SMS socket: how a GSM-controlled socket works and is installed

Reliable home

Remote GSM control of heating in the house

On sale there are sets of additional indicators (sensors for opening doors, volume, fire safety, gas and water leaks, external microphones, etc.), thanks to which a GSM socket can be converted into a full-fledged security system with your own hands. If your house is already equipped with an alarm, it can become part of it: connect a device to it that can scare off robbers, for example, a siren or lighting inside the yard.Or simply set your smart plug to turn the lights on and off regularly in rooms so that you appear to be in the house.

What's more, in addition to one main number, it supports up to 5 minor numbers, which means that you can set the access rights to control the appliance as you like. Thus, for example, you can solve the issue with your own hands using a computer in a children's room on a schedule.

Applications

• home appliances control in everyday life: kettle, iron, oven, boiler, refrigerator, "warm" floors, etc.;
• in the office, rebooting network devices such as servers, routers, and switches, as well as configuring their work on a schedule;
• at the dacha, setting up watering the garden and vegetable garden according to the schedule;
• indoor climate control;
• protection of the premises with the help of additional sensors;
• forced emergency de-energization of the premises.

Main functions

• manual control of turning the device on and off, as well as the execution of these commands with a delay thanks to the built-in timer;
• operation of the device according to a given schedule, that is, turning on and off the current at predetermined time intervals;
• ambient air temperature control through an additionally connected thermal sensor;
• informing the owner about reaching the required temperature in the house via SMS, as well as an emergency notification of a sudden change in temperature or the state of the electrical network;

• "Climate control" function: control of turning on and off the device automatically depending on the ambient temperature.

What varieties are

Manufacturers offer two types of gsm sockets:

With one exit.It can be optionally equipped with a gas leak indicator, a fire safety sensor or an open door warning system. In the latter case, it can be used as a complete security system.

Network extension. In appearance, it resembles a conventional surge protector. It differs from it by the presence of a slot for connecting a SIM card and a power management system through it.

According to the installation method, they are divided into:

Overhead. They are an adapter that plugs into a regular outlet. They are in demand most often because of the simple connection and operation. The main advantage is the ability to quickly move the device from one room to another at any time.

Embedded. Installed during finishing work directly into the wall. Before buying, you need to carefully consider where and for what purposes the product will be used, as well as what kind of load it will experience.

Look at the photo of gsm sockets to be able to distinguish between them.

Faults

The power indicator is off, repeated beep - no external power. In this case, the control of the device automatically switches to manual mode. Check for mains power.

Frequent blinking of the GSM network indicator for a long time, the absence of a signal from this indicator indicates that a SIM card is not inserted into the device or the network is not found. Check if you have a SIM card and whether the PIN code request function is disabled on it.

Functions blocked - check if the caller ID mode is disabled on the SIM card in the mobile phone from which the control is carried out, if there is money on the card.

No response to SMS commands - device failure. Turn off and on the outlet. Reset to factory settings if necessary.

Types and main differences between devices

The range of such equipment is very diverse. Such GSM sockets with a thermometer are distinguished by:

• In a constructive way;
• Additional features.

They can be presented as a single device or as a network filter, which includes five separate elements, 4 of them are controlled by SMS messages.

Additionally, they can be equipped with temperature sensors or thermometers. A controlled GSM socket with a temperature sensor allows you to create comfortable conditions in the room by controlling the operation of heating devices remotely.

There are differences between individual models and in load power. However, no matter how many differences there are between various modifications of these devices, they are identical in one thing - the principle of operation.

Device and principle of operation

If you disassemble the socket, then you can see that there is a special board inside its design. It is also called gsm module. On the case, you can see indicators that may differ depending on the specific model. The board has a special slot for a SIM card. After purchasing such an outlet, you need to install a SIM card and insert the device into the outlet. Now you can connect the electrical appliance and control it remotely.

gsm socket design

You can control the system using SMS commands. To greatly simplify the process for yourself, you should make templates for all commands. You can control the device using other methods. You can install a special application on your smartphone. You can find the download address on the packaging box. After installing the application, you can start setting up your outlet.

The main advantage of using this management method is that all teams from the last year will be saved.

What is a smart socket

Using a smartphone, the outlet can be controlled from anywhere in the world

A smart socket is a power point that can turn on / off by itself or by a command given from remote devices. In the second case, the device is called a controlled outlet. The device automates the process of using lighting fixtures, household appliances, equipment powered by electricity (roller doors, etc.).

