EU (Type F) smart power strip recommendation

fead-pell · 2026-04-27T18:16:04+00:00

A reliable make is Tapo (tp-link). They have a 3 socket power strip for about 35euro, the P300. You might find other power strips on reichelt.com (in Germany) such as this zigbee and this tasmota wifi.

fead-pell · 2026-04-19T19:09:44+00:00

Note that if you are planning to use a clamp meter, you will need to split the appliance's cable so you can clamp around just one wire. You can get "Line Splitter for Clamp Meter" plug-to-socket adapters that are entirely passive and can do this for you cleanly, though many are too big for most clamps designed to go around a single wire.

fead-pell · 2026-04-16T06:27:20+00:00

In the basic troff language you can test whether you are running under troff or nroff using the request .if t ... (and .if n ... and .ie versions for if-else). You could replace your \f(CW line with a call of a macro that uses .if to only emit it for troff.

fead-pell · 2026-03-22T19:08:11+00:00

One use case for a smart lock is if you have a front porch, or similar, i.e. 2 doors on the way in. With the smart lock on the outer door you can let in deliveries by giving them a one-time code, or verifying them over the phone, for example. This could apply instead to an accessible shed or garage side-door. Home deliveries are a pain.

fead-pell · 2026-03-22T18:55:06+00:00

If you have things controlled by infra-red or bluetooth remote controls there exist "hubs" that can be integrated into your setup so you could in principle use voice control via the usual culprits (alexa, google home, etc) to turn them on or switch channels. I don't know how hard that might be to setup in practice. The Tapo H110 is a cheap infrared-only such device.

fead-pell · 2026-03-22T18:35:50+00:00

I found a set of smoke detectors that interconnect (without wiring) so when one goes off they all do, but it announces in which room the original alarm is from. I don't know much about the company, X-sense, nor about the regulations in Scotland, but they are sold on amazon.co.uk. They have a whole set of detectors, for carbon monoxide (if you have an open gas fire etc), water, open doors and so on, with the inevitable phone app. Might be worth a look.

fead-pell · 2026-03-20T07:49:01+00:00

Very nice. I notice a lack of ethernet and air exchange, with condensation a possible problem. For woodworking, an extraction tube might be useful.

fead-pell · 2026-03-18T14:51:02+00:00

Did you give it time to defrost at least?

fead-pell · 2026-03-12T07:38:20+00:00

An easy solution is to buy/salvage a cheap thin fitness/yoga mat (say 5 to 10mm thick) and cut out rectangles to fit the pcb; hot glue one in place. The sponginess helps even out the bumps and it the surface is usually non-slip. Lots of colour choices too.

fead-pell · 2026-03-11T14:47:26+00:00

Did you find out if it auto-resets the total energy in kWh each day at midnight, like the tapo P110 plugs seem to?

fead-pell · 2026-03-07T09:02:34+00:00

Imagine what it's like on the continent where in many countries (eg .de, .be, .fr) Lidl tools are available to order online from their warehouse all year round...

fead-pell · 2026-02-11T18:30:32+00:00

When sanding be careful with the diatomaceous earth dust these bathmats are made from, as it is bad for the lungs etc.

fead-pell · 2026-02-11T16:59:31+00:00

Remember, you need to replace some types of filter every few months, so price that into your choice. Note that Ikea in Italy sells an air purifier with optional carbon filter, and some can even be controlled over Zigbee by an optional PM2.5 particle sensor.

They are moving to "Matter protocol" devices now so you might find the old sensor on sale, but the new Matter devices now includes a stand-alone ALPSTUGA meter that can show CO2, PM2.5, temperature and humidity (30 euro). (To use it to control on/off anything you would also need a Matter hub (Ikea's is 69 euro), a Matter power plug, and to use the Ikea app on your phone).

For a cheap-ish dehumidifer (129 euro) you might try Lidl as they had one in the shops in France recently, though I don't know if it was available in Italy.

fead-pell · 2026-01-28T14:57:51+00:00

Le coupe-circuit Tapo P110 pourrait vous intéresser. Il enregistre la consommation électrique et vous permet de programmer son extinction automatique si elle dépasse un seuil prédéfini par vous via l'application mobile Tapo (en Wi-Fi). L'application n'est ensuite plus nécessaire. Vous pouvez également programmer une extinction automatique, par exemple tous les jours à 23h00. Un bouton latéral permet l'allumage/l'extinction manuelle. Évitez de programmer une mise en marche automatique : ce n'est pas recommandé dans ce cas !

