Arlec Grid Connect Smart Plug In Socket
VerifiedMPN: PC190HA29 reviews
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Dud of a product. The version I have s a few years old and only works on 2.4G WiFi. That’s not too much of an issue if it weren’t such a moody piece of cr#p that can’t be uprooted once set up. Avoid.
Bought the 4 pack a while back, only used one which was good for quite a while. Then when it was moved, i couldn't connect any of them. Been through all the checks and tests, wifi checks, etc etc etc to no avail. Going in the bin and getting a different brand. Show details
Took me longer to write this than it takes the plug to switch itself back on. Picture this: the plug is running a humble fish tank air pump, sitting right next to a Google Nest router that dishes out blazing speed and flawless coverage to literally every other app in my house. The Grid Connect app? Brilliant. Turning the plug on? Flawless. Like… Read more
butter. That’s why I grudgingly handed out two stars.
But turning it off? Oh, that’s where the circus begins. The app sends the command, the plug obeys, and for about two seconds you believe in miracles. Then, with all the defiance of a toddler refusing bedtime, it turns itself right back on. You switch it off again. Two seconds. Back on. And so the cycle continues: rinse, repeat, hope, beg, swear, pray, shriek, shout. Sometimes, one of these rituals appeases the plug gods and the thing actually stays off.
Save yourself the drama. Avoid the Arlec smart plug unless you enjoy performance art in your living room.
Bought a Series 2 from Bunnings today Straight out of the box a quick read of the instructions downloaded the app and connected first time. Easily set up coffee machine to come on at 5:45 and grinder at 6:00 and both off at 10:30 Flicked through settings and added picture of the machine and allocated it to the kitchen (not super intuitive but NOT… Read more
complicated either and I’m not tech savvy) I saw I could share the device so got my son to create an account and now he also has control (if he wants to switch it on out of those hours) I will wait a few weeks to see how stable it is but if all good I’ll be buying more units for lamps around the house. I was looking for a double timer and I found that and more. Very happy with it so far.
Intelligent easy to use, convenient and economical. I have many smart plugs over the years, Kasa / DPlink / Medion Life+ / Tapo and Arlec Grid Connect. Unlike all the others which are older, this comes with power meter, and some of them come with temperature and humidity sensor. Best of all though is that unless all the others, this one has a… Read more
small / slim form factor allowing both powerpoint to be used in a double powerpoint! Wonderful! Imedion was so poor that grip on the pins is not secure. Given the big unit, it can easily come off. I have a couple of them taped to secure a firm connection. Well done Arlec.
GARBAGE – TOTAL waste of money. I spend more time trying to reconnect them everyday than using them. Also, 4 all failed completely with a week of each other about 7 months after purchase. DEFINTELY DO NOT BUY Show details
Rubbish, waste money – Bought a pac 4 a year ago, use for fans control, the app is so hard to use, it keeps losing connections every couple days, then few months later, 2 of them started flicking on/off. Just through all into bin, rubbish. I'll never ever buy this brand. Show details
Absolutely hopeless – By far the worst smart product available. Would not accept Bluetooth being turned on, would not connect to wifi. I even tried from a different phone. Keeps asking for router name and password over and over. DO NOT BUY SMART PRODUCTS MADE BY ARLEC! This is not the first Arlec product to do this. Show details
Using it while Kilometres away from it – I've been using this product for over a year now. As far as I can remember the installation was reasonably easy but it's not the first smart device I have connected and feel I have now encountered and overcome all connection issues. This product is in use in a very unique situation and it's connected to another wifi network a few kilometres away.… Read more
As when connecting the unit to the remote network I needed to use it's password but this made the device accessible from a network anywhere in the world. I access it normally from only a few kilometres away to control a device. As this smart switch has power usage I can monitor the devices connect to it but only using watts as the amps vary with supply voltage and the watts are more stable. This one is connected to my intellectually disabled son's TV in his group home and the TV on and off needs to be controlled but as the smart switch gives me wattage information I can monitor other Items connected to the smart switch. I was in Spain (my son was in Australia) a few years ago and noticed his TV was on but should have been off. I was able to turn off his TV from Spain. The device follows the app time and that was on my android tablet that was set to Spanish time.
