Hi everyone, I wanted to share a fun project I’ve been working on: automating my washing machine using power consumption monitoring. It all started because my wife and I noticed that clothes would often sit in the machine for too long after the cycle finished, leading to unpleasant odors. The machine doesn’t have built-in sensors, and since we’re in a rental, I couldn’t install anything permanent. So, I came up with a solution using a TP-Link HS110 smart plug to monitor power usage. The idea is simple: track the washing and drying cycles based on power consumption patterns. Here’s how it works:1. Monitoring Power Usage: The TP-Link HS110 tracks the washing machine’s power consumption. The washing cycle uses less power (around 5-400W), while drying uses more (over 400W). When power drops below 4W, the cycle is complete.2. State Tracking: I set up an input_select in Home Assistant to track the machine’s status—dirty, running, drying, or clean. This helps automate notifications and actions.3. Automation Logic: Using Node-RED, I created a workflow that checks the power consumption every 30 seconds. It averages the last 4 minutes of data to avoid noise and triggers state changes based on the power ranges. This stateless approach ensures the system works even if interrupted.4. Notifications: When the cycle completes, I get a notification on my phone. I can snooze it for 5 minutes or let HA know I’ve emptied the machine. I plan to expand this by notifying only people at home and adding door sensor detection.This project has been a great way to reduce hassle and improve our daily routine. I hope this inspires others to explore similar solutions! 
