Know When Your Laundry Is Done

You asked for it, we made it: We’ve just published a SmartApp that sends you notifications when your laundry is done.

Appropriately, it’s called “Laundry Monitor.” You can find it under the “Convenience” SmartApp category. Here’s how it works:

Place a SmartSense Multi on the side or top of your washing machine. Configure the Laundry Monitor SmartApp by selecting a Multi following the prompt: “Tell me when this washer has stopped…”. You can also select a lamp or light to turn on or flash if you’d like multiple notifications.

The SmartApp works by sending you a notification once the washer stops vibrating. Since a washer may stop vibrating at certain points during a cycle (example: during the few seconds between when water stops flowing and a cycle starts, if you open up the door to check on it, etc.), the two prompts under the header “Time thresholds” are simply meant to prevent false a notification if the washer is still running but not vibrating.

“Minimum cycle time” = the shortest amount of time that it takes your laundry cycle to run.

“Time to fill tub” = the amount of time that it takes your washer to fill with water.

(Note: If you set the “Time to fill tub” field for less time than it actually takes for your tub to fill with water, you may receive a notification before your laundry is ready.) 

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Join the conversation! 13 Comments

  1. now, I’m curious how I can combined the motion / acceleration detection monitor with the open close…

    I’m using the sensor now to detect when it’s done… but I want to then set a loop check for “if the sensor has not been opened (still closed) after the “laundry is done” trigger fires, then nag / send constant reminders that the laundry needs to be taken out/swapped until the sensor is “opened” indicating (the likelihood) that you’ve taken it out of the dryer or swapped.

    I’m making this happen through tasker on my mobile, based on the sms I receive that “laundry is done”, but it would be nicer if it was built into the smartThing Convenience.

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  2. One thing I don’t understand is how it knows that you have started the laundry at all? Am I missing something?

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    • The machine will start to vibrate. That is how the sensor knows, it senses when vibration starts and stops.

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      • Only if it does, vibrate that is. I have tried two different machines. Neither vibrated enough to trigger an alert. I suspect “better” machines vibrate less, as part of the make the quieter effort.

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  3. I just installed a SmartThings hub, which I bought so I could have remote laundry done notifications, an amazing (to me) feature. I have it working as a presence sensor for my phone, my wife’s phone and as an on/off controller for our sonos systems.

    I have a multi sensor attached to the side of my dryer. It is registering in the app. I can make it go open/closed with the magnet (to verify connectivity). I installed this app, configured it, ran the dryer, nothing happened. I changed the times to smaller values, again, nothing happened.

    Any ideas? Is there a way to see what the sensor is seeing/reporting in terms of vibration?

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    • Did the same thing and after a lot of searching came to conclusion it doesn’t work.

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      • Has worked for me for 4 years. You actually have to run the machines for the full cycle it looks for pauses of more than a couple minutes I believe.

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        • It doesn’t work for me at all. It senses vibration to know that a cycle starts. My dryer doesn’t vibrate enough for it to ever notice a cycle start. This app seems to only work if you have a machine that vibrates more than the two I have tried it on.

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      • I solved my need by using a Samsung SmartThings Outlet. This little critter can report power usage down to the watt. I combined that with Smart Home Monitor – Security (living in Marketplace / Safety & Security) to report a drop below a threshold power usage, In my case, it reports when the power draw falls below 60W indicating the drum has stopped spinning (it’s a gas dryer so the electric draw isn’t real high).

        This approach works like a charm.

        The smart app isn’t as smart as I would like. I’d love for it to announce end of cycle over our Sonos and/or flash a light, but it’s not that smart.

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        • Hi @disqus_n85S5hURgS:disqus , I am not sure if you will see this message… but if so…. I am new to Smart things and feeling dense! I looked under the Smart Home Monitor -> Security, but I don’t see an option to use a smart outlet for any of the cases in there?

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          • Hey Kara! Finding the right app has to be the hardest part of this whole SmartThings ecosystem. I am definitely challenged there as well. (They really should have a search function)

            On my phone, in the app, here’s my path:
            – Marketplace (bottom of screen, 2nd from right)
            – Energy Management
            – Energy Alerts

            That takes you to a screen that enables setting up the alarm. You may need to play with the kw setting. My dryer can draw a few watts when off for it’s display and such. (Yes, I had trouble because of this)

    • I can’t even find the smart app in the marketplace, the android version doesn’t look anything like this

      Reply
      • I have no idea what would be different in the android marketplace, but I agree this approach is useless. The dryer just doesn’t vibrate enough to operate the sensor. I now use a Samsung SmartThings Outlet to report completion based on power draw. I described this in an earlier post, just below this, right now.

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