A “smart plug” allows you to easily transform existing home appliances into IoT by simply inserting them between an outlet and a home appliance. It is the easiest device for smart home beginners to introduce and the easiest to experience the effects. Not only can it be controlled remotely from a smartphone app, but it can also be operated by voice in conjunction with a smart speaker (Alexa or Google Home), and can be automated with timer and schedule functions, all of which dramatically relieve the small stresses of daily life. In this article, we will introduce practical automation recipes that you can start replicating today.
Wake up in the morning: Automatically link indirect lighting and circulator
For those who don’t like getting up in the morning, we recommend setting the indirect lighting to automatically turn on 15 minutes before you wake up. The stimulation of light resets the body clock and promotes natural awakening. Furthermore, in the summer and winter, if you run the circulator at the time you wake up to circulate the air in your room, uneven temperatures in the room will be eliminated and you will be able to get out of bed comfortably. It is also convenient to use triggers in the app, such as “start at sunrise time.”
Daytime desk work: standby power cut and overcharge prevention timer
Smart plugs are also useful when working from home or in a PC workspace. By placing a smart plug at the base of the power strip that connects your monitor, speakers, desk light, etc., and setting up a routine to turn it off at 6:00 pm on weekdays, you can completely cut down on standby power after you leave work. You can also easily prevent battery deterioration due to overcharging by connecting it to a laptop or tablet charger and setting a timer to automatically turn off after 2 hours.
Crime prevention and energy saving at night: Random lighting and prevention of forgetting to turn off when going out
When you are away from home for a long time on a trip or business trip, the “Outing Mode (Random Lighting)” function is useful as a security measure. Randomly turn on and off floor lamps in the living room from evening to night to make it difficult for people outside to notice that you are not home. Also, if you just say “Alexa, good night” before going to bed, you can set it to shut off all indirect lights and electric kettles in the room, so you can fall asleep without worrying about forgetting to turn them off.
Walls and safety aspects of physical switches that you should know when introducing them
The most important thing to pay attention to when introducing a smart plug is the switch structure of the connected home appliance. Home appliances with electronic power buttons (types that won’t start unless you press the button again even after power is turned on) will not turn on even if you turn them on with a smart plug. You need to choose home appliances that can be physically kept turned on, such as knobs or seesaw switches. In addition, use with electric heating appliances that pose a risk of fire or accidents, such as electric stoves, irons, and hot plates, is prohibited by law and safety standards. Be sure to adhere to the upper limit on power consumption (usually up to 1500W) and put safety first when building a smart home.
[PR / Related recommended services]
📌 Search for the latest recommended gadgets and home appliances