I've noticed similar quirks with my DIY Tasmota switches too—some run warmish, others barely noticeable. Honestly though, the real budget win is flexibility and custom automation, not just energy savings. Still worth it in my book, despite the occasional troubleshooting headache...
"Honestly though, the real budget win is flexibility and custom automation, not just energy savings."
Couldn't agree more with this. I've been down the DIY smart home rabbit hole myself, and while energy savings are nice, they're rarely the main draw. It's all about tailoring your home exactly to your lifestyle—something off-the-shelf products often can't fully deliver.
That said, I've noticed similar inconsistencies with DIY gear. I had a couple of Sonoff switches flashed with Tasmota that ran noticeably warm too. After some digging around, it turned out to be related to the internal power supply design in certain batches. Swapping them out for newer revisions or even adding a small ventilation gap behind the switch plate helped significantly. Might be worth checking if yours are from an older batch or if there's any firmware update available.
Also, while troubleshooting headaches can be frustrating (been there...), I've found that documenting my setup clearly—like keeping track of firmware versions, device IDs, and custom scripts—really cuts down on future hassles. A little upfront effort goes a long way when something inevitably acts up later on.
One more thing: don't underestimate the value of investing slightly more upfront in quality components—even on a tight budget. I've learned this the hard way after replacing cheaper sensors multiple times due to reliability issues. Sometimes spending just a bit extra initially saves you money (and sanity) down the road.
Overall though, DIY smart homes are totally doable on a budget if you're willing to put in some research and elbow grease. The flexibility alone makes it worthwhile... quirks and all.
Totally relate to the point about quality components. I've had my share of headaches with cheaper sensors randomly dropping off the network... not fun when you're away from home. On another note, has anyone experimented with integrating DIY smart setups into existing green building features? Curious if combining passive solar or natural ventilation strategies with automation has worked well for others.
I've seen some decent results combining passive solar with simple automated blinds. Doesn't have to be overly complex—just basic sensors triggering shades based on sunlight intensity and indoor temps. Keeps the house comfortable and cuts down HVAC use without breaking the bank. Natural ventilation's trickier though... tried automating window openings before, but reliability was hit-or-miss. Might depend more on your climate and window setup, honestly.
"Natural ventilation's trickier though... tried automating window openings before, but reliability was hit-or-miss. Might depend more on your climate and window setup, honestly."
Yeah, I feel you on that one. A couple years back, I worked on a project where the client was dead-set on automating everything—including the windows for ventilation. We went with a pretty basic setup, nothing fancy, just some actuators and sensors tied into a simple controller. On paper, it sounded great: windows opening automatically when indoor temps rose or humidity got too high. But in practice... not so much.
The biggest issue we ran into was the inconsistency. Sometimes the windows opened too early, letting in cold air when it wasn't needed yet, or they'd stay shut when the room was already stuffy. And don't even get me started on the noise—those actuators weren't exactly whisper-quiet. After a few months of tweaking and troubleshooting, the client ended up disabling the automation entirely and just opening the windows manually again.
On the flip side, I've seen automated blinds work pretty well, especially when paired with passive solar design like you mentioned. Simple sensors and basic motorized shades can do wonders without costing a fortune. But windows? Honestly, unless you've got a really stable climate or you're willing to invest in higher-end gear, I'd probably skip automating natural ventilation altogether. Sometimes simpler really is better.
