Plug n Play Relays!

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A while ago one of you guys told me about these little relay modules. It took me a while to get my hands on some of them but damn if they aren't really useful! They include a 3.3V regulator, serial connection, and an easily controllable relay! Watch on to see more of why I love these little modules!
I do not provide links for where to buy these - SORRY! To find them just type in "ESP8266 Serial Relay" or "LC Tech Relay" into your preferred cheap electronics supplier (Ebay, Aliexpress).
Note: This video is not a paid endorsement. I just really like these things and there don't seem to be too many people who talk about them.
Link to basic LC Relay code: gist.github.co...

[@PIXscotland]

That's exactly the board setup I'm working with at the moment! I'm building some Amazon Echo controlled Relays as alternatives to Sonoff devices as the Sonoff network keeps dropping. The overall project may cost a little more than a Sonoff basic but it'll be offline and fully under my control including custom control.

[@TuttleScott]

install espurna onto your sonoffs, mucho better.

[@PIXscotland]

@@TuttleScott I've not tried that one yet. I really seem to struggle with all the setup for the likes of Tasmota. Maybe I've just not sat down long enough, but every video I look at is so messy with huge amounts of scripting it's not even funny. I am looking at options right now so your suggestion will be handy. As it happens, right now, as I write this, ALL on my Sonoff's are dead. None can be found on the network. Everything internal is fine it's just their stupid server stuff. Seems to go dead for a few hours every week. They really need to recode to allow operation off their network.

[@TuttleScott]

if you install espurna you wont need anything but alexa to control it. you dont even need to add any skills. all you need is a usb-serial converter (or an arduino would work too I guess) to install it.

[@PIXscotland]

@@TuttleScott OK. You inspired me. I spent about an hour or so studying Espurna and getting it running on two Sonoff S20's and two Sonoff Basics. After some glitches with COM ports everything is running well.

[@PIXscotland]

Update. I've not got a test ESP01 working the ESPurna using a relay board too. On checking closely, my board is a basic relay board, not the serial relay board shown in the video. Didn't really notice this on first view. Looking forward to seeing more about this serial board.

[@leglessinoz]

There is a low voltage Sonoff called the Sonoff SV. I've also modded a Sonoff Dual to not switch the incoming mains. The relays just behave as NO switches.

[@leukste4]

They have no and nc, just switch the wires?

[@RockTo11]

Would this relay work for a replacing a switch for gas fireplace?

[@Hasitier]

Did you know there is a Sonoff LV - a low voltage version which is from 5 to i think 30v dc and comes without a case. It costs about the same as the Sonoff you showed here. Inhaftiert bought one of these a year ago and it works fine.

[@ItKindaWorks]

Interesting, I didnt know that. I'll have to look into it

[@Refthoom]

Yess I use two of those. Can be programmed the same way as other Sonoffs. Plus: more options for how to power. Minus: has only a NO contact.

[@smccrode]

I think they maybe renamed it to Sonoff SV. I have 5 of these. Building magnetic door locks powered by 12v DC. Sonoff SV handles 5-24v. Can also handle AC though! www.itead.cc/wiki/Sonoff_SV

[@leglessinoz]

There are two versions. One that runs off 5V and one that runs off 12V too. I bought one of the 5V ones ages ago to control strings of those tiny (wheatgrain) battery operated Xmas tree LED lights.

[@Hasitier]

leglessinoz i think mine have a jumper which you can set to run them of 5v, otherwise it was about 6-30v but they might have changed the model

[@jimb032]

I fooled with these things a while ago. Personally, I find the Wemos D1 mini with a relay shield smaller, cleaner, and not even a need for a programmer. And no messy serial commands.

[@tablatronix]

There seems to be another type of these that is maybe less quality, not serial but has opto isolation - wifi smart outlet u34 esp8266 wifi relay module etc

[@ItKindaWorks]

I've seen those before too. Both are interesting prototyping devices. The initial reason I took a look at this one was because someone on the forums asked a question regarding this one so I figured I'd get one and see what it was all about. This wasn't an endorsement as much as it was a cool device that I didn't know about before and figured lots of other people hadn't either.

[@grzegorzsternik2657]

I made door and gate lock my home with two of this. I used that with orginal software with at commands. The problem was that I had to make mini ups with lion cell. Independent power supply is nessesery for wi fi connection. I will waiting for the next video about this module and programing with other better softwares.

[@cgmckeever]

I couldnt get this board (labeled HW655) to work without doing a microcontroller flash (as well as ESP code flash). I did find a similiar looking board on Amazon that works without the chip flash. Lots of versions of these boards floating around. YMMV

[@electronic7979]

Excellent

[@briandurward]

This is really useful. When do you plan to upload the full programme?

