Hey I need to find a way to log or record everytime my laundry

What type of plugs are on them? They make sensors that detect how much electricity has been used. And then log it back to an IOT hub. They are about $40.

>>1074179
Plugs? What are the sensors calls? Can I buy them online?

Any electricians here who can help?

Set something with an accelerometer on top and log every time shaking is detected?

>>1074195
good idea. Where would I find anything like that though.

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>>1074176
Why does /diy/ always try to re invent the wheel?

>>1074197
The machine is used by several people and I'm stuck with the bill while they pay $1 a load. But they're not using the machines as often as they say they do and I need a way to log the usage without haveing to be present.

>>1074214
So just log yours. Compare that with the bill and show them how much they are using.

>>1074224
Yes but the problem is that the energy bill does not list usage separately it just bills you the total. If I were to log mine only I would still not know.

Either use a kilowatt meter (the brands name not the measurement). Or you could always spring for a coin operated washer.... you'd get your change back when you opened it up anyway...

A dryer is probably only 5% of your power bill at most, OP.

>>1074229
The meters don't work with dryers only laundry machines
>>1074237
Yes but I need proof is all

>>1074229
>use a kilowatt meter (the brands name not the measurement)

Kill-A-Watt

found online:
> This device, the P4400, will reset all of its timed measurement values to zero if power is lost or the device is unplugged. The P4460 has "non volatile" memory, using a battery to provide the necessary voltage to power the (S)RAM memory, which means that it will not lose the data if power to the 4460 is lost. The P4460 also will let you input the cost per KWH from your provider to calculate the cost to operate the appliance over a week, month and year (assuming that your use is the same during the extrapolated period as it was during the measurement period). For me the data retention feature is well worth the extra $4 since I want to keep track of the energy used by a window air conditioner which will vary by the outdoor temperature, the sun hitting the building, the humidity, etc.

It's still re-settable so you may have to secure access to it in some way.

Dryer: Consider a dryer load for each washer load.

In my area (midwest usa) commercial self-service laundromats charge $2 per washer load for washing only. You should buy the Kill-A-Watt meter and charge $2 for the washer. They still won't be able to cheap-out by outside washing and then using your dryer for free.

$2 for a wash and dry is cheap. The dryer is what uses the energy.

Get a plug in, inline energy metre and set up a video camera with the correct date and time set infront of it.

>>1074480
>Dryer: Consider a dryer load for each washer load.

I did some more searching and found a device on ebay that will monitor the dryer.

Search ebay for: Wireless-Meter-Electricity-Current-Power-Usage-Smart-Home-Energy-Saving-Monitor

It's a $47 item with free shipping.
battery powered
remote recorder/display
(only you see it)

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8G9GPW

>>1074480
Thank you for the response. Although I don't fully understand what you mean. Are you saying to record the dryer's usage only? I live in the northeast and charge $1 per load for the washing machine and $1 for the dryer. Only a few occupants of the house use the machines although they use the dryer quit a lot. I understand now that the dryer uses more energy then the washing machine. Will the device you reccommend be suitable for a dryer? Also are these devices safe? Have you tried one before? Thank you.

>>1074485
Thanks this is also a good idea.

>>1074582
>>1074495
Okay I see that this is for the dryer. Thanks. It seems to be a sensor. Do I use it for the dryer only or how does this work?

>>1074585
>Do I use it for the dryer only or how does this work?
Since the dryer and the washer are on separate lines of different voltage, you should use two devices.

The 4460 Kill-A-Watt is a plug in the wall and plug the washer into it type. All recording is in the device in the wall.

The Smart Home Monitor "could" be used to monitor your whole house but to use it just for the dryer you have to put the sensors around the electrical wires going to the dryer.
You can access them in the breaker box at the 240v dual breaker that supplies electricity to the dryer outlet. Or you could carefully separate the wires in the dryer cord that plugs into the outlet.
The sensor(s) clip around the wire(s).
The sensors are on wires from a small AA powered wireless transmitter that sends the info to a receiver you can locate in an area private to you.
It will monitor use as-is on ebay with a record of times and power used but will not be accurate with the watts used unless you buy a second sensor. For accurate watts used it needs a sensor on each 'hot' wire. (L1 and L2)

It will show one-half of the power that was consumed.
(10KWh used shows as 5KWh on the receiver)

There is another model on ebay with three sensors included but it's more expensive.
Contact the seller for a price on the second sensor if you want accurate wattage readings instead of just "it was on for this long at this time"

heavy equipment owners sometimes install things I have heard called shaker boxes that log time based on if it is in motion or not, I can't for the life of me remember the actual name for them though

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such a simple task using ladder logic if one has the knowledge.

find yourself a 24 hour analog clock, remove the minute hand, and attach a paper/cardboard disk to the hour hand so it makes a full revolution a day (you could use a plain old 12 hour clock but you would be required to change the cardboard/paper disk twice a day)

just wrap some wire around the power cord and have each end attached to the coil on a normally open relay. every time someone uses that appliance the magnetic field will induce an electrical charge in the wire you wrapped around the power cord and power the coil in the relay. have the N/O contacts on the relay connect to a solenoid that has its actuator attached to a pen or marker that draws on the disk on the clock., when the solenoid activates it moves the pen and its line on the disk will be in a different place

do the same thing with the other appliance but with a different color pen and you can easily tell how often each appliance is used.

you could also have the relay control a a camera so you could get proof of who is using the appliances.

enjoy my awesome winpaint drawing

>>1075147
Hey thanks for the work you put into helping me out. Although this is a bit more elaborate then what I was thinking about. Still, this will be useful to others who come across this thread through search engines in the future.

>>1075147
I like this idea idea quite a bit. I wish I had people stealing laundry machine time from me so I could use it.

>>1074195
>>1074765
Great. Now I'm going to get charged every time I have sex on the washer/dryer.

>>1074176
Google around for something like the kill-a-watt.