By: Frank Engelman | Posted: December 17, 2021 | Updated: April 18, 2023
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The Problem to be Solved
Forgot to Turn Off the Iron, Hotplate, or Heater
Have you ever plugged in a device, turned it on and later forgot it was still plugged in? If this was a device that consumed a lot of energy such as a clothes iron, electric hotplate, coffee pot, tea kettle or a space heater you might have wasted some power or even have caused some damage.
Isn’t there a simple solution using a smart plug with Alexa to turn the plug off after a fixed time?
Yes, and this article explains exactly how to do that.
Alexa Timer Routine
If you have a smart plug you can say “Alexa, set a sleep timer on ABC for 30 minutes” where ABC is the plug name. If this is too difficult to remember, you could create an Alexa Routine to make the command simpler.
Caption: Simple Alexa Routine
Energy-sensing Plug
The timer routine above works great if you can remember this command, but what about if there was a way to automatically detect that power was being used by a device plugged into a smart plug?
OK, how does this magic happen?
Using a SmartThings energy sensing plug along with SmartThings automations, the plugged in device that is switched on could be detected.
It could be automatically turned off after an adjustable time.
This could be much handier for your elderly loved one who forgets Alexa commands.
As the device is switched on, an Alexa will inform your loved one that a timer has started. This delay can be remotely adjusted by you in the SmartThings automation.
After the timeout, Alexa will announce the power was turned off and automatically reset the plug for next device detection. You can also remotely set the delay before power back on is restored.
Kit List for this Solution
See the Kit List for the Products and Routines etc Needed to Implement This.
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Retired Intel Engineer wanting to share DIY technology tips for the children of parents wanting to remain living independently. I like posting ideas and answering technical questions. If a product or software has an issue making it hard for seniors to use, I try to offer workarounds and also try to contact the manufacturer for solutions. I write a column for this website in the Innovation- Homebrew Solutions & Ideas section
