Grid Connect tips, tricks and help

[CSParnell]

Hi all,

I thought it may he good to have a feed where we could share any tips and tricks to do with any of the Grid Connect Range being Arlec, Deta, Verve, Orion.

I am learning from trial and error and really just accident so sharing with others and sharing back we may be able to create some good learning information for us all.

Please post below starting with what the trick is as the title then how to do so as the body of information.

Carl 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @davejonesau. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about Grid Connect iconography.

It's great to see that one of our knowledgeable members, @GreenHouse, has provided an answer. Let me also mention @CSParnell to see if he has any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[CSParnell]

@davejonesau 

The 2 rain drop all I can think is a dual IP rated ? As in water proof?

As you can see below from a fraction of mine different devices will bring their own icons and then you can add your own.

As @GreenHouse mentions the 3 bars are for energy graph devices.

 

  

You are best to set your devices up with unique icons eg smart lamps with a picture of the smart bulb, smart downlights an image of the downlight and so on. I've refreshed mine a few times hence mine are only half done, I've gotten to the point finally after a few years I'm pretty much set and forget unless I get a internet outage or power outage then I have to reset some devices. 

[john_jacobs]

Hi Guys,

I agree, I'd like to be able to use this device as a regular on and off light.

I think a good design would have a simple hardware switch to disable the smart feature. 

I presume this is just an early implementation of this kind of technology and when it has matured a bit more, other use cases will be taken into consideration.

For now I will have to reluctantly give Alec a negative review.

Cheers, John 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @john_jacobs.

If you'd like to share a little more information on what you'd like to achieve, perhaps our helpful members will be able to provide suggestions. Do you wish to have the option to use the light as both a smart device and as a standard globe, or just as a standard globe full-time?

As @CSParnell has mentioned, these devices are designed as a smart device. If they did have the functionality you're looking for, disconnecting them from a Wifi network would require re-pairing with your network every time they were placed back into smart mode. This would be a little more complicated than just utilising a simple hardware switch.

Please let me know if you have any questions and if you'd like to, the team at Grid Connect are always happy to receive feedback on their products.

Mitchell
 

[CSParnell]

@MitchellMc not only that they will he looking for the wifi connection and will be flashing or pulsing whilst looking for it. 

If you want a smart device buy a smart device, if you want a regular dumb device buy a regular dumb device.

All the manufacturers are under no obligation to have a feature to turn their smart devices off into a dumb device it defeats their purpose and probably their capability statement. 

Smart devices are made to automate your life and the way you interact with your surroundings you need to understand how they work, how they function, how you can program to make your life like how could you live with out that automation. Else to that use dumb regular devices. 

[TedBear]

Hi @john_jacobs ,

please don't give Arlec a bad review for making a product that does what it is designed to do. 

[davejonesau]

Thanks for replying @CSParnell. However both those pics are for the same device which is an Arlec plug in. 

 

I thought the Arlec & DETA changing were just advertising. But as for the icon those pics were taken only a few minutes apart of the same device. 

 

its either a glitch in the app or the change means something. Bit odd. 

 

Dave

[davejonesau]

Also - how long should the in line switch hold its network setting for if powered off at the supply. Seems odd that you’d have to reconnect the device to the app if it’s unplugged. 

This one is over a BBQ switching on/off a small floodlight. It’s at the end of a pair of lights, powered when the outdoor lights are on.

Won’t reconnect after being off for a few days. 

Dave

 

 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @davejonesau,

You might like to send the images through to the helpful team at GridConnect, and hopefully, they'll be able to let you know exactly what they mean.

I might need to call on @CSParnell's expertise, but I don't believe the inline switch is designed to lose power for any amount of time. Many GridConnect products need to be manually re-connected to WiFi even if power is turned off momentarily. That's the issue with running a device like this on a circuit that you wish to cut power to for other lights. It really needs to be on a line that has constant power. Well, that's my understanding of it, at least. I'm sure @CSParnell will correct me if I'm wrong.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[davejonesau]

Thanks. That’s disappointing. 

Might chance opening one up. The micro won’t be running on 240v. Battery backup should be possible in theory. 

(Trade qualified electronic tech so quite able to do so before anyone makes other observations.). 

Like the need for DETA light switches to have double pole single throw relays so they can be used in dual switched light circuits this would cost very little (cents) to achieve devices that retain WiFi settings. 

just dumb when companies stop a few cents short of making good products better products. 

Dave