Power outlet confusion

Hi, I’ve just brought home the Starter Kit and had a bit of a go at setting it up. Everything has gone very smoothly apart from the power outlet, which has had a few issues and I’m not sure whether the device has a problem or I just don’t understand how to use it. All thoughts appreciated!

I have managed to pair it with my Hub. However, when I plugged a lamp in all of the lights on the outlet went out, and now I can’t seem to control it from the Hub. I’ve removed the outlet from the wall and when I plug it back in, there’s still no LEDs. I’ve tried pressing the reset button on the right while plugging it in, but that hasn’t helped. Is it the right or left button to connect/reset? Or do they do the same thing?

So, does anyone have any ideas on how I can actually start using the outlet? Am I missing something fairly basic or should it be easier than I’m finding it?

Thanks!

That sounds like the outlet died when you plugged in the lamp, I’d hit up support. Support@smartthings.co.uk

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Many thanks for this. I’ll see what they say.

I’ve just had a power outlet die too. It has been working fine for a few weeks: now the LEDs still light, but the hub/app won’t link it any more, even using the reset button. Another ST outlet is still working fine, so it’s definitely this outlet that has died. It’s not been overloaded or used with an awkward/inductive load either, so it’ll go back to the store for replacement. It will be interesting to see if others have problems with reliability too.

If you haven’t already, shoot an email to support@smartthings.co.uk… They’ll troubleshoot and get you taken care of

Do you know the load that you connected to the outlet? The outlet is rated at 12A. If its just a lamp then it should not matter, but if you are connecting a string of lights ot a power strip that had multiple things connected, then you may just want to calculate the load. I know someone who did this before and had the same issue.

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Thanks Ashutosh, that’s good information. Fortunately it was just a lamp so I should have been well under the expected load.

[Edit] Oops, I’ve realised you may have been responding to Keith :smile:

I just had an outlet fail as well. I contacted support and they arranged for a replacement.

No fuss? I’m being asked to contact an electrician and confirm that my lamp and wall sockets aren’t faulty. I know for a fact they aren’t and I’m annoyed at even being asked to incur costs to rectify a defective part on Samsung’s behalf.

No I sent them a photo of the outlet in a power socket with no blue lights on and they arranged the replacement.

I only had a single low-current frost heater connected (resistive load, 240 volt, 700 watt/3.2 amps) - nothing demanding. I thought the max load of these outlets is 10-Amps (UK voltage) rather than 12 of some other makes? Either way, it was well within the limit; store replaced it without any issues. No problems with any of my other Samsung outlets using this same heater - just unlucky with that one I guess. (PS: I’m a qualified electrician!)

I set my outlet to turn on a very low power heater during the night and off later. The first night it just didn’t bother turning it on. Last night it turned the outlet on but failed to turn it off. I’ve checked and it’s a simple set up that you can’t really mess up.
The outlet responds to manual switching fine. The other outlet controls window blinds and has worked well on a sunset/sunrise setting without fail.
Very unreliable system in my opinion and I’m going back to the much cheaper and reliable wall timers.

Time based events just don’t work in Smartthings. My good night and good morning routines, work the day you set them up. At the time you set them, then the next day if they work they happen an hour early, then by the third day they stop working so you have to delete them and re-create them again. And on the circle goes.

Yeah, that.

Use the Trigger Happy Smartapp to trigger them. Works fine :slight_smile:

Thanks, I’ll give Trigger Happy a go. Is there an easy way to copy and paste code from GitHub? I thought there would be a copy to clipboard button.

I suppose copying and pasting is still easier than writing the code :slight_smile:

I have the same problem even when using Trigger Happy to trigger a routine. Works the first day but then fails on subsequent days.

Left the outlet plugged in on it’s own as a test, nothing. it didn’t turn the outlet on and it didn’t turn it off at the times it should have. It’s worse than a £5 plug in timer, it’s a disgrace that something as basic as this won’t work.

Quite how they can release a product that is not fit for purpose I do not know. I thought Fibaro were bad.

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I’ve been using my outlet as a lamp switch since ST launched using smart lighting it has never failed to turn or turnoff the light at the right time and good night works when things quieten down if earlier than my set lights off time.

It is strange that it works for some and not others.

I had an issue getting the power outlet working initially I must have tried 10 times until I gave up and I wrote to Support who quickly replied with the following - which worked first time:

"…the reset process is a little fiddly, I’ve added some suggestions that hopefully will help. If you can give these steps another go, that would be great:

  1. From the Marketplace > Lights & Switches > Outlets > Samsung SmartThings
  2. Tap Samsung SmartThings Outlet (UK) > + Connect Now
  3. As you plug in the outlet, hold down the button on the face of the device.
  4. As soon as the blue light turns on, release the button. If you don’t remove your finger as soon as the blue LED turns on, it will not successfully complete the factory reset process…no really, like the instant you see it turn blue.
  5. The LED should temporarily start blinking, and once it connects, it will stop, and the mobile app will indicate it has found a device"

Hope this helps - and I recommend if you have an issue write to support -they are pretty responsive.

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Do you have the lamp switch set to switch on and off with a routine set to happen at a specific time?
I’ve just switched mine to when things start to happen and when things quieten down. I’ve had to set the times to an hour later than I want things to happen. But it seems to be working so far.
It is actually better as if our going to bed or getting up time changes, because it’s weekend then it triggers when we need it rather than a pre-set time.