Cheapo dumb electric blanket upgrade

ED E

Problem:

• Laziness (I want the bed warm without going to it)
• Falling asleep with a 95W human toaster left ON (crap yoke has no timed mode)

What I'd like to do is tell my android wear watch "Ok Google, heat the bed for 40 minutes" and have it simply turn on a plug then kill it 40(or n) minutes later.

Whats the tightfisted way to achieve it? Sonoff? (Splicing a mains cable isnt an issue). Dont mind piping through IFTTT etc.

Ta,
ED-E.

Basq

I've mine setup with Sonoff / eWeLink..

.. and looking at the app, you can have set turn on/off times too.

But don't know about having it switch off n minutes after turning it on.

ED E

Basq wrote: »

eWeLink..

..has a countdown feature, so that might do it all in one.

Basq

ED E wrote: »

..has a countdown feature, so that might do it all in one.

Interesting.. that's not on my version of the app.

I just have the Schedule Timer where you pick days, times, repeat etc

donspeekinglesh

WiFi socket and Stringify?

Caillte

donspeekinglesh wrote: »

WiFi socket and Stringify?

I have a wemo insight and stringify doesnt support wemo but could work around it with IFTTT. However my blanket is semi smart in that it has a digital interface that requires a physical button push to start so wemo wont do it. Actually looking to downgrade my blanket lol.

donspeekinglesh

Ah okay. Our blanket is the slider button style.

thecivvie

Caillte wrote: »

I have a wemo insight and stringify doesnt support wemo but could work around it with IFTTT. However my blanket is semi smart in that it has a digital interface that requires a physical button push to start so wemo wont do it. Actually looking to downgrade my blanket lol.

Use a smart bot to press the button

ED E

I'd left this is my mass of tabs (currently idling at about 40) but finally cleared it. Sonoff Pow x1 and Basic x1 ordered from some lovely chinese lad. As AnPost are acting the ar$ebag presently they're headed to PM in Antrim. From other stuff going that way should arrive in about 2wks.

Not 100% sure on the auto off but for the princely sum of £12 for the pair I'll survive a failed experiment.


Now to resist replacing every bulb in the gaff with lifx.....

Shlippery

I know you got sorted - but I've been using the TP-Link HS110 to control the power and the electric blanket just set at max permanently letting the plug do the work.

One of my fav smart things about my apartment! Weekly schedule set for roughly 40 minutes before bedtime..with different routine for weekend. As well as the timer option on the Kasa app in cases it's gone too cold. "turn off after 20 mins"

A simple luxury!..takes the misery out of forgetting to turn it on before hopping into bed!

ED E

Arrived and setup. Learning the ropes now. Units are more compact than I guessed looking at the listings. The push terminals are very handy, all fits together well.

ED E

IFTTT and Stringify combo:
IFTTT detects the switch on event - hits up Stringify which starts a timer. Timer finishing triggers IFTTT again for an off trigger to eWe. Clicking like clockwork

Now if only google voice worked.

bren2001

A simple question but I'm planning on this "upgrade" myself:

You just snip the cable, strip the wires and run it through the sonoff pow? It's literally as basic as it looks in the pictures?

ED E

Yup! I didn't even have a wire strippers so did it with a scissors. The Sonoff justs puts a relay on the Live, neutral and earth(not used for me) are simply common'd.


As long as you secure the sheaths so a live terminal doesnt become exposed you can't go wrong.

bk

ED E wrote: »

Now if only google voice worked.

Google Assistant works with both IFTTT and Stringify.

ED E

bk wrote: »

Google Assistant works with both IFTTT and Stringify.

It does.

But it should be able to directly control home devices too.

bk

ED E wrote: »

It does.

But it should be able to directly control home devices too.

Do they not? This seems to indicate they do:

https://www.itead.cc/blog/sonoff-work-with-google-home

ED E

They should. Most people have issues where you'll say "Turn on the bed" and Assistant will say "could not perform/connect etc". Mine is just ignoring the keyword and searching the command instead...

Two different phones so I'm wondering if its a discovery problem.

bk

ED E wrote: »

They should. Most people have issues where you'll say "Turn on the bed" and Assistant will say "could not perform/connect etc". Mine is just ignoring the keyword and searching the command instead...

Two different phones so I'm wondering if its a discovery problem.

Weird, I've no issues at all using various home control devices and GH shortcuts. Maybe an issue on the Sonoff side? Or maybe a language/region setting thing.

I've the following devices working really well with GH natively:

- Hue lights, dozens of them!
- Netatmo Thermostat
- Harmony Hub (via Harmony Skill)
- Bunch of MiHome plugs
- TP-Link Plug
- SmartThings hub + sensors
- Logitech Circle Cameras

ED E

Wait, maybe I'm a moron - Do you need a GH to act as a bridging device? As in with no Home you cant use assistant for device control? I had assumed with eWe providing the backend the link between services would be enough.

bk

ED E wrote: »

Wait, maybe I'm a moron - Do you need a GH to act as a bridging device? As in with no Home you cant use assistant for device control? I had assumed with eWe providing the backend the link between services would be enough.

No, I think you can just use Google Assistant on your phone. No need for home device, but you do need the Google Home App to set it up.

One warning, on phones, there is the old "Ok Google" assistant and the newer Google Assistant. The newer one is only on newer phones and devices only work with it.

ED E

One on the left had me sure I should be eligible as Im >6.0 but then I found my error. DERP!

Thanks BK!

Now I can sound like a crazy person shouting "Turn on the bed" while in a taxi home Working flawlessly.

EDIT: Feck. Now I need a new watch (Wear 1.4 < 2.0 req for Assistant)

ED E

Imma buy a dozen of these.

ED E

Since the 26/9 the IFTTT event is failing to push to stringify so obviously nothing is coming back and its not turning off. A bit extra toasty it is.

Not clear why.

Update: My obsessive screenshotting of updates/changes is handy at times. 26th was when I updated the fw from 2.4 to 2.6. Feck.