Smart home automation is not just about convenience and comfort, it is also about adding an extra level of security to your home.
Every year, numerous accidents around the world occur from electric devices when users simply forgot that they had plugged in a device, which may lead to overheating and short circuits.
A smart plug is an innovative product that would solve many safety concerns, while also helping you automate and remotely control certain electrical devices, expanding their possibilities and making your life much easier and convenient.
The good thing is, in order to use a smart plug, the device itself does not have to be smart. It is a great way to elevate your home with new smart technology, without having to replace the old electrical devices you love.
KMC is a smart electrical device manufacturer that sells smart plugs, smart lights, surge protector power strips, adaptors, power extension cords, and more. Their smart plugs are one of the most popular devices in the market.
It works with all the popular smart personal assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and more. You can use it along with the IFTTT technology and increase its capabilities.
KMC smart plug can be added to the Smart Life App that you use for any smart device in your home, and it does not require a hub to carry out functions such as remotely controlling or using voice commands.
You can use the smartphone app to set up a schedule for the smart plug, allowing you to do things like starting your dinner before you reach home, or having the lights on so you do not have to come to a dark house after work.
The possibilities are endless. You can also share the device to be controlled by the members of your family for their convenience.
KMC Smart Plug Not Working
There are also certain limitations when it comes to smart plugs, such as being able to control only one device at a time.
KMC provides a solution to that with power strips, which allow you to plug more than one device into a smart plug with multiple sockets.
Just like any device, however, you may face some connectivity and functioning issues when using a smart plug. Here are a few common issues and how to resolve them.
1. Unable to Connect KMC Smart Plug to Home Wi-Fi Network
Sometimes your home wi-fi network may not recognize your KMC smart plug. This can happen due to several reasons.
First, if you have more than one wi-fi router, check if both your mobile and the smart plug are connected to the same wi-fi network.
Just to be sure, use another app on your mobile phone to check if your wi-fi network is powered on and working properly.
If it is not, contact your internet service provider to fix your wi-fi. If it is working, check with your Smart Life or Alexa app and see if your KMC Smart Plug is properly installed.
If your home wi-fi network is visible on your smartphone app and is working, but you cannot connect your KMC smart plug, check if your wi-fi network is a secured 2.4 GHz network.
If it is 5 GHz or unsecured, there can be connectivity issues since the device is not compatible with such networks.
You should also check if your mobile phone is Android 4.3 or above, or iOS 8 or above since there are requirements for the device to connect and properly function.
2. Unable to Configure the KMC Smart Plug
A common issue with smart devices is difficulties when it comes to configuration.
Especially when it comes to connecting the device to a smart app that extends the capabilities of the device with remote control and voice commands, a smooth configuration is needed from the start to the end.
If the device is lagging or struggling to properly configure, you need to reset it to factory settings.
Before you reset the device, remember that doing so will unpair or disconnect your KMC smart plug with the Smart Life life, or any other devices or apps that it was connected to.
While the plug is connected to the wall socket, press down on the power button and hold for 10 seconds.
When the reset is properly completed, the LED indicator light would turn green, at which point you should release the power button.
Then, use your Smart Life app to add the smart plug again as a “Socket”, and let it reconfigure. This should solve any configuration issues.
3. Smart Plug Not Successfully Connecting to Alexa or Your Smart Personal Assistant
One of the most attractive features of a smart plug is being able to connect any electrical device to your home smart network and have it easily controlled through Alexa or any other smart personal assistant device such as Google Home.
Sometimes, however, you may experience connectivity problems with your virtual assistant. Your first step should be to check if the device is properly paired with the smartphone app that allows connectivity to Alexa.
Check if you have logged into the app with proper credentials. If you are not paired well with the app, connect to it again and see if the problem resolves.
Then, check if the device is listed on the app directly connected to your home automation speaker devices such as Google Home or Amazon Echo. They should have a list of devices that have successfully connected to them.
If the KMC smart plug is not listed there, give a voice command to your virtual assistant to discover new devices. If your smart plug is properly connected, within about 30 seconds it should appear as a new device on your app.
Then, click on the device and follow the directions to add it as a new device to the app.
4. Smart Plug Not Responding to Voice Commands
When you connect your smart plug to a virtual assistant device with a speaker, you can give it short voice commands such as turn on, turn off, or even be a part of a morning routine that you can set up prior.
If you have successfully connected your smart plug to the app, but it does not respond to voice commands, it could be because of several reasons.
First, check your personal assistant device app to see if the smart plug is in the list of recognized devices.
Then, check the LED indicator light in the device to see if it is connected to the wi-fi network in your home. Both your mobile phone and the device should be connected to the same device for voice commands to work.
Then, check if your device gets an uninterrupted wi-fi connection. There can be drops in connectivity if it is placed too far from your wifi router.
When that happens, it may respond to voice commands at certain times, but stop responding when the wifi signal is low. If everything is set up properly, get your virtual assistant to sync your device again.
You can try resetting the device and connecting it again to your virtual assistant app if none of the above methods work.
5. Unable to Control the KMC Smart Plug Remotely
Remote access is a highly useful feature in KMC smart plugs. Once you set it up with your Smart Life app or your virtual assistant app, you should be able to give commands and control your device even when you are not at home.
If you are having difficulties with this, the most common issue is that your mobile phone or the Smart Plug is not connected to wi-fi. Check your mobile phone’s internet connection, refresh the app, and try again.
If that does not work, ensure your home has a steady internet connection when you are away so your smart plug can connect and respond to remote commands.
Not helpful if Alexa can’t discover your device.
I have done everything that has been said to do. I get 5 flashing green lights and stops for 2 seconds, and then repeats 5 flashings.
What is wrong?
I purchased a pair of these devices. Both worked fine after initial installation and configuration. After about a year one has failed in exactly the manner you have described. (i.e., 5 flashing green lights and stops for 2 seconds, and then repeats 5 flashings.) I too have tried everything in this article, and then some, without success. Using the power button to manually turn all outlets on and off works for the “good” device, but not on the “failed” one. I suspect that the unit has either failed logics and/or internal electronics. Or, there is some other “reset” sequence/procedure that is needed to get the “failed” device into proper setup mode, that remains unpublished and/or otherwise illusive. Given that I purchased the two devices on sale for a little more than the non-sale price of one unit, I guess I should swallow the loss and toss the “failed” unit in the trash.