Roller shutter smart home retrofit renovation old building

Dear smart home experts,

We are currently working on the electrical installation and would like to install flush-mounted smart home switches in the ground floor as well as the majority of the upper floor. The Homematic system is used in the family. However, the external additional module is a nuisance. We want to do without it.

We will also have additional rocker switches (open/close) in the rooms. Nevertheless, the exposed walls should be used to enable smart home functionality for the roller shutters without major extras.

On Google, the finesell SmartHome Blind Module 4-pack for €99.99 is regularly displayed. Usable without an external additional module, with app usage, for example SmartLife.

Questions:
1. What is your opinion on the offered set and the app?
2. Are there any sensible alternatives?
3. How do you assess the app usage of SmartLife?
4. How does the pairing work?
5. Integration into Apple HomeKit probably not possible (but not a requirement either)?

Hopefully you can shed some light on this.

Best regards!

Dear smart home experts,

we are currently working on the electrical installation and would like to install flush-mounted smart home switches on the ground floor as well as the majority of the upper floor. In our family, the Homematic system is used. The external additional module is bothersome. We want to do without it.

2. Are there any useful alternatives?

Hello Westfale!

Personally, I could live with an additional module (do you mean the base?) and therefore decided on the Bosch system (with other advantages and devices like TwinGuard), but in your case Shelly 2.5 would probably also be an option. These can also be integrated into HomeKit (via a small detour).

Hello netuser! Many thanks for the info.

Question about the additional device: The device would be inconveniently located in the house. WLAN should be mostly well covered via Mesh. What is the additional device for? Hopefully, the connection does not have to be from the flush-mounted things to the additional device, but the "normal" WLAN is sufficient? Usage via a Bosch App?

The note about Twinguard is interesting. I didn’t know it like that, although it’s not exactly cheap.

Question about Shelly 2.5: Is that basically also such a flush-mounted thing? Do you have a link for it? I don’t quite understand it and feel a bit overwhelmed by the selection.

And the following is not known: finesell SmartHome shutter module 4-piece set for €99.99? Then I would stay away from it before it might not work afterward.

Best regards Westfale

Question about the additional device: The device would be placed inconveniently in the house.

It can be placed anywhere in the house where you have a network connection. Look for a better spot ;)

Wi-Fi should be mostly well covered via mesh. What is the additional device for?

It is basically a central unit for the whole system. It is connected to the power supply but communicates on another frequency (868 MHz) with its own devices. These theoretically have a longer range and are less sensitive to interference...

Hopefully, the connection does not have to be from the flush-mounted devices to the additional device, but the "normal" Wi-Fi is sufficient? Use via a Bosch app?

No, the connection must be to the base. Use via a Bosch app and HomeKit (Home) is possible.

The note about Twinguard is interesting. I didn’t know it like that, even though it’s not exactly cheap.

From my point of view, however, it is reasonably priced.
Good smoke detectors also cost quite a bit. The TwinGuards also offer some very useful additional functions...

Question about Shelly 2.5: Is that basically a flush-mounted device as well? Do you have a link for it? I don’t quite understand it and feel somewhat overwhelmed by the selection.

Yes, a flush-mounted device. Links are not allowed here, but you can surely enter the name into a search engine ;)
Those devices are probably more "proven," cheaper, have a much larger community, and are HomeKit compatible, unlike the ones you mentioned.

And the following is not known: finesell SmartHome blind module 4-piece set for €99.99? Then I would keep my hands off it before it doesn’t work later.
Best regards
Westfale

€99.99 for 4 pieces is not a huge amount, but there are better alternatives.

With Loxone and the AIR actuators, such a retrofit is possible without problems. However, you have to know that it is wireless.

If still possible, wiring to the actuators or at least a distribution of the wireless transmitters would be sensible.

: Thank you very much for the additions.

As a layperson, I take away the following: base station is absolutely necessary, good Wi-Fi is a prerequisite. The learning process was clearly visible in some videos. What are your experiences regarding failures, i.e. do some roller shutters sometimes fail to go down? Do you sometimes have to relearn individual controls?

Switch: As far as I understand, for the Bosch flush-mounted control in connection with the S55 system + adapter, a "normal" on/off rocker switch is intended, similar to a light switch with short press --> raise; long press --> corresponding individual setting? So not the "typical" roller shutter switches like with the S55 (No.: 029403). Is it similar for you and what are your experiences?

The more I read in, the more interesting the Bosch system becomes with additional options for retrofitting. Perhaps we will then have to accept the additional base station.

Best regards!