The Belkin WeMo WiFi Power Outlet

[Sinclue]

Thinking about picking one of these up for my new EVO (once it gets here) but noticed that there is a newer model coming out according to Amazon.

Current model: F7C027fc
New model: F7C029fc (This item will be released on November 19, 2013.)

Anybody know what the differences/improvements are?

 

[MacRadish]

I'm guessing it's this one.

WeMo Insight Switch
F7C029fc

http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F7C029/

 

[Stu]

It looks like the new version lets you set schedules up, monitor energy usage, and it's compatible with Android devices as well as iPhones.

 

[John Lewus]

Current model works great with android. Maybe the existing model will get discounted.

 

[Teedub]

I would like to have a timer turn on the evo automatically at a certain time, then power cycle to keep it hot all day/night. Then Automatic turn off at a certain time.(While Im asleep)
I do not have an i phone or android. I don't really want the hassle & unreliability of wireless/ittt

I like the idea of a digital timer something like this:
http://www.masters.com.au/masters/navigation/product_details.jsp

-It Can do different setups for weekend vs workdays
-No phone wireless to rely on

-Stuck to a time to turn on and heat up instead of being able to "phone home" ahead of your return.
-Max of 16 on and off per day (unsure if on/off is considered 1 or 2?) That's gonna make the difference!

Only 15$ (im in oz btw the wemo is about 50$) So Im gonna get one to try and hope it is 16 cycles not just on's or off's. (8 cycles)
Would really like to find a digital timer that does way more cycle programs.

How annoying would it be to use the wemo without a phone? (after the initial setup) Do you need to use a phone when you reconfigure or as errors arise?
And has anyone tested the range on the wemo wireless receiver?

 

[John Lewus]

I would like to have a timer turn on the evo automatically at a certain time, then power cycle to keep it hot all day/night. Then Automatic turn off at a certain time.(While Im asleep)
I do not have an i phone or android. I don't really want the hassle & unreliability of wireless/ittt

I like the idea of a digital timer something like this:
http://www.masters.com.au/masters/navigation/product_details.jsp

-It Can do different setups for weekend vs workdays
-No phone wireless to rely on

-Stuck to a time to turn on and heat up instead of being able to "phone home" ahead of your return.
-Max of 16 on and off per day (unsure if on/off is considered 1 or 2?) That's gonna make the difference!

Only 15$ (im in oz btw the wemo is about 50$) So Im gonna get one to try and hope it is 16 cycles not just on's or off's. (8 cycles)
Would really like to find a digital timer that does way more cycle programs.

How annoying would it be to use the wemo without a phone? (after the initial setup) Do you need to use a phone when you reconfigure or as errors arise?
And has anyone tested the range on the wemo wireless receiver?

The wemo has a button on the outside which makes it easy to turn on and off from a phone. The rules for cycling are at IFTTT.com. You can create all kinds of rules. You could have it set to turn your wemo on with a text or a Dropbox file upload or at certain times of the day. It is very configurable. The best use case is turning it on as you leave work so it's ready when your home.

 

[Budzman]

Not as good for the EVO:

I just got my EVO and it turns out the auto-off function is set for 55 minutes (I've timed it several times). This means that the EVO controlled by the WeMo will be powered off for a full 5 minutes for each hourly cycle allowing it to cool off. Kind of disappointing!

I'm worried that the thermal expansion/ contraction cycle 24 times a day 24/7 won't be good for the EVO.

Can't think of a work around for this!

 

[MacRadish]

Not as good for the EVO:

I just got my EVO and it turns out the auto-off function is set for 55 minutes (I've timed it several times). This means that the EVO controlled by the WeMo will be powered off for a full 5 minutes for each hourly cycle allowing it to cool off. Kind of disappointing!

I'm worried that the thermal expansion/ contraction cycle 24 times a day 24/7 won't be good for the EVO.

Can't think of a work around for this!

ifttt.com. Create a recipe to cycle it off/on every 30 minutes.

 

[Stu]

ifttt.com. Create a recipe to cycle it off/on every 30 minutes.

I got around this by creating 2 recipies. One to power cycle the Cloud every hour on the hour, and the other to power cycle the cloud every hour on the half hour.

SM55 has stated that wemo's should NOT be used with the Evo, though.

 

[Budzman]

ifttt.com. Create a recipe to cycle it off/on every 30 minutes.

Well yeah, I thought of that, pretty similar to the work around I came up with when IFTTT was "off line" a few weeks ago. The EVO would be off for a full minute with that work around which certainly is better than 5 minutes, just not the most elegant solution.

 

[MacRadish]

I got around this by creating 2 recipies. One to power cycle the Cloud every hour on the hour, and the other to power cycle the cloud every hour on the half hour.

SM55 has stated that wemo's should NOT be used with the Evo, though.

Sorry, that's what I meant by "every 30 minutes"; neglected to say two recipes.

Let's be clear, SMs intention with that comment was to not have the Evo on for 24/7. The WeMo is just a remote switch which is fine to use. I believe he also went on to say he was more concerned with 24/7 in turbo mode.

 

[Stu]

Let's be clear, SMs intention with that comment was to not have the Evo on for 24/7. The WeMo is just a remote switch which is fine to use. I believe he also went on to say he was more concerned with 24/7 in turbo mode.

