Smart adaptors, and what they do?

[ericmark]

I needed some more for fans around the house. The main thing is the auto off timer, my old fan had a timer built in, so would auto stop, new ones that function is missing.

I use Tapo (TP-Link) in the main, so three versions look the same, P100, P110, and P110M the P100 does not have the timing function and does not monitor energy use, and as a box of 4 there is 50p difference in price, so left with P110 and P110M I have looked at the description, except for M version being more expensive, could not find the difference, and Screwfix only sells the P110M as single units, so it works out quite a bit more expensive, so settled with the P110.

But I have a few smart adaptors, the first one I got was Energenie, this one actually produces a graph of energy use, and will link direct to PC, however the Tapo dimensions are such that one can use them on a 4 way extension lead without them fouling each other, the Energenie are larger, and so is the odd Drayton Wiser I have, bought really to act as a relay station for a TRV head, (they use zigbee) but it was far more expensive, and does not do as much as the Tapo (except for relay function).

Hence, starting the thread, in the hope others will add how their plug in units have worked. The Energenie I have the monitor only, and switching and monitoring, there is also a switching only, the latter will work with the remote control, the combined monitoring and switching works with Google Home, and is the odd one out in it works with a PC, the rest other than Energenie need an emulator to work with a PC. It has now and over last hour and also daily and around a month, in same fashion, but rounds the corners off on the graph, and can be set with electric costs, so it shows totals in kWh and £, working over 3 months. It is the oldest I have, now around 10 years old, and I have used it to monitor freezers and car battery chargers, to see if auto defrost works, and it is still switching on/off at same rate, so warning if getting less efficient I use the monitor only version on freezers don't want them switching off, and on the battery charger it allowed me to learn a lot more about charging lead acid batteries, and to monitor without needing to go outside.

The P100 Tapo is very basic, it allows remote switching, but no energy monitoring, they look very similar, one only gives run time, the other gives runtime and energy use. The Lidi unit I have, is basic in comparison It has a Schedule and countdown, but have to access the app each time to set it, where with the Tapo the 1.5 hour setting used with my AC, is auto reset each time turned off, and means condensate bottle does not overflow. The tapo also has power protection, not used it myself, but there if wanted.
The Drayton Wiser does not do as much as the Tapo and the Wiser app is very slow to load. It does show wattage and a schedule can be set, but at double the price would have expected more. But it uses zigbee, and I needed one to relay for the TRV head.
I also have two power strips, a Lidi one, three sockets and four USB outlets, and an Energenie just 4 sockets, in both cases, on the unit you switch all sockets together with a single button, individual sockets can only be selected on the apps. On/off schedual can be set, but they are a bit basic, however, a lot cheaper to getting 3 or 4 smart single socket adaptors. I have got one remaining smart installed socket, Energenie, but had them turn themselves into flasher units, and although had same fault with plug in devices, much easier to change a plug in unit when it goes wrong.

So anyone got the Tapo P110M who can say what if any extras it has, or anyone got one of the many other makes? Shelly it seems do two, British General do one, Philips, Status, TCP, Sonoff, Moes, Hive, etc. Some designed for lights and can dim them as well.

Also what used for, in the main mine run fans, lights, and the AC, mainly where there is no option to use a smart bulb. Some are now quite cheap Simple timer is still cheaper, but not by much, and being able to turn on my portable AC while still on the way home is a plus.

However, tumble driers, washing machines etc, once off at mains will not auto switch on, not that I want to run them when not at home, but today so much is like that so no option to add any remote control. Now I sit back and see what others say.

 

[mikehammer69]

I could never see the time-saving or convenience aspect to most of these gadgets

Mostly spend more time messing with them than time saved and doing tasks that don’t need doing

Edit ; meant as a controversial opinion btw not a put-down

 

[Rodders53]

However, tumble driers, washing machines etc, once off at mains will not auto switch on, not that I want to run them when not at home, but today so much is like that so no option to add any remote control. Now I sit back and see what others say.

Many, if not most, washers and dryers have delay timers built in to run when 'more convenient'.

Some now come with wifi connectivity... My washer is like that and I can (but never have) select the wash program and start time via its' Miele app.

 

[ericmark]

I read about charge guard, which it seems monitors the power used, by a battery charger, and once it drops below a set level, starts a timer to turn it off, I can see with my drill batteries this would be useful, as the 6 green LEDs which show when batteries are fully charged light up the bedroom. But to spend £10 to auto switch off the LEDs does seem a bit OTT. As to the car battery chargers, the whole idea is that it auto switches on at below 12.8 volts, and off at 14.4 volts, which in practice gives the battery a short spike of a charge every so often to keep batteries A1.

I am sure the lithium battery charger turns fully off, but out of interest, I will test it.

Many, if not most, washers and dryers have delay timers built in to run when 'more convenient'.

Yes mine is like that, next version connected to internet.

I could never see the time-saving or convenience aspect to most of these gadgets

Mostly spend more time messing with them than time saved and doing tasks that don’t need doing

Well it would seem the charge guard is doing just this, OK years ago battery chargers would say 16 hours maximum, and it seems they were rather cheap, but today most are designed, so batteries can be left on charge until next use.

Although I have seen a problem with that, mainly with PMR radios, where the base station one was left on the charger, which would auto switch off once charged, and not switch back on again, but the smart socket would be doing the same thing.

It seems I can set electric cost, but each hour, and my tariff changes at 00:30 so it will be slightly out, and I have guessed when the batteries will run out, which is the other change in price.

 

[ericmark]

Well test done. Notice given on phone, the battery charger showing bright lights. But as to why one would want the feature, not so sure! Although telling me when the batteries have been charged may be handy, but I like to have a rest between discharging each set of batteries.

 

[JohnW2]

I needed some more for fans around the house.

So have a lot of us recently and, thankfully, they invariably come with proper switches.

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned (certainly can't deny being old ) but I do have to wonder why the need for fans should bring about discussion about some new-fangled way of switching them on and off