Sniffer (smell) device

I’d like a device that reports when it smells strong smells. Last night I put the bedroom electric heater on via a smart plug via my ST app. When I went upstairs to bed, the room stank of fish - that smell peculiar to overheating electrical plastic. It was the smartplug burning hot. Good thing I went up when I did or the thing might have caught fire. I want a device that can alert if it smells something wrong. It’s all very well getting these remote reports, but some things can go wrong that only your nose being present in person can tell you about. Either that or a smartplug that can report its own overheating status

What Smart Plug was it?

Update: I’ve edited the topic name, just to avoid confusion with the “Sniffer”.

TP-Link HS 110 (or some similar number). The same type that I also had problems with powering up in the ON state one time… And I gather they are supposed to have overheat protection too, and turn off. BTW what is the actual Sniffer then?

Sniffer used usually for a device which sniffs network traffic some kind.

Search for zigbee sniffer…

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@Inge_Jones, you might want to follow the advice from this FAQ.

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2650/

Had to laugh at this one “It is not allowed to plug any electrical appliance whose power exceeds the Kasa plug’s maximum load and power” since it doesn’t actually tell you what that value is :slight_smile: Anyway it’s meant to have overheat cutoff, and it didn’t kick in. I think I will eliminate TP-link from my home. The only other TP-Link product I have tried was a wifi extender, but whenever we turned it on, the network speed in the entire house reduced to a crawl - including ethernet!!!

I’ve read really good reviews about these. They have google home and IFTTT support, etc so you should be able to integrate it to a degree out of the box. Something like this would have picked up the VOC or CO2 that most probably would have been in the air at the time. I’ve got one of those netatmo healthy home monitor’s that I managed to integrate with a custom handler but that only does CO2 not VOC.

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Interesting - I shall read all about it :slight_smile:

The HS110 has about 3kW load limit. It is in the specs. And actually it should be written on the plug itself.

The FAQ is a generic one. Not only for the HS110.

Then my heater at 2Kw was well within its range. All TP-Links will be evicted from now on, the brand has had its last chance

I think from memory it’s 2400W or 15A…they are good smart plugs. I have a few of them. I don’t recommend using any standard smart plug with a plug in heater. Those things use a lot of power and even if the smart plug can handle it, it’s a lot of power to be switching off, you would think it would burn out the electronic relay switch in no time. You can get much higher amp smart switches but they are more expensive.

UK version:

Maximum Load 13A
Maximum Power 2.99KW

EU version:

Maximum Load 16A
Maximum Power 3.68KW

Even kettles are about 3Kw if you get a decent one. I think to be on the safe side, since by definition of “average” half of our population has to be below average intelligence and half of the rest of us don’t read small print lol, the UK law should state that all smart plugs with three UK pins must be capable of handling a 3Kw device safely, as that is the maximum allowed on a 3-pin socket, so it matches

Well i’ll be damned…meanwhile here in Aus:

Working Status
· Input voltage: 220 - 240VAC
· Output voltage: 220 - 240VAC
· Maximum Load: 10A
· Maximum Power: 2.4KW

Bradley, they are just keeping you safe there to do not start more bushfires when you use it. :wink:

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Many electrical heaters have a high “inrush current” which is more than most plug in pocket sockets can handle. This is why almost all of them tell you to use only with an in wall outlet.

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Well whatever it is, I need it. My bedroom is up two flights on stairs, and freezing cold. Even if my ageing legs didn’t mind an extra journey all the way up to switch it on an hour before bed, I’d have died of hypothermia before I got there. So where are these smart devices that can cope with the energy rush of a 2 or 3Kw convector heater?

The devices available vary by country, so more information is needed.

Also note: all smart plugs i have seen have warnings to not use with electrical heaters.

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Belkin Wemo seems to be encouraging it

but I can’t find one actually in stock anywhere!

Here you see my burnt plug - it had obviously tried to blow its fuse and completely failed, instead just melting itself

Definitely contact TP-Link and ask back the money!