The Fridge Health Plug (FHP) is a smart monitoring device that plugs between your refrigerator and the wall outlet. It continuously monitors your fridge's power consumption patterns to:
Detect potential problems before they cause food spoilage
Track energy usage and estimate costs
Alert you to power outages, extended run times, or cooling failures
Learn your fridge's behavior to provide personalized insights
What FHP Monitors
Metric
Description
Power (Watts)
Real-time electricity consumption
Cooling Cycles
When the compressor runs
Self-Clean/Defrost
Periodic defrost cycles
Runtime Patterns
How long and how often your fridge runs
Power Outages
Detects when power was lost
Getting Started
Initial Setup
Plug in the FHP device between your refrigerator and the wall outlet
Open the PumpTrip app on your phone
Tap "Add Device" and select "Fridge Health Plug"
Follow the WiFi setup wizard to connect the device to your home network
Name your device (e.g., "Kitchen Fridge", "Garage Freezer")
Learning Period
After setup, the FHP enters a learning period of approximately 3-7 days. During this time:
The device learns your fridge's normal behavior
You'll see "Learning..." indicators on some displays
The health score may show as "--" or be less accurate
At least 3 self-clean (defrost) cycles must be observed
💡 Tip: For best results, avoid changing fridge settings or leaving the door open for extended periods during the learning phase.
Dashboard Overview
When you open an FHP device in the app, you'll see several information cards:
Header Bar
Device Name - The name you gave your fridge
Connection Status:
🟢 Online - Connected and receiving live data
🟠 Connecting... - Attempting to connect
⚪ Offline - Cannot reach the device
Main Sections
Hero Health Widget - Overall health score and current state
Maintenance Vitals - Key metrics at a glance
Last 24h Activity - Timeline of cooling patterns
Last Cycle - Details of the most recent compressor run
Recent Events - Alert history
Understanding the Health Score
The large circular gauge at the top shows your fridge's Health Score (0-100%).
Score Breakdown
Score
Status
Meaning
90-100%
🟢 Excellent
Everything is working great
70-89%
🟡 Good
Normal operation, minor variations
50-69%
🟠 Needs Attention
Some metrics outside normal range
0-49%
🔴 Issue Detected
Investigate immediately
What Affects the Score
Active alerts (extended run, no cooling, power outage)
Workload deviation from learned normal
Incomplete learning (score reduced during learning period)
Current State Display
Below the score, you'll see the current compressor state:
Cooling ❄️ XXX W - Compressor is running, showing current power draw
Resting 💤 XXX W - Compressor is off, showing standby power
Learning... 📚 - Still in the initial learning period
The duration shows how long it's been in this state (e.g., "Cooling • 85W • 12m").
Maintenance Vitals
The vitals grid shows four key metrics:
1. Runtime Today
Shows how long the compressor has run since midnight (local time)
Format: Xh Xm (hours and minutes)
The midnight marker (▼) on the activity timeline shows where "today" starts
2. Runtime (Last 24h / Workload)
Compares current 24-hour runtime to learned normal
Shows a badge: Normal, High, or Low
Color coding:
🟢 Green: Within normal range
🟡 Yellow: Slightly elevated (>25% deviation)
🔴 Red: Significantly abnormal (>50% deviation)
3. Today's Energy
Estimated energy consumption for today
Shows both energy (Wh or kWh) and cost (based on your rate)
Tap the menu (⋮) → "Energy Cost" to set your electricity rate
4. Last Self-Clean
Time since the last defrost cycle
Shows "X hours ago" or "X days ago"
System status shows progress (e.g., "3 of 3 self-cleans")
Activity Timeline
The Last 24h Activity graph shows your fridge's behavior over the past 24 hours.
Reading the Timeline
◀─────────────────────────────────────────────▶
24h ago ▼ Now
(Midnight marker)
Color
Meaning
🔵 Blue
Cooling (compressor running)
🟠 Orange
Self-Clean (defrost cycle)
⬜ Gray
Resting (compressor off)
🔴 Red U-shape
Alert period (problem detected)
Midnight Marker
The small triangle (▼) above the timeline indicates local midnight. Everything to the right of this marker is "today."
