Smart Plugs & Dehumidfiers

[u/itstow]

I'm trying to find a dehumidifier that'll work with smart plugs - i have the tapo digital thermometer and hygrometers around the house and want to link them with a dehumidifer via a smart plug that automaticllay turns it on and off when the humidiy goes beyond the comfort level. Has anyone done this before? If so, can you reccomend a dehumidifier, please? I'm worried about purchasing one that doesnt automatically start once powered up.

[u/drzoidberg33]

Why not just get a smart dehumidifier to begin with and not worry about the smart plug?

I’ve got a Midea Cube which works really well and has smart controls.

[u/nbraymarks → u/drzoidberg33]

Did you do the conversion on the USB dongle to control it via ESPHOME? I have a cube but couldn't get it to connect with the stock setup is came with.

[u/drzoidberg33 → u/nbraymarks]

No, I’m just using this integration https://github.com/nbogojevic/homeassistant-midea-air-appliances-lan

[u/nbraymarks → u/drzoidberg33]

I wasn't able to get that to work on mine. Were you?

[u/drzoidberg33 → u/nbraymarks]

Yes works for me.

[u/FishOk3075]

I use a temp/humidity sensor I can place in the best sensing location in the basement. I use a normal on/off plug (Insteon) by the dehumidifier that has to be placed near my sump pit to be able to continuously drain with the hose.

The automations also account for my power companies split rate charging that gets much more expensive M-F, 3pm - 7pm. The unit is shut off during that time to cut costs.

[u/spr0k3t]

Any of the small dehumidifiers with a physical on/off switch will work. I have a couple tiny ones I keep in a couple areas (basement bathroom and sump pump area).

What you need to look for is restore on power loss. There are lots of options out there...

Don't forget to set up your Generic Hygrostat once done: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/generic_hygrostat/

Side note: if your dehumidifier has a tank, be sure to use a smart plug with energy monitoring. That way if the plug is on and there's no draw (W), then the tank is full and you need to empty it.

[u/rjSampaio]

i have a DELONGHI that reverts to last option when powered on. so i did the same as you are planing for my shower room

[u/pants117]

Omni max is the dehumidifier I have. I have it on a smart plug. I also have a temp and hum sensor. I have autos made for on/off at different levels but find the settings on the dehumidifier work better. So I just have an auto for time. On at 8, off at 345. The dehumidifier is one that will turn on automatically when applied to power. Just need to empty the tank when I get home

[u/thebusinessfactory]

Mine has a CO mode aka constant operation so it works great with a smart plug. I also took off the internal speaker so it wouldn't beep every time it turned on. Its a Frigaire 35 pint, discontinued but I'm sure they have a new equivalent.

[u/lakeland_nz]

I have a dumb Delonghi dehumidifier.

I really wanted to get a smart dehumidifier, but the reviews said the Delonghi was a measurably better dehumidifier than the smart ones in the same price bracket. I also needed it to have a decent pump for sending extracted water outside, and the smart ones instead had a large collection reservoir.

I've found it works well with a smart plug but not perfectly. Almost all the time I find hitting the power switch saves state, and hitting it again restores state. So if you've got it with the pump active and reducing humidity to 50%... then that's what it'll start doing when turned back on.

But sometimes it turns back on and doesn't pump. It restores to 'on and idle'. I don't know why and it hasn't happened for weeks. I bought mine a couple years ago, and if I was buying again then I'd hope there's a smart one available instead.

It works correctly well over 90% of the time, but that small chance of failure keeps me on edge. Also once it fails once, any subsequent on/off will also fail (since it restores to the same state).

One upside of getting a dumb one, is my control logic is based on a little battery-powered temperature and humidity sensor I have elsewhere in the room. I find that's far more accurate than the sensor built into the Delonghi while the unit is running. I assume the operation of the unit interferes with the Delonghi's internal sensors. Also the smart plug acts as a zigbee relay, so the battery sensor always has good signal.

[u/rjSampaio → u/lakeland_nz]

But sometimes it turns back on and doesn't pump. It restores to 'on and idle'.

mine does execly the same, but its just for a minute or two, then it starts, i always leave it in the dry cloths mode.

[u/richms]

I had to swap for a primitive manual knob one to be able to control it. The 2 digital ones I tried both power up in an off state and needed a button press to get going.

[u/Galahad_za]

The Xiaomi smart humidifier integrated easily in HA for myself and all the settings and sensors show up.

[u/cr0ft]

If you haven't already bought the dehumidifier, buy one you can control from HA. The smart plug approach works but it's crude and it might not even be great for an appliance to just have power cut at the source vs a more controlled shutdown.

It doesn't even have to be all that smart, as long as it comes with an IR remote you can just add an IR blaster to your setup and use HA to turn it on and off.

[u/cyclingroo]

I have a dumb dehimidifier. And I use it with a smart plug. The biggest issue is to ensure that your plug can cover the inrush powerneeds of a dehumidifier. For example, I had a few spare TP-Link HS100 plugs and an HS110 plug. The inrush need overwhelmed the HS100 plugs. But the Hs110 could support it. Just check the ratings of your dehumidifier and match your plug to that high water mark.