Wire in energy meters into a non-electronic washer/dryer combo

Devices & Integrations
1

I have a Sears Kenmore Washer/Dryer combo that is not electronic. It has twist dials to select the washing or drying cycle and these tick down until the cycle is finished. It has a 220 plug; I expect this is for the dryer, because I believe the washer part runs on 110v

At this time, I have a Aeotec Home Energy Meter (Gen5) clamped around the two circuit lines in my breaker panel and I have alerts set up for when the washer or dryer is running and when they are finished; these are based on power meter readings.

However, when both are running it is impossible to distinguish between the two.

Has anyone ever opened up on of these units and installed something like two Shelly PM units directly on the wiring going to the washer and dryer directly? In this way it will be distinct what part of the appliance is running, and the automations can be better tailored.

2

I have an electric Washing Machine and a Gas Dryer which makes it easier. I have a large plastic junction box just above the washer and dryer plugs. If that box I have 2 Shelly PM Minis installed. One for the washer and one for the dryer. They integrate with ST using one of @TAustin ‘s drivers. This set up works well for me.

The Shelly PM Minis are only rated for 16 amps so it won’t work for an electric dryer.

You could use a Shelly PM Monitor the washer and keep you existing Aeotec meter for the dryer.

The Shelly PM Minis don’t support Matter.

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3

I’m looking at the Shelly Wave PM. Does that report into SmartThings Energy?

4

I don’t know about the Shelly Wave PM but Shelly PM Minis do NOT fed into ST Energy.

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5

Welp, my order for two Shelly Wave PM Minis* just shipped before I could cancel it, so I will let you know if they do!

* I was referring to the minis above, but I left that out

6

That’s a clever way to use energy monitoring! You’re right that with both the washer and dryer running, it’s hard to tell them apart based on the power usage alone, especially if they share the same power source.

As for your idea about installing Shelly PM units directly on the wiring to separate the washer and dryer, it’s definitely possible. The Shelly PM is a great choice because it provides real-time energy usage data, and having one on each appliance would give you the distinction you need.

However, installing them directly on the wiring could be a bit tricky and risky if you’re not familiar with electrical work. It might be safer to consult an electrician who can wire them correctly to ensure safety and compliance with local electrical codes.

An alternative to using Shelly PM units could be to use split-phase monitoring, where you can monitor each device separately by putting sensors on different parts of the circuit. That way, even if the washer and dryer share the same 220V plug, the sensors can still track the individual devices based on their distinct power consumption patterns.

Good luck with your setup! It sounds like you’re really getting into smart home automation!