Xiaoyan/Terncy Releases Zigbee Switch Module
Shanghai-based Xiaoyan (pronounced shau-yen), also known as Terncy outside of China, has announced another new product they’re working on releasing soon, which can make regular outlets and light switches smart, as well as control (in terms of ‘on’ or ‘off’) pretty much anything that needs a connection to mains electricity.
This class of device is something other companies have released in the past, including Fibaro’s wifi based ‘Single Switch’, Aqara’s recent Wireless relay switch, that uses Zigbee, and Taiwan based DucTech, who are bringing out their own DucWire unit, which we mentioned a while back. In a basic way, the switches sit between the wires from your light switch or wall outlet and the wires that connect to mains electricity, thereby becoming a ‘gate’ that you can control the power to, via HomeKit, much in the same way that a smart plug works, only these can be used to directly wire up to a device, like the water pump from a swimming pool, for example.
Xiaoyan’s own Relay switch uses Zigbee and will pair with Xiaoyan’s own Smart Home hub, that also works with their sensors, switches and sockets. It’s suitable for controlling two separate devices, so if you were to deploy this for controlling ‘dumb’ light switches, for example, this would be perfect for a double light switch. We don’t have a lot of other information the switch at present, but it weighs 46g/1.6oz, 56 x 44 x 18.8mm/2.2 x 1.7 x 0.74″, and has a working temperature range of -10 to 60ºC/14 – 140ºF.
We’ll be conducting a review of this product at some point soon.
