Switch control box

[stamper]

Just wondering those that have the switch control box what their thoughts are on it. I was going to try to figure out a way to wire it to my hanger heating so I could call an hour or so before I get up their to turn heat on. Is the box easy to us?

[scrollF4]

It's extremely easy to use...I love it. I use it for my Reiff engine block heaters. For that I use the phone call option, not the iPhone app. That ends up being a free call.

[Dean Pichon]

I love mine. I use one channel for the sump heater and another for the hanger heat. Simple text messages turn it on or off. The only fussy part was working with the phone service provider (T-Mobile in my case) to get the SIM card properly configured.

Depending upon how cold it is, I turn the sump heater on either a couple of hours before my planned arrival or as much as 10 hours before. The hanger heat (natural gas) is turned on an hour or two before I plan to arrive.

My hanger neighbor uses a NEST thermostat and a weak wifi signal in the area. As long as the wifi is available, his system works well, too. His system has the added advantage of allowing him to see (on any internet enabled device) the current temperature in his hanger.

Good luck,

[stamper]

Thanks guys.

[Rupester]

Originally Posted by scrollF4

It's extremely easy to use...I love it. I use it for my Reiff engine block heaters.

Same here. I put the Reiff system on output 1 and the battery minder on output 2. I use texting for on/off commands, since it responds with a text to tell you if your command was successful. Very handy.

[Alan Carroll]

I've got a phone switch that I use with Reiff oil and cylinder heaters and it works great. My oil temperature starts out at 100° on January days. The biggest hassle is remembering to keep the T-mobile sim card updated.

[stamper]

Do you have to have a t-mobile Sim card or will another card say us cellular or such work

[scrollF4]

Originally Posted by stamper

Do you have to have a t-mobile Sim card or will another card say us cellular or such work

Switchbox ships with your choice of T-Mobile or AT&T. I used T-Mobile because they provide a stronger signal at my airport. Your mileage may vary, so I'd ask around to see which company provides better service at your airpatch.

[Rupester]

Originally Posted by Alan Carroll

The biggest hassle is remembering to keep the T-mobile sim card updated.

That's for sure. They give you no warning of any kind when the account needs additional $$ added. The good new is, T-Mobile's automated phone service is pretty good ... it's easy to add $$ to the account when you call.

[phillipny]

Hey Terry, the app should alert you when credits are running down.

Check the setup video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qg3Y_LKZho