ᐅ Energy management systems and control of washing machines, dryers, and the property

What you’re describing sounds great in theory, but I still feel it lacks a connection to reality. We usually run the dishwasher in the evening because it’s full by then. Sometimes there are items in it that need to be clean by the next morning. This is how many families operate, by the way. The alternative would be to run it at midday and wash by hand all the things I want to use in the morning. Great progress, and definitely exactly what I want 🙄

As for the washing machine, is there only one load per day? That doesn’t really make sense for 4-5 people and isn’t very realistic.

Automation is fine, but there are things you prefer to keep under your own control because otherwise it just becomes way more complicated. In my opinion, automation will never fully catch on for that kind of thing, at least not with the household appliances currently available.

FloHB123 schrieb:

We usually run the dishwasher in the evening because it’s full by then. Sometimes there are items inside that need to be clean by the next morning.

That’s simply a habit. The same dishes aren’t used in the morning and evening anyway. So you can do it exactly as mycraft suggested: load it before work and then during the day the system will run it automatically. You could generally set a timer for 12 p.m. because that’s assumed to be when there is the most sunlight. But you could also automate this with a control system so the dishwasher actually starts exactly when enough sunlight is available.

Zubi123 schrieb:

Now you can generally set the timer to 12 o’clock, assuming that’s when there is the most sunlight. However, this could also be automated with a controller so the dishwasher actually starts exactly when there is enough sunlight.

If only the word “if” wasn’t there 🙂 So there is still the condition, “if there is no photovoltaic surplus by 3 p.m. (15:00), please start it anyway.”

FloHB123 schrieb:

Automation is all well and good, but there are things you’d rather keep under your own control because otherwise it just becomes much more complicated.

Yes, you always hear that phrase, no matter the context. People always resist with pitchforks and crosses because they just want to maintain control. Well-known examples include driver assistance systems and seat belts.

FloHB123 schrieb:

In my opinion, automation will never become established for things like that. At least not with the household appliances currently available.

That ship sailed long ago and is constantly gaining speed.

FloHB123 schrieb:

The alternative would be to run it at midday and wash everything by hand that I want to use in the morning. Great progress, and definitely exactly what I want.

No, the alternative is: You use it as usual AND if you want to save energy, you can also load it in the morning and start it then. The dishwasher will take care of the rest. @Zubi123 explained that perfectly.

FloHB123 schrieb:

So with the washing machine, only one load per day? That doesn’t make much sense with 4-5 people and isn’t really realistic.

With the washing machine, you can also use it as usual AND additionally have the option to run it with solar power from your roof when you’re not at home. A simple timer just isn’t flexible enough.

Hangman schrieb:

So there’s the condition "if there’s no photovoltaic surplus by 3 p.m., please start it anyway".

That doesn’t contradict the original idea and is a perfectly normal and necessary condition. People shouldn’t get annoyed and should experience the highest possible convenience. Nothing is worse than an automation that doesn’t work.

FloHB123 schrieb:

What you’re writing sounds great, but I still think it’s disconnected from reality. We usually run the dishwasher in the evening because that’s when it’s full. Sometimes there are items inside that need to be clean by the next morning.

I always knew minimalism was a dead end. If you only have two coffee cups, you just have to wash them when the sun is out 😉

And I just ordered half a dozen more dishwashers because the sun won’t be shining again next week 😎