Timer in Apple Home

[zamboknee]

Is there a way to set a timer through Apple Home for an ihome smartplug?
Checked in the IFTT app but I'm maxed on my free ones.

 

[Itinj24]

I believe you can do it in the Eve app. It’s a free app and it’s basically just Eve’s rendition of HomeKit so whatever you do in there shows up in HomeKit and vice versa.

 

[zamboknee]

Just poked around Eve. Doesn't look like it has a timer setting/rule.

 

[srl7741]

I think you can using the Controller for HomeKit App. Link but I'm not sure if those are part of the In-App Purchase?
I have not used it so I'm going off my memory when reading about it. Here is the Web Site Link

You can create time based automations

 

[Itinj24]

Is this not a timer?

 

[zamboknee]

No it’s not. Kind of mislabeled as it doesn’t give you what typically a ‘timer’ is (countdown). It’s just a scheduler based on the tinkering with it I just did. Bummer. I got excited

 

[Itinj24]

No it’s not. Kind of mislabeled as it doesn’t give you what typically a ‘timer’ is (countdown). It’s just a scheduler based on the tinkering with it I just did. Bummer. I got excited

Ah ok, thought you may have missed that when you were poking around. Sorry, I haven’t played with timers before so not too familiar on what they are or do. Just went on what I saw.

 

[malcky77]

@zamboknee Could you give an example of what you want to use a timer for? Some folks on here might be able to think of a work around depending on what you want to achieve?
For example another person on here wanted a countdown for five minutes for a smart plug powering a shower pump or something....and so setting a scene and then an automation would do what that person was looking for.

 

[zamboknee]

I have an ihome smartplug that I have a space heater plugged into. I'd like to set an auto-off timer so that once it's turned on, it will automatically shut the plug (and heater) OFF after about 2 hours.

 

[Itinj24]

I have an ihome smartplug that I have a space heater plugged into. I'd like to set an auto-off timer so that once it's turned on, it will automatically shut the plug (and heater) OFF after about 2 hours.

Are you turning the heater on at random or do you have a specific time? If it’s specific, you can create an automation to turn on at a specific time (or if you have a temp sensor, you can create a temp based automation in the Eve app) that turns off after 2 hours automatically. At that point, you can even have it turn on when the temp drops to a certain level.

 

[malcky77]

@zamboknee You could do what you want with the following 2 steps:

1: Create a custom scene and call it "Space Heater", select the ihome smart plug to have it turn on, select done.

2: Create an automation, using the "An accessory is Controlled", select the ihome smart plug, select "Turns On", select the scene called "space Heater" and then select turn off to be your chosen amount of time.

This also means you can use Siri to trigger this by just saying....Hey Siri, Space Heater.

So this is using the scene to turn the plug/heater on.....and the automation to turn it off.

Obviously you can call it whatever you want....this is just an example.

 

[zamboknee]

Are you turning the heater on at random or do you have a specific time? If it’s specific, you can create an automation to turn on at a specific time (or if you have a temp sensor, you can create a temp based automation in the Eve app) that turns off after 2 hours automatically. At that point, you can even have it turn on when the temp drops to a certain level.

random. Don't have a temp sensor

 

[Itinj24]

random. Don't have a temp sensor

Tough then. HomeKit has timers baked in but it’s integrated in automations which aren’t exactly random. It should definitely be an option for just randomly turning on an accessory though.