Restricting Socket Use

[LeeJC]

Hi All,

So I’ve got a preteen who has a case of electronics addiction.
I’m shortly to be moving house and have elected to give him space (a box bedroom) to setup his console/laptop/TV in isolation from his actual sleepy bye byes time bedroom.

I’m not one for protracted teenage tantrums/arguments and prefer to cut the argument off at source.

What devices are there that I could use to isolate sockets only in that room?

There are currently 2 single outlets in the room.

I’ve considered wifi controllable MCB’s and discounted cos the look like junk.
I’ve considered a 3 pin plug to a 240v site socket to a 240v site plug to a PDU, but he still has access to the sockets.
I’ve also got a BG wifi controlled double socket outlet, and have seen lockable double shrouds this might be the way to go???
I’ve considered parenting but that’s not forking working either.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Laptops have batteries......consoles and other things with hard drives in don't take kindly to abrupt disconnection.
Is he into online gaming? If yes just set some rules in your broadband router- you may have to be a bit savvy on this, loads of domestic ones allow rules on the WiFi but not on the cable outlets. Telly harder to restrict unless you hide/break the aerial socket and tell him it's online only
If you really want the nuclear power off option, WiFi relay cards will work (leave the mcbs alone). You'll just have to trace the wiring to the sockets in his room (put more than 2 in) and intercept them with said relay card in the airing cupboard or loft or whatever.
And make sure you put 12v or 24v lighting in there (in the days of cheap digs and slot meters most of us had a bayonet plug to 13A socket so the radio or telly came off the landlords bill

 

[securespark]

I had similar issues and cutting the power to sockets was inconvenient.

Instead, we cut power to the router with a WiFi controlled adaptor locked inside a large adaptable box.

This worked, up to a point.

The point at which said boy would just switch to offline games.

 

[LeeJC]

Laptops have batteries......consoles and other things with hard drives in don't take kindly to abrupt disconnection.
Is he into online gaming? If yes just set some rules in your broadband router- you may have to be a bit savvy on this, loads of domestic ones allow rules on the WiFi but not on the cable outlets. Telly harder to restrict unless you hide/break the aerial socket and tell him it's online only
If you really want the nuclear power off option, WiFi relay cards will work (leave the mcbs alone). You'll just have to trace the wiring to the sockets in his room (put more than 2 in) and intercept them with said relay card in the airing cupboard or loft or whatever.
And make sure you put 12v or 24v lighting in there (in the days of cheap digs and slot meters most of us had a bayonet plug to 13A socket so the radio or telly came off the landlords bill

Laptop I was going to solve by removing the wifi card so he has no internet access when the power outlet is off, his console is entirely solid state so doesn't have an issue with abrupt power loss, thinking about it I could pull the battery from the laptop as well.....
I've got the ACL's set for his Phone/Tablet because YouTube/TikTok make my teeth itch.
I'm putting an LED Strip light in to get around the possibility of him connecting anything to the light outlet (Ah the memories of a hoover branded hoover that went in to the bulb holder) he does know that electricity is dangerous if you start dicking about with it.

This is what I think I'm going to start with.....

And see how creative he gets in trying to work around it.

 

[Mottie]

If he has an addiction, it’s no good cutting the power off at the room - he could just move them to his bedroom. Treat the addiction to electronics as if it was an addiction to cigarettes or alcohol. How about a lock on the door and the electrics stay in the room?

On the other hand, although you’ve tried parenting, a bit of tough love may be the only answer. Do you think you'll have any less of a pre-teen tantrum if you restrict the power supply, internet access or physical access to the electronics? Be firm. Set rules. Spell out the punishment if rules are ignored. You're the parent, they are the child. It’s your house. You tell them how things are - it’ll be a valuable lesson for life!

 

[Lower]

Wifi circuit breaker that goes into your consumer unit that turns off all the upstairs ring main? Or is that a bit extreme?

 

[LeeJC]

If he has an addiction, it’s no good cutting the power off at the room - he could just move them to his bedroom. Treat the addiction to electronics as if it was an addiction to cigarettes or alcohol. How about a lock on the door and the electrics stay in the room?

On the other hand, although you’ve tried parenting, a bit of tough love may be the only answer. Do you think you'll have any less of a pre-teen tantrum if you restrict the power supply, internet access or physical access to the electronics? Be firm. Set rules. Spell out the punishment if rules are ignored. You're the parent, they are the child. It’s your house. You tell them how things are - it’ll be a valuable lesson for life!

He could, but that'll be considered to much effort/hard work and I'll obviously know he's doing it.
He's not so bad that he kicks off majorly when I switch stuff off, there is no violence of verbals, just a lot of whining/whinging/pleading/arguing.
If the boundary is set and stuck to then he will adhere to it, unless it's easy not to. I can set a 9pm off time and there won't be any arguments. Until he worked out the button on the Tapo Plugs there wasn't a problem, just have to get more inventive as he gets more 'savvy'

 

[Mottie]

If the boundary is set and stuck to then he will adhere to it,

There's your answer then.

 

[RandomGrinch]

I’m not one for protracted teenage tantrums/arguments and prefer to cut the argument off at source.

Given your profile pic, have you considered some sort of Tesla coil lashed up to their controller?

I'm thinking....

 

[LeeJC]

That's a Mercury Arc Rectifier from a Type 80 Radar. Great idea, however he might want children of his own at some point

 

[ericmark]

My first thought was a smart socket, but they also have a button to turn them on/off. The problem is a ring final must feed all sockets to be a ring, so the switching needs to be in the socket or socket box, you can get smart relays, but getting enough room to fit them is the problem.

Not sure is physically stopping children from doing things is the right approach, nothing stopped my putting my hand in the fire when I was a child, but I didn't do it. I was taught what to avoid, but there is a problem today here in Wales, I hear parents threaten children if they don't behave they will take them to England where they can still smack them.

My son I paid for him to become a radio ham, and the course taught him the safety aspects, including falling asleep on the soldering iron.

 

[bernardgreen]

Have you considered blanking off one socket an using a token operated timer controlling the remaining socket.

https://www.electricmetersales.co.uk/product/coin-token-timer-box/

Limit the number of tokens per week.

Or replace both sockets with https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/plug-sockets/2227976? and loan out T to normal adaptor cables

 

[FrodoOne]

I am sorry to say that you do not have an electrical/electronics problem but a Parenting problem.
Whatever you do "electronically" will not fix the Parenting problem.
It may be that you (and your offspring) need counselling !

 

[LeeJC]

I am sorry to say that you do not have an electrical/electronics problem but a Parenting problem.
Whatever you do "electronically" will not fix the Parenting problem.
It may be that you (and your offspring) need counselling !

Thanks for that invaluable advice.
I can only assume that you consider yourself to be a perfect parent able to offer such sage words to a complete stranger?

P.S. Shave your feet, you look a right state.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Although not quite it's intended purpose (and in this example, can only handle 10A), I sort of like the idea of one of these...

"OK, you've had your final warning!" - Press the big red button!

And the key is required to reset it.