How to Set Up an Automated Power Shutdown Timer with Homey

General
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Hi everyone! :wave: I’m just diving into the world of smart home automation, and I’m absolutely loving how much potential there is to streamline daily tasks. One of my first projects is setting up an automated power shutdown timer for my pool filter. The goal is to have it turn off automatically after running for 60 minutes, regardless of when it was switched on. I think this could also be useful for an irrigation system or any other appliance that shouldn’t run too long without supervision.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

  1. Understanding the Need: My pool filter needs to run for about an hour each day, but I don’t always remember to turn it off manually. An automated solution would save me time and prevent potential issues from the pump running too long.

  2. Exploring Options: I’ve looked into Homey’s automation flows and the available apps. It seems like a combination of the Timer app and the Wall Plug app could work, but I’m not entirely sure how to set it up to track the exact time the plug was turned on.

  3. Drafting the Flow: I imagine the flow would look something like this:

    • Turn on the wall plug (manually or via another automation).
    • Start a timer for 60 minutes.
    • After 60 minutes, send a command to turn off the wall plug.

  4. Challenges Faced: The main hurdle is figuring out how to reset the timer each time the plug is turned on. I don’t want the timer to interfere with other automations or to accumulate multiple timers if the plug is turned on multiple times in a day.

  5. Seeking Guidance: I’m hoping someone with more experience can share tips or point me toward the right settings or apps to make this work seamlessly. Maybe there’s a specific app or feature within Homey that I haven’t discovered yet that can handle this kind of automation!

  6. Potential Solutions: I’ve heard about using variables or counters to track the duration, but I’m not entirely sure how to implement that within Homey’s flow editor. Any advice or step-by-step instructions would be incredibly helpful.

  7. Looking Forward: Once I get this automation up and running, I’m excited to explore more complex scenarios, like adjusting the timer based on the time of day or integrating it with other sensors, such as a water level detector.

If anyone has successfully set up a similar automation, I’d love to hear about your process and any tips you have for making it reliable and efficient. Thanks in advance for your help! :pray: