Tapo smart switch - why is my schedule change not working?

Those devices are sometimes susceptible to which app you use for setting. What are you using?

I’m using the Tapo App on my iPhone. After making changes to the schedule, I can see the new settings on the phone, but the device seems to “remember” the old ones. A few minutes ago I came back home and plugged the car in - the device was switched on, but a couple of minutes ago it switched off. (? in good time for the 16:00 - 1900 Power Move settings). I have the schedule set up to switch on at 16:00, and am waiting to see what happens…

Ah! the power to the car has come back on again. This suggests that a switch-off happens a short time before the appointed hour and a switch-on slightly after. The next scheduled change is to switch off at 18:00.

I assume you have no setting actually in you car to manage when it can charge rather than rely on a switch? I manage my EV charging by setting it inthe car to charge from 21:00 and go off at 18:00. So the 3 hours are blocked out. I have Tapo plugs for other light load switching and they all work OK. I did have one that failed and stopped responding to any setting so ditched it a purchased a new one.

Thanks.

Until I signed up for Power Move, I had no need to set a charging schedule, and when the free Tapo plugs arrived I set them up for the Power Move times - which left me with flexibility in relation to weekends - I decided not to charge the car on Sundays, switching on at 00:01 on Mondays so as to shift some consumption into the week and increase the denominator for the usage calculation.

Now that I’ve taken the plunge and dived into the manual, I’ve set the car up for a 21:00 to 18:00 charge window, and will have to remember not to plug the car in on Sunday.

What’s the power draw of an EV? I’m careful not to use those Tapo plugs with things like internal heaters, they are rated only for about 2kw.  

Maximum charging current set on the car to 10 amps, say 2.3 kW.

This looks about right on the in-home display when observed as the charging cycle starts.

Label on Tapo P110 says 100-240v 50-60 Hz 13A Maximum.

The Tapo warms up during the charging process, but not excessively. It clicks when switching on, suggesting that the charging current is controlled by a relay.

Would it be cheeky to ask Ovo to replace the faulty P110 under guarantee?

Michael

Hey @Michael D Hendry,

I’d suggest reaching out to the manufacturer to ask for their support on if this is intended behaviour of the plugs and what could be done to resolve it. I had a quick look online at their website and Tapo fall under the care of TP-Link and you can email them at support.uk@tp-link.com. It says “customer support is available Monday to Friday: 10am-4:00pm. Average answer time: 24h-48hr”

Let us know what they say if you speak with them and then we can look at next steps to try and help! 

Even though supplied FOC they will still be under the manufscturers warranty if faulty.

I seem to recall the blurb saying that too when I got mine.

Have emailed the support address, but don’t expect a reply until Monday at the earliest.

Thanks, 

Michael

Progress Report:

(or perhaps not)

Despite exchange of several emails in our respective languages, including suggestions which I’d already tried and some which involved installing a Tapo Debug App which wasn’t available on the App Store, I’m no further forward - except that a work-around for the persistent 4pm OFF and 7pm ON has worked.

4pm (Ghost) OFF

4.02 pm ON

6pm OFF

7pm (Ghost) ON

7.02pm OFF

9pm ON

Michael

Hey @Michael D Hendry,

I’ve removed my previous post. Someone reached out to me to say the mailbox I gave couldn’t help with Tapo, and I didn’t want anyone else to get the wrong information. I’m going to dig deeper to see what else I can do, so I’ll reach out to you directly to pick this up! Keep an eye on your mailbox, and I’ll do my best.

From what I’ve seen elsewhere, it may be to do with a synchronisation issue with the device. 
I actually use the ‘Smart Life’ app to control several devices (including the Tapo).

I know it shouldn’t make a difference but possibly something on the set up conflicts with some of the settings. 
As this is a remote device, it can also be affected by others in the same location 

That was a suggestion I got from TP-Link Support earlier today, so I disconnected my Tapo devices from Alexa.

So far, the “Ghost” switched the garage plug OFF shortly before 16:00, and my compensatory workaround switched ON at 16:02. I’m expecting the new Power Move schedule to switch it OFF again at 18:00, and the “Ghost” to switch ON again at 19:00, to be countermanded shortly afterwards by the new Power Move schedule switching OFF, and finally switch ON again at 21:00.

I don’t think it was Alexa that caused the problem, but we’ll see what transpires as the evening goes on.

Michael

I’ve finally convinced the TP-Link Support team that the item is faulty, and they’ve offered to send me a replacement -- as long as I can send them an invoice. If ever a “hollow laugh” is the correct response, now’s the time.

Presumably Ovo ordered P110s by the hundred, or even by the thousand? 

Is there any way of getting confirmation from Ovo that the P110 was supplied to me?

Michael

Hi @Michael D Hendry,

I’m happy to hear some progress has been made with this for you.

I’ll chase this up for you and will be back as soon as I get an update.