2.5 on Smart Home? Sure — But Secure!

3 Smart Home fails: devices I would NOT buy today!

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0200

Imagine: you get up in the morning, want to raise the blind – and nothing happens. Try the app? Nothing. Try the physical switch directly? Dead. And here’s the kicker: the fault is buried deep inside a wall-mounted junction box.

That was the moment I realised: my smart home had just turned into a nightmare. And I’m not alone with experiences like this.

Today I’m showing you three devices that made it very clear to me where smart home can really go wrong. Not theoretical problems – but real fails that cost me time, money and nerves. We’re talking about 14 actuators all failing. A robot vacuum that became useless overnight. And false alarms waking me up in the middle of the night.

Watch the video – I demonstrate the problems live and show you what you can learn from them.

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Fail #1: Shelly 2.5 – When 14 actuators died at the same time

The slow death inside the wall

This is a Shelly 2.5 – an actuator for roller shutters and blinds. I have 14 of them installed. Fourteen! Nearly all in junction boxes, permanently wired behind wallpaper and plaster. My expectation was pretty clear: install once, close up, forget it. Set and forget.

On the software side I was happy for a long time: locally controllable, great Home Assistant integration, no cloud dependency. Exactly what you want.

And then the drama began.

The same defect – 14 times

In all – yes, literally all – of these Shelly 2.5 actuators, one component failed after some time, one by one. All fourteen, always the same defect. Morning routine, raise the blind? Nothing. App? Nothing. Physical switch? Dead.

Now here’s the real nightmare: these things are of course sitting in junction boxes. That means: open the wall, pull out the actuator, desolder the capacitor, solder in a new one, reinstall, close the wall. Per actuator. Fourteen times.

That was a genuine maintenance disaster for me. And I’m not alone. There are masses of reports about this Shelly generation online.

In the video I show you exactly what went wrong and how I carried out the repair. The detailed repair guide is in this separate article.

Small consolation: repair is possible

With a soldering iron you can swap the faulty component for a few cents in parts. But honestly: do you really want to open 14 wall boxes and replace capacitors?

Important note: this problem affects specifically the Shelly 2.5. The successors Shelly Plus 2PM and the Gen 3 and Gen 4 are ones I use heavily myself and have had zero failures with so far. So this isn’t about bashing the manufacturer across the board.

The key lesson

Wait for long-term community experience before buying new products. First generation? Let others be the testers. Second generation with solid reviews over a year? Then go ahead.

Fail #2: Shark robot vacuum – When the cloud kills your integration

From smart home star to useless appliance

The second device frustrated me in a completely different way. It’s about my Shark robot vacuum. And upfront: the hardware is perfectly fine. It vacuums well, navigates decently, does its job.

For months I had it deeply integrated into my smart home. Built automations along the lines of: “When nobody’s home, start cleaning.” The Home Assistant integration ran perfectly. This wasn’t a toy – it was a solid, reliable part of my daily routine.

Watch in the video how well the system worked – before everything fell apart.

One app update. One dead integration.

And then, one morning: automation triggers – nothing happens. Home Assistant shows: connection lost. Maybe a bug? Open the app – it works. Robot starts via app. But the Home Assistant integration? Dead. Still dead weeks later. Permanently.

What happened? The Shark app had updated itself automatically – as apps do. Completely normal, in the background. Without me actively deciding anything or consciously triggering it.

But with this update, something had changed in the cloud interface. The result: the Home Assistant integration was broken. No workaround, no fallback, no local API.

The moment of realisation

That was the moment I understood: I didn’t buy a device I’m in control of. I bought a device whose capabilities can change at any time via a server update. Without my consent. Without warning. And I can do nothing about it.

In the video I explain in depth why this is a fundamental problem with many cloud-dependent devices.

Imagine buying a car – and a year later the manufacturer says: “Sorry, the radio only works with our app now.” That’s exactly what happened here. Except that the “radio” in my case was the entire smart home integration.

