty LED slots on the daughterboard for some reason :P

[@Stuartrusty]

Interesting note, another country that uses UK plugs and sockets (also 230v 50 Hz) is Iraq. I only found out when I travelled there 2 years ago. The UK outlets are referred to as type G, they also use round 3 pin 15amp outlets (type D (as in India)) and 2 pin euro style outlets (type C) just to confuse matters.

[@benbaselet2026]

I hear the 230V 50 Hz is more like 150-300 volts-ish and "usually dozens of hertz, hopefully". :-)

[@juststeve5542]

Malta is quite fun (anarchy) on the plug socket front. I think officially they are supposed to have European sockets, but I've stayed in hotel rooms that had both Euro and UK sockets, often side by side.

[@charliedobbie8916]

Actually I think they're supposed to use UK plugs, but you'll find Euro plugs also installed for the convenience of European visitors.

[@benbaselet2026]

Not a bad idea for hotels to have multiple typical sockets. People using shitty adapters electrocuting themselves and setting things on fire may well be a nuisance.

[@Birdman_in_CLE]

Saudi Arabia standardized on the UK plug back in about 2014. When working there it was easy to see what country helped build what part of the country. They have 120v 60Hz US power, 230v 50Hz European power. In the 230v areas it is common to find Euro and UK outlets, sometimes mixed in the same building. Quite a mess really.

[@juststeve5542]

@@Birdman_in_CLE sounds like a recipe for blowing up anything without a wide range switch mode PSU! Ooh, my American shaver is running very fast here... *smoke* Oh, hang on, it's stopped.

[@williamlogan1203]

Will the socket still be connected to the hub if your wireless goes down, and if it’s not in your wireless then you won’t be able to reset it...

[@KJW648]

Most likely not, Tuya hub don't need WiFi to control device's, only used for updating connections on app.

[@DM-kf1bt]

You need a ‘spudger’ , bigclive uses one all the time convincing me to invest in one. Best dismantling tool ever.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Glad to see inside without pulling mine apart. On the first day of release my store had twelve of these and I managed to bag six :-) I’ve got ten of these now around the house - don’t use the Lidl app though rather zigbee2mqtt in home assistant.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

You have 10? Hmmm... I'm only seeing 8 of yours while hacking in. Are you sure they are all plugged in and working?!?!? ;-)

[@AdamWelchUK]

@@ElmerFuddGun You’re right. Two are still in boxes in the shed. Can you nudge me again when they pop up? :-)

[@ElmerFuddGun]

@@AdamWelchUK - Oh that explains it. When I get back I will write up a little script to watch your remote switches... and while I am at it, I might as well check out any wifi cams you have set up. ;-)

[@chrislee1701]

Ooh the zigbee!

[@ElmerFuddGun]

The phone app saying "Power On" and "Power Off" is a bit confusing. It is saying what tapping the button will do instead of the *current state* of the switch which I really want to know. Then the app plug button goes dark when the power is on... seems backwards to me. My Globe wifi switches say "tap to turn on" under a dark button when off. And when on the button lights up along with a green power symbol. My Alexa plugs are similar and say the current state. Yours seem all backwards to me and I can see people that don't use the app much getting it wrong when they aren't home to see their device turn on.

[@stheil]

That's a pet peeve of mine. So many programs have labels that could be the current status or the status *after* they're selected and it's always so annoying! I don't know why so many UI designers don't get that. It's completely user unfriendly and so easily avoided...

[@ElmerFuddGun]

@@stheil - Yep. Some apps just aren't well thought out.

[@wangouthangout]

What I find so strange about this is if you connect this plug to home assistant you can get way more features. Power monitoring, energy usage, there's a child lock feature. But Lidl just opted to use the on of switch and that's it?

[@laurencefeeney1661]

I was hoping to be able to convert one of these to a fused , switched smart spur. It may still be possible as the proprietary ones are MEGA expensive Love your video and your voice; which sounds like Joe Lycett; hope you agree.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

_"News letter"_ thing? In Canada we call them _flyers._ What crazy words from our brothers in the _old country._ ;-)

[@AndyFletcherX31]

A flyer also gets into a plane. Not many doing that in the *old country* at the moment :)

[@joshuabest100]

Could you check to see if the mains mains are coated copper or just cheap metal please

[@RedwoodRhiadra]

Big Clive is sad you forgot the Isle of Man...

