Sonoff Basic R3 DIY Mode - Comparisons and Thoughts

[@ptmoy1]

Informative video, especially with the touch sensor. Thanks for posting.

[@877cms]

Hi there from the UK 🇬🇧 I could listen to your accent all day! Plus the information is top notch too 👍

[@digiblurDIY]

Bit of a melting pot accent from the various parts of Louisiana. I do the same with the video content from your part of the world as well. Thanks for watching!

[@felixh.7501]

Hi Travis, I love your videos. I had this new Sonoff in hands a few weeks ago and my initial reaction was exactly as yours, I preferred the R2. But then I made a few findings, which changed my approach: 1) I could solder very easily 4 pins to the 3.3V, GND, RX and TX from the top (not from the bottom, as you explained, it cannot be accessed). 2) I made many tests, and GPIO 16 (one of the DIY pins) is not working with tasmota, with any sensor... that was a disappointment. 3) However ... I could get easy access to GPIOs 9 and 10 from the chip holder missing. As a result , we're missing GPIO 14, but we gained GPIO 9 and 10.

[@digiblurDIY]

Would love to see pics. Did you solder some pins without the plastic piece of the header? You are right on the gpio16. You couldn't get the switch to work? I saw the memory chip was missing as well which I assume you are grabbing 9 and 10 since it is a esp8285. Difficult solder for some not being a through hole solder.

[@felixh.7501]

@@digiblurDIY I can send you a picture if you wish, but there's no placeholder in KZbin...Is there an easy way to share? I soldered from the top and cut the inner plastic box with a mini saw, then the 4 pins come out nicely from the box. For 9 and 10, I made a hold through the inner plastic box and went through the top. GPIO9 and 10 work very well, I connected them to a DHT11 and BH1750 without problem, and on new tasmota 6.50, I could reach the config with a template, it worked fine.

[@digiblurDIY]

You would have to email it or use discord. Email is the channel name at Gmail domain. No hurry on it just curious to see what everyone does.

[@felixh.7501]

@@digiblurDIY Just sent, Travis.

[@felixh.7501]

@Jason Churchward Hi Jason, sorry for the delay, I just saw your note now. I have inserted the picture on imgbb; ibb.co/s1mXQ6z All the best, F.

[@jimbrewer5821]

Travis, Great Video review of the new Sonoff Basic R3 (and bonus topic). Thanks!

[@wjn777]

Great review and nice integration of that touch sensor. I use the RX pin, there is a possibility of soldering directly onto the tiny SMD pin of the MCU to gain access to GPIO24, but it's really small. You convinced me that the R3 is not worth it. Another option is to simply go for the TH16, it has more GPIO's available, but it is quite a bit bigger

[@federicoleoni-it]

Travis you did a perfect resume in one sentence: "[...] and the revision 3 I wouldn't even bother." :D

[@sawadee2u1]

Best review video I have seen on this device. Looks like Sonoff is re-designing the Basic just to make it more expensive and harder to use.

[@digiblurDIY]

They also were making the radio modular so they could do their Zigbee version as well. Thanks.

[@HIBAW]

That's really awesome. Thanks. Lots of information and easy fun stuff.

[@tristansearle7160]

Love your video which is very informative. Actually the DIY mode of BASICR3 includes OTA to a customized firmware, and the whole idea of this version is to get easy access to the open source services. You don't need the soldering to get the BASICR3 flashed, which is more friendly for DIY fans. However, the version you get doesn't have the R1 resistor, so it's impossible to support the DIY mode and switch to the eWeLink mode at the same time. It seems to be one of the first batch which has been improved.

[@digiblurDIY]

No soldering is required to flash it. Just insert the wires and go as I explained. The soldering was for using other sensors that require power and/or toggle switches. They should include a mode to flash OTA without having to touch a screw driver if they really wanted to appeal to the DIY mode. Take note of Shelly switches.

[@Mike13527]

I've successfully soldered male headers into 'one-sided' plated through holes on a circuit board by placing the terminal strip "upside down" ie with the plastic piece at the top. I use flux paste to hold the strip in place, so that the pins are just into the PTH, and carefully (and quickly!) solder the pins in turn. It's best to do the two end ones first - helps to keep them straight and the top of each pin parallel with the board. You have to be a reasonably proficient solderer (I am - a long lifetime of experience!), and ensure that the amount of solder is kept to a minimum. Once the joints are cool, then just push the plastic piece down! And - voila! A header in place. OK, if you want to be pedantic, there may be a very small gap under the plastic piece, but it really does work. Try it!