[@bobsort]

Actually that is all of his program, he put a blinker inside wifi module which sends those blink command down the serial

[@surenbono6063]

.Hazard reminder.!.!.. do not touch it while fired from the mains ac240v...the back is not covered..!.!

[@dompower500]

Very nice and easily understandable video

[@sarvinr9644]

Can I know what IC is Installed on the Relay Board! I have to Make the whole thing customly! :D

[@m_disulphide]

thanks! your code saved me

[@neriksen]

No setup assistance just a lot of stuff we already knew

[@billferner6741]

Correct! Thumb down, only click bait.

[@peterlorne7077]

Hi! Nice video! The link you talk about on the screen. I can't se it. Can you please send it. Regards / Peter

[@marionichilo7531]

will this work on 12 volt system line on a truck to dome light with a horn. when doors on the horn will go off.

[@the1spyderryder]

Does the LC TECH BOARD work out of the package? Of so what do you have to send to it to pill in the relay? I don't want to program it to make it work just send the proper code to the ip address.

[@lxy1312]

relay nice stuff

[@kashif1964]

Hi, I am trying to connect 4 Relays and 4 Buttons to my Nodemcu esp8266 but unable to do so my PIN configurations are as under. Relay1 to D1, Relay2 to D6, Relay3 to D7 and Relay4 to D8 Button1 to D2, Button2 to D3, Button3 to D4 and Button4 to D5 can u guide me if possible which pins to be used for Relay and which for Buttons Thanks in advance,

[@skeepskeeperson]

Cool board. Seems pricey at $12+ on eBay. Not sure if you have a cheaper link.

[@ItKindaWorks]

I frequently find them on ebay for $3-4ish including the ESP with free shipping. Try searching various combinations of the words "serial relay esp8266 lc tech"

[@ItKindaWorks]

It's also worth looking for lots of 5 or 10 because those are usually the cheapest I find.

[@UpcycleElectronics]

The cheapest I have saved on AliEx in my account favorites is $2.73 shipped. -Jake

[@UpcycleElectronics]

Reference (not affiliated or in any way monetized//priced $2.73 shipped as it appears on the app for me): m.aliexpress.com/item/32879653841.html?trace=wwwdetail2mobilesitedetail&productId=32879653841&productSubject=32879653841&tt=Add+to+Firefox&aff_platform=default&cpt=1541613716747&sk=cO1sQJy8&aff_trace_key=18be295695cf42489fe551732fd0c3d6-1541613716747-02263-cO1sQJy8&terminal_id=3350d933b92c432dbde5a285f1f02820

[@williammiller7543]

Any time I see these relays I wonder if there needs to be a snubber on it. Or am I not thinking properly?

[@ItKindaWorks]

No you are correct, they should! I haven't looked closely at this one but I think I remember seeing a small diode somewhere near the relay base that should perform that duty.

[@Anonymous-vh6kp]

What's a snubber?

[@yoramstein]

What does this thing do?

[@drm8221]

Is there any special configuration I need to take into consideration to run this simple example code? I uploaded the code to two esp01 and tested this on two different relay modules and was unable to heard the activation of the relay

[@cgmckeever]

I found 1 relay on amazon that works, it looks like this one, but has one more row of pins on the side. It is labeled LT v3. I have also bought and fried several others trying to get them to work. I have a relay that looks like this, and no luck getting it to work,

[@arthurgoldstone1]

No links yet?

[@allinthefamiliy3122]

That thing doesn't work at all there is a 8pin micro controller on it which interfaces with the relay, the ESP01 has no connections with the relay at all. This module can only be used with and ESP when modified. This is: to take the 8pin processor and R3 and R4 off the PCB and connect the base of the J3Y or S8050 this is the PCB edge side located pads of R3 and R4 by a 2.7K resistor to GPIO0 or GPIO2. Only then it works. The relay need 70ma coil current, the HFE of the S8050 is around 100, the S8050 Ube voltage is assumed 0.7V and the GPIO voltage is around 3.3V high and can drive 12ma. Calculate the S8050 Collector current = HFE* (UGPIO-Ube)/Rbase = 100 * (3.3-0.7/2.7)= 98mA good enough assuming some parameters may be a little different. The GPIO current is (Ugpio-Ube)/Rbase=0.98mA Let me know if it is clear to you and if you find it usefull.

[@mintocanto164]

How to reboot it

[@elabinnovations]

Bin file?

