New - How to "opt in" for an OM hour
How does one opt in? Obviously I want to leave my fridge plugged in... That's not what this is about, going completely dark right?
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Best Answer
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John K
Lake Forest - Hikers and Bikers TeamPosts: 585Member
@SBMcManus , you don't have to opt in. You are, by default, opted in unless/until you opt out. This is about reducing demand when the grid requires it. How much you want to contribute to that is strictly up to you.
For many people with low usage, the fridge is the only significant place they can reduce. With a smartplug, you can avoid having to pull the fridge out to unplug, and OC can turn it off for the hour.
If your concern about the fridge relates to food safety, an infamous member suggested I refer you to this article.
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Check out this article at this link to OhmConnect's FAQ section first.
If it doesn't answer your question, then can you elaborate more about your question beyond what's written from that article?
very interesting. Does that mean the cheap version is to cut all the breakers for the hour?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078PHD6S5/?coliid=I3D61Y0QDQ3TKP&colid=M62FIMPKLRTN&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Does this cheap thing work for that?
If you choose to use a smartplug not supported by OC, you forfeit the tokens for having them shut off the plugs. Also, you will be responsible for finding an automatic way to turn it off and back on. You can do so by using the email alerts before and after the OH and using IFTTT to automatically trigger the plug. Since my emails arrive about 15 minutes before the hour and 7 minutes or so after the OH ends, it would be off an extra (unnecessary) 22 minutes. If you don't care about the timing or you'd just be using it manually to avoid pulling the fridge out, it appears to have the necessary specs -- wifi and probably remote capable and 16 amp current capable.
I've never heard of the brand, so I'd probably go with a brand that is known to work, but that's a personal preference thing. A big advantage to a unit like the TP-Link HS110 is that it shows you exactly how much power is going through it at any time, and for devices like the fridge that cycle on and off it tells you the avg usage by the appliance per day so you can divide by 24 and get an estimate of the hourly usage. Move it around the house before finally locking it behind the fridge to get a feel for what everything uses. Note, I just re-read the overview of the VANZAVANZU and it says that with the Smart Life App and the plug, you can monitor real-time usage, so it may work the same as more expensive plugs in that regard.