How "Smart" is your home?

[IncomeOriented]

My biggest connectivity decision in the last 10 years.... got a new ASUS router for the home. I got a message on my iPhone that the wifi might not be secure. Sure enough, my 12 year old router did not support the new protocols for the best wifi security. Wow, now it's twice as fast as the old one. Gotta love all those security features on the Apple-stuff.

We have 2 iPhones, iMac, iPad, 3 streaming TV's and a Printer all connected, that's all I want. And I only want those because I use them and get enjoyment from them.

The new stove, refrigerator, hot water heater, 2 humidifiers, and just about everything we buy now, wants to "hook-up" with our iPhones. They make all kinds of promises of the sheer joy of being "connected". When I tried to "hook-up" in the past it was just more trouble than it's worth and I deleted their apps. I get no joy from being connected, just for the sake of...

 

[HFWR]

Not very, like its inhabitant…

 

[aja8888]

Nothing in my house is smart, including the main occupant.

 

[Koolau]

Not very, like its inhabitant…

Possessed!!

 

[ls99]

Dumb as a rock. Maybe little better. A few mechanical timers for lights.

 

[HFWR]

I don’t want or need my refrigerator to be online.

 

[Koolau]

I can already program my Roomba to clean when I'm gone. Don't need it to be Net Based.

 

[ncbill]

After an ~18 hour power outage courtesy of hurricane Helene I am gradually replacing older UPS units with (minimum 1 kWh) EcoFlow units.

Those are easily controlled via Bluetooth/WiFi from my smartphone.

 

[HFWR]

After an ~18 hour power outage courtesy of hurricane Helene I am gradually replacing older UPS units with (minimum 1 kWh) EcoFlow units.

Those are easily controlled via Bluetooth/WiFi from my smartphone.

I have three Delta 2s, each with the aux battery. I charge them with one of my two four-panel arrays, 400w each. The max solar input on those units is 500w, and some days the Harbor Freight panels get close.

Fyi, running a window fan and tracking with a kill-a-watt meter, I got 1.1 kWh, the rest gobbled up by the sine wave inverter, I suppose. But LFP chemistry, and I don’t work them that hard, so should last awhile.

 

[GrayHare]

YMMV, but I'd not want distracting popups, at least not without me enabling them. Next, they'll want me to prove I'm a human in order to do laundry.

 

[ncbill]

I have three Delta 2s, each with the aux battery. I charge them with one of my two four-panel arrays, 400w each. The max solar input on those units is 500w, and some days the Harbor Freight panels get close.

Fyi, running a window fan and tracking with a kill-a-watt meter, I got 1.1 kWh, the rest gobbled up by the sine wave inverter, I suppose. But LFP chemistry, and I don’t work them that hard, so should last awhile.

To beat the tariffs, I just ponied up for a ~4 kWh Delta Pro 3.

It will power the downstairs fridge where I will move everything critical from the kitchen fridge in the event of a power failure lasting more than a few hours.

If needed, it should also run our gas furnace overnight via this one-port transfer switch.

I can rapid recharge all my EcoFlow units via their "alternator charger" directly from an idling vehicle's battery.

 

[HFWR]

To death the tariffs, I just ponied up for a ~4 kWh Delta Pro 3.

It will power the downstairs fridge where I will move everything critical from the kitchen fridge in the event of a power failure lasting more than a few hours.

If needed, it should also run our gas furnace overnight.

I can rapid recharge all my EcoFlow units via their "alternator charger" directly from an idling vehicle's battery.

During last year’s outage from a derecho, I ran my fridge for the duration. 142w, easily handled. I think one unit would run my furnace, but better set the thermostat just high enough to keep pipes from freezing. Haven’t actually connected to it, but it’s rated 7A.

Haven’t thought about it lately, but since I’m attempting use as much solar as possible, some larger applications need more than 400w.

I’ve seen the alternator device advertised in recent bundles, but don’t feel any urgency to get it.

 

[aja8888]

I don’t want or need my refrigerator to be online.

I learned how to use my manual thermostat.

 

[MarieIG]

I don't find my home to be very smart. I suspected our last Eco friendly thermostat was a misogynist, as it adjusted for DH and DS in person and remotely, and utterly refused to change temperature for me. After having to telephone DH several times for him to adjust the temperature from out-of-state - somebody, naming no names, may have threatened to tear it off the wall if it wasn't replaced with something more cooperative.

