Loop - energy monitoring app.

rubble2

Hi, has anyone got any experience of using 'Loop' which is an energy monitoring app for a phone?

Bit of background, we have a Landis & Gyr E470 meter and a Trilliant SEAP-2000-V hub. Octopus energy (our provider) can access useage from this as the readings appear on our monthly statements alongside the manual readings I supply.

Since we moved in to the house nearly 4 years ago we have never had an in the house monitor to give realtime useage data and would find this useful for minimising our electrical power use.

I don't know if it is possible to get a replacement display for the house, but if not I have come across an app called 'Loop' which suggests it performs the same function by displaying real time useage on a smart phone.

Any body offer any feedback on this please?

[Deleted User]

I tried it and didn't find it useful at all, but you're right that it does try and replicate the function of an IHD.

For transparency, there is another app called Bright which claims the same but I've never used it.

mmmmikey

Hi - Loop doesn't have a live display that shows exactly what your using at the moment. The meter transmits data to a central computer every 30 minutes and the is the data you can see through Loop, displayed daily, weekly and monthly. You may well find you can see exactly the same data on your suppliers website. Best thing is to down load it and try it - it's free and won't cost you anything.

rubble2

Thanks for the replies.

Given that Loop may not be the solution we are looking for is it possible to get hold of a suitable IHD which will communicate with our meter as an aftermarket device?

wild666

I use it and it doesn't display the exact usage but it's within one tenth of the total usage i.e. the app says 7.2 kWh but the utility company website says 7.199, it will be out by a few kWh over the course of a year but not enough to be seriously concerned about.

wwally

There are a number of apps that access your uploaded meter readings and analyse them. Loop and Hugo are 2. They are free to use, so have a go. Even if you don't use them regularly, they will give you a profile of your daily, weekly and monthly usage.

Replacement / enhanced IHDs are available on Amazon. 

pochase

Here you go

https://shop.glowmarkt.com/products/display-and-cad-combined-for-smart-meter-customers

They are also able to connect the new IHD to your smart meter. I doubt that will be the case for most devices from Amazon.

wwally

pochase said:

They are also able to connect the new IHD to your smart meter. I doubt that will be the case for most devices from Amazon.

I think it was the Ivie Bud that I was referencing. It was on Amazon but is not listed now. Amazon is now a red herring - I can see no IHDs on there.

Shedman

As for replacements for IHD the two that spring to mind are the Ivie Bud (£50 plus postage) (made by Chameleon who make a lot of the standard IHDs)  as well as the Glow IHD/CAD device (£70) that @pochase mentioned and gave a link 

https://ivie.co.uk/product/ivie-bud/

In terms of apps there is also an Ivie app that can be used without the Bud and links to your smart meter...I would tell you if its any good except it says my house is already linked to a Chameleon login so I can't register but it won't let me reset my forgotten password (even though I finally after much brain scratching remembered this Chameleon login ID)

EDIT: just out of curiosity I tried the reset password link again and finally its let me reset the password so I'll have a play with the app.

sewingqueen

I've been using loop for sometime as my IHD no longer works and my supplier does not offer a way to view my daily usage. 

It does not show real time usage but it does record hourly usage so you can see where throughout the day your highest usage is.

This is enough for me and helped me identify it was our cooker that was pushing up our daily usage, now switched to an air fryer and have seen a significant difference 

sewingqueen

To give you an idea of what you can see daily. The first spike is me boiling the kettle for the first brew of the day