Smart meter data

EneryMiser

Has anyone managed to successfully get their Smart meter consumption data supplied to them by their energy provider.

I believe the midnight snapshots (fixed at GMT) all the year round. Are an industry standard.

Also half hourly data (30 min consumption) figures. Hence the difference between the 2 (consecutive) days snapshots should equal the sum of the 48 30 mins segments for that period. I knew that there should not be a zero figure as my pilot light used a min of 0.04 m3 in each of the other 30 min segments.

It is technically possible for this data to be supplied but it seems to be a step too far for some providers to offer on a regular basis. I did get some data once for a few days but the supplier made a real fuss about it and strangely one of the 48 daily time slots was always zero. Some kind of glitch in the data export which appeared to be unresolved or unresolvable. Turf war between departments I suspect.

matelodave

How about this for a solution and cut the energy company out of the loop.
https://shop.glowmarkt.com/products/glow-cad-for-smart-meters.
I'm guessing it can access the Zigbee data (at 6 second intervals) and you can then download it from the Energyhive/Glow database.

I've not investigated it but it could be a solution and could possibly be supply company agnostic in that the info is being collected from the meter via Zigbee rather than through the energy co database. Not sure if it does both gas an leccy so it might be worth enquring how it's configured.

I've got an clamp-on Energyhive monitor which allows me to see my electricity useage in real time (well 6 second bites) and to get an hourly, daily, monthly graphical view and to download the data in csv format to import into a spread sheet.

The download can be downloaded with a granularity of minutes, hours or days so I assume that the glow product would use the same database (it's also the same database as the Efergy Engage energy monitors).

We are all electric so I dont have to bother with gas.

this is what my data looks like https://www.energyhive.com/dashboard/dave Click on the day, month a year tabs on the graph to get an idea (you cannot download data as a guest) - it's playing up today (which is very rare) so real time stuff isn't being displayed or collected, perhaps they are doing system maintenance.

EachPenny

matelodave wrote: »

How about this for a solution and cut the energy company out of the loop.
I'm guessing it can access the Zigbee data (at 6 second intervals) and you can then download it from the Energyhive/Glow database.

I'm interested in the idea so just did a bit of research... I wondered how it was possible to connect the device to your HAN without there being a risk of connecting to a neighbours instead.

Some of the feedback online suggests that contact with the energy company is necessary to enable the device to be used - the pairing process is not necessarily a simple straightforward thing.

It looks like you need to do your research on whether or not you'll be able to get it to work before buying.

Which is a shame, because really one of the most useful aspects of smart metering is for the consumer to be able to access their data and monitor their consumption as closely as necessary.

matelodave

Some info here https://community.bulb.co.uk/discussion/5141/smart-meter-consumer-access-devices
check some of the links as well

look here as well https://forum.ovoenergy.com/smart-meter-compatibility-67/can-i-connect-a-cad-to-my-smart-meters-if-ovo-open-the-home-area-network-han-1102

EachPenny

matelodave wrote: »

Some info here https://community.bulb.co.uk/discussion/5141/smart-meter-consumer-access-devices
check some of the links as well

look here as well https://forum.ovoenergy.com/smart-meter-compatibility-67/can-i-connect-a-cad-to-my-smart-meters-if-ovo-open-the-home-area-network-han-1102

Yup, that second link was one of the ones I read before commenting.

It looks like individual consumers will have an uphill battle until it becomes a routine issue to ask for your CAD to be linked to your HAN.

Perhaps one day you'll be able to do it online by entering the CAD details, rather than have to phone multiple times. :rotfl:

Terry98

In October OVO started supplying half hourly data on a daily basis as part of their new on line account
https://forum.ovoenergy.com/new-ovo-smart-meter-experience-116/billing-and-statements-what-do-i-need-to-know-5148

matelodave

Terry98 wrote: »

In October OVO started supplying half hourly data on a daily basis as part of their new on line account
https://forum.ovoenergy.com/new-ovo-smart-meter-experience-116/billing-and-statements-what-do-i-need-to-know-5148

That's really how smart meter billing should work with up to the minute tracking of your consumption and costs.

