Remote Dryer Alert

[Eric J. Kaplan]

You might remember my post some time ago, looking for a solution (non invasive) to remotely detect when the dryer down in the basement is done and the clothes need to be hung.

Found it!

I am reapplying a Wireless Doorbell Extender ( http://lowes.com/pd_53849-85538-UT-7357-02_?productId=50237315 ) that detects the buzzer on the dryer (instead of a doorbell) and triggers a remote chime. Taped a few magnets on the back of the sensor and positioned it on the back of the dryer.

So I may not have "made" a solution, but score +1 for re-purposing.

Sent from Eric's iPhone

[John Wise]

Good re-purposing. 

I am going to try to re-purpose this thread now for my needs/wants.  =)

My wife and I are bad at remembering to get the clothes out of our washer.  If you have ever done this, you know how bad 2 day hold clothes smell.   Our house is small enough that we can hear the wash cycle complete beep almost anywhere.  So I love the idea of the doorbell extender, but any thoughts on a nag reminder?    

For example..... our microwave will beep when done, and will beep every 2-5 minutes afterword ( never timed it )  until the door is opened.   This would be perfect.   If something beeped every 5 minutes until someone physically went to the basement and opened the washer door.

I would assume that if I bothered to do that, then I would put the clothes in the dryer.  Otherwise, my wife and myself would know that it was a conscience decision to have stinky clothes.

now that I think about it, 30-60 minutes would be a better repeat cycle. 

So my plea to you is help me think of easy, preferably no invasive (in terms of washing machine), solutions so I don't have to decide between stinky "clean" clothes and dirty clothes.

I will live with wrinkly fresh smelling clothes

john

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[Eric J. Kaplan]

Is it safe to assume that the wash cycle is always the same duration? If so, it seems like it would be easy enough to have a circuit with a switch on the lid. Closing the lid starts a timer (the same length as the wash duration) and the buzzer activates at the end of the timer, and then every X minutes until the lid is opened again. 

Sent from Eric's iPhone

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[Jason Amdor]

Would something like this be able to detect whether the washer is running based on the current draw?

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/Noninvasive-AC-Current-Sensor-100A-max-p-547.html

[Kevin Fusselman]

Probably so.  You'd need to get creative with an extension cord, though, as that clamp needs too go around a single wire within the multi-wire cord.

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[Eric Kaplan]

Like Kevin said....

 

Once that's done, I would assume that the programming would be pretty straightforward.  I think you could either leave the system on all the time, and start your monitoring once the current sensor detects current, or you could turn it on for a load of laundry (manual start), and just let it follow the sensor until the current goes off.

Eric J. Kaplan                                       

• ekap...@gmail.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/ejk00/
  

[Kevin Fusselman]

Agreed. This is a place where designing the "Interface Logic" would be far harder than doing the programming... Unless you're Dave, in which case you might invent a new programming language to implement your revolutionary CCMF (clothes-cleaning-messaging-framework)... 

[Eric Kaplan]

Because what we all really want is not an alarm, but a pop-up message on our smartphones.

 

I thought about this last night when my wife went to sleep early and the newly-installed chime went off for the last load of clothes.  Now if it just sends a silent pop-up to my phone, it won't disturb her.

 

Of course, then I'll get pop-up alerts during the day in the middle of meetings when *she* does laundry.

Eric J. Kaplan                                       

• ekap...@gmail.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/ejk00/
  

[David Knaack]

I don't think washers use a lot of power. Mine peaks at 350W during the spin cycle. It averages well under 3A.

I think using a whisker switch to detect the door state would be more reliable. Start a cycle timer on state transition from 'door open' to 'door closed', and terminate the cycle timer and alarm timer on state transition from 'door closed' to 'door open'. If the cycle timer triggers, start an alarm timer. Every time the alarm timer triggers, start the alarm timer and play a chime (or whatever alert you like).

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[David Knaack]

That sequence assumes you leave the lid up when the machine is not in use (that's how I signal state with mine, if the lid is down and the machine isn't making any noise, then there is wet clothing in there).

If you close the lid after a cycle or occasionally cycle the lid without starting a load, you'd need to add some kind of sensor for 'I'm really starting a load now'.

[Rob Townley]

I bet wisejohn has a front loading washing machine.  We were lazy or forgetful with top loader but the stink just does not compare to sealed shut high efficiency washer stink.   Not in the same ballpark.

[Rob Townley]

Are you saying that the 100Amp would not be sensitive enough?  
That same website lists a 30Amp max version as well but they may not stock it. 

Some of the comments for the 30amp product mentioned cutting the end off their product to use with the arduino based
http://openenergymonitor.org

I want an dry ultrasonic laundry machine.   Until then, David could you come up with a way to blow open the door and eject all clothes from a frontloader.

[Steve Sanders]

If I need to remember something that's time sensitive like that (laundry, soda can in the freezer, etc) I put my car keys or phone nearby.  I'll need one of them sooner or later which reminds me to take care of the other thing as well.

[donovada]

Nice!  Love the "out of box" thinking going on there!

[David Knaack]

By what mechanism does that detect the buzzer? Does it have a sound sensor?

[Eric J. Kaplan]

Yes, it has a sound sensor with adjustable sensitivity. 

Sent from Eric's iPhone

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