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A front-loading washing machine under the bench in a laundry, beside a bank of drawers

Get a phone alert when the washing is done

How it works

A Shelly EM Mini Gen4 sits behind the power point the washing machine plugs into and measures what it draws. A wash pulls hundreds of watts while it heats and spins, then falls to a few watts when the cycle ends.

A scene in the Shelly app watches for that drop. When the power stays low for three minutes, it sends a notification to your phone, so a pause to soak mid-cycle doesn't set it off.

  1. 01

    Your washing machine

    Plugs in and runs as it does now.

  2. EM Mini Gen4 Energy Meter 02

    Shelly meter

    Sees the power drop when the cycle ends.

  3. Shelly app main controls for a meter named Washing machine, reading 2.23 kW and 9.52 A while the load runs. 03

    Your phone

    Gets a notification that the load is done.

What it looks like on your phone

  • While it runs. The meter shows what the machine is drawing, here 2.23 kW as it heats.

  • The rule. Power below 20 W, held for 3 minutes, starts the scene once per wash.

  • On your phone. A notification arrives three minutes after the cycle ends.

Step by step

  1. Fit the meter behind the power point

    The meter goes in the wall behind the power point the washing machine plugs into. The supply active goes to L and neutral to N. O feeds the power point's active, and the power point's neutral joins the supply neutral as before.

    Wire map EM Mini Gen4
    • Active (supply) L
    • Neutral N
    • Power point or appliance O
    Circuit overview
    LN230 V~ 50 HzPower pointOOLNShelly EM Mini Gen4
    Active (supply)Neutral / 0 VSwitched load

    In Australia, fixed 230 V wiring is licensed-electrician work. Use these diagrams to plan the job and brief your electrician.

    Showing the whole circuit

    Shelly EM Mini Gen4

    100%
    LN230 V~ 50 HzPower pointOOLNShelly EM Mini Gen4

    Select a terminal to follow its wiring.

  2. Add it to the Shelly app and name it Washing machine

    In the Shelly Smart Control app, tap the plus sign and add the meter. Name it Washing machine and put it in your Laundry room, so the notification says what it's about.

    Learn how to add a device to the Shelly app

  3. Run one load and watch the reading

    Start a normal wash and open Washing machine in the app. Once the cycle has finished and the machine is sitting idle, note the Power reading. That's what the scene will watch for, usually a few watts.

  4. Start a scene when the power drops

    Open the room, go to Scenes and tap the plus sign. Tap Add condition, then Create condition, choose Device based and pick Washing machine. Choose Power Consumption, tap Less than and enter a figure a little above the idle reading. On our bench that's 20 W. Tap Next.

  5. Make it wait for the end of the cycle

    Choose Trigger, turn on Trigger custom settings and pick Once. Set Condition is valid to 3 minutes and tap Save. The scene now starts when the power has stayed low for three minutes, and won't start again until the next wash brings it back up.

  6. Send a notification to your phone

    Tap Next, then Add action, Create action and Notify action. Choose Phone notification and type the message under Notification settings, such as The washing is done. Tap Next, then Save.

  7. Save it as Washing done

    Tap Next past Active time. Under More options, turn off Execute the scene on save or edit, so you don't get a notification the moment you save, and tap Next. Pick the room, name the scene Washing done and tap Save.

  8. Test it

    Run a short cycle. Three minutes after it ends, your phone shows The washing is done.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use the Shelly app or Home Assistant?

If you don't run Home Assistant, use the Shelly app: it needs no hub and sends the notification itself. If Home Assistant already runs your home, put the meter there, so the notification can also go to a speaker or trigger something else.

Will it work with my washing machine?

It works with any machine that plugs into a power point, old or new, front or top loader. The meter measures up to 16 A, more than a standard 10 A power point carries.

Does it work for a dryer or dishwasher too?

Yes. Anything that draws power while it runs and drops to almost nothing when it's done works the same way. Each appliance needs its own meter, behind its own power point.

Can it turn the washing machine off?

Not the EM Mini Gen4: it only measures, and the machine always has power. If you want to switch it from your phone too, pick the Shelly 1PM Gen4 in the kit instead.

Why does it wait a few minutes before telling me?

Many machines stop drawing power for a while mid-cycle, to soak or to let the drum settle before a spin. Waiting until the power has stayed low for a few minutes means you hear about the end of the wash, not a pause in the middle.

Will it go off every time the machine is idle?

No. The trigger only fires when the power crosses from above the figure to below it, so a machine sitting idle all day stays quiet. It takes a wash to bring the power up first.

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