[@nickchandler1389]

Thanks for your work Digi. You save people heaps of time with your reviews. I know you're obsessed by dimming. Is there any way of achieving the functionality of a Fibaro Dimmer 2 using ESPHome or Tasmota? I'm referring to an in wall solution with a long press for dimming and a momentary press for switching?

[@kriss1313]

It is not simpler. You need another module to flash it, download IDE software and board drivers, solder pins , buy parts and wires etc. DIY is just a jumper and some access points, and upload a file. No special knowledge. I personally hate to alter the hardware of a device unless there is no other option. I am glad of DIY. I am even grateful of the new ad-don for Hassio that it will see your sonoff out of the box and works in parallel with ewelink.

[@digiblurDIY]

Tasmotizer doesn't require any crazy installs. Download and hit flash, don't rely on the cloud or stock firmware. It's your device, so make it yours.

[@DobuDobuDobuDot]

Can you change firmware from regular to DIY? I don't think, once you flashed Tasmota or something you can change back to iTead. That would be sweet for some users.

[@digiblurDIY]

Do a read of the firmware first and you can put it back.

[@DobuDobuDobuDot]

@@digiblurDIY How would you read the firmware? With arduino? I only flashed tasmota with EspEasy.

[@digiblurDIY]

Here's the example I use for 1mb chips which the esp8285 is. github.com/arendst/Sonoff-Tasmota/wiki/Esptool#optional-backup-firmware

[@deviantstudio]

i miss old good sonoff basic r1. looks like it's a time to move on to some different brand

[@LinhNguyen-ev8wq]

I am trying to flash tasmota on the sonoff R3 and having some problems. The latest firmware (3.6) create an AP that you connect to then put in your own wifi info. Once connected to the wifi network, you can use the DYI tool from sonoff to see the device and flash custom firmware (tasmota). I tried to flash tasmota on one and it seem to flash but then after that the switch seem bricked. It doesnt do anything. I tried again with a second R3 with tasmota lite (someone mentioned it in the comment) and the same thing happened. I tried to manual flash with FTDI without success. I am not sure how to put it into programing mode. I tried to hold down the button when connect to power but that doesnt seem to work. Any insight on how to get it to go into programing mode?

[@digiblurDIY]

I do believe the button is still GPIO 0. tasmota.github.io/docs/devices/Sonoff-Basic/#sonoff-basic-r3

[@LinhNguyen-ev8wq]

@@digiblurDIY Figured out why tasmotizer did not flash. I needed to run it as admin. Just for anyone looking to do the flash, hold down the button when power up will put it into flashing mode.

[@ManuGitref]

what are the empty solder pads for on the top under the esp chip ? are they empty or unusable ? i hope you undertstand what i mean

[@digiblurDIY]

The empty memory chip space since they went esp8285? github.com/arendst/Sonoff-Tasmota/wiki/Sonoff-Basic#sonoff-basic-r3

[@negvorsa]

The questions still not answered! Are those pins usable given that no external flash is required?

[@alejandroruiz8617]

Hi, I'm trying to add a regular push button to manually toggle the R2 switch. After flashing the chip with tasmota, the "pairing/manual' button in the board still work as designed? I'm thinking in solder wires on it to extend it's manual switch functionality and definitely don't want to use Sonoff firmware.Thank you in advance

[@gixxer6728]

does the sonoff r3 work connected to a 12v battery instead of 240 AC?

[@digiblurDIY]

Not without modification of things. Your better choice would be the Shelly1, hit the jumper and power it off 12VDC.

[@MrJesus4194]

Have you seen Paul Hibbert's KZbin video about flashing Tasmota OTA on the R3?

[@digiblurDIY]

No I haven't. Has the process changed? If they don't make you open it anymore that would be awesome.

[@MrJesus4194]

@@digiblurDIY you still have to open it but only to insert the jumper. No soldering and no USB to serial adapter.

[@digiblurDIY]

Will check it out but seems like the same hoops to jump through that I talked about that was annoying on the R3. The Shelly guys get it.

[@digiblurDIY]

Watched it and those are the exact hoops I talked about. Such a mess. Just easier to push the jumper wires in the holes and call it done. Really wish they would do it right with exposed pins like Shelly does and then go over the top with a bin file push over from the phone app without any crazy hoops.

[@VAKUL-DC]

thank you for reviewing these. did you order the sonoff mini ?

