Google home - can it turn off lights I leave on ?
Google home - can it turn off lights I leave on ?
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Converse2020

Original Poster:

389 posts

152 months

Monday 27th April 2020
quotequote all
We have a google home mini that controls some smart plugs to turn on the lamps in a study.

So far so good.
Issue is I find I’ve left the lights on hours later as I’ve forgotten to turn them off when leaving the room.

That got me thinking - can’t the google device help out here and switch off the lights after something like an hour ? Or can it prompt if I want to keep the lights on? If no one is there then they won’t respond so google can turn them off.

I’ve tried googling this ask but am clearly not asking the right questions. So can anyone help what seems a simple use case for these devices.

Many thanks👍🏻




The_Jackal

4,854 posts

228 months

Tuesday 28th April 2020
quotequote all
In the app for the plugs, set a "scene" or "preset" for all lights off.
Then in the schedule section activate that preset at a time you know you will definitely want the lights off.
They will turn off at that time according to the schedule. We used it for christmas lights. This can be done just in the app for the plugs, without touching Google Home.
f you name the group of plugs "study lights" in Google home, you can say "turn off study lights". But plugs wont natively be classed as lights in Home because anything could be in them.
Simple when you realise lol

Gren

2,030 posts

283 months

Tuesday 28th April 2020
quotequote all
Or set up a routine in Google home.

I have mine set up working with my Hive lights and thermostat. Sometimes I use the Hive schedules, sometimes I use GH routines. Usually the latter when I want to combine the action with my radio as an alarm and I want a voice alternative.

Converse2020

Original Poster:

389 posts

152 months

Tuesday 28th April 2020
quotequote all
Thanks all.
I have the plugs grouped, so that the google home mini can turn on different groups of them, and I know I can set a schedule on the TP Kasa app direct to have them turn on / off at certain times (e.g on at dusk etc , off at midnight ) , but as this room is used irregularly and some of the lights are for work / reading they are on at various times through the day and not just at night.

I find I (or someone else) leaves the room just for a minute etc, but then gets distracted say for lunch and won't go back till later when I realise I forget to turn the lights off when I left.

So - I thought that what would work is a countdown timer that kicks in after say an hour or two and prompts me verbally to see if I want to keep the lights on, by having the google mini announce "the lights will turn off in 2 mins. Say No thanks to cancel this action. "

Then if I am in the room I can say No Thanks, and the lights stay on and the timer resets to another 1 hr, and repeats but if am not in the room the timer gets no response, so turns the lights off.

Is that achievable ?

Gren

2,030 posts

283 months

Tuesday 28th April 2020
quotequote all
I think Google home can set a reminder for you in x minutes. But all it will do is remind you to turn off the lights not do it for you.

Not sure if something like IFTTT will help?

Another option is if the Kasa range has any sensors. Anyone triggering the sensor in another room with switch off the lights.

The_Jackal

4,854 posts

228 months

Tuesday 28th April 2020
quotequote all
This is one of the downfalls of these plugs. Sometimes you just wish you still had a switch.

Murph7355

42,019 posts

287 months

Wednesday 29th April 2020
quotequote all
Gren said:
...

Not sure if something like IFTTT will help?

Another option is if the Kasa range has any sensors. Anyone triggering the sensor in another room with switch off the lights.
IFTTT should do the job if the devices can be hooked up to it.

The sensor idea's a good one too.

The_Jackal said:
This is one of the downfalls of these plugs. Sometimes you just wish you still had a switch.
There are circumstances when I agree, but in this one not...if you're prone to leaving the lights on, having a physical switch isn't going to change that smile