For what it’s worth, this is an entirely different technical skill set.
A ML data scientist is not likely to be experienced in merging user accounts of a web-based platform application; they are two entirely unrelated development/engineering disciplines.
Users often underestimate the level of effort involved in rolling out a new feature, even if it just seems like a tiny change. Conceptually, user accounts were likely only initially equipped to handle one user with monitor, and modifying this (very low-level) structure is not necessarily trivial. Think of it like building a house of cards that is three stories tall, and then being tasked to renovate the first floor, while maintaining the structural integrity of the second and third floors of cards. This particular feature is almost certainly not as trivial as it may seem (not even accounting for the scaling, QAing, API revisioning, etc involved in deploying to a platform like Sense)
As far as I know, Sense has never explained that this capability is unavailable because they ‘do not know how’ to develop it, forgoing the need to rope in Apple and Google for assistance as you proposed. Besides, the other home automation companies you mentioned would be irrelevant to the task at hand.
A far more likely explanation that 2:1 Monitor to User isn’t possible is that it is not considered a high priority on their roadmap relative to other more pressing concerns in their eyes. This is pure speculation on my part, but it seems to be a reasonably fair conclusion.
I want this feature just as much as you do, it’s probably my #1 wish at the moment. But I don’t think it’s fair (or remotely accurate) to attribute this gap to Sense’s technical or development incompetence.
I completely understand that the skill sets required for a platform SW update is quite different from an ML data scientist. However I believe ML data scientist are much more highly paid (at least here in teh Silicon Valley) compared to platform SW engineers.
So the only explanation I can understand (that has not been officially spelled out) is in the last 3 years+ the company has felt that it does not need to invest in this feature. So be it, but then if they are so confident to live without it, it is time after so long to just come and state it.
I think that the original platform SW was developed by rather less competent people (than their ML folks) where in a change like this would require an almost complete re-write of the base platform that they feel is not economical. From my experience in product development, I can only say that as they wait longer the time and energy to fix it will be even higher as they have more users. At this point the best approach would be to just say “THIS FEATURE WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED” and leave it at that on all the message boards.
@RajivP,
I don’t think the Sense folks are either incompetent or ill-intentioned. I do think multiple monitors for a single house is an important, but relatively small user base use case, even smaller than the % represented by the people liking this wishlist item, because many simply want a single login for multiple homes, not integrated data as well. And I have never been at a SW company (and I have been at several) where the roadmaps frame out features on the wishlist that will NEVER be implemented.
You had asked where the Sense CEOs priorities are. I tried to relate some of the priorities but you would have to look down inside the link I offered to see this video… Most recent view about where his priorities are.
@test35965, I’m guessing that a big slice of that money is targeted at progressive detection (next generation detection) plus scaling up for the smartmeter (Landis & Gyr) and smart load center (Schneider) markets. I’m going to be interested to see how the two utilities ramping up “Sense-inside” meters are going to handle accounts - will they be linked to the utility login/authentication?
We just added solar to our previously 2-unit home in Northern Kentucky and the installation team came back today to install a Sense device for us, which we were excited about (I’ve wanted one for a few years now). They had to come back and install a second Sense device because each unit has separate service from Duke, but I assumed I could just setup the second device with my new account.
Wait, seriously? There’s no way to add a second Sense device to my existing account? There’s no way to switch between them as separate accounts? I literally have to have my wife create her own account, download the app on her phone, and setup the second Sense device separately?
This is ridiculous. I’ve seen 3 years of requests for some sort of way to handle this situation, among others. I can’t think of any other smart devices out there that require a separate account for multiple devices.
Sense folks, let’s get a solution in place already.
@patrickhaney, this probably isn’t a help for you, but Sense does offer a Fleet Manager for installers that set-up and monitor a number of households. See the FAQ at the end.
Think they are focused on this because they have some good-sized utilities prepping to deploy Sense metering devices and services. And I’m pretty sure that this capability doesn’t combine data between devices. It just allows fleet managers to monitor and manage many devices, as well as hand out sub-accounts.
ps: One can’t use this app unless you are signed up as a Sense partner, whatever the requirements are for that.
As far as I know (and I have contacted Sense about this) : if you have two main circuit boxes (a split/dual circuit-breaker system), you have to have two email accounts - one for each Sense box/system - this in a PITA.
I am a fleet user, and the fleet dashboard gives limited data, to see more than what is shown below you can export a CSV file, but no other built-in graphs, or cool stuff like we see as end users and it is not real-time. I presume this is for the protection of users data to a certain extent (end user must agree to “share” data with the installer FYI). So this is not a work around for end user account/multiple units one account.
I have a second sense device sitting on the shelf in my office. have yet to install it in my shop where my solar panels are due to precisely this issue. My main concern is that having a second account, but only one logged in at a time won’t get me push notifications. Sad that it’s been three-plus years and they can’t implement even a simple account switch less lone adding a second sense to a single account. It could still easily run two separate databases based on the sense device’s separate IDs. I really don’t see how this is that hard. I’ve worked in software development and if the request is given to a developer, most of them are like Hell Yeah I can make that happen… I’m guessing that this hasn’t even been brought up past these postings as the average consumer seems to be left in the dirt as the big-name companies come looking for this tech, and leaves us with not only a smaller piece of the pie, but just the pie plate to lick the crumbs.
This has been an ongoing issue for years, other threads have comments about something coming soon as far back as 2017. That’s 5 years ago, are we ever going to see this feature? A few have mentioned the Honeywell app, it works great for my 4 different houses with a total of 11 thermostats.
@jott, I can only tell you this from my experience at several software companies. I have learned that one should never expect a feature to be implemented just because it has been requested by some users, even it’s been a long time.
I’ve been in the IT business myself since 1984, companies that listen to their clients succeed, those that don’t listen tend to fail. I believe this feature is in the top 3 in the feature request list and has been for many years.
I just took a look at the Wishlist by “Likes”. I think the question of “most requested” is a little trickier than it looks, because some of the Wishlist requests are generic and others stipulate specific use cases. For instance, the multiple monitor / single account paradigm has multiple use cases:
Combine 2 Senses on a single account to handle a single house with 400A - most popular request, but addressed by the 400A, multiple CT capability. I would argue that still doesn’t fully address the need for a variety of reasons, but I can understand why Sense took this approach, given the complexity of the multiple Senses, single home data management and configuration
Combine multiple Senses to enable use of more CTs within a single house - 400A (and above), plus solar plus DCM, plus generator, plus batteries, etc. Requires much more complex configuration capabilities and data management.
Enable me to see home and vacation home Senses from single account - That’s number 12 on the list, and still unimplemented.
Give me way to watch over a fleet of Senses that I installed and manage from a single account - Not on this list but implemented for Sense Pros.
I’m seeing 3-4 of the top user 10 as having been implemented, depending on whether we count the Home Assistant integration as a Home Automation integration.
ps: I’m interested in the second use case, but I’m not counting on that coming anytime soon. I’m currently using Home Assistant with 2 Sense monitors and the HA Sense Integration to get some of this functionality.
