MQTT Export Data

I have just connected IHD to local MQTT and has also connected to my SMETS2 meter via the HAN.

I'm getting an MQTT feed but the Export data is 0. Is there anything special I need to do to get the Export figures? I'm on Octopus Agile Outgoing if that makes a difference.

Thanks

Comments

  • My export data is 0 too. I'm presuming there must be a setting somewhere but I can't find it

  • edited September 2022

    Same for many of us I'm afraid.

    I think this is under the control of the provider i.e. if they don't care what you're exporting because you have a FiT agreement rather than SEG -then they don't bother enabling the export figures for upload to themselves and therefore the IHD/CAD/API has no access to it either. (Although your tariff sounds as if it ought to be there).

    At least that's my understanding of what is happening (or not in this case).

  • I've now heard back from support and at the moment Export isn't supported but is it their roadmap for 2022. I for one hope this gets completed soon as anyone with PV will need the export both realtime and daily. I had hoped to use the 10 second local feed as a trigger in homeassistant....

    A further issue is that anyone who is currently seeing real-time export may lose it in the future. I attach the email I received that has full details. Perhaps we need a new topic in one of the other topics to discuss.

    Richard

    ----- support email -----

    We have support for export on our roadmap and have done the work to pick up the export (and it is great with SMETS2 meters as export is on by default) - but now have to do the work to add the ability to store the data and then play it back into our apps, display and APIs. This work is all done by us as a side activity so it has to fit in with commercial priorities. Not available yet but we hope to support it by later this year - if you take the MQTT feed apparently the export stream is in there but it sounds as though you may have been affected by the fact that interestingly, whereas initially we were seeing meters report instantaneous export data it looks as though meter firmware updates are rolling out that remove that functionality and that the export feed will only be cumulative.

    We've had discussions with the expert at BEIS on supporting instantaneous readings and he was very surprised to hear that it was possible - as apparently it is not part of the specification for the SMETS infrastructure. So this isn't about our doing a fix, but the fact that suppliers seem to have been told to reverse out that functionality even when it exists on the meter!

    On the current day if you are exporting we *usually* report the negative consumption in real-time (with the above proviso about meter firmware being updated), and then calculate the minute, and 30 minute readings which will be negative if there is more generation than consumption. Then, overnight, we go back to the meter and check what reading has been stored (and will be used for billing) and override what we calculated - so the next day will show zero for half hour slots when you were generating more than consuming.

    FYI, we have tagged your email and will let you know when we add the full export functionality - but that is more relevant to our APIs etc, not MQTT.

    I'm going to ask my Tech Support team to confirm that it is your meter side and not us, just to be sure.

    I also wonder whether there shouldn't be a pushback on the policy - driven by engaged energy consumers like yourselves because frankly, it doesn't make sense. If you think you can get that going on the forum, I'm happy to ask our contact what would be required to drive this based on market feedback.

    Kind regards,

    Jane Wilson

  • I'm also trying to find a solution that allows reliable export data. Personally I don't mind if I get the net energy flow with a sign to indicate direction or two separate values. But before I invest time and money in kit I want to know that it will continue to work. Seems crazy that I might need to buy a clamp meter solution due to such a poor smart meter standard.

  • It is annoying, I have a Tesla Powerwall and it does provide all the information I require but based on CT clamps which are surprisingly accurate but not 100%. Getting the data is also via a none approved API that Tesla could block at any time.

    The only thing that can provide that absolute reading is the smart meter and yet getting data from it is surprising difficult. The functionality that will eventually be provided, once export is included, by the glow IHD should be the baseline for all devices in my view.

  • I too am at this stage.

    My supplier is Octopus

    My Smart Meter is the EDMI ES-10B. It is registering the import and export on the meter lcd on the meter itself.


    Contacting Octopus, I am on a FIT tariff so they have no interest in monitoring the export ( I just get paid 50% of my generation ), in fact they just point me to the fact that they have no export setup ( EON is registered for my FIT ). Reading above it seems that I just have to wait on Octopus to enable export data ?


    I am using Homeassistant to interface with MQTT, sorry if this is not the place for the following, but is it possible ?

    I can show current POWER , it is updated every 6 seconds, and it correctly shows the positive or negative figures ( if I am importing or exporting energy ). Could this be used to populate the export values ( I'm thinking generating a new MQTT template for export, based on the negative power values only ? ) I'm new to this so I might be speaking rubbish but I was hopeful we have enough information to build our own Export data ?

  • Yes you can calculate the export figure by using a template sensor in home assistant. Sounds like you already have the local MQTT feed so you get the real-time import (+ve) and export (-ve). Then setup a template sensor which only updates when the value is negative. Here's my template sensor that does a similar thing, you'll need to change the sensor names to reflect your system. Have fun.


    - sensor:

     - name: Site Export Power Now

      unit_of_measurement: kW

      device_class: power

      state_class: measurement

      state: >-

       {% set export = (states('sensor.powerwall_site_now') | float(0)) %}

       {% if export < 0 %}

        {{ export * -1 }}

       {% else %}

        0

       {% endif %}

  • Thanks for the reply, I will try that see if I can get it working. It would be nice to get the energy graphs looking correct, at the moment it shows I consume all solar power as there is never any export :)

  • Similar to above EDMI ES-30B (three phase version of the one mentioned). No Export reported to MQTT although 30min export is reported to Octopus for Flux in and export.

    I understand this is worked on when you can draw breath so just to let you know (no rush).


    {

    "electricitymeter": {

    "timestamp": "2023-03-21T11:57:38Z",

    "energy": {

    "export": {

    "cumulative": 0,

    "units": "kWh"

    },

    "import": {

    "cumulative": 3907.499,

    "day": 1.161,

    "week": 3.181,

    "month": 31.102,

    "units": "kWh",

  • Having just had some exports I have discovered that the mqtt data for export is zero. As the export register has its own mpan I guess that is why the data doesn't get populated. I understand from the earlier posts that making the necessary adjustments is a 'when we have time' project. Looking at the Octopus data it seems their system sees the same set of registers as for an import mpan. I wonder if setting up a second bright account with the export mpan and a second cad would activate the data flow? (my meter is an EDMI ES-10B with a toshiba comms unit).

  • My previous post revealed that the issue preventing the data getting through is a setting in the Esme meter that needs changing from the DCC. Just wondered whether any progress had been made on this getting fixed for meters where it isn't enabled. Or whether anyone had succeeded in getting Octopus to get it done for them.

Sign In or Register to comment.