appliances that communicate with each other

WillyP · 07-30-20, 01:49 PM

Does anybody make appliances that use wifi to communicate when they are running? I am building a new home, and what I am searching for is; an air conditioner that will communicate with the refrigerator, so they both don't run at the same time. I haven't had any luck in my search. But it seems like such an obvious need, somebody must make it.
In a perfect word neither would come on while the laundry machines are running.

jeff5may · 07-30-20, 02:38 PM

The usual suspects have appliances that Bluetooth with your phone and WiFi with Alexa and Siri and etc. Samsung, LG, ge, Whirlpool, etc. The functionality falls under the same category as smart home surveillance and security.

NiHaoMike · 07-30-20, 06:36 PM

There are smart plugs with energy monitoring.

jeff5may · 07-31-20, 08:10 AM

Oh no, we're talking about refrigerators with compartment cams (so you can check at the grocery store if you have any cold beer left), with the ability to assemble shopping lists for you automatically. Stream music and video to watch and hear on the built-in LCD panel. See who's at the front door from your smart door lock camera. Plan a meal based on the groceries inside the refrigerator. Samsung's app suite is called family hub.

Washers and dryers that are smart home enabled have a gaggle of extra functionality built in too. Not quite as decked out as the refrigerators, but you can control and monitor operation from afar, download custom cycles from the net, receive notifications when it's swap out laundry time, retrieve error messages, restart cycles that didn't finish correctly, and the like. Some models have bulk detergent and fabric softener tanks, that notify you when they get near empty.

As far as energy saving and prioritizing of equipment, I'm pretty certain that the factory apps don't include the eco-functionality you describe. They're more about the bells and whistles that make them more useful. That's not to say that you can't have another smart hub that you can program to prioritize certain devices to operate exclusively of each other. I do know that there are energy monitoring apps that can monitor and level your energy usage, as well as schedule devices to operate during off-peak hours and times of low usage.

oil pan 4 · 08-03-20, 05:53 PM

Put the refrigerator out in the garage, then it won't matter.
Actually the biggest energy waster is running the dryer during the day in summer.

CrankyDoug · 09-18-20, 03:13 PM

I've never done the numbers or even bothered to google it, but for those of us that work for a living there must be some carbon penalty for earning a living. Petrol comes to mind. Whether the eco in ecorenovator means economy or ecology, they are interconnected.

Every smart appliance has at least one PCB, without which the appliance is dead. And dead is what they become if lightning strikes within ten miles. Every such board I've examined has holes and a silkscreen outline for nonexistant surge devices. As for brownout protection of switching supplies, I have never seen a low voltage dropout on an appliance board. I've lost several devices over the years from brownouts, including top dollar computer power supplies that should have this protection.

What's the carbon penalty for spending $300 + labor to replace these boards? What if the board can't be replaced? As opposed to the carbon penalty for using dumb appliances that last 20 years.

Home automation is fun. Most of what I've seen in that area fails the eco test.

WillyP · 09-18-20, 04:04 PM

These are all excellent points. But, my main concern is not so much saving energy, as much as only using so much at one time. Solar panels produce a finite amount of juice, if the AC, the refrigerator, and the clothes dryer all come on at the same time, the solar panels won't produce enough power.

CrankyDoug · 09-19-20, 12:26 PM

Ah, solar! I missed that part. I am currently working on the load limiting problem as well. I agree it would be helpful to have remote monitoring capability if you aren't always home. I rarely leave the house so monitoring is less complicated.

Home automation for me has been 30 years of devices that don't communicate across brands and do manage to fail quickly. Now I'm going back to industrial contactors, SSR's, and a PLC. The energy cost for these older devices is less than the replacement cost of consumer products. It helps that I have everything on hand.

cbarbie · 09-23-20, 11:22 AM

Have you thought of Load management panel? Something similar to this.
https://pspproducts.wpengine.com/?p=767

Something like this might better suit your needs:
https://lyntec.com/remote-control-breaker-panel/
https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect...00/p96035.html

07-30-20, 01:49 PM	#1
WillyP Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Virginia Posts: 30 Thanks: 8 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	appliances that communicate with each other Does anybody make appliances that use wifi to communicate when they are running? I am building a new home, and what I am searching for is; an air conditioner that will communicate with the refrigerator, so they both don't run at the same time. I haven't had any luck in my search. But it seems like such an obvious need, somebody must make it. In a perfect word neither would come on while the laundry machines are running.

