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I did something with my Bosch washing machine (not like the OP). My washing machine is at the other end of the house from my home office. Sometimes I would put

I did something with my Bosch washing machine (not like the OP). My washing machine is at the other end of the house from my home office. Sometimes I would put a load of washing on, and despite setting an alarm, might forget (perhaps I am in an important meeting etc). So I decided to solve it. Using the Bosch API - I can tell both when a cycle is complete, and if the door is open. Currently I use their default version, but there is a local hosted option I'll be switching too now the proof of concept works. So using Home Assistant I have a simple script that detects when a washing machine cycle is complete AND the door has NOT been opened. This implies my washing machine has wet clothes still in it. So Home Assistant will alert my phone (and my wife only if she is home based upon presence detection) once every 15mins that there are wet clothes waiting in the washing machine. Very simple - works perfectly.

05 1y ago
Yeah I tried to use the builtin sensor on my LG one but it turns out, there's no 'door open' sensor per se, only the 'locked successfully' signal. So I had to add an external Zigbee reed switch door sensor..
SecretDreams 1y ago
I occasionally do a washing load before bed that I know I might not wake up for to put into the dryer. Fortunately, my machine has an "extended tumble" cycle of sorts that will keep the clothes fresh all night at the expense of a bit more water, but while saving my bedtime routine. We end up with a lot of these nighttime loads because we're toasted all day watching kids and we prioritize laundry off-peak electricity hours. Love my Electrolux, but I imagine many brands have a comparable feature.
- ajb 1y ago
  The equivalent on mine (a Bosch) is to wait to start anything at all until 1 cycle-time less than ten specified number of hours. Churning all night instead seems a peculiar design choice.
- Rolcol 1y ago
  I use the Delay feature. It will wait to start the wash for a settable amount of hours.
  - SecretDreams 1y ago
    Ooooh, I need to see if I have this one! There's a companion app, but I've opted not to set it up yet. Don't really need my appliances in wifi.
- nandomrumber 1y ago
  Does your machine not have a delayed start function? I’m standing in front of about 40 washing machines right now and they all appear to have this function. Often a button labelled ‘Ending in’. Australian market.
- dzhiurgis 1y ago
  My Chinesium washer uses 0.4kWh per load. 4 cents worth of arbitrage.
KolibriFly 1y ago
That's actually a super elegant solution: simple logic, real-world impact
MarioMan 1y ago
My washing machine is a "dumb" machine from the '90s. The wash cycles run based on the position of a glorified timer knob: it doesn't have a computer or sensors to detect if it needs extra time aside from the water fill stages. Thanks to this consistency, I just set a 40 minute timer on my phone, and it's always done by then. Can't get much simpler than that. If I need reminders, there's always the alarm snooze function.
- zahlman 1y ago
  ... Do they not still make these?
- drewg123 1y ago
  I miss old machines. My wife’s Bosch takes 90min to 2.5 hours for most cycles. Tho there is a 30 minute super quick cycle
  - jalk 1y ago
    But the fast cycles of olden day cames at a price in terms of power draw and water usage, so it’s unfortunately similar to missing incandescent light bulbs.
- sgt 1y ago
  Keep that dumb washing machine from the 90s, I can almost guarantee you that a new washing machine is not meant to last as long. Maybe 6-7 years if you are lucky.
  - jacquesm 1y ago
    Miele.
    - cobbaut 1y ago
      Miele from my grandmother still running here, 1988 machine! No defects, still pristine inside. No guarantee though that today's Miele is the same quality.
waste_monk 1y ago
I have been planning to implement something similar with my countertop oven - however having no API or other connectivity, I was planning on simply plugging it via a smart plug, and using the power draw measurements to determine whether it's idle or not (that is, arm when power draw transitions to above idle, then alert once it drops back to idle).
systemtest 1y ago
I have a G-Shock 5600 watch that can alert me when my washing machine is finished. At the start of the cycle I take note of the total time it takes, I set that time on the timer of the watch and hit start. It will beep once the washing machine is finished. Been doing that for about 15 years now. It works with all brands regardless of API.
- matthewmacleod 1y ago
  Of course this doesn’t work with variable cycle times.
  - waffleiron 1y ago
    Then you'll just add 15-30 minutes, and it will still work ;)

05 1y ago

Yeah I tried to use the builtin sensor on my LG one but it turns out, there's no 'door open' sensor per se, only the 'locked successfully' signal. So I had to add an external Zigbee reed switch door sensor..

SecretDreams 1y ago

I occasionally do a washing load before bed that I know I might not wake up for to put into the dryer. Fortunately, my machine has an "extended tumble" cycle of sorts that will keep the clothes fresh all night at the expense of a bit more water, but while saving my bedtime routine. We end up with a lot of these nighttime loads because we're toasted all day watching kids and we prioritize laundry off-peak electricity hours. Love my Electrolux, but I imagine many brands have a comparable feature.

ajb 1y ago
The equivalent on mine (a Bosch) is to wait to start anything at all until 1 cycle-time less than ten specified number of hours. Churning all night instead seems a peculiar design choice.
Rolcol 1y ago
I use the Delay feature. It will wait to start the wash for a settable amount of hours.
- SecretDreams 1y ago
  Ooooh, I need to see if I have this one! There's a companion app, but I've opted not to set it up yet. Don't really need my appliances in wifi.
nandomrumber 1y ago
Does your machine not have a delayed start function? I’m standing in front of about 40 washing machines right now and they all appear to have this function. Often a button labelled ‘Ending in’. Australian market.
dzhiurgis 1y ago
My Chinesium washer uses 0.4kWh per load. 4 cents worth of arbitrage.

KolibriFly 1y ago

That's actually a super elegant solution: simple logic, real-world impact

MarioMan 1y ago

My washing machine is a "dumb" machine from the '90s. The wash cycles run based on the position of a glorified timer knob: it doesn't have a computer or sensors to detect if it needs extra time aside from the water fill stages. Thanks to this consistency, I just set a 40 minute timer on my phone, and it's always done by then. Can't get much simpler than that. If I need reminders, there's always the alarm snooze function.

zahlman 1y ago
... Do they not still make these?
drewg123 1y ago
I miss old machines. My wife’s Bosch takes 90min to 2.5 hours for most cycles. Tho there is a 30 minute super quick cycle
- jalk 1y ago
  But the fast cycles of olden day cames at a price in terms of power draw and water usage, so it’s unfortunately similar to missing incandescent light bulbs.
sgt 1y ago
Keep that dumb washing machine from the 90s, I can almost guarantee you that a new washing machine is not meant to last as long. Maybe 6-7 years if you are lucky.
- jacquesm 1y ago
  Miele.
  - cobbaut 1y ago
    Miele from my grandmother still running here, 1988 machine! No defects, still pristine inside. No guarantee though that today's Miele is the same quality.

waste_monk 1y ago

I have been planning to implement something similar with my countertop oven - however having no API or other connectivity, I was planning on simply plugging it via a smart plug, and using the power draw measurements to determine whether it's idle or not (that is, arm when power draw transitions to above idle, then alert once it drops back to idle).

systemtest 1y ago

I have a G-Shock 5600 watch that can alert me when my washing machine is finished. At the start of the cycle I take note of the total time it takes, I set that time on the timer of the watch and hit start. It will beep once the washing machine is finished. Been doing that for about 15 years now. It works with all brands regardless of API.

matthewmacleod 1y ago
Of course this doesn’t work with variable cycle times.
- waffleiron 1y ago
  Then you'll just add 15-30 minutes, and it will still work ;)