Here’s a simple plugin module to convert your home appliances to Wi-Fi Control. WiFi Plug uses your home’s 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi network and also operates over mobile internet, so you can control appliances while you’re away.
The makers say WiFiPlug is ready to go straight out of the box, with their ‘One Click’ set up. In addition to simple manual on/off control from your phone or other device you can put your appliances on a 7 day schedule (up to 10 events per day) to help conserving energy. You can add multiple plugs into ‘Groups’ (perhaps by room or by function) and there’s a Master ON/OFF command to control everything with one click. There’s also an API for Developers.
The accompanying free WiFiPlug² app works with iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch (4th Gen) as well as Android devices and anything with a browser (think your Mac / Linux / Windows PC etc).
In addition WiFi Plug’s makers saying they will be bring more features to their wireless modules via firmware updates during the coming year including…
- Live Energy Monitoring : Real time energy data (2014)
- GeoFencing: GPS location changes appliances state (v.2 Android)
- Multi Function Timer: upto 10 different timer settings (v.2)
- Scene Settings: Night mode, All appliances switch off (v.2)
- Thermostat: When temp hits 25°C Heater turns off (2014)
WiFi Plug is available from Amazon.
No products found.
[Update] After seeing this article WiFiPlug contacted us with this offer for Automated Home Readers – “We can offer your readers an exclusive discount. Add ‘ OTTOMATE2 ‘ at the checkout for £2 off their purchase. (expires 28/02/14)”
wifiplug.co.uk : Available from Amazon
Last update on 2024-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Inspired – tried to buy – web site epic fail, live chat support epic fail
Sad – looked promising!
James
Hi there, I’m afraid the utility of such an appliance is limited by my imagination.
Can anybody suggest valid uses for a wifi enabled switch?
Hi James,
We saw your post earlier, It appears our SSL certificate was conflicting with the checkout, anyway, a quick cache refresh should allow you to visit the checkout again.
ian: We are constantly developing the app, our next plugin with Tasker will allow you to talk to your phone to turn your Kettle, electric blanket, Media Centre, lights or anything you want from your voice, anywhere in the World
Thanks
I want to see if I can use one of these to make my energy monitor turn on the washing machine when it detects a surplus of locally-generated PV power. I’m currently (!) using a Home Easy switched socket to do this, but the RF signal frequently fails to reach the socket, and there is no feedback channel. I’m hoping WiFi will be more reliable.
Are this device availible as europlug or schuko?
Nathan (thanks for responding so quickly)
It’s that brainstorming that I’m struggling with:
* Kettle – this would rely on you remembering to leave the kettle itself switched on, but switched off at the wall. Plus, expecting the wife & kids to do the same.
* Electric Blanket – maybe. Quite a niche case in 2014 I guess.
* Media Centre – it doesn’t seem healthy to switch a media centre on/off via the mains. It won’t get to do it’s shutdown sequence. Plus, I expect you would need to be in IR comms with the media centre for it to do its job anyway.
* Lights – yes, but only if they were fed through a mains socket.
None of these bring a “wow” factor.
Aah, how about a solenoid on a garden water sprinkler? Maybe you’d be able to give the garden an evening spray at the end of a really warm day whilst on holiday abroad.
Yes, that’s a good use case. I struggle to think of many other “Real world” cases.
Max Hadley : We issue customers with API code so if you are confident in coding you can pretty much get them to do whatever task you like!
Anders Frihagen: We can get them in EU/USA/AU just email us, [email protected]
Ian: It depends how much of your Home you want to Automate, agreed you would need to get a few things in pre set mode but the Lights actually have the biggest wow factor combined with the Group function you can rig up an entire House or Office.
A few customers use them for these instances: Boiler/ Central Heating, Air Con , Holiday Homes, Hot Tubs, Saunas, Fish Tanks, Coffee Machines, 3D Printers, TV, Electric Heaters, Hair Straighteners, Washing Machines, Xmas Lights, Chargers, Fog Horns & Slow Cookers! – To be honest the list goes on but I won’t bore you!
GeoFencing will be the best update as you will leave the office and your Home will get ready for your arrival!
Well, I’ve ordered a couple to play with. Let’s wait & see what they can do!
I ordered a few a couple of weeks ago, really enjoying them. Updated the app last night too, works much better now, grouping function is especially handy.
I use X10 – have done for 15 years or more. Why don’t these have DIM/BRIGHT control – that makes no sense – unless of course you have taken some eco-friendly view based on a world without dimmable lamps – that would be wrong. For me, I’m out!
I’d be interested to see if we could integrate this with our home security service (http://www.gardio.se) to switch on light when I get home, or activate flood lights if the alarm goes off etc. Problem with the ‘plug’ form factor is that a) it is ugly, and ba) various family members often move plugs around.
Even though I am sure a burglar might get worried if the vacuum cleaner or hairdryer starts when entering… I would like a design where I cut the cord to the appliance and connect it, so that it will vontrol the right device even it it is moved….
I think a vacuum cleaner would terrify a burglar!
Also they are not that ugly!!
Yep you could deffo integrate, we give full API docs for budding developers & companies, we shared with open remote & Tasker and got some great results.
I gave up on these sockets after I found out they connect to a server in China. I had tried to set up a ‘private’ WiFi net just for the WiFi plugs so that they would be able to communicate with the server & each other, but not with any other computers on my LAN, but this didn’t work. I suspect this is because of a double-NAT issue. If and when the energy-monitoring API becomes available I might have another go, this time configuring my ADSL router to set up a VLAN on one RJ-45 socket, connected to a second WiFi access point.
As a result, I haven’t investigated the API in detail, but it looks as if it is supplied only in the form of library files to be linked into an Android or IOS app. That’s not what I want to do, though. I’d like the Web API to the server to be documented so I can control the sockets & monitor the power being drawn from a program running on my automation controller (a Beaglebone Black).
Let’s see what the update is like!
Hi,
another products that can control electrical circuits by WIFI, are on wifipower.fr
from 450Watts to 3680Watts per circuits.
open API, can be controled by any webbrowsers or HTTP GET querie.
thanks fro reading, regards