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General Forums => Smart Home Technology => Topic started by: Chris Savage on Oct 01, 2024, 08:50 AM

Title: When You're a Smart Home Guru
Post by: Chris Savage on Oct 01, 2024, 08:50 AM
This is the challenge I face being a Smart Home Guru and a pragmatist at the same time...each bathroom has an exhaust fan that should be on for some time after a shower to reduce the humidity. Before Smart Home technology, I was content to put a simple fan timer switch in the bathroom. You could press 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minutes and the fan would shut off automatically after the specified time.

Now I find myself trying to decide if I should install a simple timer switch or a smart switch and tell my Smart Home Hub to automatically turn off the fan after a preset period of time. Choices...
Title: Re: When You're a Smart Home Guru
Post by: JKnightandKARR on Oct 01, 2024, 12:04 PM
Personally, I'd just use a timer. I'm by NO means interested in this smart home stuff.  I HATE the ring cameras in here now.... but gotta have them for now.
Title: Re: When You're a Smart Home Guru
Post by: granz on Oct 01, 2024, 04:31 PM
Quote from: Chris Savage on Oct 01, 2024, 08:50 AM...Now I find myself trying to decide if I should install a simple timer switch or a smart switch and tell my Smart Home Hub to automatically turn off the fan after a preset period of time. Choices...
How about a DHT-22 (or -11) to read the humidity and turn the fan on when above a set point, and back off when below?

BTW, the PicoMite (and the WebMite) has built-in commands for reading DHTs.
Title: Re: When You're a Smart Home Guru
Post by: Chris Savage on Oct 01, 2024, 06:59 PM
Quote from: granz on Oct 01, 2024, 04:31 PMHow about a DHT-22 (or -11) to read the humidity and turn the fan on when above a set point, and back off when below?
BTW, the PicoMite (and the WebMite) has built-in commands for reading DHTs.

It has to fit in an isolated wall switch box that's behind a door. Ironically, Leviton has such a switch (https://a.co/d/04TQhSu).

Title: Re: When You're a Smart Home Guru
Post by: Chris Savage on Jul 23, 2025, 08:33 AM
I just happened to notice that someone was on this topic and I never followed up. It's been 10 months and I have been running an Eaton 15 -Amps 120-volt Indoor Programmable Countdown Time from Lowes (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-Digital-Countdown-Lighting-Timer/1002943550) since the last post. Works out very well.

(https://mobileimages.lowes.com/productimages/f0c4a09e-884f-40ac-be68-2d0170523651/50200481_1.jpg)