Z-Wave Smart Outlet Setup With SmartThings Hub
A Z-Wave Smart Outlet or Smart Plug can be turned on/off remotely. It can also be triggered by an event or a schedule. In this tutorial, we will cover an overview of a Z-Wave Smart Outlet and how to use it with the SmartThings Hub. You can certainly use another Z-Wave compatible smart hub of your choice.
Z-Wave Smart Outlet Overview
A Z-Wave Smart Outlet provides following capabilities when used with a smart hub.
- Turn on/off remotely.
- Turn on/off on an event, such as a sunset.
- Turn on/off on a schedule, such as 7 AM on weekdays.
- It could be used in combination with other smart devices to make more useful scenarios, such as in morning turn off the lights and start the coffee maker attached to the outlet.
- Some outlets can also provide data on power consumed by the connected device(s).
There are a few variants of a Smart Outlet.
- In-wall Outlet: This is perfect for scenarios where the location is fixed and you are comfortable installing it either yourself or with some professional help. These are commonly used indoors, but some vendors may also offer outdoor variants.
- Pluggable Indoor Outlet: This outlet can be put in a standard outlet and can be easily moved around. It is generally useful for temporary usage scenarios, such as holiday lighting or when you cannot install the in-wall outlet.
- Pluggable Outdoor Outlet: This is similar to the indoor outlet in behavior and comes with a weatherproof case.
In this tutorial, we will be using the SmartThings Outlet along with the SmartThings Hub.
Equipment and Budget
Note: The prices shown are based on data at the time of writing this article. Taxes and shipping are not included in these and actual cost may vary.
| Item | Unit Price | Qty | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung SmartThings Outlet | $36.99 | 1 | $36.99 |
| Total | $36.99 | ||
Note: The product links are affiliate links and we do earn a commission on purchases made through these at no additional cost to you.
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Project: Z-Wave Smart Outlet Setup
Template: Smart Home – Smart Hub – Outlet Setup
| Item Type | Item | Keywords | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended | smart outlet | Samsung SmartThings Outlet | 1 |
Integrating Z-Wave Smart Outlet With SmartThings Hub
Following are the steps to integrate the outlet with the SmartThings hub.
- Ensure the device is in pairing mode.
- Go to the Things section of the SmartThings app and select Add a Thing.
- SmartThings will now search for new devices. Be patient! This may take some time. If the device still does not show up select choose Add Device Manually and follow the steps.
Once the outlet has been discovered, give it a logical name. If it is meant for a specific purpose, such as for coffee maker, you can perhaps name it as “Coffee Maker”. Otherwise, for more broad usage, I recommend using a generic name like “Outlet”.
That’s it! You should now be able to turn the outlet on/off using the SmartThings app.
Additional Reading
Have a useful smart home!
– Nitin
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Also published on Medium.