I’m happy user of multiple SNZB-02P - temperature and humidity sensors.
SNZB-02P are connected to 2 x Sonoff ZB Bridge Ultra.
Few of my SNZB-02P are working outside in boxes like the one on the picture.
I upgraded power supply a bit
Box is sealed from top and sides - but have plenty of large holes at the lower part from 3 sides.
It is a huge pain to go there and open them just to push the button to do FW update.
I did it this time… couldn’t find better option.
But… maybe someone know trick for the future
or
Sonoff could provide solution to avoid pushing that button to do FW update.
PS.
if someone is interested with battery life - this one was installed in May 2024 and battery is still showing 100%
my guess is that my power supply can keep it running for a few years - but FW update is huge pain
PS 2
This is upgrade of my previous project - the same boxes - but in the past I used older Sonoff ZB temp and humid sensor - the square one and only 1 battery. Battery last for over 1 year.
With battery-powered Zigbee devices, no matter the brand, updates are always a bit of a circus. Sometimes they take hours, sometimes they just sit there pretending to be asleep. You might even need to poke the thing to get it moving. I’ve got a few SNZB-02P myself, and honestly. I’ve never had to press anything to kick off an update. But getting it to actually start? That’s a whole other story. It usually takes several tries, sometimes a dozen, like playing Zigbee roulette. You basically have to catch the SNZB-02P in the act, when it’s awake and sending data. And of course, Zigbee being Zigbee, the network might be having a bad day because of random interference, which doesn’t help either. Sure, pressing the button wakes it up and might speed things along, but come on! Do these updates really need to happen right now? A little patience and a lot of coffee usually do the trick.
My SNZB-02P units have been running on the original batteries, no mods, for over a year now. Sure, the percentage readings aren’t entirely reliable, but so far they’re showing anywhere between 79% and 98%.
Judging by the capacity, your setup won’t really last much longer than usual. But hey, it looks fierce and professional
I don’t drink coffee and tried few tricks before. So far only pushing the button did the job.
Why wanted do update quickly… because one of SNZB-02P stopped sending data after got notification that new update is ready.
So pushing the button solved the problem - after update - SNZB-02P started sending data again.
Also that new firmware for SNZB-02P - I think it improve the way and make that device more reliable in terms of sending data to ZB hub.
Lets do the math:
SNZB-02P on CR2477 3V 1000 mAh - declared by Sonoff up to 4 years of work - but in room temperature - this device is designed to be use indoor.
Working outdoor is changing a lot. First - more temp and humidity changes - result more often data are being send to the hub.
Second - Winter factor.
My project SNZB-02P on 2 x CR123A which is 2 x 1500 mAh = 3000 mAh
and my device works outdoor that include WINTER !
So far this device survived one winter and another is coming.
Now according to Sonoff data - this device working indoor on standard battery should survive 4 years on 1000 mAh battery. On 3000 mAh battery it may be double or more.
But outdoor factor will consume more drain for sending data more often and mentioned earlier winter factor.
As mentioned - this particular device was installed in May 2024 and now is September 2025
this is already 15 months with ZERO impact on the battery - still showing 100%
So my guess is that it may last another 15 months or more.
I would not be surprised if it would last 36 months and that include 3 winters
Don’t get too smug. I’ve seen Zigbee devices report 130%, with my own eyes, not through a crystal ball
Two of my sensors are braving the great outdoors too. Sure, winters these days are mostly softies, but let’s not pretend we’re living in Honolulu. Honestly, I don’t see a major difference between the indoor crew and the ones roughing it outside.
In summary: Your estimates are not only accurate but also very well thought out. Using CR123A batteries in a parallel configuration provides a huge energy reserve, and the fact that after 15 months the battery still shows 100% suggests that the device could operate for 4–5 years outdoors, despite the harsher conditions.
Let’s be honest: battery status reporting and firmware updates aren’t exactly the crown jewels of Zigbee battery-powered devices—no matter the brand. That doesn’t mean Sonoff couldn’t pull its socks up. Same goes for eWeLink, since I’ve never managed to update anything via their web interface. The mobile app? Sure, that gets the job done.
As for poking the button - that sounds like a ritual unique to your setup. I’ve never had to perform that sacred dance myself. But hey, just because I haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it’s not real. If you say so, why shouldn’t I believe you?
Coffee? Oh yes. Start drinking it. Not for the energy. Just so you can join the global club of jittery optimism and overconfident troubleshooting. Nothing says ‘I’ve got this’ like a half-empty mug and a firmware update that’s stuck at 12%
Want me to add a bit of espresso-fueled drama next time? I’m fully caffeinated and ready
but did calculations already and it can be as you predicted 4-5 years
After coffee - I would start walking on the walls
But just got idea for mk3 version of my project
bit bigger box, smaller holes but more of them - this should solve spiders nests inside the box
then everything else like on the picture
with one upgrade - I will add button, waterproof NO button pointed down - in area under left side battery - then will be able push it without removing and opening that box - just using plastic rod
Zigbee2MQTT uses a firmware repository provided by device manufacturers, but not directly from their servers. Instead, it supports a central OTA repository created by the Zigbee2MQTT community, which contains firmware files for selected devices. The firmware may differ from what’s available in the manufacturer’s official apps (e.g., eWeLink, Hue), so updating it may alter the device’s behavior. Therefore, it’s not the same as checking and downloading directly from the manufacturer, and it carries some risk.
It seems you focused solely on the part about “pressing the button to wake the device,” while ignoring the main point of my comment. My statement was about the source and nature of firmware in Zigbee2MQTT, not the wake‑up procedure itself.
The documentation you’re referring to clearly distinguishes between the OTA update mechanism and the physical action of waking a device, and that’s exactly the distinction I described. If you read it carefully, you’ll see that Zigbee2MQTT uses a community‑maintained OTA repository, not the manufacturer’s servers, which means the firmware may differ from what’s available in official apps and could change device behavior.
Before throwing around words like “bullshit,” make sure you’ve actually read and understood the documentation, instead of reacting to something you imagined was there. Keep in mind that such language will not be tolerated on this forum, and if you use similar wording again, your post will be flagged. We are here to exchange experiences and learn from each other, not to trade insults.
Oh sure, don’t provoke the guy. He clearly knows better than everyone else. Of course, that would also require him to understand what sarcasm is and have even the slightest sense of self‑awareness
Not all manufacturers make their updates available, you can watch for new additions in zigbee-OTA Releases, which, if available, include the changes in these new updates.
Look at the logs - your sensors wake up every 60 minutes to transmit the temperature value, even if it has not changed. Set an alarm for the next communication session and click update.
Even if that were the case, not everyone who uses AI stops thinking. Likewise, not everyone who reads the documentation starts thinking. Clearly, you don’t.
And besides, you seem utterly incapable of having a coherent, substantive conversation, so continuing this with you would be about as productive as trying to get a painting on the wall to change its mind. Have a good one.
