Completely off topic when it comes to flashlights but I’m sure I’m not the only one who discovered BG/GB/FT etc through this forum then ended up buying other gadgets from there.
I’ve got a vague idea and wanted to see how cheap and/or practical it is. I go camping reasonably often and sometimes go for the full, lazy man experience including electric hookup - so I have mains power in the tent. I’m trying to work out if I can set up an Android compatible smart plug of some description to both the little electric heater I have and to the kettle, so I can program them (either with proprietary software or using Tasker) to turn on and off at set times - the heater for some early morning heat, the kettle as an incentive to get out of my sleeping bag when I’m supposed to be up early.
I’ve seen some cheap-ish smart plugs (Orvibo do a UK one for about £16) but it looks as though they need to be connected to a router; I’m not sure if they’ll do wifi direct. Or alternately if I can set up the phone as a wifi hotspot and have them connect to that. That could be a suitable work around but I’m not sure if it’ll work, particularly if said phone needs a data connection (it won’t have it - I’m usually camped away from a mobile signal.)
Has anyone done anything like this or have any work around’s?
I find a good work around is to stay in a hotel, they will wake you up when you want and even bring you tea and breakfast lol
But being serious, if you know what time you need to be up, would not a simple plug in timer not be much simpler and considerably cheaper.
Not to mention probably safer, if I was switching a large load like that in the area I was sleeping, I’d much prefer a ce tested and marked timer than a unknown Chinese contraption
An old fashioned timer is an option but is generally less flexible. And if the temp dips suddenly overnight I have to actually leave the sleeping bag to fire it up. I know, lazy. For context though I have been known to bivvy out above the snowline - this is as much to see if it can be done cheaply as because there’s an actual need. The old saying about boys and their toys springs to mind.
The Orvibo one I mentioned does appear (according to the manufacturer) to work when connected to a phone as a wifi hotspot so that could well be an option. Has the added bonus of use day to day at home in keeping with what it looks to have been designed for.
