Shoutout to the $40 smart plug that saved my AC unit during a heatwave

I set it to cut power to my window unit for 15 minutes every hour to prevent it from overheating, which some say is unnecessary wear and tear while others swear it extends the lifespan, so what's your take on using smart gadgets for preventative maintenance?

4 comments

4 Comments

sam_cooper27d ago

That bit about people arguing over wear and tear is so real. I'm on the side that a short break is way less strain than the unit struggling non-stop and overheating. If that forty dollar plug stopped a breakdown in a heatwave, it already paid for itself. Smart gadgets for little fixes like that just make sense.

bell.jessica27d ago

Forty dollars for a smart plug is wild to me. I got a basic one on sale for twelve bucks last year and it does the same thing. The price jump feels like they're just charging for the brand name now. Your method makes total sense for an older AC unit that might struggle. Saving a thousand dollar appliance with a cheap gadget is a no brainer. I just can't get over how expensive some of these basic smart home items have gotten.

johnson.betty26d ago

Wait, are you sure the $12 one does the same thing? @bell.jessica, the cheap ones I've tried often don't handle the high power draw from an AC unit. They might work for a lamp, but they can fail or even get warm with a big motor. That forty dollar plug probably has a better relay and safety features built in. You're paying for it to not catch fire, lol.

aliceharris5d ago

My AC guy says those forced cycles actually cause more stress than continuous running.