With Smartthings if you want energy monitoring in the Smartthings energy app then you must connect your plugs to the Tapo app and then use the Tapo to Smartthings cloud to cloud service.
The out of the box firmware at the time of writing does not allow installation as a matter device.
You must first install with the Tapo app and update the firmware. Once you have updated the firmware you can delete the plug from the Tapo app.
When you install using matter it will automatically install to Google home and Alexa via Smartthings linked cloud so if you then share your device with matter you get duplicate devices.
There is no functionality for using power usage in automations, this may change with firmware updates and new versions of matter.
Steps I took.
Plug flashes green/orange. Hold button for 10 seconds if it’s not flashing.
Connect to Tapo app.
Update firmware.
Delete from Tapo app.
Add to Smartthings as matter device.
Share to Alexa and Google using matter.
Delete duplicate devices from Alexa and Google.
Add device to Tapo app.
Add to Smartthings with add device, partner devices, Tapo, link to Tapo. Plug appears in Smartthings energy app.
Thanks: appreciate all the detail! Excellent report.
One small point: It’s not the first third-party smart plug to show up in the energy feature in the smartthings app: I believe aqara was. But it does show up there.
However, you won’t be able to use energy draw in routines if you connect it through matter because at the present time matter doesn’t support energy reporting. As you mentioned, that may change in the future.
Also, for those who didn’t already see my post in the other thread, “energy reporting“ can mean three different things in a smartthings context, and an individual device might support any combination of the three, which can get confusing. Here’s the link to the post with those details.
Thanks really helpful documentation. Looks like it’s joined and they are showing but it’s been a few hours and it isn’t showing any usage… did you have to wait long for data to flow through?
Sadly it is still the same, I hoped the tapo service only sent the data in chunks eithe but it just looks like the devices aren’t monitoring usage in the SmartThings app. It is monitoring in the tapo app so I suppose I’m half way there.
It’s odd because devices are showing in the energy app just no data
Thanks for this. Unfortunately I’ve just been through this whole process tonight without reading your guide.
My findings are largely the same although I think I didn’t delete from Tapo before adding to SmartThings, can’t be sure I went round a fair few cycles. It’s disappointing that I need the cloud linked device and the matter device both in SmartThings to get energy monitoring and matter connected. I assume this is because the matter edge driver doesn’t support energy monitoring yet? I’m hoping that will be fixed and I can then remove the devices from the Tapo app. I’m assuming matter would still handle any future firmware update in SmartThings if that were the case?
I think the important thing to note is to use the matter instance of each plug in smart things routines and not the cloud linked device. The matter device in SmartThings if used in routines will run locally, the cloud instance will have cloud execution. Probably best to add a suffix like LINK to the cloud linked devices so you don’t pick them by mistake.
It can’t be “fixed” until the independent third-party matter specification supports energy monitoring, which it does not at the time of this post. There just aren’t any matter clusters to send that information at this time.
The matter specification is updated twice a year, in May and October. And Energy reporting is not in beta yet, so I don’t think it’s going to be in the next release. (They did set up a study group to begin creating use cases, but that’s the very first step in the process.) So my guess is you won’t see it before October 2024 at the earliest.
Yes and no. As far as I am aware there isn’t a standard way of doing it yet, but for Eve Energy devices the SmartThings Matter Switch driver would appear to support energy and power monitoring via private attributes and build power consumption reports on the fly.
My experience of TAPO P110 plugs is very poor , and I’d guess the matter ones are using the same relay.
After 6 months i’ve have 4 out of 10 fail, with disastrous consequences . My freezer was connected and the plug kept switching on/off , hence loss of content of the freezer… so beware. I’m going to remove all my TAPO P110s and bin them.
Been there done that! Whenever I connect anything that is mission critical to a smart plug like a freezer refrigerator etc, I always create a routine to turn them on if they power off. A few of the Kasa plugs randomly power off as well.
Personally, as an engineer, I would only use a smart plug for a freezer or refrigerator if it was specifically designed for heavy duty appliances. The reason is that these devices have compressors which cycle on and off (you can typically hear them powering up), and when they start a new cycle there can be a really big power surge, which will then knock a regular smart plug off power as it tries to avoid the power spike.
The Tapo 110 product description at amazon uk, for example, specifically says:
Avoid plugging in appliances with a motor/compressor higher than 1/6HP, such as an air conditioner, You can check the motor/compressor rating on your appliances or consult their support
Most uk freezers will be higher than 1/6 HP. And even if it was exactly at 1/6 HP, I personally wouldn’t run it on a regular 13 app smart plug as the very frequent hitting of that mark is likely going beyond what a regular plug is designed to support.
A routine wouldn’t have helped … it turns on and off within seconds …surprised it didn’t damaged the freezer…If you want to monitor energy usage … It’s usually on critical equipment … I don’t want to monitor energy usage on a 5w LED bulb … no point !!!
rated 240v 13amp Power=VI =24013= 3.2 kW
TAPO monitoring shows the device never exceeds 1.5KW when the compressor starts!!!
They are just rubbish
Thanks to the overload protection of the tapo plug, which causes it to turn off, you have been saved from much worse possible damage to your home, such as a fire.
It is not a good idea to use these devices with 10A relays for appliances, which as you say consumes 13A at startup.
If they are appliances with linear A/C compressors, these metering plugs are not useful, they measure the Active Power, which for a resistive load, heater, can be valid.
It is best to use contactors, activated by smart switches and magnetic clamp current meters.
It is more expensive and more complex, but much safer.
It’s not overload protection … I have one of these devices now , when i plug it in , it just switches on and off continuously with nothing plugged in . The relay is just not fit for purpose.
I didn’t say it takes 13amps at startup … 13amps is the stated spec on the TAPO plug!!!
My circuits are on RCDs, my single phase 4 post car lift operates on delay RCDs where I expect a surge.
PS I have used KASA plugs on my greenhouse 4Kw heaters for years without any problems via Smarthings and Samsung Temp sensors during freezing conditions in UK.
PPS a 1/6 HP equates to 0.124 kW which at 240 v equates to not a lot of amps … I guess you are in the USA
If you want to see it that simple, you are within your rights. But the nominal power of a compressor motor is one thing and the starting consumption is another.
It all depends on several other things, which in your case I don’t know, whether it is a linear or variable compression A/C compressor inverert or non-inverter DC compressor. Is not the same.
If the linear compressor is new and the starting capacitor is still within the minimum tolerances, starting may require currents several times the nominal, but if the capacitor is without sufficient capacity to make the phase shift in the starting coil, the currents necessary can be triggered, or even motor not start, if the compressor piston has been left in the compression start position.
It’s like wanting to start your car with 5th gear in gear and without pressing the clutch.
These are slow deteriorations, which are not perceived until something in the circuit changes a little more and becomes evident to the user, the thermal breaker sporadically jumps,…, etc.
The same thing happens with the blinds motors, we immediately point it at the roller shutter device and what fails is the motor or the capacitor and over time if the roller shutter is not well protected it ends up burned as well.
Anyway, it was just well-intentioned advice, you don’t have to listen to me at all.
