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Alexa - Power up the Pinballs

MadNat

MadNat

Registered
5Years
Joined
May 11, 2019
Messages
1,057
Location
Warwickshire UK
If there were a category "Solutions looking for problems"... I'd be posting this topic there!

Anyway - I can't resist a bit of tech... and Christmas time reminds me of how handy smart switches are. I have been using the Sonoff devices for a while - check them out here - Banggood's Shop of Sonoff.

What makes these particularly attractive is a: the price, B: there is a wide range of products and packages to suit most needs and c: there is a really powerful opensource (those that know me know I love a bit of opensource!) project called Tasmota (All info here), which let you connect these products to a wide range of connected services (including Alexa).

Yesterday I hooked up a 4 Channel relay to my machines (Sonoff CH4) - so I can power up any combo of my machines and monitor if they are on, turn on lights when the machine turns on etc.

Pretty cool - if you're into that sort of thing.
 
They make things that you plug into the wall. About the size of the old 2 or 3 way adaptors you used to use. A friend has them in his house and controlled by alexa.

Hoewever is it really hard to turn a pinball machine on :)

Smart Plug, Gosund 13A WiFi Socket Plug Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Remote Control Wireless Outlets with Timer Function, Energy Monitoring, No Hub Required, 4 Pack: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Smart Plug, Gosund 13A WiFi Socket Plug Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Remote Control Wireless Outlets with Timer Function, Energy Monitoring, No Hub Required, 4 Pack: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
www.amazon.co.uk

You lazy thing !
 
All my machines are on Hive plugs, really good, I never turn them all on at once as the in-rush current trips the 32a ring main, so I turn them on two at a time, the really good bit is being able to turn them all off with one action. Also most of my lights are smart lights, so can change the colour temperature, dim them, set schedules and actions, all also can be grouped, I rate them. The radiator valves are also pretty good to, different time schedules in different rooms, and can turn anything on/off remotely. :cool:

Yes, I'm lazy also 👍

Chris.
 
I use meross for this, good quality plugs.
 
I’ve got 15 machines in one room all connected to TP-Link smart switches so I can just say “Alexa turn on all machines” and they all come on within a fraction of a second of each other. Never tripped a breaker yet.

Turning them all off in one go when it’s bedtime is also dead convenient!
 
+1 on the TP-Link - I've tried alot of switches and the TP-Link ones (the egg shaped ones) are the only ones that haven't browned out of me. All the stuff in my shed is on home auto, AC, Lights, screens, projector, neons.
 
Neil has a good point as CGC, JJP, Bally Williams are pre stern spike games are inductive loads.

I would recommend you use a plug in switch capable of switching a full 13 amps. You need the head room.
 
Big fan of the TP-Link stuff. Convincing the wife as to the virtues of Smart Bulbs and Plugs is proving near impossible however. And to be honest they do have their drawbacks which can make them more of a faff than old fashioned tech. I also have loads of Google Home speakers and Alexa screens. Google Assistant is FAR FAR better than Alexa if anyone is wondering. Trying to get Alexa to do anything is an absolute chore by comparison.
 
Oh and also, lets talk about Hive...

Hive is non-transferable. That means that when you buy a house that has Hive heating the seller must by law leave the Hive Hub behind as its part of the central heating system. Which the new home owner has no other option but to throw in the bin because they cannot log into it or reassign it to their own account, and if they want to connect to the heating by phone app they must buy another Hive Hub at minimum cost of £80. Shockingly unethical money making tactics. Not to mention the sheer waste of throwing these things into landfill for no good reason.
 
I use TPlink plugs one for each pin so just say Alexa turn on Deadpool ect. ect. I never turn all my pins on just the ones I fancy a game on that day.
A friend of mine moved house and took his Hive stuff he said you can ring them and they will register to your new address or even change owners.
 
Rob zombie said:
Oh and also, lets talk about Hive...

Hive is non-transferable. That means that when you buy a house that has Hive heating the seller must by law leave the Hive Hub behind as its part of the central heating system. Which the new home owner has no other option but to throw in the bin because they cannot log into it or reassign it to their own account, and if they want to connect to the heating by phone app they must buy another Hive Hub at minimum cost of £80. Shockingly unethical money making tactics. Not to mention the sheer waste of throwing these things into landfill for no good reason.
Click to expand...
thats rubbish.
 
BigIan said:
Yeah that would be the best way, the hive Is registered to the person not the home.
Click to expand...
If you are the original purchaser you can possibly it transferred. If you weren't the original buyer you can completely forget about it.
 
The old owner of the house should have taken it with him, I’d contact them and see if they want to buy it/ have it or just Chuck it and buy a new hub which seems to be what you are doing
 
Big fan of the sonoff stuff too, I’ve the light switches in the shed and the shedcade, not a fan of Alexa or google assist or anything like that but what I love about the sonoff is the “if this then that” aspect
Example: If I turn on the light switch also turn on the following.
So when I go out to the shedcade and press the light switch, my neon sign is also powered up even though it’s a different source for power. I’m gonna change it to a 2 gang switch and just have the second button turn on all the machines(all on separate breakers).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Previous owner cannot keep or take the hub with them as it is part of the heating system. That's legally where that stands and ends.
 
It connects to the heating system to help you to control the heating, it’s not ‘part’ of the heating system. disconnect the hive and you can still control the heating.
 
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You have to remember.....
When you installed Hive you would or at least I pulled my old Thermostat off the wall, bracket covers the hole and wires.
You have to leave the new occupier of your home a thermostat and receiver (bit that goes into the boiler) which forms part of the central heating system.
The HUB - the IT bit that connects to your router - you take with as not part of your central heating system, account specific part to you.
When you move home, Hive may give you a discount as you will re-use your HUB, you normally don’t have to pay full amount, they then arrange the connections for the receiver and thermostat.

Leaving the two components behind allows the new owner to STILL manually operate the temp of the central heating system albeit not via the App.
 
BigIan said:
It connects to the heating system to help you to control the heating, it’s not ‘part’ of the heating system. disconnect the hive and you can still control the heating.
Click to expand...
Indeed. That's what all of their community q&as say...
 
taz turbo said:
All my machines are on Hive plugs, really good, I never turn them all on at once as the in-rush current trips the 32a ring main, so I turn them on two at a time, the really good bit is being able to turn them all off with one action. Also most of my lights are smart lights, so can change the colour temperature, dim them, set schedules and actions, all also can be grouped, I rate them. The radiator valves are also pretty good to, different time schedules in different rooms, and can turn anything on/off remotely. :cool:

Yes, I'm lazy also 👍

Chris.
Click to expand...
You could try a type ‘c’ breaker that allows a bigger inrush before tripping. You will have the normal type ‘b’s.
 
I won’t touch Alexa out of sheer principle 💩
Some tech is well thought out.
Other stuff pile of poo.
Don’t get me started on half of the IoTs gone crazy.... let’s just invent sh^t for the sake of inventing sh^t, rope all the suckers in 😃
 
Sako-TRG said:
I won’t touch Alexa out of sheer principle 💩
Some tech is well thought out.
Other stuff pile of poo.
Don’t get me started on half of the IoTs gone crazy.... let’s just invent sh^t for the sake of inventing sh^t, rope all the suckers in.
Click to expand...
Wait your telling me my IOT toaster that orders me new toast at 50% mark up for the small monthly service fee subscription of 14.99 a month is a waste of money? :D
 
Talking to Alexa is like talking to a confused grandparent who doesn't know what day it is. Google Assistant is way better.
 
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