Hopeless – The app refused to accept that Bluetooth was enabled and could not detect the device on the 2.4gh network. Constantly timed out and kept asking for a password over and over. Tried different power points, tried different phones to connect with absolutely no difference. No other devices in my property have any issues but this device simply does not work. This is not the first Grid Connect device to behave like this. Show details
Easy to setup and use – I bought one as a test - and it is a V2 (not sure if V2 is an improvement) - it was really easy to setup. Out of the box I plugged it in - pressed the pairing button and it flashed - paired via app and it works. I have unplugged it and moved it around the house - did not need to reconfigure it. It has a button you can turn on / off manually if… Read more
your phone is not handy. I have tested it on WiFi at home and also when away from the house on Cellular - very responsive to turn on and off. So far using it for outside BBQ lights and they turn on and off at the 'click' on the app.
Useless. Not user friendly (even if you are 'tech savy' ! ) – Useless if you have a modern modem using 5.0 GHz . Unless you reconfigure your modem connection . Won't connect to wifi if your modem is on 5.0 frequency. You need to reconfigure your modem connection to be able to use it. Such a waste of time. Not user friendly. Show details
Arlec Grid Connect Smart plug in socket -- is not smart at all – Physically it works, but the over complicated app was soul destroying to use. I use smart devices from other brands for air-conditioning and garden watering system that are far more intuitive compared to this Arlec Grid Connect Smart Plug In Socket. I am so frustrated that I am hoping to get my money back Show details
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Not enough hours in my life for wasting time on this product – I have one that I used last winter on my heater and it worked well, easy set up and app worked well. I put it away after winter and now can't find, so went a bought another one. I have spent so many hours trying to get this to connect. Arlec told me to update my Telstra modem which reset it and I had to reconnect with the original pw all my… Read more
devices to get back to 2.4ghz. Still didn't work. Spent an hour with Geeks2U and i didn't have to reset the modem just uncheck the Band Steering box. Still wouldn't connect. Tried the Grid Connect device hotspot. Tried the EZ mode and AP Mode. I called Arlec again. Turn phone onto flight mode and blah blah blah. Still wouldn't connect. Now Arlec say "your WiFi is IPV6 and it should be IPV4 so call Telstra and get them to change your modem". I don't think so. "Ok so return it to Bunnings if you are not happy". Hours wasted in my life that I can never get back - you are warned.
Not anywhere near good enough - totally unreliable – This product is demonstarting significant unstability: I have 11 sockets currently in service and I can currently operate 8 through the app or GA, but the others won't respond at all ... and this will change randomly to 4 in service and 7 not etc. Sadly, this scenario is stable, Grid Connect is not. Caveat emptor Show details
it works and it works well – I bought one to test and it worked well so I've bought 5 more. ok setup after a reset can be tricky, but straight out of the box is quite simple. You do need a wifi network and you do need a 2.4 Ghz one (my 5GHz/2.4Hz worked fine). I reset mine and re-setup with the Tuya Smart app which means they work with Home assistant which gives me siri… Read more
control. Please if anyone else wants to throw theirs in the bin think of the enviroment and post them to me instead, po box 618 sth melb :)
good value, easy to use and has done everything i've wanted so far – I'm not one to write product reviews but coming across all these negative reviews which has not been my experience at all i had to write one. I've never had a problem with setup, across 3 different house and 2 wifi routers. I saw one review regarding 5ghz, i've found most devices prefer 2.4ghz, they get better range (slower speeds but they don't… Read more
need a lot of bandwidth) and most routers support both frequencies anyhow.
The scene automation is great too, once you understand how you to use it, something that google home doesn't seem to support yet. Currently i've just got it turning on a lamp at sunset and turning off a bed time. This was to replace a mechanical timer after partner complained it was too loud. Having it adjust to sunset is great, and i can ask google to turn it off or on for me, or use widget on my smart phone, i'm not sure what more you can ask for. I feel that those who have had issues with it would've always had issues with any smart devices.
Gets better as you get used to it – I use these to maintain control over appliances located in an off grid context. Yes you do need WIFI at the premises and yes you do need to connect your phone to that wifi (which the switch will be using) when you do the setup. After that it is pretty straight forward. The system works well once the setup is done. I also like the fact that the… Read more
graphic shows green when the power at the plug is on and grey when it is off. I often leave the farm wondering if I remembered to switch off all pumps. You have no idea how good it is to see that power to the grid connect plug is off....or if it isnt...to be able to switch it off. For the money these are well worth it!
