this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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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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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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[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

You could even get one of those plugs with an analogue timer in that case.

But if you already have some kind of home automation set up, a lot of smart plugs can measure current going through it, so you could just set up a rule to turn it off at 10pm, or combine with a motion detector to turn off if the room has been empty for 10 minutes.