The lesson: an exit strategy is mandatory

Cloud is convenient – but you always need an exit strategy.

Is there a local API?
Can I flash alternative firmware?
Does the device work without internet?

Bose recently handed us a similar case. If that interests you, here’s the article about Bose SoundTouch.

Fail #3: Sonoff Zigbee motion sensor – The night-time false alarms

Bought cheap, paid dearly

The third device looks harmless at first glance: a Sonoff Zigbee motion sensor. Cheap, bought 10 of them, quickly integrated, classic use case for lighting automations.

And at first I thought: okay, maybe a bit sensitive. Adjust the calibration, reduce the range, tried everything.

But then reality hit:

The night-time horror

Middle of the night – light comes on. I wake up, fall back asleep. Half an hour later: again. Three, four times per night. After two weeks I was nearly going mad.

I first thought: a bug in my automation. Checked all the logs. But no: the sensor is genuinely reporting motion. Where there isn’t any.

Same during the day. Light comes on when nobody’s in the room. Shadow from outside? Reflection? An insect on the sensor? No idea. But it doesn’t matter – because the result is the same: the system isn’t reliable.

In the video I demonstrate what these false triggers feel like and what impact they have on your trust in the system.

Unreliability is the death of any automation

In my view, this is the death of any automation. Because sooner or later you start disabling automations. Deactivating sensors. You lose trust in the system.

I replaced these sensors consistently with Aqara motion sensors. More discreet, significantly more reliable – and suddenly the system works. No more false triggers. No more waking up at night. Just: it works.

Not a brand problem, but a product problem

Important: this isn’t a general Sonoff problem. I use plenty of other Sonoff devices myself – Sonoff Basic or S20 plug switches for example – flashed with Tasmota. Local, no cloud, rock-solid for years. Except once, a capacitor issue there too – but that stayed a one-off.

The motion sensor is therefore a specific product problem, not a brand problem.

The lesson: test first, then scale up

Test sensors in everyday use before buying ten of them. One sensor for €10 is cheap – but ten faulty sensors are €100 of e-waste.

Unreliable sensors cannot be “optimised”. No tuning, no configuration makes a bad sensor good. Replacing them decisively is the only solution.

Three golden rules for your smart home purchases

From these three fails I’ve developed three rules I explain in detail in the video:

Rule 1: Have an exit strategy

Ask yourself:

Is there a local API?
Can I flash alternative firmware?
Does the device work without internet?

If all the answers are “no” – think very carefully before buying.

Rule 2: Wait for community experience

Wait for long-term reviews. Read user reports. Only install critical actuators where you can reach them again if needed. So junction boxes only with absolutely proven hardware.

Rule 3: Test sensors thoroughly

Testing one sensor in real life for two weeks might cost you €10. Test first, then buy. Not the other way around.

The opposite: the best devices

If you want, in the next video I’ll do exactly the opposite: Three devices that have run absolutely reliably for years. That I would buy again immediately. That cost me zero maintenance.

Watch the video and write “YES” in the comments if that interests you!

Or do you have a smart home device you could throw against the wall? What was your biggest fail? I’m looking forward to your stories in the comments!

Repairing BROKEN Shellys – the 30 CENT Fix That Actually Works!

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Is your Shelly 2.5 humming? Making strange noises or constantly dropping the Wi-Fi connection? Then you are probably familiar with the frustrating problem that many Shelly owners face: after a few years, these devices become increasingly unreliable.

What looks like a Wi-Fi problem at first usually has a completely different cause. The good news: in most cases you can fix it yourself with a 50-cent repair!

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The Problem: When Shellys Get Old

Recognizing the Typical Symptoms

Shelly 2.5 devices of the first generation in particular show characteristic problems after a few years:

Strange noises: Humming or buzzing from the device
Unstable Wi-Fi connection: Sporadic disconnects
Unreliable operation: Commands are not executed
Complete failure: The device stops responding entirely

In the video I demonstrate the characteristic sound — if your Shelly sounds like that, there is a good chance this repair will help!