Plug In socket Doesn’t connect – After several attempts as in five or six I cannot get this to Connect which makes it absolutely worthless after reading several other reviews apparently the only good thing you can do with this is throw it in the bin Show details
- +1
Works great and at a great price too – I already had a smart home system of plugs and bulbs from another manufacturer. They worked well right up to the point I upgraded my home router to a newer WiFi 6 system. At that point, all the smart plugs became very sluggish to respond on Wifi and impossible to access remotely on 4G. Tech Support couldn’t solve it and simply concluded there was… Read more
a chip incompatibility between the smart plugs and the router.
This led me to finding a replacement. At only $17.50, the ARLEC Grid-Connect smart plugs (PC190HA) were almost half the price of my previous smart plugs. I was somewhat concerned they could be “cheap and nasty” but being from Bunnings, I knew they it would be fairly easy to return them if I was dissatisfied. With this in mind I purchased one as a trial.
UNBOXING Out of the box the plug is about about the same size of a normal 240v Timer Plug. There is just one push button (which glows soft blue when the switch is on). The plastics utilised do not feel cheap (certainly no worse than any other plug) and I was impressed with it for the price. Supplied with the plug is a fairly comprehensive foldout “leaflet” style instruction sheet which clearly sets out the step by step instructions required to set it up and use it (along with a number of fixes for issues you may encounter in a Troubleshooting Guide).
SETUP To set-up, you need to download the Arlec “Grid Connect” app from the Apple or Google stores onto your phone. Step by step instructions lead you through setting up with only the holding down of the blue button for around five seconds to put it into pairing mode. The app will then prompt you on joining your WiFi network, assigning the plug a name and a room location. I had no issue doing this and it only took about five (or less) minutes to have it up and running. You will have to create a (free) account in the app but it only requires an email address, password and general location (so it can set the time-zone).
The smart plugs will interface with Google and Amazon Assistants and I found it to work quickly and without issue. When controlling it from the app on my phone it worked almost as quickly when being accessed remotely on 4G as it did with the WiFi at home. When using the app, you can set schedules as well adding it to “Scenes” where a number of smart plugs can be added to perform simultaneous operations under preset conditions. I was so impressed by how it was working I bought another eight plugs. These came in two 4 packs which was even more economical...working out at $15 a plug. They too were setup quickly and easily.
TROUBLESHOOTING I’ve now had them operating for just over two months without the slightest issue ...more than I can say for my previous system. I’ve seen other reviewers complaining about a number of issues but I honestly can’t say I’ve experienced any of these problems. These things I have seen others complaining about include; * No instructions – As I previously stated there are clear instructions included in the box (see sample at the bottom of this review). As well Arlec has supplied videos on their Youtube channel demonstrating how to use the various features. Also, the app contains numerous FAQ’s and links to help items on a wide variety of issues. * Doesn't work with Telstra Smart Modems – There are instructions on the Grid Connect site on how to sort this as well as in the FAQ in the app. They also have a different pairing mode called “AP” for any difficult installations * Doesn’t show any details on the Arlec website – That’s because all information is on the Grid Connect site as clearly stated in the instructions. I believe this is in fact a “Grid-Connect” product which ARLEC is marketing under their own brand in Australia?
You can email tech support or there is a toll free number to call. I haven't tried the phone number but used the email when I was having problems using the more advanced settings in the app. Both times I received assistance within 24hours.
THE GRID CONNECT PHONE APP There is, however, one thing I’m not happy with. While the plugs work without issue, the Grid Connect app is another story. Basic on/off functions and scheduling work fine but creating Scenes and Automation require use of online videos to get your head around. Essentially Automation sets up things for that plug to do (device status changes, location changes or even weather changes) while Scenes gathers groups of devices (and associated Automation settings) to be actioned (activate groups of smart plugs to to action preset automations etc). Fortunately I only tend to use the app for “setup” purposes as using the Google or Amazon assistant is adequate for their operation. The app aesthetics are, in my opinion, rather ugly and badly in need of a makeover or being able to apply different themes. There is a charcoal background with icons being a kind of bluey-green in colour...a type of industrial theme (see image below). Circular for smart globes and hexagonal for smart plugs. You are able to move the icons around (they default to left top position as you add them) but how to do this required a lot of poking around in the app. It certainly wasn’t intuitive. HINT. You have to click on the “+” sign in the “ROOMS” section, select “Device Sequence” and then drag and drop them into the position you want.
