A contribution by digitalzimmer.de (link)
Eve Energy Outdoor is the first smart plug for outdoor use that supports the Matter standard. Not surprisingly, it comes from Eve Systems. After all, the German manufacturer, which is now part of the ABB Group, has a wealth of experience. Last year, it was one of the first suppliers to deliver software updates and finished products for Matter.
Matter over Thread in the garden
As you would expect from Eve Systems, the new power station also relies on the Thread radio protocol. Thanks to Matter-over-Thread technology, it can be used with systems that support the smart home standard and have a Border Router installed. For example, a current HomePod can establish the connection in the Apple ecosystem, a Nest Hub for Google and the SmartThings Hub from Aeotec in the SmartThings universe.
Because the situation is relatively confusing for beginners, Eve has published a detailed document on the Internet that shows which border routers are suitable for each Matter platform. Title: “Which hub is right for me?”.
Connected in this way, the Eve Energy Outdoor can switch electrical loads in the garden or on the balcony (European plugs Type C (CEE 7/16), Type F (CEE 7/4) and Type E+F (CEE 7/7)). Its 3680 watts of power (16A) allow the operation of electric barbecues and other power-hungry appliances. It can also be used to activate fairy lights at Christmas or the pool pump – either via app, voice command or the integrated button on the housing. The smart plug is protected against splash water (IP44) and is designed to withstand temperatures from -20 to +40 degrees Celsius (-4 to 104 °F), allowing it to be used outdoors all year round.
For balcony power plants too
Since measuring energy consumption is not yet part of Matter, it depends on the system and the app used whether measured values appear – and whether they are suitable as triggers for automations. The Eve Energy Outdoor has the basic ability to deliver such data. Consumption can therefore be analyzed in Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings, but not yet in Amazon and Google.
The Eve app for iPhone and iPad is not only designed to show how many watts are going to connected devices. Conversely, it also provides information on how much a balcony solar system connected to the smart plug is feeding into a domestic grid. This makes it possible to monitor the output of the private power plant and calculate the savings on the electricity bill resulting from self-generated energy.
The Eve Energy Outdoor is set to be available in Europe from May 2024 via the manufacturer’s online store and Amazon. Price: 79.95 euros.
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