TUYA Smart breaker

The what I call “TUYA Smart breaker” has been re labelled so many times that there is no one name or description you will find it listed under when shopping for it.

It looks like this with some minor differences depending on where you find it

I decided to write a quick review on it because I have found it very useful.

Ill start off by listing some of the features.

1.       Has a Pre-Paid function, I use this to mirror and check my prepaid units, whenever I load up units onto the City power meter, a also load it up on this meter and it will alert me when I am running low, and if you are using it in your connected cottage you can have it switch off if the units reach 0

2.       Monitors whole home energy & power usage, with history that you can reset.

3.       Has over current detection

4.       Has over and under voltage detection

5.       Has earth leakage detection

6.       Circuit stays closed if supply is disrupted, I like this because on the occasion I have forgotten to buy prepaid, with the circuit closed the keypad maintains communication with the meter so I can load new tokens easily.

It can be found online for R600 plus or minus R200 depending on where you buy it and what specials are going.

When you consider there are units out there that just offer a LCD screen with current usage and nothing else for the same price, this unit offers value for money.

I have had one running without a hitch for over 6 months now, the usage stats I got from this were helpful in sizing my off grid solar installation.

Not everything is roses though some drawbacks are

To get the full benefit from It, it needs to be installed in your DB board either just before or after the main earth leakage and it takes up 2 slots, so installation can be a pain.

it uses the Tuya app which I am not a fan of (i have looked for a Sonoff version with no luck), but using the Tuya local integration in Home Assistant works well and has quick response.

My wife is a technophobe so I tried to teach her to use the buttons on the unit and she just does not have the physical strength to push the on/off button so that it registers.

In conclusion I can recommend this device.