Remote switch for shop furnace or block heater

[John_Mc]

Home Depot, remote controlled plug. radio frequency, simple works good for my block heater 8.99.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-Indoor-Wireless-Remote-Control-RC-023/205707117

Made for indoor use. Have you tested it in really cold temperatures yet? That was the problem I had with some of the indoor remotes I tried: they stopped working when it got too cold where I had the receiver. Since that was the time I really needed the block heater, I need to find something else.

So far, I've tested the Acegoo remote down below 0˚F with no problems. (We've since added heat to that shop, and never let it drop below 40˚F.) Since we have too much stuff in there for me to shut it down and let things freeze, I'm not likely to be able to test that receiver down to colder temperatures.

It's a bummer they don't make an outlet box controlled by this technology. If I ever get around to wiring one up, for myself, I'll post the results.

 

[Diggin It]

It's a bummer they don't make an outlet box controlled by this technology. If I ever get around to wiring one up, for myself, I'll post the results.

They do. There are several PLC (Power Line Controlled) devices including dedicated outlets. You trigger them by remote or computer. Some have now added ways to do it by dumbfones.

 

[Lawnranger]

If you guys check out Smarthome - Home Automation Systems, Products, Kits, Hubs & Ideas there are some good tutorials on different types of switches for home automation. As I understand it, anything that will allow you to use a smart phone app is going to require the internet connection to be 'live', ( meaning it will also be traced). I think they offer an Insteon product that uses your local wifi but is controlled by a local hub, which doesn't need to function with an app. You wouldn't be able to control it remotely but you could still get the benefit of using it as remote timers, ( have the block heater plug fire up two hours before leaving for work, or the furnace in a shop heat up during the morning hours and not run all night long, much like a programmable thermostat.)

Then they have 'Z wave' technology that doesn't use the wifi, but sends a RF signal across the conduit in the wall, I think like the home depot switch. Radio Shack used to have a clock radio that used Z wave to switch remote outlets from switches on top of the clock. It was very slick for times twenty years ago, but I don't know if it is still available today.

Hope that website helps.

 

[John_Mc]

They do. There are several PLC (Power Line Controlled) devices including dedicated outlets. You trigger them by remote or computer. Some have now added ways to do it by dumbfones.

I was not talking about power line controlled switches. I was talking about the Acegoo wireless light switch I posted a link to earlier. The remote has no battery (generates power from the "click' when you press it.) and has a 300 ft range.

 

[dnw64]

As I understand it, anything that will allow you to use a smart phone app is going to require the internet connection to be 'live', ( meaning it will also be traced).

As I posted upthread, the TP-Link devices, controllable with the Kasa app, do NOT require an internet connection, only a local wifi connection. This is not just theory - as I said, I tested it by unplugging the WAN cable from my router.

 

[Big Chief]

Worked today it was 15 degrees over nite. No problems

 

[John_Mc]

Worked today it was 15 degrees over nite. No problems

Thanks. That's right about where one of the others I tried started getting flakey. Wish I still had it to test. It was down to -3˚F last night.

 

[mykleh]

I'm really interested in this but the big issue which I'm hoping to address is metal pole building.. are any of these able to send signals from a house though a metal building 150' away??

 

[John_Mc]

I'm really interested in this but the big issue which I'm hoping to address is metal pole building.. are any of these able to send signals from a house though a metal building 150' away??

Assuming you don;t have WiFi in your metal building, I'm guessing your best bet for that would be a power line controlled switch, if you can get your controller and controlled leg on the same leg of the power line. Since the control signal travels through the power line, the metal building will have no effect.

If a power line receiver won't work for you, I'd try the remote RF based one with the longest range you can findIf I had a metal building to try it on, I'd pull my Acegoo receiver and try it out for you. If you can get the receiver near a window or other break in the metal, you may have better luck.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Assuming you don;t have WiFi in your metal building, I'm guessing your best bet for that would be a power line controlled switch, if you can get your controller and controlled leg on the same leg of the power line. Since the control signal travels through the power line, the metal building will have no effect..

Any of these that you recommend over another?