Amazon Echo

Bunnee911 · Jun 19, 2016

Does anyone have one of these? Can I use it to control my aquarium?

jsker · Jun 19, 2016

I would say no, I did see a post that someone use a amazon fire as a dedicated screen for their Apex controller.

Bunnee911 · Jun 20, 2016

Just got it today. It can run wireless outlets and light bulbs. It has a BASIC if/then function. I'm thinking I can work with this.

Bunnee911 · Jun 20, 2016

It has apps like a phone.

Bunnee911 · Jun 20, 2016

It has a leak detector app.

p7willm · Jun 20, 2016

I have an Echo and use it to control my ECO tank.

I also have indigo, which controls smart home devices. One of the devices they make is a controllable outlet. I have the pumps plugged into one and the lights plugged into another. Indigo controls the lights by turning them on at 10 AM and off at 12PM. I can also control the pumps from Indigo on my computer or phone.

Indigo has an interface that appears to the echo as Hue light bulbs. I told Indigo to pretend the on/off switch is an hue bulb called "Feed fish". When I say "Alexa turn on feed fish" the echo tells indigo and indigo turns off the pumps and then 5 minutes later turns them on.

I also have a tank with an Apex and there is currently no interface available. Since apex fusion lives in the cloud I hold out some hope for the future. Things like asking about something, like tank temperature, might be possible along with the echo telling me when a problem exists.

Smart home does have a relay module so I could get one of those and attach it to 1 switch on a BOB, for the Apex, and then be able to throw one switch. This is a rather expensive way to throw a switch and not much easier than opening the cabinet and throwing a switch.

A program, If This Then That (ITTT), is capable of looking at email and then passing something on to the echo this might make it possible for Alexa to tell me when something goes wrong.

ermartin · Jun 20, 2016

I can control my yard sprinklers with my ECHO... I know thats not what you were asking... but just saying :)

Lionfish Lair · Jun 20, 2016

I have the Echo, but I have no idea.

Bunnee911 · Jun 27, 2016

I have found a leak detector.

Bunnee911 · Jun 28, 2016

And a thermometer. Just not a probe. Lol

revhtree · Jun 29, 2016

ermartin said:
I can control my yard sprinklers with my ECHO... I know thats not what you were asking... but just saying :)

Ok I need info on this!! LOL!

ermartin · Jun 30, 2016

revhtree said:
Ok I need info on this!! LOL!

I purchased one of these from amazon... they had a special and in some areas's they have local rebates as well http://rachio.com/
Oh yea and i did say I "CAN" I didnt say that i do :) I use my smart phone if i want to run manual cycles. Has saved me a lot of water up here in dry california as it hooks into the weather stations that are local and only waters when needed .

briancarterkc · Jul 1, 2016

ermartin said:
I purchased one of these from amazon... they had a special and in some areas's they have local rebates as well http://rachio.com/
Oh yea and i did say I "CAN" I didnt say that i do :) I use my smart phone if i want to run manual cycles. Has saved me a lot of water up here in dry california as it hooks into the weather stations that are local and only waters when needed .

I have a Rachio as well. The weather intelligence alone makes it worth it. June has been bone dry in Kansas City so I'm going to show you May. Green are days when the sprinklers would have run based on the schedule, but didn't because of the weather intelligence. PS, this isn't based on a rain sensor; if the weather forecast says it'll rain in the next 12 hours, it will forego watering as well. As I left for work so many days last month when it was, or was about to be, raining and my neighbors sprinklers were all running and mine weren't (along with a handy phone notification saying "based on weather forecast, we aren't going to run today"), I totally saw the value in this purchase.

Also, being able to turn your sprinklers on with your phone is just cool.