[@digiblurDIY]

No I haven't ordered one. No header on that one.

[@ktysai]

@digiblurDIY, an advice please: Can I add on R3 DIY, a PIR sensor. what GPIO can I use? Can I make the relay stop if the PIR sense a person? Thanks!

[@digiblurDIY]

Use GPIO3 and then a rule on to monitor the output.

[@richyread2011]

R3 - seems like a simple toggle switch/button on the outside of the case would've made most sense especially as they went to the trouble of putting headers on there.. Agree seems an odd step and not really any main benefit over the 'traditional' way. Richy.

[@multimediaproduction6674]

Wow, you seem to have a good handle on the construction of these, can I ask which model will be best Original, R2, or R3 in an electrical box outdoors in Hot climate. Like 45 C. Some places it says Operating Temperature max is 40C, but on Amazon it says 70 C

[@digiblurDIY]

I would go by what is printed on the iTead site as it is their product.

[@EsotericArctos]

Just watching this now. Apparently there is a DIY Mode version 2 on the new firmware. Any chance of doing a comparison? I did read a small number of SonOff's (including R3) could use the new firmware. Using the LED pin as an input sounds interesting. That would mean you could turn the single relay to a double usign tx and rx pins. Gives you the relay plus 3 GPIO's :)

[@digiblurDIY]

I was hearing from some people the OTA flashing no longer works on the new DIY mode. I don't have any devices left on stock firmware though as I converted them last time.

[@mukkk]

Hi! May you help me to send curl command? I'm just trying to send curl POST to turn it on or off, but I can't get with it.

[@digiblurDIY]

What software do you have Tasmota?

[@mukkk]

@@digiblurDIY No, just the built-in firmware. I would like to control the device via curl, for example.

[@digiblurDIY]

I flashed Tasmota on it myself and ditched the stock firmware.

[@mukkk]

@@digiblurDIY OK. Thank you anyway!

[@elektrikman8834]

you seem to know what you are talking about I need something that tells me that the device im turning on is actually on like my pool pump does Sonoff make a device that will let me know the device my pool pumps actually running thanks

[@digiblurDIY]

How is it wired? Just a plug?

[@elektrikman8834]

@@digiblurDIY currently yes but that always can be changed I can even do it in my panel that feeds the pool pump and accessories Thanks for responding

[@digiblurDIY]

Probably best to do a CT clamp meter. Shelly has some

[@elektrikman8834]

@@digiblurDIY thanks I’ll check it out

[@edrenas7930]

Just wondering if anyone knows if the relays on Sonoff Basics are self-locking?

[@digiblurDIY]

Not that I am aware of.

[@edrenas7930]

@@digiblurDIY Thanks!

[@youngbuck10147]

Could you use a 9v battery as the input?

[@digiblurDIY]

Not without some modifications.

[@mr.t595]

In DIY mode can flash tasmota by wifi.

[@digiblurDIY]

Right after jumping through their 500 hoops. They didn't have to design it that way.

[@Guardian4673]

I can solder over a thousand points a day at work, and I'd rather use DIY mode.

[@mathesonstep]

iTead does not like the DIY community at all and they emailed me when I asked about OTA and custom firmware and they said they do not want people using custom firmware ever which makes me very upset with them I wish there was a product that was just as inexpensive as the sonoff

[@digiblurDIY]

The DIY community has made so many sales for them which is nuts to alienate us. Funny to see how Shelly embraces us.

[@interupt0]

You can get the Shelly1 for a comparable price; and as digiblurDIY pointed out, they embrace the DIY community. Nothing like voting with your wallet.

[@digiblurDIY]

Shelly needs a mains powered switch with exposed isolated GPIO pins badly.

[@lunakid12]

Matheson, nice bit of insight, thanks for sharing, even tho that (disliking custom firmware) was what I had assumed about any smart appliance vendors anyway. It never even crossed my mind that that "DIY" tag would be anything but a marketing frill. So, I'm quite surprised to see that Shelly does the opposite. (I wish I found this video + comments before buying from Sonoff. The next batch will come from Shelly. Thanks guys!)

[@ShiftyTipsChannel]

👌👌👌

[@clintAdventures]

where are people buying the R2?

[@digiblurDIY]

Last set I got was off of Amazon. They don't say R2 specifically.

[@annespacedroid]

What's tasmoto?. Is it anything like tasmota?.

[@digiblurDIY]

It's pretty close but more advanced from the south.