Smart plug

I’ve got a couple of these. They work very well. Controllable over wifi or internet. You can do simple on/off, set timed schedules or set an “away mode” where they turn on and off randomly between certain times. All done from their Kasa Android App. There is also a manual override physical button on the socket as well.

I think they advertise them as Alexa compatible but I can’t vouch for that bit.

blacklion1725 wrote:

I’ve got a couple of these.  

+1

Think this is as cheap as they’ve been Duke – £30 a pop when I got mine about a year ago. But yeah I think they are good, and very cool to the touch which is reassuring. They do a dearer one with an energy monitor built in but seemed an odd combination to me. May well get one or two more – glad you like it any road.

Bit late now, but this has just come through in an email:

https://www.7dayshop.com/products/trendnet-tha-103ac-ac750-wi-fi-range-extender-repeater-with-app-based-smart-switch-THA-103AC

The Duke wrote:

Though I never checked if this was a repeater or an home plug. I’m not a fan of repeaters. As they half your speed coming out of it, not an issue if you get 76meg but the type of people that ask me are on normal BB and get 3meg. I suppose 1.5meg is better than noting in that once dead space, but a home page would get nearer 3meg.

I was under the impression that it halved the wireless speed, not the broadband speed, so if you had 150mb wifi, you’d get 75mb.

Yeah, but it the case you mentioned, the broadband speed wouldn’t be affected, as it’s already lower than the reduced speed from the repeater.

EDIT: Spool chucking  :wacko:

The problem with repeaters is there’s rarely a power socket in the right place, even if you know where the right place is. Mostly Joe Public think it’s where there is no signal.

Back on topic, personally I can’t think of a single place where a smart plug would be of any use to me. Apart from some pranking.

I’m just using mine as timer sockets on lamps. More flexible than traditional timers and you can activate or reprogram them from anywhere. One was used during the winter on a small portable heater to take the edge off the cold without heating the whole house up.

I can see value as a burglar deterrent while we are away on vacation, and perhaps link it with a couple of these (lounge, bedroom etc). Although CCTV deters thieves, there is nothing more inviting than a home that looks unoccupied. Timers are OK but they are too inflexible to simulate house occupation and the normal random light switching that takes place.

Digging this up from the not so distant past.

Did anyone have the energy monitoring TP Link one? If so, would it be possible to send me a screenshot of it showing the energy usage on the app? Does the monitor restart when the plug is turned on and off?

My new motor has arrived and I’m looking at recording the energy I charge it up with to get an idea of cost so I’m looking at either the Elgato Eve or the TP Link one (though a standard energy monitor would also probably work, but I have to check it can cope with the 2kW draw through the plug that the charging will draw). I’m not splashing out on a full outside charging station just yet, as it’s a hybrid car, not a full blown electric one. So at the minute, a large extension lead out through the window or letterbox will be the order of the day.