Use smart devices for the following purposes:

• remote control of climate control devices in the house, in the country;
• the ability to open the doors of the gate / garage without leaving the car;
• turning off household appliances after leaving the house (forgotten kettle, iron, coffee machine, air conditioner, etc.);
• automation of on / off cycles of devices during the absence of homeowners;
• starting or braking the operation of equipment according to specified conditions (on triggered motion sensors);
• control of electricity consumption at a specific power point;
• execution of equipment reboot cycles;
• irrigation system management.

Rating of the best smart sockets

In order to make it easier for our readers to choose a smart plug, below is a ranking of the best models for July 2020.

1. Xiaomi Mi Smart Power Plug

With this model, you can control your household electrical appliances from your car, workplace or even from the beach. With a complete set of the smart home system from Xiaomi, the possibilities of the outlet will expand further. If the device is correctly configured, the house will be guaranteed to be warm, and electricity bills will be lower.

• Country of origin - China;
• Case material – thermoplastic;
• Weight - 65.5 g;
• Control method - Wi-Fi;
• The average cost is 1000-2000 rubles.

2.TP Link HS100

The smart socket from the TP-Link company is in the widest demand among the Russian buyers. This device includes all the functions necessary for the average consumer: on and off timer, remote power control, electricity meter. The product is lightweight and compact. A distinctive feature is the stylish minimalistic design of the case.

• Country of origin - China;
• Case material – polycarbonate;
• Weight - 135 g;
• Control method - Wi-Fi;
• The average cost is 2000 rubles.

3. Redmond RSP-103S

The product provides efficient power management for electrical appliances up to 2.3 kW. In a proprietary application, you can give each device a name and prescribe different action scenarios. For example, turn on the heating or music center in the morning. Protection against overloads and strong voltage drops is provided.

• Installation method - consignment note;
• Input voltage - 220-240V;
• Maximum current - 10A;
• Control type - Wi-Fi;
• The average cost is 1000 rubles.

4. SENSEIT GS4

SENSEIT GS4 is a unique device designed and manufactured in Russia. The socket not only turns on and off the power of electrical appliances, but also monitors the parameters of the electrical network, provides strict accounting for electricity consumption, measures temperature, detects water leaks, and can work according to complex algorithms. One of the main advantages of the domestic device is the ability to warn about a power outage in the house.

• Maximum power - 3500 W;
• Maximum current - 16A;
• Connectors for connecting additional sensors - 2 pcs.;
• Control Method - 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE;
• The average cost is 5000-7000 rubles.(depending on configuration).

5. Rubetek RE-3301

Smart socket Rubetek RE-3301 is used to control household appliances. In a branded mobile application, you can create different scenarios. The built-in LED indicator changes color depending on the load, helping to control power consumption. The device is compatible with Android 4.1 and iOS 8 and above, works with Alice and supports connection with various sensors, including motion and gas leaks. The case is made of heat-resistant plastic.

• type - invoice;
• control type - Wi-Fi;
• input voltage - 230V;
• maximum current - 11A;
• average cost - 3200 rubles.

6. Sonoff S26

The Sonoff S26 socket is a unique adapter between a standard socket and a household appliance connected to it. The product allows you to remotely control equipment and track its status (on or off) via the Internet using a special application on a smartphone or tablet with IOS and Android operating systems. This model allows you to perform up to 10 different scheduled tasks. Using a smart socket is very simple - you just need to connect an iron, TV, boiler or stove and launch the Ewelink app.

• input voltage - 100-250V;
• AC frequency - 5,-60 Hz;
• control type - Wi-Fi;
• maximum power - 2 kW;
• average cost - 1200 rubles.

7. Telemetry T40

Smart socket Telemetric T40 has a built-in temperature sensor. It will be useful for use in tandem with a heater - you can bring the room temperature to a certain threshold and turn off the heater to save energy and safety. Can be linked to up to four devices in the house. The device can control most household electrical appliances.

• manufacturer - China;
• case material – thermoplastic;
• weight - 90 g;
• remote control - via GSM;
• the average cost is 6500 rubles.

8. Smart socket "Yandex"

You can control this smart socket in the Yandex application or with the help of Alice. The product is used to turn on and off household electrical appliances. So, with its help, you can remotely start a robot vacuum cleaner or air conditioner. There is a manual shutdown button in case there is no Internet.

• placement method - invoice;
• control type - Wi-Fi;
• input voltage - 230V;
• maximum current - 16A;
• average cost - 1200 rubles.

Areas of application for smart sockets

For giving

At the dacha, a smart device can be used to water the plantings on the site according to the schedule. The user sets his schedule and the automation supplies water.

