Hello! We installed sense flex ~1.5 months ago and I figure it is time to start decipering devices and energy usage. We have a large home, fairly new to us (1.5 years), and the previous owners didn’t give a hoot about energy usage. We are looking to reduce usage and get solar in the next 1-5 years. It looks like Sense needs a lot of help figuring out devices, which is fine. We are tech people and we weren’t expecting “magic”. The “AC” (in Dec?) is probably our main (propane) furnace, lol. Except we have 2 systems (where’s the other?). Hasn’t recognized the fridge, except when we turned a 2nd one on for 2 weeks over the holidays. We have 3 pumps - 1 is likely the well pump, another might be part of the dishwasher (which is a separate device as well) and the 3rd might be the washing machine. “Heat 1” has neglible usage. It does recognize the microwave and water heater. Hasn’t figured out either of our 2 ovens though. I’m happy to use smart plugs and circuit breakers (and excel) to try and figure it all out. I’m hoping there are similar technical/community experiences here.
Welcome @drtfrazier !
As a techie, I think you’ll have some fun from what you see from Sense, plus learn much more about your usage. Three things I would suggest for folks who want to get the most out of their Sense
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Patience and a bit of sleuthing - both of those should help you to identify and detect most of the big ticket items in your house. But every houses’ detection “mileage” varies - native detection (including EV detection) finds 8 of the biggest 9 users in my house with the other one coming from a smart plug (actually switch). What’s detected is a function of the types of devices in your house and how well they fit the Sense native detection models, how noisy (or not) your house is and whether you can take advantage of other forms of detection (smart plugs, Hue integration, and Ecobee integration).
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Use the “Sense New User Resources and Guides” to familiarize yourself with all the aspects of Sense.
Sense New User Resources & Guides - #4 -
Read my thoughts on how Sense “native detection” works - It will give you a better idea of what devices Sense will find, and why.
How Sense does “Native Detection” Work ? - User Perspective
Enjoy !
Hmm. I’ve posted before, but now I don’t seem to be able to create a new post in any category. I’m Rick, and I live in Burbank. I’m an electrical engineer and professional iOS developer. I have a bespoke home automation system using a number of different technologies and platforms, as well as DIY solar (and ESS coming soon).
Hi, Dan here, from MN. Just getting up and running with a Sense Flex and smart plugs.
I am a newish member, looking to post to gain some insight into my Sense unit
Have had Sense installed since Dec 2022.
Just moved into a 20yr old much larger house than our previous one. Got our first $600 energy bill and immediately bought sense to see what was going on.
Results have been mixed. Currently trying to diagnose why sense never matches my Cleco Smart meter wattage.
Belated Welcome @bayoueagledrvr ,
Some techniques for doing apples-to-apples correlation between Sense and your Cleco smart meter.
Plus some of thee reasons that Sense doesn’t initially match up - look for the comparisons with “after” in the first columns. Those were all cases where the numbers initially didn’t match up.
It will take some time to ‘learn’ and i helped that by putitng in some TP-Link smart plugs on things that i wanted to know the usage and wanted to make sure were always on, like all by fridges and freezers…i also did the water heater and some network gear…Dehumidifiers i did as well so i could schedule when they run…
Hope you find some answers and save some coins…
Hey there new here. Have had sense about a year and live in Indian Land SC
Hello, i’m new here but i’ve had my Sense for a while and I love it. I came on to this discussion board to see if anyone has had a Sense monitoring a mini-split heat pump and if so how many kWh is it using typically? I need this info because i’m a solar energy system designer. thanks
Hi everyone. Nice to meet all of you. I have a sense solar monitor and solar panels. It’s been great.
What brought me here?
Questions on my Sense device accuracy, insight and common experiences incase anyone has expertise to offer related to my questions.
How long have I been using Sense?
I don’t remember exactly, but defintely a few years. I recently moved into my first house, and have three months of data since my move.
Work?
Currently in school for HVAC certification in Massachusetts.
Other smart home tech?
Google Home, Google Chromecast, Samsung Smartthings, Philips Hue, LG Smart TVs, Yamaha network receiver, multiple Bang and Olefson BT speakers, smart ACs, MyQ garage door, Harmony remote, Smartthings motion sensors, Smartthings washer/dryer, August doorlock and doorbell cam, tons of smart lights from various companies, wifi connected Litter Robots, smart security cameras, Tile trackers, BT glucose meter for my diabetic cat… I could go on all day.
Favorite type of barbeque?
Good ole fashioned Weber grill on the patio in my backyard.
Post of Reddit or Twitter?
Nope, I have zero social media accounts, it’s toxic and I refuse to partake.
Introduce myself?
Okay. I live in Mass, first time homeowner, in my mid 30s, live with my GF of 5 years. We have kids, but only the furry kind, cats, and I love them more then anything in the world, including my GF, and she’s cool with that. I love my MK6 GTI, love having my own garage to work on it, and would spend all day in there if I could get away with it, which I can’t.
New user having trouble posting new topic?
Yup.
What brought you here?
Issues. Of course, issues using Sense.
How long have you been using Sense?
Since Oct 2022, 8 months now.
What do you do for work?
Retired from 1st software dev then management consulting then teaching.
What other smart home tech do you have?
SmartThings
What’s your favorite type of barbecue?
Haven’t had BBQ I have not liked. Some more than others, but which depends on the day.
Do you post on Reddit? Have a Twitter handle?
I use Reddit regularly. I have a twitter handle, but do not like or use it.
Introduce yourself!
Old guy and wifey living in an electric powered garden style condo / apartment.
Elec is our only energy source.
We use a Wiser Sense Monitor. Wiser because it was reasonably priced on eBay, and as far as I know functionally the same as all others. It came with solar bit that I did not use, until a few days ago when I wanted to learn more about my 3-zone ductless mini-split.
We use the mini-split as our primary heat and only AC source - which after being on for continuously for seven months is still undetected by Sense. I only use it about seven months a year.
Secondary heat source is active resistive electric.
Tank hot water.
Yes. A few days ago I put it on the mini split circuit, but the three heads are off right now, I don’t need heat or AC. Since doing so, I have learned the system’s phantom load is 38W.
All was good until, as the app requested, I changed the standby threshold to 39W. Once I did that the bubble for that dedicated circuit stopped being presented, but the wattage is not being accounted for in any bubble, so the sum of the bubbles is about 20W lower than the current wattage for everything. I don’t know why, but am hoping it corrects in a day or few.
Ideas?
You might consider that 38W as “phantom load”, but in Sense parlance, it is really an Always On load. When you set the Standby to 39W, that means you won’t see dynamic/bubble usage unless the mini-split uses more than the baseline Always On, used to power the controller and thermostats. And that 38W is part of your Always On bubble.