That's a good point, MacRadish. I should've been more clear.

 

[MacRadish]

Well yeah, I thought of that, pretty similar to the work around I came up with when IFTTT was "off line" a few weeks ago. The EVO would be off for a full minute with that work around which certainly is better than 5 minutes, just not the most elegant solution.

Not the same as that workaround. 1 recipe can turn off then on is what we are talking about. Your work around had two recipes, one that turned off, then a full minute had to go by before the turn on recipe kicked in. Not the same.

 

[Budzman]

Not the same as that workaround. 1 recipe can turn off then on is what we are talking about. Your work around had two recipes, one that turned off, then a full minute had to go by before the turn on recipe kicked in. Not the same.

Gotcha! I too misunderstood your initial comment, which is why I linked to my previous post. So yeah, two "power cycle" recipes, one set for the top of the hour, the other set for the half hour. So EVO will get cycled every half hour instead. Thanks!

 

[John Lewus]

This is an easy fix with just one recipe to toggle. Create two recipes that turn the cloud off every half hour and a third recipe to turn the cloud on when it's turned off. You only toggle the third recipe on or off.

 

[Deadshort480]

Neat. The new model of Belkin's WeMo called Insight shows when the Evo's heater cycles on/off by detecting current draw and displaying the wattage it's currently pulling in the app. At noon it seems to cycle on every 15 seconds for 15 seconds and draw up to 69 watts. From noon to max it turned on for a full 55 seconds and drew up to 105 watts, at which time it again started to do the 15 on/off cycle but this time drawing around 89 watts. This was with a up to temperature Evo. Gonna be fun to watch these numbers on cold start ups and what not.

I'm so glad you brought up the WeMo. I just got my WeMo Insight today. I could have sworn that I read somewhere that you can set this thing to cycle itself off and back on every ___ minutes. I want to set mine to turnoff and back on every 50 minutes while it is on, but I can't figure out how. It's driving me insane.

I can figure out how to turn it off or on at an exact time of day, but I didn't buy it for that purpose. I bought it more as a timer than a remote switched outlet.

Little help? Can anyone offer some? It might have helped if the thing came with some actual instructions.

Modnote: Post moved from Evo thread.

Edit: Sorry about that. Didn't even know there was a WeMo thread.

Edit 2: Okay, I think I figured this out on IFTTT.

If the WeMo Insight is on longer than 50 minutes then it will cycle off and immediately back on.

Here's hoping it works.

Edit 3: IT WORKS!! I am in love with this little device. I'm ordering more of these things. I'm recommending this on Massbuy.

 

[John Lewus]

Welcome to the club. Now if only the WeMo Android app supported widgets and/or there was an IFTTT app with widgets. That would make it super awesome. You could even get a program like tasker or AutomateIt on Android and set it up so that when you leave work it turns on your cloud automagically.

 

[Sinclue]

So somebody started voting on Massdrop for the Home Automation Switch (https://www.massdrop.com/vote/smartphone-controlled-wall-outlet?s=wemo)

Its for the older version so perhaps it'll get sharply discounted if enough people vote for it.

 

[Deadshort480]

Hmmmm... It seems I may have an issue with my recipe. It seems to work only once and then does not cycle again after that one time. I'll have to figure this out. I guess the Insight is different than the older one?

 

[MacRadish]

New version of the IFTTT app has support for a new iOS Location Channel.

https://ifttt.com/ios_location

Turn on/off things, as well as many other actions, as you leave/arrive in your neighborhood, so long as you didn't forget to pack your iOS phone.

 

[Stu]

New version of the IFTTT app has support for a new iOS Location Channel.

https://ifttt.com/ios_location

Turn on/off things, as well as many other actions, as you leave/arrive in your neighborhood, so long as you didn't forget to pack your iOS phone.

I set up a recipe using this to turn on my Cloud if I enter a ~3 mile radius of my home. I tested it today and it worked perfectly! I no longer have to turn on my recipies when I leave work. It'll be on for me automatically now.

 

[mmenzie]

i just got one of these this weekend. still playing but i do have it set to turn my cloud on in the morning when i am walking the dog. when i get home it is all warmed up and ready to go and then it turns itself off at 7:20am to remind me i actually have to go to work.

will need to look more into this "recipe" thingee

 

[Sinclue]

None of my recipes are working. Reset them...didn't work. Deleted then rewrote the recipes...didn't work. Reset that. still doesn't work. Also did the "check recipe" at each stage for each recipe.

Anybody else having trouble?

Ideas?

 

[Stu]

None of my recipes are working. Reset them...didn't work. Deleted then rewrote the recipes...didn't work. Reset that. still doesn't work. Also did the "check recipe" at each stage for each recipe.

Anybody else having trouble?

Ideas?

My "auto turn on when I get close to home" recipe didn't work today, but my off/on recipies are working fine. So I think IFTTT is working fine.

Have you tried resetting your WeMo?

 

[Sinclue]

Have you tried resetting your WeMo?

If that's the thing where you have to enter a new activation pin then I've tried that too. Wemo turns on and off from iPhone app. no problem.