One of the new products from the European brand Nous is the Nous B2T 1-gang Wi-Fi smart relay with energy monitoring, which can be used for controlling and monitoring the power consumption of outlets or light switches when installed behind them, or for controlling any other device up to 16A. Matter-compatible product.
Nous supplies the B2T relay module pre-installed with Tasmota firmware, making it especially recommended for users and integrators of open-source smart home systems, as well as those seeking solutions compatible with Matter hubs.
So what makes it special is that Nous ships the smart module with Tasmota firmware, so it is also recommended for users and integrators of open source smart home systems.
Note: Tasmota firmware is not a commercial product and only community support is available.
What is Tasmota firmware?
TASMOTA is an open-source firmware increasingly used - even factory pre-installed - as the base software for smart home devices. It allows cloud-independent local control, supporting manufacturer-independent, local, secure data storage. As Tasmota is open-source, the community continuously develops and checks it, increasing security and reliability.
It supports various communication protocols, such as MQTT, HTTP, and WebSocket, ensuring wide compatibility with different devices. TASMOTA devices can easily integrate with various smart home hubs, such as Home Assistant, OpenHAB, Domoticz, and Node-RED.
The Tasmota firmware offers a local web administration interface on the devices for different settings. It does not offer a "factory" app, but several third-party applications assist in controlling and managing the devices. Smart home platforms like Home Assistant, OpenHAB, and others also have mobile applications to integrate and control TASMOTA devices.
The Nous B2T WiFi smart switch module can be used as a one-channel relay switch and energy monitor. The device features a built-in ESP32 MINI-1 module with 4MB flash memory and comes with pre-installed Tasmota firmware, enabling easy integration with various smart home systems like Home Assistant.
The B2T module supports 100-240V AC or 24-30V DC power supply and connects to the Wi-Fi network via the built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. The module's special feature is its one-channel power measurement, making it suitable for monitoring the consumption of controlled devices and controlling them based on consumption data.
Since the B2T operates with Tasmota firmware, it is not compatible with Nous' own application but rather with open-source solutions such as Home Assistant or other systems supporting the MQTT protocol.
Thanks to its small size, it fits into standard-depth wall outlet boxes behind traditional light switches. It has an input for the light switch, allowing the smartified wall switches to remain usable as before.
It operates in local mode without internet connection or factory cloud, and it can be scheduled.
It is a Matter-compatible solution, compatible with Apple HomeKit and SmartThings when connected to a Matter hub.
When connected to a Matter hub or Home Assistant, it supports voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Main Features:
- Wi-Fi connection: Connects directly to the Wi-Fi router via 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
- ESP32 Chip: The powerful ESP32 processor ensures stable operation and fast data processing.
- Tasmota firmware: Open-source software that allows flexible customization and cloud-free control.
- One-channel control: Suitable for controlling one circuit up to 16A.
- Energy monitoring: Accurate real-time energy consumption monitoring.
- Compatibility: Compatible with numerous open-source smart home systems, such as Home Assistant, OpenHAB, Domoticz, and others.
- Matter standard compatible: Can be paired with the most common Matter hubs, making it compatible with various smart home platforms: e.g., SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, eWeLink, etc.
- Wall-mounted installation: The module can be installed behind switches, discreetly smartening up the selected traditional switch family.
- Voice control: Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa systems, allowing control via voice commands (with Matter hub or Home Assistant).
- Safe and reliable: The open-source Tasmota firmware offers local operation and a secure solution with local (cloud-free) data storage.
Examples of integration possibilities:
- Matter standard - compatible with the new smart home standard, Matter, and can be paired with the following hubs:
- Apple HomePod
- Apple TV
- Amazon Alexa Echo
- Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 2nd gen
- Google Home
- Nest Mini
- Compatible with: when paired with a Matter hub:
- SmartThings platform
- Apple HomeKit system
- Amazon Alexa voice control
- Google Home voice control
- MQTT - A messaging protocol that enables easy integration of devices running Tasmota firmware with various smart home systems, such as:
- Home Assistant - One of the most popular open-source smart home platforms that allows the integration and automation of various smart devices.
- OpenHAB - Another open-source home automation system that supports a wide range of device integrations and automation possibilities.
- Domoticz - An easy-to-use home automation system that allows the control and monitoring of various smart devices.
- Node-RED - A visual programming tool that enables easy integration and automation of smart home devices through flow diagrams.
- KNX system
- ioBroker system
- homematic IP system
