Getting access to your smart meter data

Jeff_Dee

Having recently had smart meters fitted, I'd like to start getting useful data from them for further analysis in Excel/Power BI.
I've so far seen n3rgy and Bright mentioned, and while I read up on this further I'd love to hear how people are already doing this, and also any recommendations for sites to use or avoid.
I'm with Octopus, and I know I can download half-hourly data as a CSV, although I was surprised that it only shows the changes, not the actual reading itself.
I remember in the last couple of years seeing an example of someone who had created some very impressive graphs based on their raw data, can't remember if it was one of the gurus here or elsewhere.

MWT

The meter keeps different data stores for the half-hour meter accumulators and the daily register readings, so it does not store a half-hour meter register reading, just the amount used.

Octopus do not currently make the daily register readings available for download, nor can n3rgy or Bright retrieve that information for you.

It is however relatively trivial to reconcile the half-hour data with manual meter readings you might take periodically.

Hildebrand have products that can provide a local MQTT data feed if that is of interest, rather than downloading from Octopus/n3rgy etc.

Astria

Jeff_Dee said:

I remember in the last couple of years seeing an example of someone who had created some very impressive graphs based on their raw data, can't remember if it was one of the gurus here or elsewhere.

I have graphs of my data, but they are not from smart meters, but rather each circuit of the property (after MCB) has a clip on clamp that measures consumption of that circuit. This gives me instant, overall and independent graphs.

[Deleted User]

I use BRIGHT. It provides me with more information that my old brain can cope with and it is free. Hildebrand, the owner of BRIGHT, is a Registered DCC Other User so with your permission it can access 30 minute data from your smart meters.

Spoonie_Turtle

I don't know exactly what functionality is here, but https://energy.guylipman.com/sm/home might be of interest

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd

[Deleted User] said:

I use BRIGHT. It provides me with more information that my old brain can cope with and it is free. Hildebrand, the owner of BRIGHT, is a Registered DCC Other User so with your permission it can access 30 minute data from your smart meters.

How does BRIGHT work.  Does it take the date straight from the actual meters or from the communications box?  

Lorian

If you have their Hildebrand glow consumer device then bright app  gives you near real time view.

If you have other consumer devices then bright gets its data from the DCC via Hildebrand's system. You can still see 30 minute data but it just updates a few times a day.

[Deleted User]

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd said:

Dolor said:

I use BRIGHT. It provides me with more information that my old brain can cope with and it is free. Hildebrand, the owner of BRIGHT, is a Registered DCC Other User so with your permission it can access 30 minute data from your smart meters.

How does BRIGHT work.  Does it take the date straight from the actual meters or from the communications box?  

The only organisations that your access your data are DCC Users ( suppliers) or Registered DCC Other Users such as Hildebrand. Other Users can only access your data with your permission and this is renewed annually.

Access is via a secure piece of software known as an Adapter. The Adapter connects to the DCC Network and it is used to ‘pull’ data from your smart meters.

Organisations such a price comparison websites can apply to become DCC Other Users: that said, give the training and complexities involved most will partner with an Adapter provider such as Hildebrand; TMA etc.

Again with your permission, price comparison websites can the. pull 12 months of import data from your smart ( in 30 minute usage slots). This profiled data can then be used to determine the cheapest time-of-use tariff. The days of kWh/year are numbered. The tool to do this has already been developed by Hildebrand and others.

I should that for completeness other organisations such as DNOs can have access to specific data such as voltages; frequency etc. This information is now being used in some parts of the Country to dynamically manage Grid voltage at an area level.

The DCC itself cannot see any usage data, 

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd

My smart meters are not connected to the DCC, I did a check.  So I don't believe this system will work for me.  Is that correct?

Jeff_Dee

Thanks all for your information, I've just signed up to the Bright app, which I think might be like taking a gateway drug: today - looking at data, tomorrow - Raspberry Pi with data loggers measuring all sorts of other things!