Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

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Is there any device that can turn itself off with a timer after it detects current flowing? (alien.top)

submitted 10 months ago by band-of-horses@alien.top to c/homeautomation@selfhosted.forum

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I have an electric patio heater that I sometimes forget to turn off after using. In addition to a fire hazard, it costs a lot of money to keep it running overnight if I forget. However, it also doesn't turn on when you power the outlet on. You have to hit the button on the heater to turn it on, so a normal smart plug won't be able to automate turning it on and off. Is there any kind of device that could be programmed to sense when current starts flowing through the plug and start a timer to automatically turn it off in 1 hour?

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[–] dracotrapnet@alien.top 1 points 10 months ago

I have not seen anything with that but I have a suggestion that might work out.

I have a reptile light bar that has it's own clock that runs 2 internal circuits (Hate it - tempted to rewire both circuits to always on). Occasionally I take the lizard out, turn off the lights at the Kasa power strip button, give him a bath and let him roam the office for a day. I have the power strip programmed to turn that socket back on after 10 pm, well before the clock needs to turn the lamps back on the next morning so it doesn't live off he little battery all night. That works fine for my needs.

Just get a plug with enough wattage to handle the heater and schedule it to turn off sometime over night, every night and turn back on before you would usually visit the heater to turn it back on. Or you could just leave the socket off and manually turn it back on when you want to use the heater.