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I need some help here with a solution to detect if a washing maschine and a dryer is ready. I can't figure out a reasonable priced and reliable solution.

What i want is to detect when the maschine is ready with their program and signal that preferablily via RFXcom to HomeSeer.
I tried the following and rejected due reliablility issues and or pricetag

- 555 Schmitt-trigger with an LDR , also with a photo diode and send the signal via a DS10. Or using a RFXPower module.
The problems here are that when turning on the 555 module the DS10 triggers, the DS 10 more often doesn't sends a signal that is picked up, sunlight shining on the maschine is transported through the plastics and influence the reading of the LDR/photo diode.

- Open up the maschine and wire things up.
One indicator was a neon bulb so for this i have to use a relais. The other maschine have a small pcb mounted led. Opening the maschine and soldering/modifying them will void the warranty. Also it's not a nice fix because it's maschine depended. When they are replaced i have to do it all again.

- Detecting if power flows throught the cable. However its unreliable and expensive.
with a power clamp.
with an HALL sensor

- Using a power sensor between the power socket and maschine
This is the preferred solution because it's independent of what kind of power consumer is behind it, no warrenty is voided however it's a rather expesive solution for just detecting if the maschine is ready. (I need 2 of them)
I had a look at plugwise and the everspring module.

So i need a big help here please. Any suggestions here?

Use a Plugwise module. Review my post about displaying messages on a Squeezebox where I explain the plugwise washer/dryer solution --> http://www.domoticaforum.eu/viewtopic.p ... 610#p27610

Wit a little rework, it's easy adaptable to suit your needs.

That will set me back about 110,- because i need a starterset
I find that rather expensive for just a notification in my case. If i would go for something like that then i will go for z-wave with a Wall Plug Switch AN158 Powermeter. Although i need a base stick also for z-wave with will add also to the cost. But that one can be use for more equipment.

Hi Bram,

One more (creative) solution, at least for the washing machine: use an accelerometer connected to a microcontroller to detect the start and end of the spin-cycle that is part of the washing cycle. This is a reusable solution, as it can be mounted externally. For the dryer, you could probably add a temperature sensor (DS18B20 based) on the exhaust, which is also a fairly generic solution.

Lennart

Put a kind of water-sensor in the drain so if there is no water detected for more than xx minutes the washing has been done.
Put a webcam is front of the door and do image analysis if no movement washing is over .....

Henk

Great minds, nice solutions.
* webcam for the dryer is not possible because the door is not transparant. However, i can do motion detection to see if a signal light goes on or of. It might be something.

* an accelerometer connected to a microcontroller. Good sugestion but not working. The dryer is ontop of the washing maschine so they influence each other.

* add a temperature sensor (DS18B20 based) on the exhaust. Thought about that one to but not tried that one yet.

The most unreliable part in the setup is getting the signal over to RFXcom in some way. The DS10's i am using doesn't always get the signal over. It might be the that the trigger is to short for it it it might not be a clean signal to the DS10 to trigger

I think the solution would be in the powermeasuring because this is the only turn key solution.

The other things i can think of are

- Velleman K8055 interface (5 inputs so enough for 2 appliances)
- Velleman Day/Night switch (placed on a led to switch the inputs on the K8055)

I`m using this solution to check if it is day or night But think it should be possible to use it for leds

http://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?id=344193
http://www.velleman.eu/products/view/?id=404880

To extend the connection u can use

http://www.computerwinkel.pro/index.php ... kabel.html

The tip for the usb extender is very welcome, thx!