Do you think it will be possible to use an outlet w/ monitor (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-HS110-Monitoring-Required-Assistant/dp/B0178IC5ZY ) to detect when the washer and/or dryer is complete?
I saw others did it with motion/vibration sensors but this seems simpler, but I’m not sure if I’m missing something.
Yes it has been done. There are a few examples on the forum here. In the Share Your Projects section do a search for washer and you should find a couple.
I’m not about that specific power monitor, but I’m doing it with two Sonoff POWs. S31s would work equally well.
I have them flashed with tasmota so I get the power information over MQTT. From there I have a sensor for power, and a template sensor for if it’s “running” or not.
- platform: template
sensors:
washer_status:
friendly_name: "Washing Machine Status"
delay_on:
minutes: 10
delay_off:
minutes: 3
value_template: >-
{{ states('sensor.Washer_power')|float > 10 }}
dryer_status:
friendly_name: "Dryer Status"
delay_on:
minutes: 10
delay_off:
minutes: 3
value_template: >-
{{ states('sensor.dryer_power')|float > 10 }}
Then an automation to send me a text message from IFTT and have my Echo Dot announce it:
- id: dryer_finished_notification
alias: Dryer Finished Notification
trigger:
platform: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.dryer_status
to: 'off'
action:
- service: ifttt.trigger
data: {"event":"DryerDoneAlm"}
- service: media_player.alexa_tts
data:
entity_id: media_player.echo_dot, media_player.2nd_echo_dot
message: "The dryer is finished now."I’m not that faimiliar with SONOFF but my understanding is that requires some actual rewiring of wires internal to the washer/dryer? Or am I wrong?
No, not at all.
The Sonoff S31 is extremely similar to the smart plug you were looking at. It’s just a plug that goes between the wall and device. To get the most out of it though, features like native MQTT on it, it should be re-flashed with new firmware. Tasmota is the most popular.
The device I’m using is the Sonoff POW, which is pretty much the same as the S31, but just has screw terminals. I took an old 2ft extension cord, cut it in half, and attached that to the POW so it can also just sit in-line with the device without any modification to load I’m switching.
Sonoff makes a number of devices, some more geared to just plugging in and working, and others which require a bit of DIY wiring like the POW.
AH, so the big difference (besides a few dollars) between the S31 and the TPLink HS110 type device is the ability to overwrite the firmware and have a more DIY type feel, which could be nice in case I end up wanting more control. Thanks.
Correct.
I just checked and it seems like Home Assistant supports those TP-Link switches naively, for both switching and energy monitoring.
However personally I prefer running a custom firmware on these types of devices so I have full control of what data comes and goes from my house and ends up in some companies database. It’s more work though, so it does come at a price.
As a FYI, the Sonoff devices mostly all use the same type of chip, which is what makes it so easy to write and use a custom firmware on them. The ESP8266 chip. I use the same chip for DIY sensors; very easy to use. You can also find a lot of IOT devices using them, for example many other brands of smart switch use them, but don’t advertise it. Most of them are re-flashable with a bit of effort. The HS110, however, does not seem to use the ESP8266 so would not be re-flashable as far as I can tell.
You would also like to double-check that the maximum power consumed by the washer/dryer is below the maximum load admitted by the monitoring device. For instance, based on the technical specs for the TP-Link switch you linked, I would NOT use it for this purpose.
For the Sonoff POW it seems that the maximum power is 3500W. I don’t know what is the max power when a washer/dryer operates. This comment is just a friendly reminder to stay safe when working with mains 
Of course I just ordered the TP Link device
Actually this link shows that the HS110 can handle 3.68kW which is higher than Sonoff.
FWIW, I just checked my device history. My dryer uses 2,100W very briefly at lightoff (it’s gas) and 800W continuous. My washer uses 400-600W continuous.
If you have an electric heat dryer it’s probably not 120v, thus incompatible, or if it is 120v it’s likely too much power for a consumer power meter of this style.
I don’t know where you live but be careful because it seems that the US version is 1800W according to TP-Link website.
@Silicon_Avatar , thanks for the info; dryers are not a common appliance where I live.
You are right I was looking at the wrong one. I guess I’ll try it first on my washer which has a lower draw.
For the record I’m in the US and using a gas dryer.
I’m doing this with an HS110 (washer and dryer both plugged into the same outlet). It works very well - when the washer or dryer has finished, it broadcasts a message to every Google Home in the house, and sends me a message with PushBullet (all using the Node Red add-on).
The only challenges I faced were wifi strength because my laundry is outside (fixed when I went to mesh wifi) and I get some false positives because they pause and therefore use less power for a while. I partially fixed this by rechecking the power in 5 minutes, but every now and again the two pauses are exactly 5 minutes apart. This doesn’t happen often enough to bother doing anything about it.
Both my washer and dryer are 240V (Aust). I never even knew gas dryers existed - Googling shows you can buy them here, but they’re double the price, so perhaps not very popular.
Would you be willing to share your node-red config for this? I’m curious to see how others do it. I have an automation mostly working, but part of it is still handled by HA instead of node-red.