WIFI heater control

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Euphonyx

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Does anyone have a recommendation for a product that would enable me to switch on an electric radiator I have on the boat during winter. It's mains powered and I'd like to be able to switch it on remotely over the winter so the saloon is heated by the time I arrive. Ive been doing research but cant find anything like it. Thanks
 
I think you'd need a wifi network on your boat (& not the marina wifi!)

So;
1) A mobile plugged in on the boat acting as wifi hotspot
2) a smart plug connected to the oil rad
3) the relevant smart plug app on your phone (I use "Smart Life" for all my household smart devices, although google home works well too.

Used this way you would be able to control a dehumidifier on another smart plug too, if that was of interest.
 
Unless the boat is always within a wifi network with a static IP address, an SMS based system seems simplest?
I can turn things on at the workshop and read back voltages and temperatures, anywhere on the interweb, using a simple Arduino contraption.
You can buy 'wifi relays' to do the same.
 
Marina WIFI? You lot probably have an ablutions block too!

I think its the SMS
michael_w said:
What about a simple time clock?

https://uk.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel...K-SHOPPING-SMEC-Whoops-Newstructure-31Aug2020
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Using this at the moment for the dehumidifier and the heater is on a frost setting. I'd like a dedicated heater that I can turn on as I leave home during the winter so I know the boat will be toasty when we get there. Its 1.5 hour drive. With no marina WIFI the SMS idea looks the best fit
 
scruff said:
I think you'd need a wifi network on your boat (& not the marina wifi!)

So;
1) A mobile plugged in on the boat acting as wifi hotspot
2) a smart plug connected to the oil rad
3) the relevant smart plug app on your phone (I use "Smart Life" for all my household smart devices, although google home works well too.

Used this way you would be able to control a dehumidifier on another smart plug too, if that was of interest.
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Have you done this Scruff? what about cost?
 
Euphonyx said:
Have you done this Scruff? what about cost?
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Its how I have a number of smart appliances set up around the house.

Adding a spare mobile as hotspot would likely only cost a few pound a month via gift gaff or similar. Try you current mobile provider to see how much a second sim on a ~1gb a month plan would cost. My guess <£10.

No different in control philosophy than my home smart lights / curtains.
 
be careful if going down the smart plug route, many of those are only rated for low wattage , make sure the power draw on your heater doesn't exceed it...
 
SMS might be good but does anyone know of a PAYG contract where you don't get cut off if you make no calls or internet connections for 6 months.
I have an alarm on the boat which sends SMS if it gets triggered but because it sent nothing for 6 months I lost the number and all the credit paid. Remembering to set the alarm off occasionally is, I suppose, answer. But it would be better if a mobile company had a special contract for such use.
 
bobgarrett said:
SMS might be good but does anyone know of a PAYG contract where you don't get cut off if you make no calls or internet connections for 6 months.
I have an alarm on the boat which sends SMS if it gets triggered but because it sent nothing for 6 months I lost the number and all the credit paid. Remembering to set the alarm off occasionally is, I suppose, answer. But it would be better if a mobile company had a special contract for such use.
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Gifgaff might be worth a look.
 
GHA said:
:) Ah.. maybe those one in a while bank code texts do some good then .
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From what I can see Giffgaff like other mobile phone companies require each PAYG phone (SIM card) to do something that costs within six month periods. So sending an SMS message such as bank code text would work, but receiving one would not. So having a PAYG SIM device (phone/alarm/remote switch) on a boat which does not send anything will stop working after 6 months.
The only solution seems to be setting it off regularly.
 
bobgarrett said:
From what I can see Giffgaff like other mobile phone companies require each PAYG phone (SIM card) to do something that costs within six month periods. So sending an SMS message such as bank code text would work, but receiving one would not. So having a PAYG SIM device (phone/alarm/remote switch) on a boat which does not send anything will stop working after 6 months.
The only solution seems to be setting it off regularly.
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Ah, didn't know that. If it's an android phone then one of macro apps should be able to send an sms once in a while.
 
I've had anO2 PAYG sim in my Eberspacher remote controller for 15 years. It has the same £10 credit on it now as it always had. I ring it up at least once every six months and its never stopped working. It has never made an outgoing call. It is a voice call with DTMF to initiate commands.
 
mickbond said:
I've had anO2 PAYG sim in my Eberspacher remote controller for 15 years. It has the same £10 credit on it now as it always had. I ring it up at least once every six months and its never stopped working. It has never made an outgoing call. It is a voice call with DTMF to initiate commands.
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Maybe you have old terms as this page says 6 month cut off. O2 | Classic Pay As You Go | Help & Support
Through maybe there is another contract. Thanks I am checking.
 
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