Starting to see some energy savings/benefits - I think!

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  • therealfronty
    Automated Home Guru
    • May 2021
    • 140

    Starting to see some energy savings/benefits - I think!

    I'll admit I'm a bit of a nerd. So over the past few years I have been graphing my leccy and gas usage.

    I installed Evohome last Spring then spent a little while getting HR92's and the HW kit installed, did it all step by step, so really had everything ready for the onset of winter.

    Now with my energy provider going bust last year I lost track a little of my meter readings (so Sep/Oct/Nov 2021 figures are averages), but since December I have been keeping on top of it all and the result of my graphing over the past few months does seem to indicate a reduction in consumption. February and March are definitely showing quite a big drop compared to previous years, but I don't know if it's due to Evohome or having a mild winter, I guess over the next few years I'll have a bit more data to go by. Is anyone else graphing their consumption?

    I don't have a smart meter yet, do they do this sort of thing automatically?

    Image 1488.jpg
  • RedEarth
    Automated Home Sr Member
    • Jan 2021
    • 71

    #2
    I used to track my readings in a spreadsheet and create graphs, although mine weren't as detailed as yours because I was just using the quarterly readings from the bills. However they did show some step-change savings which corresponded to replacing the boiler, getting rid of the old electric shower etc.
    Since I've had the smart meters I've been using Domoticz to track the half-hourly/daily readings with a couple scripts that use this site to get my data: https://data.n3rgy.com/consumer/home

    graphs.jpg

    Very hard to tell whether Evohome has made a difference to gas usage because I installed it in the autumn of 2020 which also happened to be the start of the first winter where I was working at home (initially due to the pandemic, but now permanent). This 'lifestyle change' was the reason behind installing it, so that I could just heat the rooms I was using at different times of the day, so I'd like to think that's made a difference!

    Comment

    • CT1
      Automated Home Guru
      • Apr 2016
      • 189

      #3
      While I am sure EvoHome has given us some savings on gas, I doubt that it is enough to cover the cost of the system in a well insulated property. The big benefit of EvoHome for us is the increase in comfort and control. Well worth the cost.

      Comment

      • therealfronty
        Automated Home Guru
        • May 2021
        • 140

        #4
        This months figures are in, showing about 1kwh drop for April compared to the previous two years...

        Image 1633.jpg

        Comment

        • G4RHL
          Automated Home Legend
          • Jan 2015
          • 1580

          #5
          I keep a spreadsheet of each month’s usage - kWhs and cost. I used less energy in 2021 than I did in 2020 partly due to my increasing loft insulation to 300mm in January 2021 and replacing my old boiler with a new Intergas combi plus Opentherm. Evohome was installed in December 2014. This year to date I have used less in kWhs than the same period last year (January to April) but not sure why although it did seem last year that a few months after installing the Opentherm Bridge consumption was better so assume the system has learned the house. My supplier is Shell and it can produce daily readings, indeed every 30 minutes I believe. Whilst usage has dropped the cost has gone up.

          I don’t normally use the smart display as it was erratic before with my previous supplier but plugged it in the other day and it seems to be working better. I do notice that my hourly cost is now up. With nothing switched on other than two fridges, two freezers and my TV in standby I notice the cost is 4p to 5p per hour. Every bulb is a Philips Hue bulb and a number of Hue smart switches are used. I am trying to find out from Philips what sort of drain they have when in standby mode. The TV, fridges and freezers will be most of that 5p per hour.

          Domoticz. I notice a number here use it. Will it run on a PC or a MAC? Is it easy to configure?

          Comment

          • garmcqui
            Automated Home Guru
            • Jan 2015
            • 119

            #6
            I suppose if you really wanted to know if it’s helping, you could remove all the HR92’s for a week or two, and have evohome run as if it’s just an ordinary thermostat, with only the main unit measuring temperature. I keep meaning to do this.

            Comment

            • nealroberts20
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Nov 2015
              • 17

              #7
              REDEARTH- I’ve used domoticz, but not found it that useful with evohome dongle that I purchased to connect direct, would be very interested in your setup and how to get my gas and electric readings into the programme as well - care to elaborate share your setup/scripts ??

              Comment

              • RedEarth
                Automated Home Sr Member
                • Jan 2021
                • 71

                #8
                Sure, here's the instructions...

                1. register with n3rgy at https://data.n3rgy.com/consumer/home using:
                - MPRN or MPAN as login ID
                - IHD MAC as password
                2. In Domoticz, create 3 dummy 'Managed Counter' devices
                - use 'Energy' type for Electricity and Gas kWh usage
                - use 'Gas' type for Gas volume
                3. Copy the n3rgy.lua script to domoticz/scripts/lua_parsers folder
                4. Edit the script to set the appropriate device IDs and multiplier values. If you use gas you can also adjust the calorific value, volume correction and kWh conversion factor values, your energy supplier will probably provide this information on your bill, or somewhere in their explanation of how they calculate your bill.
                5. Add two HTTP/HTTPS poller hardware items in Domoticz (or just one if you don't use gas)
                - Method
                GET
                - ContentType
                application/json
                - Headers
                Authorization: your-IHD-MAC-in-caps-with-no-hyphens
                - URL


                - Command
                n3rgy.lua
                - Refresh
                600
                - leave Username and Password blank



                Here's the script (sorry for quoting it inline like this, I tried uploading but couldn't get it to work) - save this as n3rgy.lua...

