So I just picked up a THIRDREALITY Smart Vibration Sensor, figuring that I could set up a Rule Machine rule to detect when vibration starts, and then once vibration stops for more than 10 minutes, set off an alert.
Unfortunately, it seems the vibration sensor can't detect when my washing machine is running? I switched the DIP switches to (as far as I can tell?) "very high" sensitivity, but the only thing that it seems to register is the "clang" of the door latch solenoid as it locks/unlocks. Evidently my washer is very well balanced and even when the drum is spinning at top speed with a full load, the vibration sensor doesn't pick it up? When I put my hand on the washer while it's running, I feel the vibration but it's relatively smooth/subtle.
Does anyone know about this particular sensor? Like, am I somehow mis-reading the DIP switch settings? Is there a way to mount it to the washer that it'll more reliably pick up what vibration there is? Is there something fancy I can do in Rule Machine to figure out the intermittent vibration, and still intelligently detect when the machine stops and trigger an alert within ~10 minutes of it being done?
Assuming your washer uses a 120v plug, Put in a Smart outlet that can also monitor power. Then you can make a rule or what ever you want that tells you its on if pulling more then say 10w or what ever you determine. Or a rule that turn On and Off a virtual switch (Washer) if above or below that power.
Im using these Z-Wave outlets good up to 15A for similar purposes but there's other brands out there.
For a bit more wattage there's this one, I have this on my Fridge to shut off when I leave house for extended times and monitor power if needed when its on.
I used a Third Reality Smart Plug with energy monitoring to determine when the washer is finished and a Third Reality Vibration sensor to determine when the dryer is finished. The vibration sensor works well on the dryer.
Some people has problems with the TR plugs spamming their network and causing issues but I use several of their energy monitoring plugs with no issue.
I did have an issue with the vibration sensor though. When it was detecting vibration it would do something that caused about half my devices to become unresponsive. Once it stopped detecting vibration with two or three seconds everything was normal. I switch the vibration sensor to Home Assistant and bring over to Hubitat via HADB and no more issues. That was most likely isolated to my environment so you most likely would not have that issue.
Third Reality plug with power monitoring works well for me. Inexpensive and readily available from Amazon. My rule works for my machine. It may require an adjustment for your washer. Third Reality plug with power monitoring
Device "Washing machine done" is a virtual switch using the user Virtual Switch uDTH Lite device driver, author sab0276 (set preference as a contact sensor). That is shared to Amazon and triggers an Alexa announcement, "Washing machine done."
I can only offer some vague advice, with a sprinkling of history... but maybe it will spark some more conversation....
Personally I use energy monitoring to detect my washing cycles, so if you are not interested in that path, fair enough.... each to their own, choose the path that suits your own needs and circumstance.
I started doing this some time ago now and am still using an old-school (large) Kasa / Tp-Link plug to monitor my washing machine. I started with (and still using) @djgutheinz 's Kasa HE integration which became the built-in integration, one of the first major one's I can think of to make that leap... (Looks up to the left while remembering simpler times.... )
Like most things, if you get the integration side right, the rest is "easy".... Lol.... The main point I would make is that there are enough people around here with more electrical engineering knowledge than me that can advise on the appropriate use of energy monitoring plugs for this type of use. That or they can make it seem that way.... Essentially don't blame me if things go pear-shaped due to your device selection...
As for the automation side... You may want to look at the Laundry Monitor option, again a long-standing option that gained popularity early on in my time here, but not sure how much it is used nowadays....
)
