Current Sensor basic questions

[Del91574]

At the risk of starting a firestorm of posts against this method, I offer the following:
 
Get an extension cord like THIS and just carefully cut between a small section of cord to separate the wiring with an X-Acto knife.  The insulation is left intact and you can just use the open clamp to clamp around the end conductor. 
 
Instead of this you could just get a plug and re-terminate that end after you separate the wiring.

I'm going to bow out of the flaming, but this wouldn't be compliant. Flex cords anywhere there's a wet or damp location would be frowned upon unless there's a GFI. Same reason why many outlets in such locations for specific equipment (diswasher or similar) are only a single convenience outlet; you can only plug a single device in which prevents the extension cord effect that could in theory, lay in water.
 
The LV leads on a RIB are generally rated the same voltage as the intended HV, the separation is done via a barrier in a separate box or dedicated,listed nonconductive barrier in a box. Basically, you separate out the voltages and conductors the closest possible and compliant way. Your LV system cabling does NOT enter the HV box at all.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I'm going to bow out of the flaming, but this wouldn't be compliant. Flex cords anywhere there's a wet or damp location would be frowned upon unless there's a GFI. Same reason why many outlets in such locations for specific equipment (diswasher or similar) are only a single convenience outlet; you can only plug a single device in which prevents the extension cord effect that could in theory, lay in water.
 
The LV leads on a RIB are generally rated the same voltage as the intended HV, the separation is done via a barrier in a separate box or dedicated,listed nonconductive barrier in a box. Basically, you separate out the voltages and conductors the closest possible and compliant way. Your LV system cabling does NOT enter the HV box at all.

Good point about the possibility of the extension cord end (where it would plug into the dishwasher's cord) laying in water.
 
The best way would be (as suggested above) is to just look under the dishwasher by removing the bottom decorative panel and just clamping around an existing wire.  I recently installed a dishwasher and there are plenty of  single wires (not in a sheathed bundle) running to the motor and from the junction box where the plug comes in that you could just clamp to.

 

[pete_c]

As BSR states using a current sensor under the dishwasher would do the trick for you.
 
I flunked the dishwasher duty a few years back (along with the washing machine / dryer stuff) and I never learned correctly.
 
We were were just using a refrigerator magnet on the door to remind us about a cycle (just running it once a week typically).
 
The concept of the magnet was just too abstract for me and I would ignore it and fill it up (really stuffing it a bit) with dishes after the fact (and magnet position).  I am not allowed to use it anymore these days.
 
You still have to walk up to the dishwasher and press a button to turn it on anyways.
 
 
 
Personally typically just hand wash the little bit of kitchen stuff used after a meal; takes 5 minutes.

 

[NeverDie]

These are all good suggestions, but is the OP really going to do all  that work versus just plugging his dishwasher into a $25 z-wave energy monitor and being done with it?  I just noticed the OP's profile says he uses z-wave.  Typically the dishwasher plugs in under the kitchen sink, so access would be easy.  There also exist ones that are just a module without a cord, so there wouldn't be a risk of a cord connection sitting in a puddle of water if that's a concern.

 

[pete_c]

Yup; here the old house built in the 1980's had the garbage disposal plugged in to an outlet and the dishwasher using BX cable.  The newer home has no outlets under the sink and the garage disposal/Dishwasher are using BX cable. (houses were both all wired in conduit).
 
While it is a bit of a PITA the dishwasher slides out easy like but it is on the finished wood kitchen floor.  We had  to replace the GC installed dishwasher about the time it was two years old.  The older home had a kitchen aid dishwasher that worked fine after 30 years (never did replace it). It was on a tile floor (non slippery type).
 
Here too the dishwasher is on it's own circuit breaker so it would be even easier to just install a sensor at the fuse panel. 
 
Mostly taking in to consideration what Del mentions relating to using an extension cord under the sink to an outlet. 
 
It is not right to supersede basic electrical stuff in a willy nilly fashion for the want of automation.  This truly is mickey mouse.
 
Personally the newer home under the sink stuff is holding up fine plumbing wise.
 
The old home under the sink stuff (drains) deteriorated after a bit (10 years?) and leaked (it was only the drain though).
 
Ideally (two story here - master BR is on the other side of the house one story up) would be an interconnecting Homeseer plugin running on the bedside touch tablets; but not as easy as just a plain old refrigerator magnet.

 

[IVB]

I ordered both the zWave & the current sensor. In this location if the zWave works that would be safest due to water concerns, but i'm also doing this to edumacate myself on current sensors for other items.  I do like the concept of two junction boxes with a 6 inch conduit between them as its just cleaner, which the wife would appreciate.
 
