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[dave w]

Early this week I stopped at a Dollar Tree store and found this really neat "Sunbeam" outlet strip with two "Always ON outlets", one "Master Outlet" and four "Controlled Outlets". The idea is to plug your TV into the master outlet and your DVR, VCR, sound bar, etc. in the controlled outlets. When you turn on the TV the controlled outlets are powered until you turn the TV off.

My feeble brain thunked I could plug a PSC01 Power Flash in one of the always ON outlets and a 120V coil relay in one of the controlled outlets with the relay N.O. contact wired to the PSC01. Then plug our washing machine in the master outlet. Presto, I have a HCUC that goes ON when the washer is running and OFF when the washer shuts down. Homeseer, Home Genie, etc. can them make a verbal announcement when the wash is complete, which I will crank out over our wireless speaker system.

I haven't even got to the proof of concept yet,so do not know if this will work. But I wanted to post, because for a buck at Dollar Tree, this outlet strip has some great potential. I just checked one of the local DT and they sold out very quickly they said. So just trying to get the word out. The outlet strips are boxed so don't look for them on the racks. They were with the Sunbeam light bulbs.

[brobin]

Sounds like a great idea. Depending on the washing machine this could work but (there's always a but), unless your machine is a basic model with a mechanical timer, it'll always be drawing at least some current.  I have a Watts Intelliflow Automatic shutoff valve for the washing machine. The unit replaces the shutoff valves on the wall and eliminates the possibility of a hose bursting and flooding the house. The washing machine plugs into the unit, senses when the washer is turned on and opens the water valves while it's running.  If the washing machine is an 'always on' type, as most are today, there's a programming sequence for the Intelliflow so that it'll know the difference between 'standby' and 'in-use' current draws. Chances are the power strip isn't that sophisticated so you might have to develop a work around. One of the reasons these are probably on sale is that the same holds true for most TV's built since the turn of the century. That, plus why would one want to turn off their VCR when its purpose is to record shows when not watching TV? 

https://www.watts.com/our-story/brands/intelliflow

 

[Brian H]

I have seen some reports. That some washers now cycle back and forth. Stopping between directions and drawing low current.
I know when the Insteon SynchroLinc module that sensed current through at output socket and you could set the trip point.
Had issues with some washers if you set the trip point too high with software.
Sounds like it may work depending on what current is needed to be sensed to turn it On and Off.

[dave w]

Yeah, we have a high efficiency washer with momentary poppell style switches. So definitely using an "always awake" logic board.

But two factors weighed in to my feeble brain when I saw this outlet strip: 1. the box gave the specific example of a TV set as the controlling device. Since almost all TVs made in the last 20 years use a remote control, I figure the Sunbeam "engineers" set the trigger current high enough to factor in an "OFF state" standby current. And the big number 2 consideration was "It's a buck" if it don't work...it's a buck.

I will play with the washer and outlet strip next week and post results, but if this idea is appealing, one might make a trip to the local Dollar Tree without waiting for the results because...well... it's a buck.

BTW brobin; thanks for the tip on the Watts Intelliflow Automatic Shutoff Valve. I'm going to check in on that because of bursting hose paranoia. I'm so paranoid I shut off house main water valve when leaving home for more than a day.

[brobin]

BTW brobin; thanks for the tip on the Watts Intelliflow Automatic Shutoff Valve. I'm going to check in on that because of bursting hose paranoia. I'm so paranoid I shut off house main water valve when leaving home for more than a day.

I've got you beat on the paranoid bit. I have a whole house motorized water valve that shuts off 1 hour after the alarm is armed in away mode (to allow for dishwasher or washing machine running).  You can't be too paranoid.  Twelve years ago I had a 3d floor (of course) toilet connector fail while we were away for the weekend.  A neighbor who saw water coming out of the garage turned off the main but not before $84,000 of damage taking 3 months to repair had been done. Glad my insurance was paid up!  The insurance company was part of a class action suit against Watts, the manufacturer of the toilet connector, and ultimately won the suit and sent me a check to cover the deductible.  Since then I've had the automated valves at both places which can also be triggered by leak detectors.