[@JulianIlett]

Hmm, OK. Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Herm, Sark (particulary Sark), Lundy, Scilly and loads of freezing cold ones off Scotland :)

[@fredflintstone1]

Nice to see a duraplug Socket in use, do you have shares in Lidl, if not you should:-) great strip down perhaps you also need to get some metal spodgers and that might save some damage next time:-)

[@_who_cares_1123]

This looks surprisingly similar to the Osram smart plug.

[@benbaselet2026]

Not surprising at all that a lot of manufacturers just buy a generic model and rebrand it for their system.

[@mikewardUK]

Lidl/Silverlink/Tuya is rock solid - Don’t useLidl App but Tuya App or HA

[@toxicpadda]

Poundlands smart plugs a 16 amp relay much bigger

[@healeydave]

I had the same trouble, Lidl had everything but the Smart Plugs in stock. I was disappointed at first because I thought they were a good price at £7.99 but I then found a better option, I found a seller on Amazon selling WiFi version Gosund Smart Plugs that worked out at £7.64 each (£30.59 for a pack of 4). These are OTA flashable and do not require a hub so over-all a much better solution and cheaper (especially if you factor in a Hub costs). If you have to install hubs in 2021 to get your home smart, you've failed :)

[@reviewassistant6891]

if you need to code and spend time fixing stuff in 2021 you failed Overpay on hue and spend less time fiddling

[@healeydave]

@@reviewassistant6891 Absolutely not, Philips Hue is over priced rubbish. I forgot I posted this but 8 months on, my £7.64 options are awesome, still working perfectly. So good, I bought another 2 packs.

[@ruinunes8251]

Right to repair is good. However when you have appliances or other stuff like this plug using glue or clips instead of screws, that is not a big help is it?

[@ianfisher6561]

"I'm in" said the Bishop to the actress.

[@Ixiapcp]

Brilliant

[@bigfilsing]

And Singapore has the best plugs in the world too.

[@Irilia_neko]

This plugs the best plugs in the world, if you say so xD

[@fenceup07944931177]

Now do you want to try a Poundland WiFi socket?

[@lloydgarland4667]

Guitar plectrum eh, do you play Julian?

[@MarcoPolo-zv1ft]

how smaller relay 20A and the bigger one is 16A ??

[@JulianIlett]

It's a mystery :)

[@kitecattestecke2303]

Wider contact which are made smarter? Maybe like spoon with high surface area and low resistance but it might break earlier than others 16A versions? Just load it to 16A and see if small 20A can survive

[@benbaselet2026]

People who ordered them just told the chinese manufacturer to put those numbers on the things because that's what someone wanted to see.

[@mikewardUK]

Julie just smash it up

[@JulianIlett]

Polly put the kettle on

[@nrcha]

Imagine if you had a vacuum desoldering station, what would you do with all that spare time 🤔 Thanks, it actually looks like a decent unit.

[@ytrew9717]

What chip/board does it uses? If we can't flash it with tasmota, can we just convert it to tasmota (eg. by replacing the current board with one compatible with it)?

[@andygozzo72]

poundland have got some very similar 'smart' cack in 😉

[@JulianIlett]

Wifi or Zigbee?

[@andygozzo72]

@@JulianIlett connects via wifi, i think, didnt look in detail at them,, £7 each !

[@davey2k12]

Ya gotta do poundlands version only 3 quid lol

[@maicod]

what is the benefit of a hub system over separate wi-fi plugs/switches exc. that work on their own ?

[@Wibinable]

Well, it's an entirely separate ecosystem. So if you only have wifi and don't want to get a zigbee coordinator, why not with just wifi. Pros for Zigbee that I can think of: lower power consumption when idle (can save you a euro per year in stand by costs); usually longer range than wifi; can be controlled by any/most zigbee software unlike wifi (which usually require propriatery software).

[@websitesthatneedanem]

14:33 - Who else started gently blowing to themselves at this point?! 😆

[@mr.8780]

Hi which app to download on iphone

[@fekraagabtny2929]

does this outlet also act as a zigbee mesh repeater ?

[@JulianIlett]

Doesn't Zigbee do that anyway?

