logo elektroda
logo elektroda
X
logo elektroda

[BK7231N / WB2S] CATA CT-4010 Smart Plug Teardown: Module, OpenBeken Compatibility

rifatx 360 6
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Helpful post
    #1 21788533
    rifatx
    Level 3  
    Here is the teardown of a CATA CT-4010 smart plug found in the Turkish market. It has a CB2S module with a BK721N chipset in it so it's compatible with OpenBeken. It is a relative cheap but usable device. It unfortunately has no power metering.

    The packaging:

    CATA CT-4010 smart socket box placed on a wooden table surfacePackaging of the CATA CT-4010 smart plug on a wooden surfaceBack side of CATA CT-4010 smart plug box displaying technical data and app infoBack of CATA smart plug packaging with instructions and barcode

    Outside:

    CATA CT-4010 plug back with contacts and screws visible on wooden surfaceWhite CATA CT-4010 smart plug on wooden surface, power prongs visible on the left.White CATA CT-4010 smart plug with power button on wooden surfaceWhite CATA CT-4010 smart plug standing on a wooden deskCATA CT-4010 plug with screwdriver positioned near a 2 mm triangle screw

    As seen in the last picture, the housing is secured with two 2mm triangular screws. We first have to unscrew those with something like this:

    Tri-wing screwdriver bit standing on a wooden surface

    And then pry open the housing:

    CATA CT-4010 plug with screws removed and a knife used to pry open the case

    Then we see the inside:

    Inside view of CATA CT-4010 smart plug after PCB desolderingInternal view of the disassembled CATA CT-4010 smart plug showing CB2S moduleClose-up of PCB inside the CATA CT-4010 smart plug after disassemblyClose-up of smart plug interior with CB2S module and electronic components visible

    As seen in the last picture, the device has a CB2S module.

    It's not necessary to desolder the module to flash OpenBeken, it's enough to attach PWR, GND, TX and RX lines to the FTDI connector. But the terminals of the module are not accessible and the board is soldered on the lower part of the housing. We first have to desolder it.

    Desoldering points:

    Close-up of smart plug PCB with solder points marked in red circles

    After desoldering, the board looks like this:


    CATA CT-4010 PCB with exposed electronic components after disassembly
    CATA CT-4010 smart plug PCB on a wooden surfaceGreen printed circuit board with soldered components and cutoutsDisassembled power strip and electronics on wooden surface

    Now we can attach the module to the FTDI connector. For this, we can just use spring hooks or solder some cables.

    The flashing setup looks like this:

    Electronic prototype with breadboard, USB converter, and jumper wiresPCB connected with alligator clip wires on a wooden tablePower module with two USB ports, a button, and an active green LED lightUSB-TTL programmer connected to a small breadboard with jumper wires

    Now you can just use the BK7231GUIFlashTool to flash the device.

    I've got two of these devices, and I'm using Linux. Since BK7231GUIFlashTool is a .NET app, I had to use mono to run it. In my experience, I've failed to flash one of the devices using the GUI tool although i could properly get a backup using the GUI tool, so I had to use hid_download_py for that device, which worked flawlessly. I was able to flash the second device using the GUI tool, but i had a kernel update inbetween. Long story short, use GUI tool to flash, it even works on Linux, but YMMV.

    Here are the outputs of the GUI tool:

    BK7231N configuration tool interface with Reading success! message displayedFlashing tool interface with green “Write success!” message displayed

    And here is the config dump:

    Screenshot showing Tuya device GPIO config and encryption key from flash memory

    The config generated by the autodump works, but it has some issues regarding the light. Below you can find the corrected version of the config:

    Code: JSON
    Log in, to see the code


    After flashing, you have to resolder the spots to fix the board to the housing. After soldering, the board looks like below, no visible difference:

    Disassembled smart plug showing relay and internal circuit board components.

    Then you can just screw the housing.
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #3 21789457
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    Packaging photos must have been lost, can you fix it?

    I can see it's yet another device requiring more soldering to flash. That's not good for beginners, I'm happy to see you managed to do it. Good job!
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
  • #4 21789465
    rifatx
    Level 3  
    >>21789457 Those photos were probably mixed up with others, I guess. Fixed them. Thanks!
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #5 21790072
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    Thanks for the fix. By the way, I also had a triangle-screw plug recently - PA-FRH-01SW2 - but it was way easier to disassemble. I even have a special screwdriver for that.
    Torx screw held between fingers against light backgroundRed Count 101 screwdriver next to an electrical plug adapter

    Interestingly enough, your board is marked as 20210722, so it's more than 4 years old already. The model name seems to be SK524WR-AG1. It has JQC-12FT 005-H relay, which seem larger than usual. And it runs on 12V, not on 5V like they often do in smaller plugs. I even saw some 3V relays in Tuya products these days.

    Did you remember to use PowerSave 1 to reduce device heating and prolong lifespan? It's a nice feature of BK to run, and Tuya plugs might have capacitor failures in the future sooner if you don't run it.
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #6 21790253
    rifatx
    Level 3  
    p.kaczmarek2 wrote:
    By the way, I also had a triangle-screw plug recently

    Well, they probably use it to make devices tamper-proof :)

    p.kaczmarek2 wrote:
    Did you remember to use PowerSave 1 to reduce device heating and prolong lifespan?

    No, didn't know about it; thanks for mentioning. I'll definitely try it and report if anything goes fishy.
  • #7 21790281
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    Running OpenBeken's PowerSave 1 feature is very important to prolong the life of smart devices. It's recommended solution for all products, maybe except the IR/RF bridges, where MCU dynamic sleep interferes with high-speed timer used for transmission and reception.

    Without powersave 1, you may have to do such a simple repair in the future:
    https://www.elektroda.com/news/news3898805.html
    PowerSave 1 in OBK have been documented many times as a reliabel way of reducing device power consumption, heating and stress:




    You can also check out this topic - it shows how I used OpenBeken's seamless PWM dute reduction to prolong the life of LED bulb:
    https://www.elektroda.com/rtvforum/topic4158135.html
    I've also tested PowerSave there. With powersave 1, standby power usage is less than 0.1 W, it's so small that my UT230B-EU can't measure it. Without Powersave, it's 0.6W. So it's certainy a huge change. I think I need to buy a more precise meter next time.
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.

Topic summary

The CATA CT-4010 smart plug, available in the Turkish market, features a CB2S module integrated with a BK7231N chipset, making it compatible with the OpenBeken open-source firmware. The device is cost-effective and functional but lacks power metering capabilities. The teardown reveals the enclosure secured by two 2mm triangular screws, requiring specialized tools for disassembly. The internal design and components align with typical smart plug architectures using the BK7231N SoC, facilitating potential firmware customization and integration into DIY smart home ecosystems. The absence of power measurement limits energy monitoring but does not affect basic on/off control functionality.
Summary generated by the language model.
ADVERTISEMENT