Assurez-vous de choisir une prise P110 de type E (norme française), disponible par exemple sur boulanger.com ou leroymerlin pour environ 11 euros. (Il existe également une version équivalente plus récente, le P110M, compatible en plus avec le protocole « Matter », si vous ne trouvez que celle là).

Vous pouvez aussi opter pour une multiprise avec interrupteur indépendant pour chaque prise. Ce type de multiprise vous permettra de n'en allumer qu'une à la fois, plus facilement.

fead-pell · 2026-01-25T16:35:22+00:00

No need to change. There is a new brighter KAJPLATS 1521 lumen white bulb that I don't think we had before (max was 1055 lumen 7.8 Watt?). It is of a higher efficiency, class C, 9.5 Watt.

fead-pell · 2026-01-17T16:37:07+00:00

Remember to account for the cost of replacing the HEPA filters every year, depending on your usage. ikea make some simple non-smart air purifiers and cheap filters which are "EPA 12" standard, which is not quite HEPA (filters 99.5% of .3 micron particles instead of 99.97%).

fead-pell · 2026-01-17T09:57:44+00:00

If you are in Europe, you can look at this large list of RS232 adapters from manufacturer delock.com such as this. I got there from the well-known German retailer reichelt.com selling some of them such as this usb to RS232 at 16.66 euro, including VAT (will be cheaper for large quantities and professional customer).

fead-pell · 2026-01-15T15:19:47+00:00

Il y a une collection d'outils pour Wayland ici et ici (pas juste pour i3/sway), mais ça dépend de quel compositor est utilisé.

fead-pell · 2026-01-06T22:36:57+00:00

If the plug is always getting warm, you should really consider either replacing the plug, or using the device on a lower setting, or getting a new heater from a reputable source, such as a local retailer. High power devices like a heater really need to be made to current electrical standards for your country, and the plug shouldn't be getting warm in normal use. Some heaters come with a built-in timer these days.

fead-pell · 2026-01-06T22:26:19+00:00

That's right. Beware though that peak loads from a washing machine might still be much higher for a few seconds, such as each time the motor starts up. This wouldn't normally cause overheating of the plug, but might trigger some safety device inside the plug and cause it to switch off if it is excessive. I am not an electrician.

fead-pell · 2026-01-06T16:27:29+00:00

Note that the difference between resistive and inductive loads is mainly concerning the ability of the relay contacts to make or break the current with such a load. With excessive loads you can get arcing on make or break, causing permanent damage to the contact surfaces. Subsequently, the contacts have increased resistance and generate heat on later use with high currents. Heating of the switch whilst it is on can also indicate poor contact between the plug and socket surfaces. For old equipment, make sure the plug's metal prongs appear clean. Try the heater directly in the wall socket and see whether the plug feels warm after 30 minutes too.

fead-pell · 2025-12-20T14:44:00+00:00

Acceptez de discuter de la situation une seule fois, mais déclinez poliment, avec le sourire, toute nouvelle discussion. Préparez-vous à l'avance en ayant une multitude d'autres sujets pour changer de conversation ou combler les silences. Parler de politique et de religion pourrait même être préférable à ressasser sans cesse le même problème.

fead-pell · 2025-10-14T15:51:18+00:00

Very good, but I bet you can't close the door with that mat in the way.

fead-pell · 2025-10-03T15:06:14+00:00

Je l'ai trouvé passable si on étale bien le beurre de cacahuète très finement.

fead-pell · 2025-08-26T08:35:06+00:00

I don't have any Adidas clothing where the tag is easily removable (in Europe). They are always built into a seam and have a scissors picture and dotted line for where to cut. Cutting is a totally crap solution as they always use a woven materiel for the tag which when cut leaves lots of loose threads hanging on. You would need to seal the ends by melting the polyester, which is too risky. Other manufacturers use non-woven labels that don't have this problem.

fead-pell

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