The new thermostat, perhaps knowing the fate of its predecessor, has been more cooperative.

 

[aja8888]

I don't find my home to be very smart. I suspected our last Eco friendly thermostat was a misogynist, as it adjusted for DH and DS in person and remotely, and utterly refused to change temperature for me. After having to telephone DH several times for him to adjust the temperature from out-of-state - somebody, naming no names, may have threatened to tear it off the wall if it wasn't replaced with something more cooperative.

The new thermostat, perhaps knowing the fate of its predecessor, has been more cooperative.

If I can't find my phone, I can still adjust the thermostat!

 

[Out of Steam]

Don’t dis da’ Ting! It is not home automation, it is home protection against electrical malfunctions, such as transformer problems, loose wires, etc. It is cheap insurance against electrical fires, which is why State Farm offers the device for free.

My brother died in a house fire caused by electrical faults. I encourage everyone I know to get a Ting, if possible.

I took State Farm up on this offer a few weeks ago. I've been concerned about electrical safety since a neighbor said that he had had an electrical fire in his house some years ago.

Nothing interesting so far. The ability to check remotely whether a power failure at home has ended is the most obvious use.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

If I can't find my phone, I can still adjust the thermostat!

My phone, like my dumb thermostat, is mounted to the wall. If I can't find those, then there's really a problem.

 

[MarieIG]

If I can't find my phone, I can still adjust the thermostat!

Such boasting!

 

[surfFL]

It's actually a good exercise to recap what I have, and highlight how heteroclite all those systems are...
My main 'hub' is Ring
- 7 cameras
- 1 smart lock
- 1 garage door opener
- 1 smart thermostat
- 1 door bell
- 3 smoke / CO
- 1 alarm listener (listens to 1 Heat Sensor in the garage + 5 not-Ring interconnected smoke / CO)
- 1 smart switch (outside garage lights)
- 2 smart outlets (attic fan, septic air pump)
- 10 contact sensors
- 6 motions
- 5 flood
- 1 glass brake
= 40

myQ
- Garage door opener (App can be launched from Ring, but not integrated)
= 0 (counted above)

Rain Bird
- 6 zones (but I only use 5)
= 5

LG
- TV
- Washer / Dryer combo
= 2

Samsung
- Range
- Fridge
= 2

Apple
- 1 AppleTV 4k
- 2 HomePod mini
= 3

QuietCool
- 1 attic fan
= 1

Tesla
- 1 car
- 1 wall connector
- 24 solar panels
- 3 powerwalls
- 1 grid
- 1 home
= 6 (counting the solar panels as 1 device and powerwalls as well)

Dreame
- robot vacuum / mopping
= 1

TOTAL
60 devices !!!
9 control Apps !!!

I wish everything could be controlled in 1 App...

What is smart about all this?
a/ I use Amazon Alexa Routines to control the smart switch (outside garage lights) at sunset / sunrise
b/ I use Amazon Alexa Routines to control the smart outlet (septic air pump) at 7:30am / 9:30pm
c/ I use the flood sensors for leaks detection AC / water heater, sinks and fridge
d/ I use the alarm listener to bridge the heat sensor (for the Powerwalls) to the Ring ecosystem (and Fire Department)
e/ RainBird is fully automated (2 programs for the 5 zones)
f/ Dreame can be scheduled / automated from the App; but I start the robot manually (from the App or Base Station)
g/ Tesla can be automated with NetZero App (I have it) with the 'Automation' features. But for now, I'm just using NetZero App for extra monitoring of the Tesla ecosystem
h/ smart thermostat (Amazon Smart Thermostat) can be automated with Alexa Routines, but I'm not using them ATM. Just controlling it from Ring.
i/ QuietCool has 1 program with 2 temperature triggers and 1 humidity trigger, it is configured in 'Smart' Mode'

Of course everything is WiFi (except QuietCool which is Bluetooth, that's why I've added a smart outlet) so it can be controlled while I'm away.

Oh wait, I'm not done yet... Waiting on a 'smart ceiling fan' and 'under-sink smart reverse osmosis system' (not 100% sure about how smart will those ones will be).

And next year I will get a robot lawn mower, probably MAM Motion

Cheers.

 

[TickTock]

It's actually a good exercise to recap what I have, and highlight how heteroclite all those systems are...

I will admit to having to look up 'heteroclite'.

