Best smart Socket/Plug

Metric Tensor

bk wrote: »

My only complaint is that you can't reset the power measurement stats, for instance if moving the lug between different devices to measure them and get a feel for their power usage.

I've the same issue - it's a right pain in the arse because I'm still at the stage where I'm moving mine around the house checking the usage of everything like an 8 year old doing a science project!

Uriel.

My wemo plugs went nuts lately. Essentially stopped working. Will turn on via hard switch but not via WiFi and the schedules stopped working too. Also popped up as not being found by the app. Did a hard reset deleted the app etc.
Impossible to reconnect and reinstall. It keeps telling me that the wemo app can't connect to my WiFi, reenter password etc. Thing is the password is absolutely correct.

Any one have this problem? Any ideas on a fix. Going on hols shortly and I really want these working while I'm away.

bren2001

I've looked around online and read through a few forums but cannot actually find what I'm looking for.

Essentially, I am looking for a smart plug that tracks the energy consumption of a device. I want to be able to look at the app over the past 2 months, see when it was used and how much electricity it consumed. I'm aware the Wemo plug and TP-Link plug both have energy monitoring functions but can I view it in the manner I wish on either (or any other plug)?

I'm not actually interested in the automation function of it.

Metric Tensor

I have the TP Link one and it gives the current usage in kW, and the last day, last week and last month usage in kWh as well as a daily average. It doesn't tell you hours on/off or times though.

However, I read on line before about a guy who polled usage for one of these - I think he was using something like home assistant and a raspberry pi to regularly check for the current wattage (by current wattage I mean the wattage at the exact time!!) through the plug therefore telling if it was on or off. He was trying to check if an intermittent pump was running.

bk

So one complaint I had about the TP-Link plugs was lack of support on various ecosystems, well great news that has greatly improved, they now natively support:

- GHome
- Alexa
- IFTTT
- Stringify
- Yonomi

Brilliant, so very comprehensive support now (no homekit yet from what I can see).

Great plug, I highly recommend it. My only wishes for it now are:
- Ability to reset the usage stats as you move it around
- Ability to export the usage stats as a spreadsheet (Wemo plugs allow this, but they have a different fatal flaw which is why I can't recommend them).

Tazium

^What's the fatal flaw on WeMo?

bk

Tazium wrote: »

^What's the fatal flaw on WeMo?

If your power goes out, it defaults to off when the power comes back on!

Imagine you are using this on a fridge/freezer, power goes off for two minutes over night and then comes back on, but the wemo plug stays off and you wake up to a lot of gone off food and potentially flooding!

A very bad design decision IMO. It might not be an issue in all uses, but I do think people need to be aware of it. The MiHome plugs have the same issue and it totally caught me out.

The TP-Link plugs return to the last state after the power comes back on. So if it was on before the power was off, then it comes on straight away after power returns. If it was off before the power went out, then it will stay off when it comes back on. Much more sensible IMO.

B-D-P--

bk wrote: »

If your power goes out, it defaults to off when the power comes back on!

Imagine you are using this on a fridge/freezer, power goes off for two minutes over night and then comes back on, but the wemo plug stays off and you wake up to a lot of gone off food and potentially flooding!

A very bad design decision IMO. It might not be an issue in all uses, but I do think people need to be aware of it. The MiHome plugs have the same issue and it totally caught me out.

The TP-Link plugs return to the last state after the power comes back on. So if it was on before the power was off, then it comes on straight away after power returns. If it was off before the power went out, then it will stay off when it comes back on. Much more sensible IMO.

thats a valid point, But 1 Fridges are fused straight to fuseboard these days.
2 They'd still be perfect for the likes of TV in bedroom or similiar?

bk

B-D-P-- wrote: »

thats a valid point, But 1 Fridges are fused straight to fuseboard these days.
2 They'd still be perfect for the likes of TV in bedroom or similiar?

Really? My fridge/freezer is just a plug in the wall and my place is only 10 years old. I've never actually seen a fridge/freezer wired like that!

That was just one example, on the wemo forum there are plenty of others. A particularly bad one was a guy whose fish died in his aquarium as the pump didn't come back on after a power outage!

Personally I got 6 MiHome plugs that have the same issue. I had been using 4 of them until I discovered the issue, I had to remove 3 of them as I needed these devices to come back up after a power outage.

Of course you are right it may not be an issue for a TV or similar. But then you have to ask why buy wemo plugs which cost £10 more then the equally or more capable TP-Link plugs?