[@fekraagabtny2929]

@@JulianIlett From what I read online, not all zigbee devices act as repeaters, also I just read yesterday that there are some light bulbs that even though connected to ac 24/7 dont act as repeaters. so just wanted to make sure before buying this because I actually have no use for its function as a smart plug but rather need its zigbee repeater function if available to have better coverage around my house with a small plugged device.

[@stevetobias4890]

I have my wifi router powered by my solar so it stays on during powerouts. To power cycle just get of your bum and press the switch or log in and power cycle the unit. By the way it's a router, not a rooter.

[@user-marco-S]

He did use the UK English pronouncing, not the American pronouncing.

[@stevetobias4890]

@@user-marco-S I am Australian and we use UK English, it's still called a router here, not a rooter. Usually it's the Americans using lazy English.

[@user-marco-S]

@@stevetobias4890 Ok, Julian used the British pronouncing (better?).

[@JulianIlett]

That's because "rooting" means something completely different in Oz.

[@colinpamplin9976]

You need a spudger they are cheap on ebay

[@DJ_Cthulhu]

The real 'smart' home hasn't got any of that IoT rubbish in it at all :)

[@JulianIlett]

A real smart home has smart people in it :)

[@MrBobWareham]

I am glad you destroyed it so we don't have to!!

[@keithmarsh8120]

I have two and one makes the springy ping sound when it turns off and one doesn't. I prefer the one that doesn't. Anyone know why one would make a loud ping sound when turned off and why the other does not? It it anything to worry about?

[@malerberlin9634]

Device settings starts....Without showing which app is downloaded🙈🙈🙈

[@markclark787]

(in the US) I got a Centralite Smart outlet that measured power and calculates cost.

[@IanFarquharson2]

Probably a good idea its a twat to open with glue and clips. A five year old might disassemble and get a bang off it, if it doesn’t need any real tools.

[@bobriemersma]

Why do people always want to call a socket a plug? Or worse, a "plug socket" which is even sillier?

[@AJB2K3]

Delete the lidl app and use the tuya app as its far better.

[@FireballXL55]

FR = Fusible Resistor.

[@MrBobWareham]

This does not bode well for the right to repair, does it!!

[@PetRatty]

I prefer the sonoff's

[@JulianIlett]

How much is the son off?

[@LorcanAdrain]

@@JulianIlett Twice the price of the Lidl one.

[@bytespider]

Difference is Sonoff devices are WiFi. That may be an issue getting internet to the shed without a run of cable. ZigBee at least is mesh based and the network will relay from the closest node

[@PetRatty]

@@JulianIlett the basic version is as low as £7.44 , alot of the makers use them as they contain the esp-01 and you can reprogram it for mqtt or whatever you want, I got one to try and it connects to Alexa with Arduino code easily found on the internet

[@PetRatty]

@@bytespider you could use the esp-NOW or esp-mesh code example, or the painless mesh library. that takes time and effort, so for most people it is just easier to buy an off the shelf product that works first time

[@Irilia_neko]

You have forget one solder, also don't expect much than 10 A with this Relay.

[@Tekwyzard]

To be fair, with how terrible that one joint we saw done was, I would not be comfortable drawing more than 5A through it. It was essentially a 'dry joint' in my opinion, fortunately not hard to remedy by simply using a better soldering iron than that battery powered thing that he tries to use, always too hot, for everything, even for stuff it is no good for.

[@englishrupe01]

@@Tekwyzard Don't forget, though, that Julian is stuck with having to use lead-free solder as he is in the UK.

[@Tekwyzard]

@@englishrupe01 Hahaha, a lot of people think that, but I'm in the UK too, and within a mere few hours and a short drive to Preston, I can have as much 60/40 goodness as I want. Such as this cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d01681/solder-wire-sn60-pb40-0-7mm-100g/dp/SD01535 yummy stuff, which'd have a lot of young 'uns hiding under their beds in sheer terror with their windows flung wide open; in fact my old stash is getting a bit low after over 10 years of huffing the stuff, so I'll have to get some more myself soonish.

[@englishrupe01]

@@Tekwyzard Ah ok...cool! I had thought that it was only possible to get it if you are reduced to lying that it was not for electronics use. I am glad to hear it! As i am in the US, i am free to eat it if i so desire....lol!