ESP8266 Community Forum

- Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:42 am #78020 I do cut out large clearance holes around the high voltage connections relay, transformer etc. They do not connect to the circuit board pads but go direct to the terminals through double insulated wires.

- Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:00 am #78021

... for similar cash...

I disagree. I challenge anybody to buy individual components to make up the equivalent of - say - a SONOFF basic for much less than 2x what the SONOFF costs.

Just don't bet money on that. You get esp-01 with relay, driver and voltage regulator for $2.50 on AliExpress. All assembled. If you have a reflow oven, you'll build it even cheaper sourcing individual components on alibaba. Granted, you'll have to build like 1000 of them this way, but still.

- Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:48 am #78023 If you are doing it because it's a hobby and you like doing it, then fine. However, if it's just a job you want done then you surely have to factor-in your labour cost not only in construction but R&D. For a unit-cost so low, you would have to make a quadrillion on a production line to break even. Of course, if you need a custom fit/look then some work is needed, but there any possibly cheaper ways, by butchering stuff already made. There are also the cases where disassembling a cheap pre-made item for parts is way cheaper than buying them individually. There is also the 'feel-good' factor of something which comes certified, especially with mains electrics. Though we know that Chinese stuff varies in its quality/safety. Then, just like with hi-fi, there's the WAF (wife acceptance factor). Apologies if you are the wife and you have a husband who's picky, so use HAF !

An alternative view : The industry I come from, we have to weigh-up the costs of customising 'off the shelf' versus making it ourselves and unfortunately the accountants always choose the former because it looks cheaper on paper. We then spend all the saving x 2 fiddling it to work with our infrastructure.