Bright App Set Up and Operation

BikingBud

Trying to support elderly relative in understanding current energy usage, gas seems high for combi boiler with low water consumption and "heating off" and ensure future efficient consumption. I am not local to my relative so cannot pop over regularly to keep track.

They have smart meters but the gas doesn't communicate with the hub very well, we have raised this with the supplier as an ongoing issue, compensation already paid but system still not working.

If I load up the data from the IHD (GUID/MAC/EUI address) and set up the Bright App to recover data will this still work when I am remote, Ie does it allow you to pull data from the suppliers site?

Or do I need to be close to the Comms Hub (Electric Meter)? 

Also can you track more than one system on the app as it might be that we can assist MIL as well?

mcn99

I was in a similar problem with EDF, the IHD never showed the gas. I installed the bright app, and it showed the electricity and the gas usage, update was a bit slow, but i think they can only show the data that is actually transmitted from the meter.

However as I wanted to get access to real-time data to find out if I was exporting solar or importing electricity. I bought the Hildebrande IHD (same company as bright app), this IHD is brilliant, as i now can see data refreshing every 5 seconds via the phone app, and via the mqtt feed. The IHD can transmit the data via your internet, so the app has access to your data in real-time. Gas usage i think is only ever refreshed every 30 secs i think, but i was only intrested in electricity.

I believe the app can have different users, each user registered to their own meters, but i cant confirm that

[Deleted User]

BikingBud said:

Trying to support elderly relative in understanding current energy usage, gas seems high for combi boiler with low water consumption and "heating off" and ensure future efficient consumption. I am not local to my relative so cannot pop over regularly to keep track.

They have smart meters but the gas doesn't communicate with the hub very well, we have raised this with the supplier as an ongoing issue, compensation already paid but system still not working.

If I load up the data from the IHD (GUID/MAC/EUI address) and set up the Bright App to recover data will this still work when I am remote, Ie does it allow you to pull data from the suppliers site?

Or do I need to be close to the Comms Hub (Electric Meter)? 

Also can you track more than one system on the app as it might be that we can assist MIL as well?

Bright App takes data directly from your meters via the DCC Network. To do this, Hildebrand (the owner of the Bright App) has had to become a Registered DCC Other User. It uses its own secure software - known as an Adapter - to pull data once per day. 

Hildebrand will do the set up for any IHD that it supplies and for Bright App. You do not need an IHD for Bright App to work. The App will show usage and costs. Bright App cannot obtain gas data unless the gas smart meter is paired with/connected to the communications hub.

BikingBud

I'll give the app a go next time I visit but might consider the Hildebrande IHD although I would like to avoid additional expense if we can.

Chrysalis

To be honest, it offers nothing over the Octopus app, its complex to setup, and requires new login every few days if not used for while.  I regret now signing up to the bright app.

But it might be worth it on other suppliers if their own apps are deficient.

I was also told it does everything an IHD can do which is wrong, it wont tell you your live usage, only an IHD can do that,

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Looking at @mcn99 post, it would be worth it then if using their IHD though as thats nifty seeing live usage on the phone.

QrizB

Chrysalis said:

To be honest, it offers nothing over the Octopus app, its complex to setup, and requires new login every few days if not used for while.  I regret now signing up to the bright app.

Really? I have been using it for 6 months and have only logged in once in that time.

You're right that it doesn't offer anything that you can't already get from Octopus's account page, but other suppliers make it harder to see smart meter data.

jbuchanangb

I am quite impressed that the Bright app is working OK with my Scottish Power SMETS1 smart meters which were installed 5 years ago, and which E.ON Next is using to generate bills. 

mcn99

I use the app most days, and i have only had to log in once or twice. 

When i was just using the Bright App on its own i was only looking at previous day and what I had used for the Month, not real time data. The software is much better than the crap EDF energy home they have on their website, which couldn't give me my Gas data. I have tried and tried to get EDF to fix the gas values not being displayed on my old IHD or on their hub but just gave up in frustration.

But using the App in combination with the bright IHD,  is so much more useful, updating every 5 seconds, so you can see this on your phone app. I have  also integrated their local data feed  into my own software, useful to decide when generating enough power from solar to turn things on (ie washing machine/dishwasher).

Chrysalis

QrizB said:

Chrysalis said:

To be honest, it offers nothing over the Octopus app, its complex to setup, and requires new login every few days if not used for while.  I regret now signing up to the bright app.

Really? I have been using it for 6 months and have only logged in once in that time.

You're right that it doesn't offer anything that you can't already get from Octopus's account page, but other suppliers make it harder to see smart meter data.

Yes I have had to retype my complex password at least 5-6 times already, I then stopped using it as the Octopus app doesnt require me to do that.

Checked it just now and greeted with the login screen, not even remembered the user name.  I tried to record the screen to show you but seems the function not working on my phone.

k_man

QrizB said:

Chrysalis said:

To be honest, it offers nothing over the Octopus app, its complex to setup, and requires new login every few days if not used for while.  I regret now signing up to the bright app.

Really? I have been using it for 6 months and have only logged in once in that time.

You're right that it doesn't offer anything that you can't already get from Octopus's account page, but other suppliers make it harder to see smart meter data.

The main extra feature I use (compared to Octopus app/website) is the comparison view, especially for hourly view for multiple days.

Similarly, don't remember having to login repeatedly, but the I use a password manager, so would be no hurdle if I did.

Shedman

Rather than the Bright app try setting up an N3rgy.com account (which pulls the data from smart meter) and then use the Guy Lipman program which gives slightly better info than the Bright app in my view and I find that it can be updated more often (or perhaps more easily) than the Bright app.  The Guy Lipman program works in a web browser so is accessible from anywhere

https://data.n3rgy.com/home   (use the I'm a Consumer tab)

https://energy.guylipman.com/sm/home