Quick Question: Most common use cases for Smart Plugs ?

Hi, everyone. Can you please help me with this?

What are the most common uses cases for which a Smart Plug is the best device to do the job?

A few examples, feel free to add more:

[ul][li]Coffee Pot [/li]
[li]Electric Kettle [/li]
[li]Slow Cooker [/li]
[li]Lamps [/li]
[li]Fan [/li]
[li]Outdoor lighting [/li][/ul]

Greatly appreciated!

I use mostly for lamps, but the ones i tend to use the most are attached to network devices (router, modem, Vera, etc.) so that i can hard reset them when away.

Any of the ones you listed and possible some additional ones:

Radio set (simulate presence)
Home assistant (no need to have it connected 24/24 hours.
Electric calefactor
Electric Photo show
Laptop power (for remote wake up it, not needing to have it connected 24/24.
Frigo (for remotely control its power on/off in a second/vacation home)
. . . . .

I leave space for another’s ideas… :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Regards.

I use them for my multiple entertainment centers. So many of the devices (i.e. stereos, TV’s, cable boxes, playstation, etc) are still consuming power when shutoff. I use them to completely shutoff the power when not in use. I also use them to turn on my hot water circulation pump which allows smarter logic than a simple a timer.

Humidifier, Christmas lights

Not to forget extending/strengthening the Zwave network mesh.

Holiday lights, for sure.

For my landscape lights because the (outdoor) places where the transformers live are not well-suited to Z-wave receptacles (and the Z-wave plugs fit in the transformer enclosures).

I have one on my cable modem to reboot it remotely or by automation.

I’ve used them as instant temporary repeaters when I’m in the middle of moving things around.

I don’t use them for high-wattage devices because I’ve seen how most of them are built. In the one case where I’m tempted get over that, my kettle, I’m worried that sooner or later I’d turn it on while empty and then have to rely on the kettle’s safety devices to prevent my house burning to the ground, and I’ve spent too much time around things electrical engineered for cost and built in far-way lands for that.

If I didn’t own my house (i.e. renting), I’m sure I’d use them a lot more.

[ul][li]portable oil heater, monitoring power usage[/li]
[li]hot water circulation pump[/li]
[li]disable power to garage door opener during away times[/li]
[li]lamps[/li][/ul]

Tvs, to automate lights based on usage (ie, when watching tv and is dark, turn lights on).

Power cycle the vera… I have wifi ones.
The only zwave/zigbee ones I have are used as network repeaters.

All our indoor cameras are on smart plugs; they are killed when we are at home, for privacy reasons.

On a somewhat related note, I was extremely pleased to see the announcement for the Fibaro Walli line: smart switches and smart Schuko type wall sockets compatible with euro patress boxes and various common brands of face plates, that look like a premium product instead of the usual plastic rubbish. The selection of these kinds of devices has been decidedly poor for the Euro market, so I hope Vera will add support for these soon after they hit the stores.

Because I kind of hate smart plugs, especially the bulky kind. Even if it will be kind of pricey, I’d prefer to turn all of my wall sockets into smart sockets, instead of using nasty looking smart wall warts.

All of the above, plus I have it connected to my dish washer so that Vera notifies me when it is finished.

Add Pet Care. We use for our automated cat feeder [url=http://www.super-feeder.com/]http://www.super-feeder.com/[/url], as well as for reptile lighting (on day lights at sunrise, switch to night lights at sunset)…

In fact, those two applications, along with a traditional floor lamp, were the reason I started with Vera almost 6 years ago as I was tired of programming individual timers for each device.

Also want to second ‘hot water re-circulation pump’.

I have the outdoor ge smart plug on a freezer in the garage with a scene to turn it back on if it switches off.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

I?ve the electric chimney plug into one, so I can ask Alexa to switch the chimney on (using HA)

[quote=“wilme2, post:13, topic:200586”]Add Pet Care. We use for our automated cat feeder [url=http://www.super-feeder.com/]http://www.super-feeder.com/[/url], as well as for reptile lighting (on day lights at sunrise, switch to night lights at sunset)…

In fact, those two applications, along with a traditional floor lamp, were the reason I started with Vera almost 6 years ago as I was tired of programming individual timers for each device.

Also want to second ‘hot water re-circulation pump’.[/quote]

Good examples because those are time critical applications: you don’t want Vera to mess up the schedule.

[quote=“intveltr, post:11, topic:200586”]All our indoor cameras are on smart plugs; they are killed when we are at home, for privacy reasons.

On a somewhat related note, I was extremely pleased to see the announcement for the Fibaro Walli line: smart switches and smart Schuko type wall sockets compatible with euro patress boxes and various common brands of face plates, that look like a premium product instead of the usual plastic rubbish. The selection of these kinds of devices has been decidedly poor for the Euro market, so I hope Vera will add support for these soon after they hit the stores.

Because I kind of hate smart plugs, especially the bulky kind. Even if it will be kind of pricey, I’d prefer to turn all of my wall sockets into smart sockets, instead of using nasty looking smart wall warts.[/quote]
You can convert your sockets intm ZWAVE sockets by using the TEM Modal System.
Google TEM switches for further info or PM me

I use smart plugs for:

Disconnecting TVs and other equipment in standby when nobody is home.
Evaluating power consumption for dishwasher and washing machine to notify when they are done washing and disconnect when not in use while away.
Disconnecting robot lawn mower from electrical grid and guidelines when thunderstorm approach.
Holiday lighting.
Stop and start circulation pump for underfloor heating according to thermostats demand for heat.

Wow, as always, more than expected. :slight_smile:

Thank you so much, everyone. I will leave the topic open as it is useful for the public.

I personally use it for power metering, to drive some light, my old Home HiFi and for the Xmas lights…