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Using Home Assistant, adguard home and an $8 smart outlet to avoid brain rot

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370 points remuskaos | 9 comments | 22 Jun 25 20:26 UTC | HN request time: 0.481s | source | bottom
1. stavros ◴[22 Jun 25 21:40 UTC] No.44350534[source]▶
Why is this using a plug rather than a Zigbee button? I don't understand the plug bit.
replies(2): >>44350551 #>>44352374 #
2. rcarmo ◴[22 Jun 25 21:43 UTC] No.44350551[source]▶
The plug has a button, and thus sends out an event when it is manually turned on.
replies(1): >>44350564 #
3. stavros ◴[22 Jun 25 21:45 UTC] No.44350564[source]▶
Yes, but so does a button, no?
replies(4): >>44350614 #>>44350926 #>>44351343 #>>44358049 #
4. taude ◴[22 Jun 25 21:53 UTC] No.44350614{3}[source]▶
I think this button is powered by the outlet.
replies(1): >>44350762 #
5. ryukoposting ◴[22 Jun 25 22:17 UTC] No.44350762{4}[source]▶
Zigbee buttons can last for years on a single coin cell.

I think the smart plug may add a layer of inconvenience, since you have to lean down to the outlet to press it. The inconvenience is a feature in this case, though.

6. nomel ◴[22 Jun 25 22:49 UTC] No.44350926{3}[source]▶
It's literally a button, with some extra stuff attached to it. The only requirement for a button is that if it's accessible to the person trying to press it (no pictures posted of that, feel free to assume). But, there's intentional inaccessibility built into this project, so that may be an intentional goal.

Thats's the great part about home assistant though...anything that can change states, with intent/meaning, is waiting to be tied to an automation.

7. florbo ◴[23 Jun 25 00:17 UTC] No.44351343{3}[source]▶
I'm guessing they already had the plug (I myself have a small stockpile of extra Z-wave/wifi/Zigbee devices for when I inevitably need/want to hook something up), so there wasn't a need to buy something else.
8. remuskaos ◴[23 Jun 25 04:06 UTC] No.44352374[source]▶
I just had the plug laying around, and since it has a button, it does the job.

But it actually has an advantage: I can plug a small lamp into it. After 14 minutes, the plug switches on and off every 2 seconds, indicating that the time runs out, adding a little drama.

9. 0x457 ◴[23 Jun 25 17:29 UTC] No.44358049{3}[source]▶
OP had a socket with a button and decided to use it as a button. Yes button works, but you don't have it, like OP, then socket like that will do. As a bonus, you can put a light bulb that indicates the state.