While we have some 'smart' items, my answer is, "The house is as smart as the owners."

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

It's actually a good exercise to recap what I have, and highlight how heteroclite all those systems are...
My main 'hub' is Ring
- 7 cameras
- 1 smart lock
- 1 garage door opener
- 1 smart thermostat
- 1 door bell
- 3 smoke / CO
- 1 alarm listener (listens to 1 Heat Sensor in the garage + 5 not-Ring interconnected smoke / CO)
- 1 smart switch (outside garage lights)
- 2 smart outlets (attic fan, septic air pump)
- 10 contact sensors
- 6 motions
- 5 flood
- 1 glass brake
= 40

myQ
- Garage door opener (App can be launched from Ring, but not integrated)
= 0 (counted above)

Rain Bird
- 6 zones (but I only use 5)
= 5

LG
- TV
- Washer / Dryer combo
= 2

Samsung
- Range
- Fridge
= 2

Apple
- 1 AppleTV 4k
- 2 HomePod mini
= 3

QuietCool
- 1 attic fan
= 1

Tesla
- 1 car
- 1 wall connector
- 24 solar panels
- 3 powerwalls
- 1 grid
- 1 home
= 6 (counting the solar panels as 1 device and powerwalls as well)

Dreame
- robot vacuum / mopping
= 1

TOTAL
60 devices !!!
9 control Apps !!!

I wish everything could be controlled in 1 App...

What is smart about all this?
a/ I use Amazon Alexa Routines to control the smart switch (outside garage lights) at sunset / sunrise
b/ I use Amazon Alexa Routines to control the smart outlet (septic air pump) at 7:30am / 9:30pm
c/ I use the flood sensors for leaks detection AC / water heater, sinks and fridge
d/ I use the alarm listener to bridge the heat sensor (for the Powerwalls) to the Ring ecosystem (and Fire Department)
e/ RainBird is fully automated (2 programs for the 5 zones)
f/ Dreame can be scheduled / automated from the App; but I start the robot manually (from the App or Base Station)
g/ Tesla can be automated with NetZero App (I have it) with the 'Automation' features. But for now, I'm just using NetZero App for extra monitoring of the Tesla ecosystem
h/ smart thermostat (Amazon Smart Thermostat) can be automated with Alexa Routines, but I'm not using them ATM. Just controlling it from Ring.
i/ QuietCool has 1 program with 2 temperature triggers and 1 humidity trigger, it is configured in 'Smart' Mode'

Of course everything is WiFi (except QuietCool which is Bluetooth, that's why I've added a smart outlet) so it can be controlled while I'm away.

Oh wait, I'm not done yet... Waiting on a 'smart ceiling fan' and 'under-sink smart reverse osmosis system' (not 100% sure about how smart will those ones will be).

And next year I will get a robot lawn mower, probably MAM Motion

Cheers.

You win.

(as a side note, I do not own a single thing on that list - some I've never even heard of)

 

[Koolau]

You win.

(as a side note, I do not own a single thing on that list - some I've never even heard of)

Likewise. Not a single one here, either. But, I am impressed. (Seriously).

 

[braumeister]

I got an email from Google today that said in a few months they will inactivate the online service of my Nest thermostat.
I've been using and enjoying it for about twelve years, and of course it still functions as well as ever.

Google is being kind enough to give me a special price of $150 for a new, current model Nest thermostat, but I can't see any functionality that is any different from what I already have, so it's purely a money grab.

 

[Koolau]

I got an email from Google today that said in a few months they will inactivate the online service of my Nest thermostat.
I've been using and enjoying it for about twelve years, and of course it still functions as well as ever.

Google is being kind enough to give me a special price of $150 for a new, current model Nest thermostat, but I can't see any functionality that is any different from what I already have, so it's purely a money grab.

Yeah, my perfectly good (old) Mac is now a paper weight because Apple no longer supports my version. Nyehhh! What's a $Grand plus, here or there. Yet another reason I buy android phone instead of Apple.

 

[MichaelB]

I got an email from Google today that said in a few months they will inactivate the online service of my Nest thermostat.
I've been using and enjoying it for about twelve years, and of course it still functions as well as ever.

Google is being kind enough to give me a special price of $150 for a new, current model Nest thermostat, but I can't see any functionality that is any different from what I already have, so it's purely a money grab.

That’s too bad. I have a couple of Nest thermostats (3rd gen) and like them. I imagine mine will be next.