Alert Overlays
Red U-shaped brackets below the timeline indicate periods when alerts were active:
Extended Run - Compressor ran too long
No Cooling - Compressor didn't run when expected
Power Outage - Power was lost (shown as a span)
Last Cycle Information
Shows details about the most recently completed compressor run:
Field
Description
Duration
How long the cycle ran (e.g., "36 min")
Started
When it began (e.g., "1h 42m ago")
Finished
When it ended (e.g., "1h 6m ago")
Avg Power
Average watts during the cycle
Peak Power
Maximum watts recorded
Type
Cooling ❄️ or Self-Clean 🟧
💡 Tip: Typical cooling cycles last 20-45 minutes. Cycles consistently over 60 minutes may indicate a problem.
Recent Events & Alerts
Alert Types
⚡ Power Outage
Cause: Power was lost and restored
Action: Check your food if outage exceeded 4 hours
Display: Shows outage duration (e.g., "Power out for 3.5 min")
⚠️ Extended Run (Warning/Critical)
Cause: Compressor running much longer than normal
Possible reasons:
Door left open
Dirty condenser coils
Failing door seal
Room temperature too high
Action: Check door seal and clean condenser coils
🔴 No Cooling (Warning/Critical)
Cause: Compressor hasn't run when expected
Possible reasons:
Thermostat issue
Compressor failure
Control board problem
Action: Check if fridge is cold inside; contact service if not
Event States
Active/Ongoing - Problem is currently happening
Resolved ✓ - Problem has cleared
Settings & Configuration
Access settings via the menu button (⋮) in the header bar:
Device Info
Shows technical information:
Name - Device name from firmware
MAC Address - Tap to copy to clipboard
Firmware - Current firmware version
Uptime - How long since last reboot
WiFi - Network name and signal strength (dBm)
Energy Cost
Set your electricity rate to see accurate cost estimates:
Default: $0.12/kWh
Enter your local utility rate
Costs are calculated using runtime × learned average power
Notifications
Configure which push notifications you receive:
✅ Extended Run alerts
✅ Power Outage alerts
✅ No Cooling alerts
✅ Device Offline alerts
Toggle each type on/off based on your preferences.
Reset Learning
Clears all learned patterns and starts fresh. Use this if:
You moved the device to a different fridge
The fridge had major repairs
You want to recalibrate
⚠️ Warning: After reset, allow 3-7 days for the device to relearn.
Sharing Access
You can share access to your fridge monitor with family members or housemates.
As the Owner
Tap menu (⋮) → Sharing
Tap Share Access
Enter a label (e.g., "Mom's phone")
Share the generated link/QR code with the other person
Managing Shared Access
View all people with access in the Sharing screen
Tap the × button to revoke someone's access
Revoked users will immediately lose access
As a Shared User
Receive the sharing link from the owner
Open it in a browser or scan the QR code
The device will be added to your app
📝 Note: Shared users have view-only access. They cannot:
Share with others
Reset learning
Change notification settings
Troubleshooting
Device Shows "Offline"
Check your WiFi - Is your home network working?
Check the device - Is it plugged in? Is the LED lit?
Pull to refresh - Swipe down on the device screen
Restart the device - Unplug for 10 seconds, then replug
"Waiting for data..." Message
This appears when:
First connecting to the device
Reconnecting after being offline
Data is being loaded
Wait a few seconds; data should appear automatically.
Health Score Seems Wrong
During learning period: Score may be inaccurate until learning completes
After changes: If you adjusted fridge settings, consider resetting learning
Check alerts: Active alerts reduce the score
Alerts Keep Firing
Extended Run: Check door seal, clean condenser coils, verify room temperature
No Cooling: Ensure fridge is powered and thermostat is set correctly
Power Outage: Check your home's electrical panel; consider a UPS
App Reconnects Slowly
The app fetches fresh connection details each time you open a device. If reconnection is slow:
Check your internet connection
Try closing and reopening the app
Ensure the device has good WiFi signal
FAQ
How much power does the FHP device itself use?
The FHP device uses less than 1 watt—negligible compared to your fridge.
Does FHP work with all refrigerators?
Yes, FHP works with any refrigerator that plugs into a standard outlet. It monitors power consumption regardless of brand or model.
How accurate is the energy cost estimate?
The estimate is based on runtime × learned average power. It's typically accurate within 10-15% of actual consumption.
What happens during a power outage?
When power returns, the device:
Reconnects to WiFi
Sends a power outage alert with duration
Resumes normal monitoring
Can I monitor multiple fridges?
Yes! Add multiple FHP devices to monitor several refrigerators. Each appears as a separate device in your device list.
Is my data secure?
Data is transmitted over encrypted connections (TLS/SSL)
Each device has unique authentication credentials
Only you and people you share with can access your data
How do I update the firmware?
Firmware updates are automatic. The device checks for updates periodically and installs them during idle periods.