Build an adapter to demo the relay - box, Mains plug & socket, maybe 5V power supply, ESP8266 Relay

[mitra42]

No description provided.

[jksemple]

Check out SONOFF switches: https://itead.cc/product/sonoff-basicr2/
These comprise an ESP8266 with a 10A mains relay and power supply. They can be reprogrammed as a normal ESP8266 using Arduino IDE or VSCode/PlatformIO. I use them to operate my pond pump, patio lights and a flood light from my MQTT home network.
They are available very cheaply from AliExpress.

[mitra42]

Did you find programming them easily ? I checked them out a while ago, memory not certain but I seem to remember it involved quite a process to setup a programmer of some kind ?

[jksemple]

You need to solder a 0.1" header to the sonoff board so you can connect a standard FTDI programmer but once you've burned in an OTA bootstrap that way you can flash new firmware over OTA. It's basically no different to programming a bare esp8266.

[mitra42]

Maybe that was the point - need to get a FTDI programmer etc and will have to look at the soldering process, as that would need to be done in-country (will also be needed on the ESP8266/ESP32 boards and shields). Its about the right price point though.