For home

At home, there are various failures in the electrical network, this leads to accidents. From a distance, you can control a warm floor, a kettle, a refrigerator, an iron, a boiler, an oven and similar appliances.

For emergencies

If necessary, you can urgently de-energize any room. To do this, you need to set such a function and all electricity will be turned off at once.

For offices

You can restart switches, network devices, routers, servers according to a specific schedule. It is enough to set a certain schedule for the operation of these devices.

With temperature sensor

You can control the microclimate in the premises using GSM sockets. Automation will turn on and off heating and cooling devices, working on the sensor. The activation and deactivation of the devices can be controlled manually or delayed by a precise timer.A smart socket with a thermometer, which has a climate control function, allows you to automatically turn appliances on and off according to the ambient temperature.

It is convenient for the user that a special schedule can be entered, and according to it, the current supply will be turned on and off in time. An SMS alert on the phone can be received in case of an unexpected drop in air temperature, power surges.

Security GSM socket

Smart sockets help protect premises from intruders. A system of sensors protects against unauthorized entry into the home.

smart sockets are convenient to use at home and in the office, you can turn on and off equipment from a distance

The most popular GSM sockets

Telemetry T40. Provides load control up to 3.5 kW. External temperature sensor accurate to 1°С. Thermostat in "heating", "air conditioning" modes. Built-in memory with the ability to notify about the loss / renewal 220V. Mechanical control button. Possibility to connect four T20 slave sockets. Temperature mode of operation from -10 °C. Management both via SMS and Russified applications for operating systems of iPhone, Android smartphones.

ELANG PowerControl. Load up to 2.6 kW. Internal temperature sensor. Query current status, turn equipment on and off. Existence of the mechanical button on/off. Temperature mode of operation from -30 °C. Management - via SMS.

IQSocket Mobile. Development and production Czech Republic, - IQTronic companies. Based on the legendary Finnish socket iSocket-707. Load control 3.5 kW. Built-in memory to control the restoration and loss of power supply. Ability to connect a high-precision external temperature sensor with calibration up to 0.1°C. The ability to adjust the thermostat.True, for this you will need to purchase an extended license. Control via SMS, voice menu or Bluetooth application. An external GSM antenna allows you to have a stable connection even with a weak signal from a mobile operator.

Areas of application for smart sockets

For giving

At the dacha, a smart device can be used to water the plantings on the site according to the schedule. The user sets his schedule and the automation supplies water.

For home

At home, there are various failures in the electrical network, this leads to accidents. From a distance, you can control a warm floor, a kettle, a refrigerator, an iron, a boiler, an oven and similar appliances.

For emergencies

If necessary, you can urgently de-energize any room. To do this, you need to set such a function and all electricity will be turned off at once.

For offices

You can restart switches, network devices, routers, servers according to a specific schedule. It is enough to set a certain schedule for the operation of these devices.

With temperature sensor

You can control the microclimate in the premises using GSM sockets. Automation will turn on and off heating and cooling devices, working on the sensor. The activation and deactivation of the devices can be controlled manually or delayed by a precise timer. A smart socket with a thermometer, which has a climate control function, allows you to automatically turn appliances on and off according to the ambient temperature.

It is convenient for the user that a special schedule can be entered, and according to it, the current supply will be turned on and off in time. An SMS alert on the phone can be received in case of an unexpected drop in air temperature, power surges.

Security GSM socket

Smart sockets help protect premises from intruders. A system of sensors protects against unauthorized entry into the home.

smart sockets are convenient to use at home and in the office, you can turn on and off equipment from a distance

What "Telemetrics T4" can do

In short, the GSM socket is able to turn on and off the power supply to any connected device, focusing on SMS commands and specified conditions, including:

• Ambient temperature (enable/disable when the specified boundary parameters are reached).
• Timer (turn on / off after a certain amount of time within 720 minutes).
• Schedule (turn on / off at strictly defined time intervals).

In what cases can this be useful? In fact, there are a lot of options, it all depends on the needs of each individual user. Here are some typical examples:

1. There is a router that freezes from time to time and requires a reboot. It is located far away, for example, in the apartment of parents who do not understand anything in modern technology. Or in the entrance of the house, where a small private network is set up. "T4 telemetry" will allow you to reboot the device, wherever you are. If only there was an opportunity to send SMS.
2. An electric heater is installed in the country house, which you can turn on in advance, shortly before your arrival, in the fierce winter cold. The company will immediately get into a warm room, ready to receive guests, party and fun.
3. Automatic room temperature control. The presence of a complete temperature sensor and the ability to set the boundary values ​​for the GSM socket allow you to maintain the desired microclimate in the room. For example, you can automatically turn on the heater when the temperature reaches 18°C ​​and turn it off at 24°C.Or vice versa, if we are talking about cooling the room with an air conditioner.