[@YonghwanShin]

Could you let me know how can I control the relay? Your code just repeat turn on and off. And one more question I would like ask. Can we compile and upload sw by arduino ide?

[@bencooper2467]

Hi is the relay latching ? Thanks

[@ItKindaWorks]

This is not a latching relay, no.

[@AndreasGoettsche]

what is that video for ? i´m searching for how to install this

[@tablatronix]

whats the big heat pad for?

[@tablatronix]

U1 , looks like you can add a regulator ?

[@ItKindaWorks]

Not sure. It has a built in regulator so I dont see why you'd need more... Perhaps its just there because they use the same board layout for multiple versions and this one happens to not have whatever component goes there. When I get home I'll look at see - maybe there is something on the bottom of the board that needs some heat-sinking

[@MrBobWareham]

so why is there a microcontroller working a microcontroller look at the circuit?

[@umair19sep1]

Plz send code

[@thetinytrader1564]

Unable to understand the code. Can you explain it in next video ?

[@ItKindaWorks]

Is there a particular part of the code that is confusing for you? It's more or less the same as the Arduino "Blink" program but with the digital write commands substituted for serial write commands that write the on/off commands to the serial chip.

[@thetinytrader1564]

@@ItKindaWorks ya, that's what I didn't understand. Can't we use 'digital write' commands ?

[@ItKindaWorks]

For this device we dont use digital write. The relay itself is controlled via a chip on the circuit board which is communicated to from the ESP with serial. So instead of using digitalWrite(low) for example to turn it off, you would use Serial.write(relOFF, sizeof(relOFF));. It's a bit longer of a line but thats really the only difference.

[@SirArghPirate]

I think it's too limiting that you have to power it separately.

[@ItKindaWorks]

Why do you think that?

[@SirArghPirate]

@@ItKindaWorks it would be a lot easier to use it with house automation projects if it didn't have to be powered separately.

[@ItKindaWorks]

Ah I see. For me the difference here is that while it might be easier to use an all-in-one unit like the sonoff, it limits the ways in which I could use it. Easier usually means that it wont work in as many situations. For example, this could be used to switch a 24VDC motor just as easily as it could be used to switch a 120VAC light since the power supplying the board isn't dependent upon the power that is going to the load. That wouldn't be possible with a device that can only be powered from 120VAC. What I find nice about this device is that you get to choose the power source as well as the load that is being controlled (and is thus more versatile).

[@PGPP]

Hi! Im a noob, is it safe to use it for AC?

[@ItKindaWorks]

Yes this should be safe to use with AC power. BUT you should not use this unless you are comfortable with AC power and understand the risks (fire/shock/death/etc) that can come from wiring your own AC equipment.

[@PGPP]

@@ItKindaWorks I understand that i can die, but im an adult who is willing to take a chance. :P Im a computer engineer so I have some experience with DC. Anyhow, thanks for the reply, also, do you have a book w/ instructions for AC that you suggest?

[@ItKindaWorks]

No problem, I just have to be cautious when it comes to people on the internet. I often have teenagers or younger who see these videos so I always want to make sure that people understand the dangers associated with mains power. Unfortunately I don't have a good book to recommend for AC and I wouldn't want to just go and look something up without being able to personally vouch for it. I'm sure you can look up some reviews of AC tutorial books on Amazon or something though. I have a hard time thinking reviews for those kinds of books would be fake haha.

[@PGPP]

@@ItKindaWorks ok i understand! Thanks again, also I have a problem registering in your forum my account name ia ReavaN :/

[@ItKindaWorks]

I just took a look at the forum and I see that you are newly registered. As part of the spam prevention for the forum I ask that all new members message me directly to gain the ability to post/reply to topics. Since we've talked here that counts too. I've unlocked your profile so you can now post/reply to topics on the forum. If you have any other issues using the forum, message me on there and I will be happy to take a look.

[@abuxxx3607]

not plug and play.

[@simontyszkotheculture]

why hello guys? there are woman in the world too. "hello people" perhaps? just saying..

[@ItKindaWorks]

Sorry... it’s a generic term. I figure if women open makeup videos targeted to other women using the term then it’s probably reached a level androgyny that makes it ok. I do not mean to offend though

[@wattage2007]

simon tyszko Fuck off, soy boy.

[@mbzumzum500]

you didn't explain anything .. just explain how to connect to the phone, it's complicated what you're saying

[@RickSanchezConvey]

too much nonsense talk 🥱 wasted my time.

[@ItKindaWorks]

Too much nonsense commenting. Wasted comment space