BTW you shouldn't use these plugs with a TV unless it is a very old TV. The smart plugs standby actually uses more power then new TV's own inbuilt standby, so you are actually using more power!

B-D-P--

bk wrote: »

BTW you shouldn't use these plugs with a TV unless it is a very old TV. The smart plugs standby actually uses more power then new TV's own inbuilt standby, so you are actually using more power!

Now we both learned something. Thats actually good to know

kennM

bk wrote: »

Really? My fridge/freezer is just a plug in the wall and my place is only 10 years old. I've never actually seen a fridge/freezer wired like that!

That was just one example, on the wemo forum there are plenty of others. A particularly bad one was a guy whose fish died in his aquarium as the pump didn't come back on after a power outage!

Personally I got 6 MiHome plugs that have the same issue. I had been using 4 of them until I discovered the issue, I had to remove 3 of them as I needed these devices to come back up after a power outage.

Of course you are right it may not be an issue for a TV or similar. But then you have to ask why buy wemo plugs which cost £10 more then the equally or more capable TP-Link plugs?

BTW you shouldn't use these plugs with a TV unless it is a very old TV. The smart plugs standby actually uses more power then new TV's own inbuilt standby, so you are actually using more power!

I agree with BK,

I've never seen any appliance wired like that. My home is less than 2 years old new build also. I do have switched isolators for each of the appliances on the wall itself but ultimately they are plugged in like a regular appliance.

TP Link plugs all the way! I'm not sure why people would want appliances likes fridges and freezers on smart plugs unless it's for monitoring energy. Not like you're going to choose to turn them on and off frequently. I do have the aquarium pump on smart plug and leaving off when power restored would be a disaster!

bk

kennM wrote: »

TP Link plugs all the way! I'm not sure why people would want appliances likes fridges and freezers on smart plugs unless it's for monitoring energy. Not like you're going to choose to turn them on and off frequently. I do have the aquarium pump on smart plug and leaving off when power restored would be a disaster!

You are correct, you wouldn't normally have it on a fridge, but you might for a few weeks to observe the energy usage. I've done that with my TP-Link plug.

bk

B-D-P-- wrote: »

Now we both learned something. Thats actually good to know

Any TV made since 2012, most use a max of only 0.5w in standby mode, 1w if it has a clock, etc.

Most wifi smart plugs use 1.5w to 2w to operate. So people should be careful about deciding where to use them.

Stoner

bk wrote:

Most wifi smart plugs use 1.5w to 2w to operate. So people should be careful about deciding where to use them.

For this reason it's best to use an extension trailing socket that switches many devices at the same time.

Stoner

bk wrote:

You are correct, you wouldn't normally have it on a fridge, but you might for a few weeks to observe the energy usage. I've done that with my TP-Link plug.

Lol this was the first place I put an energy monitor.

I get large periods of standby vs high usage on mine.

Yugioh

Does anyone know of any smart plugs that work with a kinetic switch?

I have a Philips Hue with a kinetic switch (similar to the below picture.), that I can place anywhere and was hoping to have the same functionality with some smart plugs. I see a few have remotes but for me that's the same as getting out my phone.



Any pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

bk

Yugioh, I haven't tried it myself, but I think you could use Logitech Pop buttons to switch on and off TP-Link Plugs via IFTTT.

I think the Logitech Pop buttons can also control Belkin Wemo Plugs natively.

Both cases require internet connection and Logitech Pop is expensive IMO.

You could also control plugs by voice via GHome and Alexa.

Yugioh

Didn't know about Logitech Pop but yes it is expensive!:eek:

bk

Yugioh wrote: »

Didn't know about Logitech Pop but yes it is expensive!:eek:

I haven't tried the following yet myself, but if you are willing to set up and play with Home Assistant, then a few other options open up:

- Xiamoi switches (with it's hub) re-purposed via HA to control a plug

- Philips Hue remote re-purposed via HA to control a plug

- Amazon Dash button, re-purposed via HA to control a plug

Yugioh

Wasn't aware of Home Assistant. I have a rasberry pi lying around somewhere. Thanks for the heads up - I'll see where it takes me.

SachaJ

What smart plugs would you recommend for something like the below - I’d prefer to actually replace the dual gang sockets on the wall with smart ones if possible. I’m thinking either Home Assistant or Homey as a controller

Dishwasher/drier/washing machine - doing something with timers. If it’s between 11pm and 7.30am, and the device is not in use (no current draw) then power down.

