Advanced washer automation

Hello is it possible to make an autoation that does the follow things ?

let me first explain why i need this automation, i have a dumb washer and wan’t to make it smart.
i have done it with node red, but not to my satisfy.

folowing states i’m thinking of.

sleeping state: 0 Watt
Running state: > 1500 Watt (Send a message)
Almost done: >350 Watt < 500 Watt
done: 0 Watt (Send a message)

is it possible to put these steps all in one automation.
if so where should i start, i have a couple of simple automations, but this looks pretty hard.

I could make for every step a diverent automation rule and set an helper to eache state.
Make a next automation to send out the notifications.

if i do it that way, i need at least 5 or 6 automation rules !

if someone could point into a direction so i could fiddle it out. maybe some kind of example from which i could build out further.

You could create triggers for all of the different states into one automation.

But you would need to base the actions on which trigger fired the automation. You can do that using a “choose:” action. But that gets complicated if you have a lot of triggers especially for a new user.

since you seem to not be very confident I would just create an automation for each trigger at first to get you started.

Once you get more experienced with HA you can combine them into one automation later.

but there is no benefit to having them all in one automation.

sometimes its easier to read and maintain if you split them up instead of having one longer more complicated automation.

Template sensor (docs) to work out the state first. You could do this all directly in the automation but you may well find other uses for the washer state:

template:
  - sensor:
      - name: Washer state
        unique_id: 3540021e-f795-41df-a7fe-2df94f9386d3
        state: >
          {% set power = states('sensor.YOUR_POWER_METER')|int(100) %}
          {% if power == 0 %}
            sleeping / done
          {% elif power > 1500 %}
            running
          {% elif 350 < power < 500  %}
            almost done
          {% else %}
            unknown
          {% endif %}

Note: you probably want something like power < 10 for the sleeping state, as there’s likely some power draw even when off. I’ve used a default of 100W (unknown state) in case the power meter doesn’t return anything usable.

Then the automation:

alias: Washer notifications
id: 31630c7b-0346-4de6-be0b-116c66d239f8
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: sensor.washer_state
    to:
      - 'running'
      - 'sleeping / done'
action:
  - service: notify.NEEDS_SETUP
    data:
      message: "Washer has entered {{ trigger.to_state.state }} state."

Well a newbee i wouldn’t call it. Running ha for several years.
Did already some things in YAML, now i’m slowly trying to move from node red to automations.

Why, just for learning purpose, so i will look in the choose thing.

thats not how i wan’t it,

that is somthing i didn’t teel, after starting, it should check for starting again, it should proceed to the next step.
only on a timeout it should reset all.

Perhaps a trigger-based template sensor would work for you then:

Trigger off any change to the power meter, and if conditions are met move onto the next stage.

For example, if current state is running, you’re looking for the power meter to measure 350–500W to move onto almost done state.

So, I went down this path and I got it to a repeatable state. I have a working automation that knows the cycle and where it is, but I had to monitor timing and wattage. It was not easy to do. Not to mention, the cycles change when different wash modes are set. My word of advice, just try to find a repeatable washer end point and notify off that. Monitoring all other states are not worth the effort.

1 Like

Correct,

Thats why i’m going for the start, this is goor all types the heating fase > 1500watt

And at the end it is drying the wash approx 250w til 500 w

After that it going down to 0 and wash is done

Same experience. I went through great pains to characterize each phase of a standard washing program (fill, agitate, drain, re-fill, wash, etc etc) based on energy consumption.

It worked well as long as you didn’t tweak the washing program. However, a myriad of common practices in our home (changing/pausing/restarting the washing program while it’s already underway) could derail the monitoring process.

The only reliable thing was detecting when it finished and announcing it … and we even abandoned that because, ultimately, the novelty of being notified wore off. Now we just use the smart plug to report how much energy the washing machine consumes. :man_shrugging:t3:

Then I’m not sure why @Troon’s method won’t work for you?

I still use the end of a wash sequence to notify me. Then the laundry doesn’t sit in the washer for hours. But I still kept all my logic trying to monitor the phases because I was too lazy to remove it.

Sorry, no offense meant but reading this it sounded like you were new.

either way (new to HA or just new to HA automations) the end result is the same.

Sometimes the effort to put everything into one long complex automation isn’t worth it. Sometimes it’s just easier to break them up.

But of course determining complexity and deciding if it’s worth it or not is definitely in the eye of the user.

@finity,

i don’t blame, just for learning curve i first build the separate automation, later on i wil try to put it all together.

HA is still a hoby project, which my family don’t think when somthing is goig wrong :slight_smile:

1 Like