The Root Cause: Capacitor Aging

What many people do not know: the problem is usually not the ESP8266 chip or the antenna, but a tiny electrolytic capacitor in the power supply. After years of use, it loses its electrical properties and destabilizes the entire power circuit.

The tricky part: the capacitor looks completely normal from the outside — no bulging, no visible damage.

The 50-Cent Repair, Step by Step

What You Need

100µF/16V electrolytic capacitor (approx. 50 cents)
Soldering iron and solder
Narrow flat-head screwdriver
Some patience and care

Important safety note: Never work on the Shelly while it is connected to mains power!

Opening the Case — the Flat-Head Screwdriver Trick

Opening the Shelly 2.5 is a little tricky, but perfectly doable with the right approach. In the video I show you exactly:

Where to insert the flat-head screwdriver
How to carefully pry off the casing
What to watch out for with the delicate tabs

The trick is to work systematically along the sides without applying too much force.

Identifying the Faulty Capacitor

Once opened, you can see the compact circuit board with all its components. The problematic capacitor is the small black cylinder marked “100µF 16V”. In the video I explain exactly:

Where the capacitor is located
How to distinguish it from other components
What other capacitors are present on the board

Removing the Faulty Capacitor

Desoldering requires some skill, but is very manageable with the right technique. I show you in the video:

How to carefully tilt the capacitor out
The correct soldering iron technique
How to clear the holes after removal

Particularly important: the capacitor sits on the outer edge of the board and is therefore relatively easy to reach.

Installing the New Capacitor Correctly

With electrolytic capacitors, polarity is critical:

Negative pole: Marked with a broad stripe on the casing
Positive pole: The longer lead

In the video I show in detail how to correctly identify the polarity and orient the capacitor. Getting this wrong would destroy the entire device!

Reassembling the Case

When reassembling, make sure to route the Wi-Fi antenna correctly. There is a dedicated notch in the case for it — the video shows you exactly how this works.

The Success Test — Live in the Video

The most exciting moment: switching it on for the first time after the repair! In the video you can watch live:

How the repaired Shelly boots up
Testing the web interface
Checking the relay function
And most importantly: the listening test reveals complete silence!

After a successful repair, the Shelly will run reliably for years to come.

Other Affected Shelly Models

The capacitor problem is not limited to the Shelly 2.5. Other models can be affected as well:

Shelly Dimmer (first generation)
Shelly 3EM (older versions)
Other first-generation Shellys

The repair principle remains the same — only the exact capacitor type may vary.

Why the Repair Is Worth It

Sustainability over the Throwaway Mindset

Instead of discarding working hardware and buying new devices, you invest 15 minutes and 50 cents in materials. That is:

Environmentally friendly: Less electronic waste
Cost-saving: A new Shelly 2.5 costs over 20 euros
Educational: You understand your hardware better

Long-Term Reliability

After the capacitor repair, the Shellys work like new again:

Stable Wi-Fi connection
No more strange noises
Reliable response to commands
Years of further trouble-free use

Practical Tips for the Future

Preventive Measures

Electrolytic capacitors age faster due to:

Heat: Avoid excessively warm installation locations
Moisture: Ensure a dry environment
Overvoltage: Use surge protection

When Is a Repair Worth Attempting?

The repair is most promising for:

Devices older than 2–3 years
Typical noise problems
Sporadic Wi-Fi dropouts
Devices that are still partially functional

More Hardware Repairs

This repair impressively demonstrates that smart home can be sustainable! The video shows not just the practical implementation, but also my thought process during troubleshooting.

More Repair Guides

Repairing a Sonoff S20 Smart Plug – the 26-Cent Fix – The same capacitor problem, different device: fixing Wi-Fi disconnects on the Sonoff S20
Replacing a Tablet Battery Yourself – Save Your Old Device in 20 Minutes! – When the tablet used as a smart home dashboard only works while plugged in

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― Joachim