I’m looking for a simple single channel single pole dry contact relay. The MHCOZY relay boards would suit my needs but general consensus seems to be to avoid them because of their crap Songle relay reliability. I’ve looked at the Zooz Zen16/17 but it’s way more than I need. Anyone have something small, reliable (and preferably cheap :D) that they can recommend.
Zen51 perhaps?
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Sorry, I should have noted in my original post that I'll be switching a 12VDC load. While the ZEN51 would technically work, I would need to have low voltage wire in the same gang box as the ZEN51 and 110VAC which is a violation of the NEC. This limits my choices to low voltage powered external devices.
Have you looked at the Fibaro Smart Implant? Definitely not cheap, but should check all the other boxes. Outputs are only rated for 150mA though.
You mentioned the ZEN16/17, which would be my first choice. Perhaps there is a way to get creative and locate the device somewhere besides the in-wall gang box? Even if it's overkill it's less than of the cost of the Fibaro.
I don't need the relay to fit in a gang box--I'll be mounting it in the attic and have plenty of room and mounting options. It's a bit of overkill since I only need one relay, but looks like the ZEN16 or 17 might be the best bet.
I have several instances in my home where I am only using 1 of the 2/3 relays on the ZEN16/17 because I never found a cheaper option. They work great.
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Same here. My garage opener is based on a Zen17 paired with a tilt sensor, and uses only 1 of the two relays provided. I keep trying to find something useful to do with the second one without success other than as a physical alternative to a variable to track state in a rule. It has been a rock solid performer on my garage.
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I am using 2 channels version without any problems. Relay reliability very depends
on type of load. High current inductive load will kill it really fast if used without
spark absorbing circuitry. The failure is - welded contacts.
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See if you can find a used Mimolite on eBay. I found one a few months ago for $10. It is z-wave (not z-wave plus, so it is restricted to 40 kbps), but they are very reliable.
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@neonturbo’s blockage sensor is a great project for that second relay on your Zen17. I added it to mine and love it:
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I took a look, and it looks like a lot of effort for solving a problem that I don't really need solved, since I have small sports cars in my garage so this isn't really needed, but thanks for the idea anyway. Your idea sparked a related but different one - I could use knowing when a car is actually in the garage or not, so if I could hook it up to a pressure pad triggered by the weight of the car, that would be useful. If the pad was placed just right it could double as a simpler approach to the okay-to-close use case as well. The only trick is finding a pressure pad that will handle the weight of a car without breaking.
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