Flow Examples
Power Profiler works through Homey flows. You create flows that tell it when to schedule an appliance and what to do when the optimal start time arrives. The examples below are ready to use — adjust the device names and deadlines to match your setup.
Example 1: Washing machine (basic)
Goal: Run the washing machine at the cheapest time within 8 hours.
You need two flows.
Flow 1 — Schedule at bedtime
WHEN Time is 22:00
THEN "Schedule cheapest start" (Washing Machine Profiler) — deadline: 8 hours
Flow 2 — Start when ready
WHEN "Cheapest start time reached" (Washing Machine Profiler)
THEN "Turn on" (washing machine smart plug)
Settings: The default end-of-cycle threshold (50 W) works for most washing machines. No changes needed.
What to expect: The app finds the cheapest ~90-minute window between 22:00 and 06:00 and fires the trigger. Your washing machine runs at the cheapest time overnight. Check the estimated savings on the device dashboard.
Example 2: Dryer (eco program)
Goal: Profile a dryer that has a low-power tumble-only phase at the end.
The problem: An eco dryer program might heat at 2000 W for 30 minutes, then tumble without heat at only 25 W for another 30 minutes. With the default end-of-cycle threshold (50 W), the app thinks the cycle ended when the tumble phase started. The recorded profile is too short.
The fix: Adjust the device settings:
- End-of-cycle threshold → 15 W
- Cooldown → 3 minutes (adds a margin for brief dips in power)
Tip
Run one test cycle after changing the thresholds to verify the app detects the full cycle. Check the Avg. cycle duration on the dashboard — it should match the total program time.
The flows are the same as the washing machine example above.
Example 3: Dishwasher (ready by morning)
Goal: Run the dishwasher at the cheapest time, but make sure it finishes before 07:00 so you can empty it in the morning.
Flow — Schedule after dinner
WHEN Time is 21:00
THEN "Schedule cheapest start by time" (Dishwasher Profiler) — deadline: 07:00
Flow — Start when ready
WHEN "Cheapest start time reached" (Dishwasher Profiler)
THEN "Turn on" (dishwasher smart plug)
Note
"Schedule cheapest start by time" uses a clock time as the deadline instead of a duration. The app calculates when to start so the cycle finishes before the deadline, accounting for the full cycle duration.
Example 4: PV-optimized washing machine
Goal: Run the washing machine on solar power when possible.
Flow — Schedule in the morning
WHEN Time is 08:00
THEN "Schedule cheapest start" (Washing Machine Profiler) — deadline: 12 hours
Flow — Start when ready
WHEN "Cheapest start time reached" (Washing Machine Profiler)
THEN "Turn on" (washing machine smart plug)
Why this works: With a PV Profiler configured, the scheduler automatically uses effective prices. During solar surplus hours, the effective price equals the feed-in tariff (~€0.07/kWh) instead of the grid price (~€0.25/kWh). The 12-hour deadline spans the sunny part of the day, so the scheduler naturally picks the surplus window.
Note
You don't need different flows for solar vs. non-solar days. The same flow works for both — the scheduler uses effective prices when a PV source is available. On cloudy days with little surplus, it falls back to finding the cheapest grid hour.
Example 5: Multiple appliances with deadline priority
Goal: Schedule a washing machine and a dryer with different deadlines, and add an opportunistic trigger for negative prices.
Washing machine — earlier deadline
WHEN Time is 08:00
THEN "Schedule cheapest start" (Washing Machine Profiler) — deadline: 8 hours
Dryer — later deadline
WHEN Time is 08:00
THEN "Schedule cheapest start" (Dryer Profiler) — deadline: 12 hours
Both use the same trigger → turn on pattern as in the previous examples.
Why deadlines matter: The washing machine (8-hour deadline) is scheduled first because its deadline is more urgent. It gets first pick of the available capacity — including any solar surplus. The dryer (12-hour deadline) is scheduled second and sees the remaining capacity. If the surplus window no longer has enough headroom, it picks a cheap grid hour instead.
Bonus: negative price trigger
WHEN "Negative spot price" (Virtual Energy Provider)
THEN "Turn on" (boiler smart plug)
This is independent of scheduling. When the grid price goes negative — which occasionally happens in the Netherlands on very sunny or windy days — you can run heavy loads for free, or even get paid to consume.
Tips
- Start simple. Begin with one appliance and the basic schedule + trigger pattern. Add more appliances once that's working.
- Verify your profiles. After the first 3 cycles, check the average duration and energy on the dashboard. If they don't match the appliance's actual program, adjust the thresholds.
- Deadline strategy. A longer deadline gives the scheduler more flexibility to find cheaper windows. Don't make it so long that the appliance runs at an inconvenient time.
- Schedule before prices arrive. It's fine to schedule before day-ahead prices are published. The app uses shadow prices (historical averages) as a fallback and re-evaluates automatically when real prices arrive.