I also realize/respect the concept that I need to walk to the dishwasher anyhow to start it, but what i'm hoping to avoid is the "did I start it better check" right as i'm falling asleep (which wakes me up) if I did start it, or forgetting until the next morning and then rapidly washing items. My wife's job now requires 15% travel, the forgetfulness is inevitably when i'm single dad and need to get to sleep. Last night I didn't go to bed until 1:30am (half due to a 9pm soccer game, half due to me forgetting random house-wrap up stuff), which made the 6:15am wakeup for an interview especially painful. 

 

[pete_c]

You have a lot of energy.  9 PM soccer makes for a late night.  My son played soccer in grade school and it was always on a SAT or SUN morning or afternoon.  Never a night game. 
 
I still utilize DS10A's with a W800 here and they last for many many months.  (also Zigbee/Z-Wave stuff).

 

[IVB]

You have a lot of energy.  9 PM soccer makes for a late night.  My son played soccer in grade school and it was always on a SAT or SUN morning or afternoon.  Never a night game. 
 
I still utilize DS10A's with a W800 here and they last for many many months.  (also Zigbee/Z-Wave stuff).

 
Next Tue is 9pm, 10pm, AND 11pm but at least i'll easily hit my 20K steps/day target. The 11pm games are truly awful, we always have a beer after to help chill down, you're not going to bed until 2:30am. Sadly the 6:25am wakeup doesn't vary, dog doesn't care and kid dropoff at summer school doesn't change.
 
And since i'm currently in the middle of taking ideally 8-10 weeks off work but wife doing 70 hour weeks, I need to clean/dishes/groceries. Nothing like finally climbing into bed at 2am and realizing I never started the dishwasher (or checking it 10 times to avoid that).

 

[LarrylLix]

All this for setting an appointment reminder on your mobile phone could have done the trick.  :rofl:

 

[IVB]

Nice thought but in reality that wouldn't help. What time do I set it for? If I'm playing soccer at 8pm I'm typically in bed by 11pm latest. If I'm playing at 9,10, or 11 I'm not even home until 11:30, in bed somewhere between midnight and 2:30.

I've reduced the amount of rules in my HA system as I've accepted that my life isn't structured and consistent on a daily basis. It needs to be event or actuals based. It's why I have 5 amazon echos and use Tasker for location based triggers.

 

[mikefamig]

You could just put your car keys in the dish washer when you get in and then run the machine in the morning when you leave for work.

 

[BobS0327]

Is it possible to display a message on your security console when you arm the system at night just before hitting the sack?  I can display a message on my OP2 console when arming for  night to start the dishwasher.  I can just cancel the mesage if the dishwasher is already started.  Otherwise, I'd have to disarm the system and start the dishwasher.
 
IOW, whenever the system is armed NIGHT, display the dishwasher message.

 

[IVB]

You could just put your car keys in the dish washer when you get in and then run the machine in the morning when you leave for work.

 
The wife randomly starts it, and I don't drive to work 100% of the time. I can easily see either forgetting it (in which case we're screwed), or running the dishwasher with the keys in it. 
 
 

Is it possible to display a message on your security console when you arm the system at night just before hitting the sack?  I can display a message on my OP2 console when arming for  night to start the dishwasher.  I can just cancel the mesage if the dishwasher is already started.  Otherwise, I'd have to disarm the system and start the dishwasher.
 
IOW, whenever the system is armed NIGHT, display the dishwasher message.

 
Probably, but I use the Echo to arm security, I couldn't tell you the last time I manually punched a keypad or used my phone.  its a KP2 so its pretty small, plus its 10 feet away. Far easier to just say "Alexa, tell Jarvis to arm stay mode". it already checks the doggy door and says "ok. Doggy door is open, don't forget to close it", so adding just one more clause would keep it simple.

 

[LarrylLix]

My 25 year old dishwasher has a delay timer on it and frequently we just put the detergent in and set the delay for 6 hours when the time is right. This appears to be for ToU energy billing synchronisation 20 years before we even thought of it, here.
 
If more dishes get in it, great, but if they don't, it isn't found dirty the next day.

 

[NeverDie]

My 25 year old dishwasher has a delay timer on it and frequently we just put the detergent in and set the delay for 6 hours when the time is right. This appears to be for ToU energy billing synchronisation 20 years before we even thought of it, here.
 
If more dishes get in it, great, but if they don't, it isn't found dirty the next day.

+1  That's how my wife does it too (all credit goes to her for getting the most washing per load).