If any of your plugs go off-line (maybe someone turned it off at the wall or there was a power outage), after about a minute their app icon will go grey and have a yellow warning triangle in the corner. If it stays off-line for more than about 30 minutes, you will get a notification alerting you to this (This function can be turned off if you want).
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS Overall, I have found the Arlec Grid-Connect Smart Plugs to be great. They appear to be of good construction and work flawlessly. The bonus is their "cheapness" compared to some other brands. They come with 12months warranty and the online support (that I have so far experienced) is prompt and knowledgeable. There are numerous online tutorials (although some are more like an advertorial than a tutorial) and if there is an issue, you can always return them to Bunnings. Also worth noting is there are numerous other Grid Connect products to work with them including smart globes, energy monitoring plugs, power boards and even ceiling fans.
Recommended you give them a try!
Literally useless – No explanation thatyou need a HOME wifi router for this to operate. Need a mobile app to work it, but then a home wifi for it to actually setup and operate (and can NOT use mobile hotspot)?! Not all people have both a home internet and mobile phone, what a waste of what could be a great idea. Show details
Works well – Works well and I need to write 10 words apparently Show details
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Works as advertised. Quick easy setup – In response to all the other reviews, I had unit setup in a couple of minutes. Setting up a grid account only asked for an email address to send a verification code. I haven't tried setting a schedule yet. It loses 1 star because the energy usage history only records daily kwh used. It should also keep a log of minimum and maximum current and/or power. Show details
Unreal! – Works perfectly. At first had trouble setting up but rang for support & does what its meant to. I will be buying more for the freezers, tv & kids rooms with their devices Show details
A trained Parrot would be smarter – Wow, I wish I had read the reviews first! A one star average is actually generous. I suppose one star is ok as electricity actually flows through this plug if you turn it on manually. So well done Arlec for achieving that. But it does nothing else. Most of the functions in the supporting app just don’t work. It started with the initial… Read more
setup. The app kept saying that setup failed and the device was not visible in the app. But after 7 attempts I worked out that setup was working … you need to ignore the “failed” message, close the app and restart it to see the device.
But if you try and set any sort of automatic timer … you’ll find that trying to set a “schedule” or “cycle” in the app does nothing. But if you set a “countdown” or “timer”, the app actually sets a countdown and a timer … but then nothing happens at the set time.
And 2 out of 3 times you open the app, it says the smart plug is offline. When it isn’t. You need to close the app and reopen it for it to work.
And support was great. As soon as we finished with the simple questions, they just disappeared and weren’t heard from again. I don't envy them ... this device and its app are fundamentally flawed, and I suspect there’s nothing "support" can do to fix it.
So … if you need a power timer, go to Bunnings and buy a simple power timer. They've been around for years and they work. If you need automation, try training a Parrot to turn the power on when it see’s you. It would be more reliable that this “Smart Plug”.
Should Be Called Dumb Plug – The star ratings need to go to -10 for these useless things. I bought the one with the built in energy meter, and after installing the app and registering it, then several hours of following the instructions to the letter, could not get it to connect to any of my devices. All I got was frustration, I even tried deactivating the 5G WiFi and… Read more
using the same outlet that the router/modem is using and still failed to connect...
Don't waste your money
Does not connect, even after troubleshooting – Purchased a four-pack of these from Bunnings. After two hours of working trying to set up multiple units with both EZ an AP modes, as well as following the manufacturers recommendations for changing router settings I gave up and returned them. Purchased a TP Link and had it set up in under two minutes without having to change and router settings. Show details
Why only operates on 2.4ghz wifi? – Why when most new modems operate on 5ghz would these only operate on 2.4ghz wifi? I’m simply not willing to change the bandwidth across our home just for one device. It’s going back to Bunnings! Show details
Smart Power Outlet Set Up – Why do you have to give so much access and personal information during set up for such a simple device? Not prepared to risk information so thrown the unused item in bin. Show details
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