• What does the EcoSwitch actually do?
The EcoSwitch retrieves energy prices from the internet and switches on when the price is the lowest. You can select when it may switch on (e.g. between 11pm and 6am) and for how long it should be switched on (e.g. 25 minutes). You can enter a maximum price if desired, as an extra condition: in that case the EcoSwitch will not be switched on when energy prices are higher that the maximum price you specified.
• What do I need to use the EcoSwitch?
The EcoSwitch uses WiFi to retrieve energy prices from our server. To save costs by using the EcoSwitch, you will need a smart meter and a dynamic tariff plan.
• What devices is the EcoSwitch suitable for?
Devices that store heat or electricity will benefit the most from the EcoSwitch. For example waterbeds and close-in boilers. It is suitable for swimming pool pumps and pond pumps as well.
• What devices is the EcoSwitch not suitable for?
The EcoSwitch is NOT suitable for connecting an adapter of the type laptop or electric bicycle. This may cause the EcoSwitch to malfunction.
• Can I integrate the EcoSwitch with Home Assistent?
Yes. See Setting up integration with Home Assistent. After configuration, you will among others be able to:
• Switch the EcoSwitch in Home Assistent
• View power consumption data in Home Assistent (EcoSwitch Plus only)
• Switch another device when the EcoSwitch switches (when not physically connected to the EcoSwitch, but integrated with Home Assistent as well), benefitting from the energy planner of the EcoSwitch.
• What is the maximum amperage for the EcoSwitch Plus?
The maximum is 10 Ampère. At 230 Volt this is 2300 Watt electrical power of the connected device. You can switch higher amperages with the EcoSwitch using an electrical contactor. In that case, the contactor needs to be installed at your location, possibly by an electrician.
• I want to manage the EcoSwitch from an iPhone. Is this possible?
Yes, the EcoSwitch is accessible from any phone with a web browser. Visit the EcoSwitch at its IP address or, if your phone supports mDNS, at a .local address. For example, if the WiFi hostname is “ecoswitch”, the .local address will be http://ecoswitch.local/.
• Is it possible to use the EcoSwitch without the Ecosoft Energy app?
Yes. Even without the app, all functionality of the EcoSwitch can be used.
• What is the Ecosoft Energy app?
With the Ecosoft Energy app you can:
• quickly check energy prices of today,
• choose the best moment to consume electricity,
• manage all your EcoSwitches on one page.
There are versions for Android phones and iPhones.
• How can I install an EcoSwitch?
Summarized: Plug the EcoSwitch in the wall socket and connect a device to the switch. On your mobiel phone, you can select the EcoSwitch as a temporary WiFi access point, and access it via 192.168.4.1. In the web interface of the EcoSwitch, fill in the credentials of your own WiFi network. A detailed explanation you can find in the manual. After installation, you can create a Energy Consumption plan in the web interface of the switch.
• How can I reset the WiFi settings and EcoSwitch password?
Hold the button on the EcoSwitch for 40 seconds.
• The cheap hours are spread out over the day. Is the EcoSwitch able to take this into account?
Yes, if desired. Uncheck the box “Switched-on contiguously (per time block)”.
• Is it possible to let the EcoSwitch switch on when the market price for a certain hour (or half an hour) is below a certain maximum price?
Yes, you can enter a maximum price.
• How often does the EcoSwitch retrieve energy prices from the internet?
Once a day. In the UK these are 48 prices (one per 30 minutes). They are available at about 5pm, and valid from 11pm to 11pm the next day. (In the Netherlands, these are 24 prices, one per hour, available at about 2pm.)
• During the dishwasher program of my dishwasher, the EcoSwitch should not switch off. How do I configure this?
Check the box: “Do not switch off when the device is still in use.”
For example fill in: The device is not in use if its power is less than 5 W during 5 minutes.
With these settings, the EcoSwitch will not switch off unless the power is lower than 5 Watts for 5 minutes.
• Does the EcoSwitch Plus measure power consumption?
Yes, the EcoSwitch Plus measures power consumption. Therefore, the option “Do not switch off when the device is still in use” is available. If you use this option, the switch will only switch off when it has detected that the connected device has stopped. This can be useful, for example for washing machines that shouldn’t be switched off while running a washing program.
• Where does the EcoSwitch gets its energy prices from?
For the Netherlands, the EcoSwitch uses EPEX market prices for energy, without tax or other surcharges. See also our Energy Planner. We pay a fee to use this energy price data commercially. Therefore an EcoSwitch service package has a certain price (first one, three or five years are included in the price of the switch).
• What happens if the EcoSwitch cannot retrieve the prices for some reason?
If the server cannot be accessed, or if the price data is unavailable for any other reason, average values will be used, based on historical price data.
• Is the possible to let the EcoSwitch switch at fixed times?
Yes. Go to the Energy Planner and set the Type of Planning to “None”. Then go to the Main Menu and press the “Configuration” button. Then press “Configure timer” and create a plan for fixed times over there.
• I live in the Netherlands. Can I use the EcoSwitch?
Yes. The EcoSwitch Plus EU can retrieve energy prices for the Netherlands from our server and fits in every Dutch wall socket.
• I live in Belgium. Can I use the EcoSwitch Plus?
Yes, the EcoSwitch Plus EU can retrieve energy prices for Belgium from our server. Please note: the EcoSwitch Plus EU does not fit into a earth pin socket, but this earth pin socket is most likely not used in modern buildings anyway.
• I live in the United Kingdom. Can I use the EcoSwitch Plus?
The EcoSwitch Plus UK, designed for the UK, will be available soon.
• What are the advantages of the EcoSwitch Plus?
• Save costs: consume energy when prices are lowest.
• Reduce CO2 emission: at cheaper hours more sustainable energy is available.
• Less strain on the electrical grid during the cheaper hours.
• The EcoSwitch Plus offers insights in energy consumption of the connected device.