EasySensors “6Gang30AmpsLatchRelayEspHomeReady” (now that’s a product name!) is a DIN Rail mountable, ESP32-S2-based automation device featuring six 32A latch relays and supporting ESPHome open-source framework.
The system also comes with two inputs for Dallas temperature sensors, two buttons for manual control of relays, a USB-C port for programming, as well as an external SMA antenna for WiFi connectivity.
6Gang30AmpsLatchRelayEspHomeReady specifications:
- Wireless SoC – Espressif ESP32-S2 Xtensa single-core 32-bit LX7 microcontroller @ up to 240 MHz with 320 kB SRAM, 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 (Matter-ready)
- Antenna – Embedded IPX to SMA adapter, 3dBi antenna
- I/Os
- 6x 32A latch relays with zero current idle consumption
- 2x Dallas temperature sensor pins with 5 kOhm pull-up resistors
- USB – 1x USB Type-C for programming via CP2102 USB to TTL chip
- Misc
- 6x control buttons, Reset button
- 6x status LED’s, 2x status LED’s
- Input Voltage – 85 to 305V AC
- Dimensions
- Board – 147 x 87 mm
- DIN rail plastic enclosure – 150 x 106 x 42mm
The ESP32-S2 firmware’s binary files are available on Github, and the instructions to get started with ESPHome can be found on Github.io. Note this requires Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, and Firefox does not work. You can check out how to get started in the video below.
Considering the device is supposed to handle up to 32A and connect to the mains, I was quite surprised the company did not provide any information about safety, either through specific measures taken during PCB design or safety certifications like TUV or ETL.
EasySensors ESP32-S2 6-gang home automation solution can be purchased on Aliexpress for $74 plus shipping. Note it’s not the first time we write about EasySensors, as the company’s easySwitchBox LoRa wall switch was featured on CNX Software when it launched on Crowd Supply in 2019.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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I bought a pile of Shelly pro 4 pm’s instead. Those speak ethernet, mqtt and whatnot. No DS18B20 sensor input, but I’d rather do that from my data rack anyway…
It is sensible choice. Shelly pro 4pm is almost perfect device. But I think the uncompromised load capability is the point of the reviewed device. Shelly uses HF32FV-16 relays. These are good relays. But you are still limited to 3A for electronic ballasts and 1HP motors. I’am pretty sure I can’t use the shelly to connect the kitchen to the mains. I wouldn’t connect even an entire room with lots of loads to the mains using the shelly or any other device with generic 10/16/25A relay.
> The ESP32-S2 firmware is closed source with the binary files
Esphome is completely open source thing.
In the corresponding repo one can find 6Gang30AmpsLatchRelay.yaml (which is plain text config) paste it to local Esphome install, generate and flash firmware on the fly.
I could not find any code in the Github repo, only binary files, so that’s why I assumed the firmware was closed-source. So if I understand correctly ESPHome will just build the firmware based on the YAML config and flash the resulting binary to the device.
That fits. All one needs is a yaml and the rest of the “work” is done by esphome:
> ESPHome is a system to control your ESP8266/ESP32 by simple yet powerful configuration files and control them remotely through Home Automation systems.
I agree, without expirience with ESPHome it is tricky to get idea. ESPHome kind of code generator for PlatformIO based on simple human readble yaml config and offer excellent intergarion with Homeassistant smart home stack. But also support MQTT, Web UI or can be replaced with another firmware as in yaml defined all the logic and pinout.
We can say, without 6Gang30AmpsLatchRelay.yaml it can be considered closed source (but easilly reversed) while config is simple way to change things:
For example, controller type:
Sensor (one can change name here):
And config file have a lot of comments asking to set some values (like sensor ID above) and links to ESPHome docs.
I see. What I don’t understand is why EasySensors felt the need to share the firmware binaries (bootloader.bin, firmware.bin, ota_data_initial.bin, partitions.bin) if those are going to be generated by ESPHome.
After a bit of research I think this is for installing pre-built firmware from github page without ESPHome installed, as shown on video.
ESPHome itself looks very different and able to flash via chorme-based browser or derectly attached device via any browser.