07-30-20, 06:36 PM	#3
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	There are smart plugs with energy monitoring. __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

09-23-20, 11:22 AM	#9
cbarbie Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post	Load Managment Panel Have you thought of Load management panel? Something similar to this. https://pspproducts.wpengine.com/?p=767 Something like this might better suit your needs: https://lyntec.com/remote-control-breaker-panel/ https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect...00/p96035.html Last edited by cbarbie; 09-24-20 at 11:01 AM..

07-30-20, 02:38 PM	#2
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	The usual suspects have appliances that Bluetooth with your phone and WiFi with Alexa and Siri and etc. Samsung, LG, ge, Whirlpool, etc. The functionality falls under the same category as smart home surveillance and security.

07-31-20, 08:10 AM	#4
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Oh no, we're talking about refrigerators with compartment cams (so you can check at the grocery store if you have any cold beer left), with the ability to assemble shopping lists for you automatically. Stream music and video to watch and hear on the built-in LCD panel. See who's at the front door from your smart door lock camera. Plan a meal based on the groceries inside the refrigerator. Samsung's app suite is called family hub. Washers and dryers that are smart home enabled have a gaggle of extra functionality built in too. Not quite as decked out as the refrigerators, but you can control and monitor operation from afar, download custom cycles from the net, receive notifications when it's swap out laundry time, retrieve error messages, restart cycles that didn't finish correctly, and the like. Some models have bulk detergent and fabric softener tanks, that notify you when they get near empty. As far as energy saving and prioritizing of equipment, I'm pretty certain that the factory apps don't include the eco-functionality you describe. They're more about the bells and whistles that make them more useful. That's not to say that you can't have another smart hub that you can program to prioritize certain devices to operate exclusively of each other. I do know that there are energy monitoring apps that can monitor and level your energy usage, as well as schedule devices to operate during off-peak hours and times of low usage.

08-03-20, 05:53 PM	#5
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Put the refrigerator out in the garage, then it won't matter. Actually the biggest energy waster is running the dryer during the day in summer.

09-18-20, 03:13 PM	#6
CrankyDoug Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 100 Thanks: 6 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	I've never done the numbers or even bothered to google it, but for those of us that work for a living there must be some carbon penalty for earning a living. Petrol comes to mind. Whether the eco in ecorenovator means economy or ecology, they are interconnected. Every smart appliance has at least one PCB, without which the appliance is dead. And dead is what they become if lightning strikes within ten miles. Every such board I've examined has holes and a silkscreen outline for nonexistant surge devices. As for brownout protection of switching supplies, I have never seen a low voltage dropout on an appliance board. I've lost several devices over the years from brownouts, including top dollar computer power supplies that should have this protection. What's the carbon penalty for spending $300 + labor to replace these boards? What if the board can't be replaced? As opposed to the carbon penalty for using dumb appliances that last 20 years. Home automation is fun. Most of what I've seen in that area fails the eco test.

09-18-20, 04:04 PM	#7
WillyP Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Virginia Posts: 30 Thanks: 8 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	These are all excellent points. But, my main concern is not so much saving energy, as much as only using so much at one time. Solar panels produce a finite amount of juice, if the AC, the refrigerator, and the clothes dryer all come on at the same time, the solar panels won't produce enough power.

09-19-20, 12:26 PM	#8
CrankyDoug Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 100 Thanks: 6 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Ah, solar! I missed that part. I am currently working on the load limiting problem as well. I agree it would be helpful to have remote monitoring capability if you aren't always home. I rarely leave the house so monitoring is less complicated. Home automation for me has been 30 years of devices that don't communicate across brands and do manage to fail quickly. Now I'm going back to industrial contactors, SSR's, and a PLC. The energy cost for these older devices is less than the replacement cost of consumer products. It helps that I have everything on hand.