this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2026
93 points (100.0% liked)
homeassistant
18571 readers
34 users here now
Home Assistant is open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first.
Powered by a worldwide community of tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts.
Home Assistant can be self-installed on ProxMox, Raspberry Pi, or even purchased pre-installed: Home Assistant: Installation
Discussion of Home-Assistant adjacent topics is absolutely fine, within reason.
If you're not sure, DM @GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments


Be careful, I’ve fried a dozen smart plugs because the relays aren’t able to cope with induction motor startups.
It's rated for 16A which the machine doesn't saturate, or do you mean the spiking?
They're talking about the spiking
Damn. It's Blitzwolf SHP15, any experience with those regarding spiking?
OP, note that this starting current spike is much more of an issue with older/more industrial washing models. When your drum spins up, does it make a simultaneous cachunk and deep humming noise, or does it make an irritating high-pitched mosquito whine? If it’s the mosquito whine your drum motor is driven by an inverter that really smooths out the starting current.
I think it's the latter, not sure though. It's a not ancient consumer one with A+++ rating though. (candy CST G372D-S)
What are you using? The athom tech one has been great for about 2 years so far here in NZ with 240v power. And I have a very powerful Asko washer. They have a relay and non relay version, I'm on the relay one.
240v power makes this better, because it means the starting current is exponentially lower for the same torque. It’s mostly a American/Japanese problem.
Yep, American here. No running appliances with motors on my 120V smart plugs.
I used to use a lot of CloudFree, but I moved and most of my smart home stuff is now in a box somewhere. It’s not really been practical to set any of it up. Long story.
'Exponential' is not the term you're looking for here
Is it not? I thought doubling the voltage would quarter the amperage, or am I derping? Do I mean “polynomially”?
Yes, in that case the dependence is quadratic, a special case of polynomial
My third reality plug is also fine 2 years in.