Device handler for Better Laundry Monitor

Devices & Integrations
1

I picked up a Zooz Zen15 z wave switch to use as a power monitor, with the intention of using the Better Laundry Monitor smart app to tell me when my washing machine finished. It seems that the smartapp is there but there is not a device handler to go along with it that I can find. Anyone have any suggestions for handlers/apps to solve for this?

2

You can download device handlers via links on The Smartest House website:

See the works with section on the right side towards bottom. They have ST device handlers for all their products.

1 Like
3

Yeah, I found A device handler, but I’m looking for one compatible with a smart app for laundry monitoring

4

I used a light sensor since my washer has an LED that only comes on when it’s done. But I had to write a Piston in WebCore to notify me when it was done. Since there are so many different ways you might want to be notified, I can’t image how someone would write a universal “laundry notifier” smartapp. What do you want to happen when your laundry is finished?

I’d recommend taking a look at WebCore.

5

Can you provide link to the Smartapp?

6

Thanks for all the responses guys.

Here is the smartApp that I want to use: https://github.com/tierneykev/SmartThings/blob/master/smartapps/tierneykev/better-laundry-monitor.src/better-laundry-monitor.groovy

The guy who dev’ed it talks about it here: better laundry monitor | virtual.mvp

I’m new to HA and smart things but I do work as an analyst within a Software Engineering department at a large company. After taking some more time to poke through his code yesterday, I think I just need to add my Zen15 to my smarthub using this device handler:

/\ that would provide the “power meter” capability that the smartapp would require.

I tried to do this last night but couldn’t seem to get those capabilities to be exposed. The process I used was: remove the device from the hub and confirm using the button on the device. The device handler is published to my hub. I then tried to re-add the device, but it added in the same manner that I had added it originally.

Thoughts, opinions? Am I an idiot? Let me know.

Edit: Additional info - I see a major issue, again - my IDE isn’t picking up my hub. For some reason it doesn’t see it as registered (I have registered it previously). I ran into this issue last week when I was getting a device handler/app published to support my Lennox thermostat (and I was able to get everything working), but for some reason now my ST account/IDE aren’t seeing the hub… suggestions?

Double edit: So, in the ST IDE, I seem to have to go into “my locations” and have it recognize that there is a hub before it shows in “my hubs”. Once I did this, the device handlers/apps that I had previously published disappeared. I am republishing now and should be able to get at everything… will let you know

7

After adding the device, simply go into the ST Web IDE, select ‘Devices’, find your device and click it, then edit the Device Handler from the default to the new one you added to your account.

No need to ‘remove’ the device before changing its Device Handler.

8

Thanks for the direction on this

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Wait, I’m on that screen. I don’t see an option to edit the Device handler… I see a “version” field with a “self published” option. Is that it?

10

Thank you, I have it installed, and waiting for my plugs.

11

Update. Still don’t see the elements that are displayed on the device view page in my ST app as they indicate, but I did get the smart App installed and configured. Will test this weekend and update with results/parameters used.

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Simply change the “Type” to whatever Device Type Handler you want.

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In the Device Type Handler, is there a place to put your cost per kwh?

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yes there is, but I haven’t figure out where to configure or set it up yet

		input "energyPrice", "decimal",
		title: "\$/kWh Cost:",
		defaultValue: energyPriceSetting,
		required: false,
		displayDuringSetup: true
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found it in the ST app - when configuring the device settings manually.

16

Great, that is where I thought it would be. My plugs should be here by Monday. My problem is they are the flat type plugs which don’t allow two in a duplex. So I have to find a adapter.

17

I have a few questions regarding settings.
Dryer:

  1. When the power button is on and not running the watts say 1.2watts. What should I set the ON/OFF power to?
    Washer:
  2. When power button is on with no laundry running the watts say 2.8watts. What should I set this to?

There is an option to speak text, but it doesn’t show any devices available. Shouldn’t any speaker that works in SmartThings work?Is this a fault with the app?

18

@joel - I honestly didn’t have time to mess around with the settings much this weekend. I gave it a quick smoke-test with the values they ‘suggest’ during setup (8W I think), but quickly noticed that my wattage is not consistently above 8W enough to accurately trigger the notification - I need to mess with my variables as well. I’ve got another ZEN15 coming Wednesday to hook up the dryer… will continue to update as I work with it.

19

Thank you I appreciate it. If I have luck i will post it here.

20

Hey, had an epiphany tonight - set up an IFTTT rule to export your wattage usage from the ZEN15 to a spreadsheet, run a load, and crunch the plot the data to see how it varies over the cycle. It’ll vary washer to washer/dryer to dryer. When we get enough clothes to run a load again this is probably the approach I’ll take.

Edit: need to figure out how to capture that, looks limited via IFTTT