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Automating a window AC (lemmy.zip)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world

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So I have my AC connected to a smart plug and I'm trying to figure out what would be the best way to go about automating it.

Currently, I have it set to run every hour on the hour for 20 minutes if the time is between noon and 8 p.m. Which covers the hottest part of the day.

However, what I could do is have it run every other hour instead and have a couple of night runs along with the daytime runs.

Doing it that way would eliminate most of the 16-hour period currently that exists between the ending of one day and the beginning of the next.

Edit: Also, is there an easy way to automate every other hour using the time pattern or would I manually have to set up triggers for 2am, 4am, 6am, 8am, 10am, etc. using the fixed values?

Edit 2: looks like i can use "/2" to accomplish that

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[–] Badabinski@kbin.earth 14 points 1 month ago (10 children)

Hard power cycling your AC unit is bad for it and may eventually kill it. The fan needs to run for a bit after the compressor turns off. This affects large ACs more than small ones, but it may cause damage after a while. If your AC unit has an RF remote, I'd recommend using something like a Broadlink unit to control it.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 month ago (9 children)

Unfortunately, it's got no kind of remote at all. It's a physical dial to turn it on to high low or fan high low and a physical dial to turn up or down the temperature setting.

That's why I got a smart plug for it to begin with because there were times when I would fall asleep at like 10 p.m. and wake up at 3 a.m. with the damn thing still running.

It is only a 550 watt unit, but I was not aware that hard power cycling it like that would eventually hurt it. So at least thanks for that information.

[–] anotherandrew@lemmy.mixdown.ca 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Monitor the current with the smart plug. When you want to turn it off, wait for the current to drop for a few minutes (this means the compressor is off/unloaded) then power off the outlet.

Might be an idea.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I can't do that. Without doing it myself, the compressor will absolutely never turn off. Unless I manually flip the switch. There was another commenter below that said that it wasn't a problem as long as you didn't try to start it up again too quickly and I don't so that's all right

[–] anotherandrew@lemmy.mixdown.ca 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I’ve never seen a window AC with mechanical knobs not cycle the compressor when it hits the temperature set by its thermostat. The fan might run 24/7 but the compressor? How could it possibly regulate temperature otherwise?

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 month ago

Oh duh, I totally forgot about that. There is a knob to regulate the temperature, and that will kick the compressor off. Currently I just have it set to as cold as it will get and then cut power to the unit itself with the plug. It stays off for a good 40 minutes at a time, which is plenty of time to drain the pressure properly before starting up again.

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