However most suppliers have just tried to slot smart meter info into their existing billing processes.

When I was with SSE with their smart meter they still only updated the on-line account and billed once a quarter so the online info was always out of date. I could get consumption day old consumption data but not in real time time, nor could I actually see meter readings except on the IHD.

I'm not with them now but the IHD still does everything and gives me daily, weekly and monthly info but not costs.

I dont know how I'd go about getting a CAD device paired with my ex SSE Elster smart meter as I've since been with IRESA, Octopus and now with Eversmart who I suspect use the Liberty meters.

I quite fancy getting my own up to date meter info butI suspect that it would be a very painful exercise to try and sort it out

EneryMiser

Thanks guys - it was the out of date and flawed data begrudgingly supplied by Octopus which prompted my question. Just today they mentioned CADs. I had no idea why Computer Aided Design was relevant but a "Glow ethernet enabled Zigbee" CAD (consumer access device) now makes more sense. Except to me it is a CDAC Consumer Data Access Device. Consumer Access Device is my door key!

"For instance, we are exploring possible CADs to work with our smart meters so you can get real time, viewer friendly usage data on your smart phone, for example. We have no specific launch data but it is in the pipeline."

See this thread for some more info on the CAD options. No real link allowed!
community
openenergymonitor
org
a-taste-of-things-to-come-uk-smart-meter-data-access

It seems the suppliers need to be reminded that it is actually our data.
So if all it takes is for them to enable an additional device to be attached to the HAN that should not be too big an ask. I suspect they will have to ask whoever manages the backend data and the meter on their behalf. I thought it was Secure Meters but it seems more likely that it is SMS plc.

"I think OVO and Bristol Energy probably both use SMS-Plc as the Data and Communications Company (DCC)? sms-plc dot com

I would add to this group Octopus Energy.

"The second reason they have given as refusal is that currently, Secure charge a £500 fee for whitelisting runs (whether it is 1 CAD or 1000). Although this is a small amount for a massive utility, the Ombudsman recently sided with the utility when one of our customers went to them to try and help get the CAD joined. However, we have been working with Secure on this point and they have developed some functionality for us which will dramatically reduce the cost of whitelisting runs. This is in user testing and should be fully available on the 16th of July if all goes well. This may not mean utilities immediately agree to open the HAN, but it removes one of their significant arguments against doing it."

All quoted bits above from an excellent thread this board wont let me link to.
community
openenergymonitor
org
a-taste-of-things-to-come-uk-smart-meter-data-access

Credit where it is due

ASavvyBuyer

We are on the Octopus Go tariff and can use an API to download half hour consumption data for the previous day.


It is usually available for download by midday, but recently, most days by 9AM.

jiminycricket1922

Thanks ASavvyBuyer,

What do you use to import / process that API data?

I failed to get anymore than a small recent "snapshot" of data.

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

We are on the Octopus Go tariff and can use an API to download half hour consumption data for the previous day.


It is usually available for download by midday, but recently, most days by 9AM.

jiminycricket1922

Luckily the boffins have been working on this and I believe firstly the proposed
supplier hardware is evaluated / approved.

If that hurdle is overcome then your new CDCD or CD∆2 (Customer Data Capture Device)
needs to be whitelisted for use with your meter.

Finally the boffins send a signal to your meter, once you have connected your CDCD
to a source of internet access.

And assuming the CDCD sees the meter(s) and the signal to pair with the whitelisted device is received by the meter over the secure WAN (their closed mobile data network) then and only then would you be able to capture data from the meters HAN.

EachPenny wrote: »

I'm interested in the idea so just did a bit of research... I wondered how it was possible to connect the device to your HAN without there being a risk of connecting to a neighbours instead.

Some of the feedback online suggests that contact with the energy company is necessary to enable the device to be used - the pairing process is not necessarily a simple straightforward thing.

It looks like you need to do your research on whether or not you'll be able to get it to work before buying.

Which is a shame, because really one of the most useful aspects of smart metering is for the consumer to be able to access their data and monitor their consumption as closely as necessary.