Controlling plug sockets room by room

[Neil2021]

Hi

Would really appreciate some advice on this as I have pretty limited electrical knowledge

I live in a fairly new build home with 3 floors and the fuse box can either turn off all the plug sockets on the ground floor or turn off all the plug sockets on the 2nd and 3rd floor in every room

I basically want to be able to switch off sockets or power room by room, basically so I can turn the kids electric off at night to stop them staying up half the night ? without it affecting the other rooms

I've used WiFi plugs (not sockets) but these can be easily overridden or just unplugged, so not much use

What would be the easiest and cheapest way to do this, would it require any kind of rewiring or a new fuse box or circuit breaker?, I have looked at WiFi sockets but most of these can still be switched on and off manually, I did find a lightwave socket that can be controlled by RF and has a child lock but this would need installation and don't know how reliable these would be

Thanks in advance

 

[Zerax]

Or... you could covert their room into a faraday cage... thus blocking all internet signal... that might inhibit activity ?

Or just unplug the internet router ??

 

[Zerax]

Alternatively put a pay as you go meter in their rooms.

Or better still... install a peddle powered generator so that they have to generate all their electricity themselves ??

That would also give them some exercise whilst simultaneously saving the planet !!

 

[7029 dave]

Or... you could covert their room into a faraday cage... thus blocking all internet signal... that might inhibit activity ?

Or just unplug the internet router ??

The OP is a member of the forum now, if he unplugs the router won't be able to join in with us all.

 

[Midwest]

Not me being too personal here, but I think you need to engage with your kids a bit more. Rules, boundaries & regulations. Speaking from my experiences, if you can't agree on simple house rules at 15-17 years old, your going to visit a whole new world of hurt as they get older, and they start making up the rules for you to follow.

I think doing what you are proposing, is going to make them feel like they'll do other things, just to challenge your time reducing authority, you have left.

 

[Darkwood]

Millions of parents are in the same predicament but do not resort to expensive solutions, although it may seem harsh at first you really need to take control here and stop the empty threats, removing laptops phones and other devices only works if they actually miss them, getting caught at night and giving them back next day is not punishment, set a punishment of 1 week without any access day or night to such and any homework that needs computer access will be done in the same room as you at a reasonable hour.
It's amazing how fast kids come into line when they cannot txt their mates or send them pics and other fun messaging stuff, removing the thing they cannot go without is the best way to stop them abusing your rules even if the rules they break have no link to what you confiscate.

 

[Mike Johnson]

In these days of everything being PC and the plethora of abuse help lines I suppose if they don't comply, slapping the backs of their legs is out of the question? ?

 

[7029 dave]

This thread needs getting pulled back into line, some comments IMO are getting out of our remit.

 

[snowhead]

This is what my Daughter in Law did to one of her 3 after several weeks of threats, confiscation etc.
They'd all been warned and threatened, the Wifi access (and T.V) is time allocated for each of them individually.
When they've used up their allocation that's it for the day.
She also took all the phones, tablets and laptops off them.

They're 9, 12 and 15.

2 of the 3 managed to hack the Wifi password, again, part luck part spying.
My Son is in the Computer business so his passwords are usually very strong.

It worked, they've been behaving for weeks, tho it probably won't last.
She picked the cheapest thing to destroy knowing ot would have to be replaced anyway.
She showed them the drill and box of Tech screws ready to zap everything, so they thought.

 

[Julie.]

Won't they just unplug it and plug something else in ? or have I missed something ?

It wouldn't matter what they plugged in, it would still be off if you turned it off remotely, they would have to remove the socket outlet which would be live at the connections in order to change it to a standard socket outlet!!!

 

[Zerax]

They would have to remove the socket outlet which would be live at the connections in order to change it!!!

I was missing something then... I thought it was just the plug in part... not the plate.

I'll get me coat...

 

[7029 dave]

I was missing something then... I thought it was just the plug in part... not the plate.

I'll get me coat...

Learning all the time,learning all the time.

 

[Julie.]

I was missing something then... I thought it was just the plug in part... not the plate.

I'll get me coat...

Socket outlet!

It's fortunate that there are proper names for all the parts, so nobody can get confused.

 

[Neil2021]

I was missing something then... I thought it was just the plug in part... not the plate.

I'll get me coat...

Yeah we've tried the WiFi plugs but of course they will just unplug them, so as @Julie. suggested I think the WiFi sockets would be best as they are not expensive but need to be ones that can't be manually overridden

I know descipline is a big factor and we probably are being too soft, we have spoken and shouted at them plenty of times and they will usually be OK for a while but then play up every so often, so it's not every night, the older 2 are my step kids aswell so makes it a bit harder

Thanks everyone though, think will try wifi sockets

 

[Ziggie]

Cheap: remove the kit rather than the power.

If the kit is not removable, then take away the cable if it has a connection. Change the password to the internet .

put in a monitor in the room and act when you see the first child

 

[Ziggie]

And the

Martindale PL13 Appliance Lock Out​

£7.50.

these lockouts socket or an appliance. This might not be just what your looking for and it’s not high tech. But this is one of the lockout devices available for electricians to make sure that another electrician cannot energise a circuit.