Additional features include SMS-informing in the following cases:

• loss/appearance of external voltage;
• monitoring the temperature, if the alert option is activated when it goes beyond the indicated limits;
• the activated alert option in case of a sudden change in temperature (for example, a change of 10 ° C in 30 minutes).

What tasks are solved with the help of GSM sockets

The most popular use of GSM sockets in Russia is the remote switching on of heating equipment in a country house, dacha.

For boilers, especially when they are filled with water, it is critical to prevent freezing. Those

it is necessary to constantly maintain the temperature above 0 ° C. Using a temperature sensor, you can easily monitor the temperature near the boiler and turn on the starter if necessary. All this is remote. Without the need to wander for tens - hundreds of miles.

Using a thermostat, you can automate this function altogether. Set, for example, constant temperature maintenance from +10°C to +18°C in the “heating” mode. The socket itself will turn on the heating when the temperature drops below 10 and turn off the heating when it exceeds 18 degrees. Saving money, time and nerves.

Examples of SMS commands for controlling a GSM socket Telemetrics from a cell phone

Examples of SMS commands for controlling a GSM socket Telemetric T40 using a cell phone

Internet sockets with the prefix "smart"

Today these are the most popular smart sockets. They are often referred to as Wi-Fi outlets. Such devices are controlled from anywhere where there is an Internet connection. Produced with one or more sockets (in the form of an extension).Outwardly, they look like an "adapter" or a surge protector.

During the initial setup, they connect to a home Wi-Fi router, from which they receive a personal IP address and Internet access. Configuration is carried out through the manufacturer's applications. Applications have a graphical interface, which greatly simplifies configuration. Saving the work log makes it possible to build work schedules and take other statistical readings. Settings are stored in non-volatile memory, or on manufacturers' cloud servers. This ensures that the settings are saved during power failures or when they are moved to a new installation location.

Many nice "chips" can be implemented in manufacturers' applications. The more functionality such an outlet provides to the user, the more expensive it is. Budget options are available at prices starting at $10.

Top 5 internet outlets of 2020:

1. Xiaomi Mi Smart Plug WI-FI (Outdoor, power up to 3680 W, timer, scheduled operation, surge protection).
2. Xiaomi Aqara Smart Wall Socket (Embedded, gateway operation, power up to 2200 W, timer, scheduled operation, energy consumption statistics, child protection).
3. TP-LINK HS100 (Outdoor, power up to 3500 W, timer, scheduled operation, energy consumption statistics, child protection).
4. Rubetek RE-3301(Outdoor, programmable, power up to 2500W, timer, scheduled operation, energy consumption statistics, surge protection, child protection)
5. Sonoff Wi-Fi Smart Socket (Outdoor, programmable, power up to 2200 W, up to eight timers simultaneously, child protection).

How to apply?

Today it has become fashionable to have such a controlled device as a GSM socket in the house.Thanks to him, you can, without getting out of bed, turn off the light or turn on the coffee maker, taking a shower, and much more. Compared to other "smart" counterparts, whose work is controlled via SMS messages, the socket is mounted quickly, and its settings are easy. Therefore, everyone will be able to cope with such work, the main thing is that before installation, you need to make sure the quality of mobile communications, without which it does not work.

The installation and configuration process includes several steps.

• First of all, the socket itself and the SIM card of the previously selected operator are bought. You should also check the operator's tariff plan, it should provide for sending and receiving SMS messages. After that, the SIM card is replenished and the request for a pin code or password is disabled in it at the entrance. The SIM card is placed in the device and the socket is installed. It is connected to any electrical device that requires remote control, if the indicator lamp lights up and an SMS message is received about this, then everything works.
• The next step is to set up the outlet. First, you should check that the module is in good condition and is working (the light on it should be red). Then you need to bind the SIM card to the equipment using simple instructions from the manufacturer. Each socket model is characterized by its own programming nuances. Some manufacturers equip it with a master-slave set, while others - with an independent function.

The more additional sensors present on the socket, the more difficult it is to configure

In addition, you will have to carefully study the technical features of the device and pay special attention to the maximum load.For example, if the device is designed for a power of 1.5 kW, and a household device that consumes 3 kW is connected to it, then it will not withstand and burn out

Therefore, experts recommend always purchasing outlets with more power, which will protect family members from emergencies. After the device is installed and configured, check its operation and connect all necessary household appliances.

For information on which GSM socket to choose, see the video below.