Smart plug

[The Duke]

Does anyone know of a good smart socket adapter. I could use a simple timer socket, but what’s the fun in that.

I want  to be able to control a socket outlive over WiFi, preferably  by android, and I’d like the app to have some automation controls.

Eventually I want to set up an audino or pi to do it, bit time is short atm.

[blacklion1725]

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.

[The Duke]

Thanks. I’ve dropped one in my basket. ?

[Boris]

blacklion1725 wrote:

I’ve got a couple of these.  

+1

Never trust an atom - they make up everything !

[The Duke]

Thanks guys, plugs been running since I got in yesterday and it does the job well. It’s pricy but it’s simple to use. I have a few of the old school plug timers, and I could never get them to work properly.

This just works, and being TP-link it should just keep on working. My home plugs have been working away for years with no intervention by me. I’ve had one die, out of 5, over about 5 years.

I did look at a few different smart plugs a while back, and the majority had a lot of negative feedback with reliability and connection issue. This being a decent brand, I thought the extra was worth it. Also it has a 3 year warranty. The others may of had warranties, but getting them to honour them would be almost impossible.

:good:

[blacklion1725]

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.

[The Duke]

I wouldn’t opt for a monitor one. I’d rather have a separate monitor, as a power usage monitor (at the individual plug level) is not something  you need long term, it’s a testing device.  In my eyes at least.

I was looking at smart wall sockets, which would be great if you had long pockets and house full of them, but the smart plug is a more sensible buy as it can be moved around to where it needs to be.

So I’m more than happy.  :good:

[Tippon]

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]

That looks cool actually. But I’d still of gone with the TP link one, as i have had good experiance with them, and I don’t need the range capabilities. If I did, it would be a no brainer

Actually in going to make a mental note of this for future reference, as I often get people in the village ask about wifi coverage help. Some very old, very thick walled houses. If you need an extender, why not get a smart plug too.

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  B-) 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.

 

It is a repeater, but it does also have an energy monitor in it to. It is the Swiss knife of the plug world. Defo worth the money.

[Tippon]

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.

[The Duke]

That’s what I ment. The output speed of the repeater.

[Tippon]

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 Duke]

That’s why is said (or tried to) in a “black spot”  with no coverage, half is better than non. The already covered parts of the home would get the full speed the router gets. If you had to conect  to the repeater you’d get less.

This where a home plug is better, however a repeater should always work. Home plugs don’t work for some setups.

[Dave Rice]

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.

[The Duke]

I have a few places, the fish tank and the tortoise house.

Also they would be good for OAPs the ones that like to turn every socket off before bed. My grandad would climb behind his tv cabinet evey night before going up to bed. Then when he finished watching his bedroom tv he would get out of bed, and turn the socket off.

Some remote plugs or sockets would of done him so good.

He may be alive today. I doubt it as he didn’t tell die of any socket related accident. but all them extra short walks had to of added up over 82 years.

 

[blacklion1725]

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.

[Tippon]

blacklion1725 wrote:

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.

That’s a good idea. My garage is part of the house, and is below the bedrooms, so turning the heater on while we’re on the way home would warm the garage and bedrooms without warming the rest of the house  :good:

[Ed P]

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.

[The Duke]

This is about to turn in to a Home Alone thead.  :good:

[Drezha]

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.

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[Author]

Posts