While I used the Watts Intelliflow in the past and still have it at my older place, in our newer home (5yrs) I installed a lower tech solution that doesn't require programming. It does require moving a lever at start-up but my wife's OK with that. It's basically a 2.5 hour mechanical timer for a lot less money.  https://goo.gl/bHaadE

[dave w]

I have a whole house motorized water valve that shuts off 1 hour after the alarm is armed in away mode (to allow for dishwasher or washing machine running). 

Good idea! I may go down that road also.

[brobin]

This is the one I have in both places and they are bullet proof. https://goo.gl/zzNTw4 Unfortunately the price has gone way up on these over the years but they do meet all codes and are made in the USA.  There is a similar Chinese one with a blue housing that sells for about $200 at Smarthome.com but I don't know how good it is.

[dave w]

This is the one I have in both places and they are bullet proof.

Thanks!! Appreciate your input!

[LostDog88]

BTW brobin; thanks for the tip on the Watts Intelliflow Automatic Shutoff Valve. I'm going to check in on that because of bursting hose paranoia. I'm so paranoid I shut off house main water valve when leaving home for more than a day.

I've got you beat on the paranoid bit. I have a whole house motorized water valve that shuts off 1 hour after the alarm is armed in away mode (to allow for dishwasher or washing machine running).  You can't be too paranoid.  Twelve years ago I had a 3d floor (of course) toilet connector fail while we were away for the weekend.  A neighbor who saw water coming out of the garage turned off the main but not before $84,000 of damage taking 3 months to repair had been done. Glad my insurance was paid up!  The insurance company was part of a class action suit against Watts, the manufacturer of the toilet connector, and ultimately won the suit and sent me a check to cover the deductible.  Since then I've had the automated valves at both places which can also be triggered by leak detectors.

While I used the Watts Intelliflow in the past and still have it at my older place, in our newer home (5yrs) I installed a lower tech solution that doesn't require programming. It does require moving a lever at start-up but my wife's OK with that. It's basically a 2.5 hour mechanical timer for a lot less money.  https://goo.gl/bHaadE

 A similar story here.......Landlord sent a plumber to fix a leaky toilet. I then left the next morning for Dallas. I was there two weeks. When I got back (thankfully in the toilet only) the valve was still leaking and the toilet had run the whole time I was in Dallas. I got a 984 dollar water bill. I was pissed.
Now. I turn the water off if I am gone more than a couple of days.

[brobin]

Just saw this water main valve on Amazon for only $53! It looks like it has all the right specs - full flow, NPT threads, stainless body & 4.5 star rating.  Certainly more affordable the one I bought!
https://goo.gl/xF4j8U

[racerfern]

It appears to be more for temporary use since there is mention of a small but constant draw. I paid a ton more for the Homeseer water valve with z-wave integration, but I'm very happy with it. I have an event that activates it once a month to make sure it doesn't get grungy.

Thanks for that link though, because I happened to see the Digiten Water Flow sensor. Now to figure out if I can connect that to my HA system.

[bkenobi]

I have something similar set up in a custom built arcade cabinet.  When the PC is turned on, the lights, monitor, speakers, etc turn on.  When the computer shuts down, everything gets turned off.  It works quite well.  These things are designed with some trigger minimum current.  I don't know what that is, but they *should* work the way you desire so long as the logic board pulls a small current (under the trigger limit) and the motor/pump/etc pull above the trigger.  The alternative is to build your own by using a 120VAC relay as the trigger, but I don't know what you would use for the threshold (not an EE or CompE).

[dave w]

Yeah, we have a high efficiency washer with momentary poppell style switches. So definitely using an "always awake" logic board.
I will play with the washer and outlet strip next week and post results

OK test results are in the answer on whether the one buck Sunbeam "Master Outlet" outlet strip will work as I hoped in the original post is:

sorta.

When our washer starts, it does a little tub/water dance to estimate load size. The Controlled Outlets on the strip powered up initially but when the washer sized the load and started the water fill before the wash cycle the controlled Outlets powered down until the fill was completed and the motor started. This repeated for the rinse cycle.

Homeseer (or HG) can easily ignore the two water fill power downs (two short OFF periods from the Power Flash) and speak "wash is complete" on the extended OFF at the end of the wash cycle.

So yes, the one buck "Master Outlet" outlet strip will work well and is $149 dollars cheaper than purchasing the GE WiFi adaptor for the washer to get a smartphone to say the wash is done.