                Code:
                -- specify the IDs of our Domoticz meter devices
                -- set to 0 if not used
                local elecDeviceID = 289
                local gasVolDeviceID = 288
                local gaskWhDeviceID = 294
                
                local gasUnitDeviceID = 341
                local gasSCDeviceID = 342
                local elecUnitDeviceID = 343
                local elecSCDeviceID = 344
                
                -- set the multipliers - these should match the counter divider values in Domoticz settings (or on the counter device settings for the cost counters)
                local energyMultiplier = 1000
                local gasMultiplier = 100
                local costMultiplier = 1000
                
                s = request['content'];
                
                local resourceString = domoticz_applyJsonPath(s,'.resource')
                
                --determine if this is consumption or tarrif
                if string.match(resourceString, "/consumption/") then
                
                
                  local value = domoticz_applyJsonPath(s,'.values[0].value')
                
                  --API sometimes returns stupidly high consumption values, so only proceed if value is sensible
                  if value ~= nil then
                    if value < 20 then
                      
                      local timestamp = domoticz_applyJsonPath(s,'.values[0].timestamp')
                
                      -- determine whether this was a gas or electicity query
                      if string.match(resourceString, "/gas/") then
                
                        --update the gas volume meter if we have one
                        if gasVolDeviceID > 0 then
                          domoticz_updateDevice(gasVolDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * gasMultiplier)
                          domoticz_updateDevice(gasVolDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * gasMultiplier .. ';' .. timestamp)
                        end
                
                        --calculate and update the gas energy meter if we have one
                        if gaskWhDeviceID > 0 then
                          --constants for conversion from m3 to kWh
                          local calorificValue = 39.1
                          local volumeCorrection = 1.02264
                          local kWhConversionFactor = 3.6
                
                          local kWhValue = value * calorificValue * volumeCorrection / kWhConversionFactor
                          domoticz_updateDevice(gaskWhDeviceID,'','-1;' .. kWhValue * energyMultiplier)
                          domoticz_updateDevice(gaskWhDeviceID,'','-1;' .. kWhValue * energyMultiplier .. ';' .. timestamp)
                        end
                
                      else
                        --update the electricity meter if we have one
                        if elecDeviceID > 0 then
                          domoticz_updateDevice(elecDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * energyMultiplier)
                          domoticz_updateDevice(elecDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * energyMultiplier .. ';' .. timestamp)
                        end
                      end
                    else
                      --no need to log this error because the half-hourly script will detect it as well, provide an accurate timestamp for the faulty value
                      --and add up the other values to provide a useable daily value
                      --print('ERROR - value of ' .. value .. ' detected')
                    end
                  end
                
                
                
                
                
                else
                  local unitDeviceID = 0
                  local SCDeviceID = 0
                
                  if string.match(resourceString, "/gas/") then
                    unitDeviceID = gasUnitDeviceID
                    SCDeviceID = gasSCDeviceID
                  else
                    unitDeviceID = elecUnitDeviceID
                    SCDeviceID = elecSCDeviceID
                  end
                
                  local timestamp = domoticz_applyJsonPath(s,'.values[0].standingCharges[0].startDate')
                
                  if SCDeviceID > 0 then
                    local value = domoticz_applyJsonPath(s,'.values[0].standingCharges[0].value')
                    domoticz_updateDevice(SCDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * costMultiplier)
                    domoticz_updateDevice(SCDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * costMultiplier .. ';' .. timestamp)
                  end
                
                  if unitDeviceID > 0 then
                    local value = domoticz_applyJsonPath(s,'.values[0].prices[0].value')
                    domoticz_updateDevice(unitDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * costMultiplier)
                    domoticz_updateDevice(unitDeviceID,'','-1;' .. value * costMultiplier .. ';' .. timestamp)
                  end
                
                
                end

                Comment

                • RedEarth
                  Automated Home Sr Member
                  • Jan 2021
                  • 71

                  #9
                  sorry, just realised that I've extended the script further to capture unit costs and standing charges since writing the instructions - just set these values to 0:
                  local gasUnitDeviceID = 0
                  local gasSCDeviceID = 0
                  local elecUnitDeviceID = 0
                  local elecSCDeviceID = 0

                  Comment

                  • nealroberts20
                    Automated Home Jr Member
                    • Nov 2015
                    • 17

                    #10
                    REDEARTH- managed to get it working this eve (I think anyway! Its Showing electric - nothing in gas so far, will see if anything shows up by tomorrow)👏👍 thanks, v much appreciated!
                    Last edited by nealroberts20; 30 August 2022, 09:40 AM.

                    Comment

                    • RedEarth
                      Automated Home Sr Member
                      • Jan 2021
                      • 71

                      #11
                      Originally posted by nealroberts20 View Post
                      REDEARTH- managed to get it working this eve (I think anyway! Its Showing electric - nothing in gas so far, will see if anything shows up by tomorrow)���� thanks, v much appreciated!
                      You might find there's a bit of a delay between registering and getting all the data through from the API, I think I found that when I first starting using it. Also it can be a bit temperamental, sometimes you get ridiculously high values come through which apparently indicate the smart meter may have reported an error condition (n3rgy are aware of this but still don't seem to have made up their minds how to address it - https://github.com/n3rgy/data/issues/1)

                      They do provide a useful 'demo' site where you can view the json data easily, you just need to enter the MAC from your IHD and it'll store it as a cookie for 1 day
                      https://homebrew.n3rgy.com/consumer-data/, this will allow you to see what data it's sending through for your gas meter.

                      Comment

                      • sandyman
                        Automated Home Sr Member
                        • Mar 2016
                        • 85

                        #12
                        you can also do this with HomeAssistant. register with hildebrand glow/ bright / glowmarkt for them to access your DCC data, this gets you online access to your 30 minute readings in their "bright" app. for free - you don't need to buy their dongles. Then in homeassistant enable the hildebrand integration which loads the data from the bright API into HA's energy integration. It "just works". Although sometimes as others mentioned you sometimes get unfeasibly large kWh readings when the system gets errors.

                        Comment

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