Sonoff’s Zigbee smart relay option were already known as ZBMINI, but for some time now its “-L” brother has been available. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about the Sonoff ZBMini-L smart relay.
What’s in the box, what do you need to know?
Opening the box in the usual minimalist way, you will find only the ZBMINI-L smart relay itself and an installation guide.
The device itself, unlike its predecessors, has a new look and this unfortunately does not always allow installation directly behind the switch in the classic cylindrical boxes.
The new exterior has a DIN-rail mount and the cable terminals have a protective “cap” that can be removed by hand with a little force.
In addition to its own Zigbee hubs(e.g. ZBBridge-P), it is also compatible with coordinators from other manufacturers, so you shouldn’t have any problems if this is the first Sonoff product in your home. This includes hubs for SmartThings and Amazon Alexa (the latter with ZE39KL Echo Plus, Echo Studio, DW84JL 2nd Gen Echo Show and L9D29R 2nd Gen Echo Plus Zigbee-enabled devices)
At the moment this smart relay is NOT able to work as a router! This is due to the missing negative wire solution. Although it could be possible, there are several examples on the internet of flickering light bulbs and similar problems so it can only be used as a terminal device from the factory.
What is Zigbee?
Zigbee is a communication solution specifically designed for low-power devices where high data bandwidth is not required, but where it is important to minimise the time delay. Zigbee is a good choice for battery-powered sensors, for example, where the uptime is several times that of WiFi. Zigbee devices are capable (under certain conditions) of mesh networking and can reach huge distances between two endpoints.
The Zigbee sensors cannot be used on their own, they need a Zigbee hub to connect them to your home/office network. One per system is sufficient, taking advantage of the above options.
Connect to
It’s worth paying attention to the instructions here because you could be in for an unpleasant experience. The S1 connection point is physically connected to the L-in! It can be used for either a rocker or push-button switch.
- 6A maximum load
- Min. 3W consumer power required for operation
- Cannot be used with inductive appliances such as fans out of the box
- toggle/push/roller support with optional 2-way switch mode
- In the case of a classic cylinder-based box, it is worth checking whether it will fit into the junction box, or whether the DIN solution can be used.
Features of the eWeLink application
- current off/on status
- the power on/off option itself, either on the main screen or on the device’s main screen
- Timing options: timing, countdown, cycle control
- at the time of writing there was no Itching feature
Home Assistant and Tasmota
Thanks to the eWeLink add-on, this smart relay can also be integrated into our Home Assistant system and automation.
If you need more, Tasmota flashing is also available.
Installation
- Turn off the circuit breaker of the apartment/house that is connected to the circuit / or the main switch instead…
- You can put the Sonoff ZBMINI-L behind the switch where you need it and follow the wiring instructions!
- Once everything is in place and you’re sure the wiring is correct, you can get the power back on. If you’re not sure, get an electrician to do it, because you can get electrocuted if you’re not careful!!!
- Launch the eWeLink app on your mobile
- Access the screen of your Zigbee hub
- Find the add button and click here
- In 5-15sec the data is sorted and you’re basically done.
🆓 – I was interested in the product, I received it for testing from SONOFF
💵 – I got it for free, 100% my own opinion
