submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world

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So I have my AC connected to a smart plug and I'm trying to figure out what would be the best way to go about automating it.

Currently, I have it set to run every hour on the hour for 20 minutes if the time is between noon and 8 p.m. Which covers the hottest part of the day.

However, what I could do is have it run every other hour instead and have a couple of night runs along with the daytime runs.

Doing it that way would eliminate most of the 16-hour period currently that exists between the ending of one day and the beginning of the next.

Edit: Also, is there an easy way to automate every other hour using the time pattern or would I manually have to set up triggers for 2am, 4am, 6am, 8am, 10am, etc. using the fixed values?

Edit 2: looks like i can use "/2" to accomplish that

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[-] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 week ago

Unfortunately, it's got no kind of remote at all. It's a physical dial to turn it on to high low or fan high low and a physical dial to turn up or down the temperature setting.

That's why I got a smart plug for it to begin with because there were times when I would fall asleep at like 10 p.m. and wake up at 3 a.m. with the damn thing still running.

It is only a 550 watt unit, but I was not aware that hard power cycling it like that would eventually hurt it. So at least thanks for that information.

[-] dgriffith@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

It'll be fine as long as you don't try and start it up again within a few minutes of turning it off.

Pressure just needs to slowly bleed from the high pressure side to the low pressure side of the compressor before it starts again, so that it isn't initially stalled against high pressure.

[-] anotherandrew@lemmy.mixdown.ca 0 points 1 week ago

Monitor the current with the smart plug. When you want to turn it off, wait for the current to drop for a few minutes (this means the compressor is off/unloaded) then power off the outlet.

Might be an idea.

[-] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 week ago

I can't do that. Without doing it myself, the compressor will absolutely never turn off. Unless I manually flip the switch. There was another commenter below that said that it wasn't a problem as long as you didn't try to start it up again too quickly and I don't so that's all right

[-] anotherandrew@lemmy.mixdown.ca 1 points 1 week ago

I’ve never seen a window AC with mechanical knobs not cycle the compressor when it hits the temperature set by its thermostat. The fan might run 24/7 but the compressor? How could it possibly regulate temperature otherwise?

this post was submitted on 18 May 2025

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