Same perhaps for the AV system which is an Nvidia Shield, Marantz processor, two power amps, Sky box. Power down for X hours during the night.

Add to a “goodnight” routine. Kick something off going to bed that switches off all lights downstairs, shuts down any appliances, puts down automated roller blinds etc.

Optimus Prime

Ive a few elgato eve ones that are great, but recently ive had my eye on these instead.

Lightwave Smart Socket

they need a hub though which is 160 euro. Also im an apple home user so they suit that, not sure about other devices.

bk

SachaJ wrote: »

Dishwasher/drier/washing machine - doing something with timers. If it’s between 11pm and 7.30am, and the device is not in use (no current draw) then power down.

Can I ask, why?

If the devices aren't on and running, they aren't using power anyway, so little point in doing this.

Remember, smart pluds/sockets use 1.5w to 2w themselves to run all the time, which is actually more then many devices like TV's in standby.

SachaJ wrote: »

Same perhaps for the AV system which is an Nvidia Shield, Marantz processor, two power amps, Sky box. Power down for X hours during the night.

You might get some savings if all of these are on one extension cable, however keep in mind many of these devices don't like being powered down, devices like Sky Box's are often updating overnight, etc.

Also something to keep in mind, if you are doing this to save money, something like the lightwaveRF hub that costs €160, it would likely take decades if ever to save enough money on the relatively little power they use in standby compared to the cost of the smart device.

I've a TP-Link smart plug (which I recommend) which I've been moving around my house monitoring power use. I've come to the conclusion that in most cases there really isn't much point to using smart plugs to reduce power use, compared to just using the devices own standby modes, specially modern energy efficiency rated devices and appliances.

I found that my fridge/freezer is a big power user, but obviously little you can do about that. Same with electric cooker, washing machine/dryer/dish washer, they all use lots of power when running, but little or non when in standby. Short of using them less often, you really aren't going to make major savings. TV's only use about 0.5 to 1w in standby, again not worth talking about.

The only sure fire way to reduce power use, is switching to LED lights, that is definitely a no brainer IMO.

And if you are buying a new TV or appliances, spending a little extra on more energy efficient models is worth it.

But overall I wouldn't use smart plugs/sockets to save electricity. I'd use them only for convenience (switching off xmas tree lights, etc.)

Optimus Prime

I agree with you totally regarding power savings, but for me that's not why I use them. I have a couple of pinball machines and arcade cabs which I have connect to elgato eve plugs. It saves me trying to get down on the floor between cabs and pins trying to switch them on!

I use apple home with hue lights and other stuff, so I have a theme setup called arcade and when I hit that the lights go down to 1% and various colours and all the pins and cabs switch on.

bk

Optimus Prime wrote: »

I agree with you totally regarding power savings, but for me that's not why I use them. I have a couple of pinball machines and arcade cabs which I have connect to elgato eve plugs. It saves me trying to get down on the floor between cabs and pins trying to switch them on!

Yep, absolutely, that is why I say use them for convenience, like having to climb under xmas trees to turn off lights or your great example. Just don't bother for most energy savings *

* One exception might be something like an electric heater, that you might leave home and realise you left it on and running, you could then remotely switch it off.

BTW Pinball machines, very cool

SachaJ

In my head it’s not about power saving but reducing the possibility of fire (unlikely that it is)

Optimus Prime

I dunno if its decreasing the chances of fire having all these extra devices on all the time. I worry about that myself.

Elgato eve are bringing out a homekit connected fire sensor which im thinking of getting too! If it detects fire you get alerts, can set all your lights to come on automatically etc...

Link

bk

SachaJ wrote: »

In my head it’s not about power saving but reducing the possibility of fire (unlikely that it is)

Fair enough, though I don't particularly see why an appliance in standby is likely to catch fire, any more then the smart plug itself would?

Appliances can catch fire, but it is usually when they are running anyway. Good smoke alarms (Nest Protect maybe) I think are a better investment.

Stoner

I've a lightwaverf set up. By far the best looking sockets out there imo

The old ones have one way coms only and don't measure power use.

Remote controls and scene selection switches control them

I've a switch beside my living room light switch , it switches the tv , amp and lamps on and off

SachaJ

Just ordered an Aeotec Smart Switch 6 and Z-wave Me stick off Amazon. Anyone used the switch before? Wanted something to work with HomeSeer and feedback power stats in addition to being controllable.