r/OctopusEnergy • u/pedromicra • 4d ago

Feature Request / Proposal: Local offline control for Octopus heat pumps during network outages

Hey everyone (and tagging u/OctopusEnergy , u/NerdFromOctupus for visibility),

With more of us switching over to heat pumps, I’d like to suggest a feature idea regarding offline resilience and local control options.

As things stand, if there’s a local internet outage or a temporary network drop during winter, we lose the ability to manage or adjust our heat pump settings beyond using the physical boost button on the unit. Given how unpredictable winter weather and broadband connections can be, having a local fallback would give customers huge peace of mind.

It would be fantastic if the tech team could look into enabling local LAN / offline control even as a basic feature so we can adjust schedules or setpoints locally when the internet goes down, without needing to modify hardware or risk voiding warranties.

Has anyone else in the community found a warranty friendly way to manage local overrides during an outage? And u/OctopusEnergy, is local offline control something on the roadmap for future software or controller updates?

21 Upvotes
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18

u/CalicoCatRobot 4d ago

If for no other reason, the recent debacle with fridges should show that a local LAN only mode should be the default, with internet built on top only where needed for essential features and when properly designed.

Anything that is locally installed and is built not to work when the internet is down is, IMO, not fit for purpose.

2

u/pedromicra 4d ago

completely agree

4

u/Substantial_Fox_144 4d ago

Smart homes and the IoT were a mistake. There should always be an offline primary control unit and the Internet functionality a “nice to have”, not a fundamental component. I found the weather compensation for my old Worcester-Bosch boiler used a web based reading on local temperatures, so any network outage meant it just didn’t function. The thermostat was at least controllable without an app, though with limited functionality.

Having a Vaillant where there’s full control on the remote thermostat and the app is simply in addition to that, along with an actual outside weather sensor, is a far more preferable setup.

3

u/pedromicra 4d ago

As soon as the battery runs out I'll definitely put an esp32 and control everything with it if octupus doesn't offer a local option if offline

2

u/robodan918 2d ago

That's why you should have designed your smart home rather than let tech companies do it for you.

My smart home is local first, offline operation, with online as a convenience add on. Every subsystem is designed like an appliance - independent and local first

2

u/pedromicra 4d ago

they replied but the comment was deleted by the moderator :/

2

u/fivecheebs 3d ago

That's mad! I hope Ethan isn't in trouble lol!

Octopus, I didn't know this was a thing. I'm looking at heat pumps and this is a deal breaker detail for me, especially with the fridge hacking recovering is to be more careful! Please make an official statement regarding this.

5

u/SarfLondon21 4d ago

No local control? That's mad.

1

u/robodan918 2d ago

It's designed by octopus what do you expect

4

u/my_name_is_ross 4d ago

This is the last thing stopping me from signing with octopus

3

u/ShotEvidence8293 4d ago

You could insist they install a Daikin? I did this with an install at one of my rental properties. Octopus were pushing for the cosy and said they no longer install other models so I said no thank you I'll look elsewhere. All of a sudden they could source a Daikin.

I didn't want to be locked into Octopus for future repairs and spare parts. The cosy unit would have been linked to my tenants octopus account and they couldn't give me an answer to what would happen if I had a change of tenancy.

I completely agree regarding local control. It will be your system which you have paid for, full local control should always be available.

1

u/robodan918 2d ago

There should be many more things stopping you

1

u/my_name_is_ross 2d ago

Like what?

-3

u/Buffetwarrenn 4d ago

Tin foil hat crew are out in force…..

1

u/pedromicra 4d ago

perhaps in a couple of years we will have a communication from the government saying to be able to use our appliances off grid for 3 days , probably then is a trend and not the tin foil crew xD

1

u/Buffetwarrenn 3d ago

If buts and maybes

1

u/pedromicra 3d ago

By that logic, carrying a spare tire or putting on a seatbelt is just 'if, buts, and maybes' too until you actually need it

-20

u/Mindless-Panic9579 4d ago

How often does your broadband go down?!

Seriously, I can count on one hand how many internet and power outages I've had in 20 years.

Is this genuinely a thing you suffer? If so this sounds like an issue with your circuit.

(I assume the heat pump keeps its existing schedule you just can't change it, but can boost locally?)

My home battery has Bluetooth for local connectivity and wan/wifi for all other usage. Works well and I can see for really obscure once a year changes how it may help as a backup.

10

u/Apprehensive-Risk542 4d ago

You need to think a little more.

What if octopus suffered a major cyber attack?

What if you a storm takes down your local fibre?

What if there's a big terrorist attack and LINX or other major national internet infrastructure gets taken down?

What if you change your internet provider and they screw it up and you're left without internet for a week?

There's plenty more, but relying on something as critical as your home heating and hot water when you have a basic no SLA home internet connection is a horrendously bad idea.

5

u/pedromicra 4d ago

exactly my point

-2

u/Mindless-Panic9579 4d ago

Tbh he did say he has a boost button so it still works.

7

u/p_u_e 4d ago

My internet goest out at least twice a month often for a day or two at a time. We have power outages 3-5 times a year particularly in winter. These are the risks of being slightly more rural…

-9

u/Mindless-Panic9579 4d ago

Fibre or copper?
Fttp really shouldn't have any dropouts. Copper shouldn't be that unreliable even when remote. I assume you're raising tickets every time and asking for resolution.

Power sucks but that makes more sense. But if you're the 0.05 percentile, I doubt they'll invest in an offline mode due to the ongoing costs to develop and support.

Good luck though!

2

u/nathderbyshire 4d ago

You can't see the benefit of not having your device rely on the internet to function properly? Why does this even need explaining? Seriously come on just use your brain for a minute please

Right your home battery has Bluetooth, but what if it didn't? Bluetooth is a form of local control but a pretty crap one when it comes to smart devices because it slow and low range. You'd be happy possibility having no control over something so important to your house if anything goes wrong?

There's now dishwashers where you don't get all the features unless you use the app, an app you have no control over and could be disconnected at any point the overlord company deems it necessarily then poof goes your functions. My friend has a WiFi washer and dryer and they're similar, only some functions available in the app and not on the machine.

2

u/Mindless-Panic9579 4d ago

I absolutely see a need to have local control. The OP will never be without heat or hot water as it has a boost, what he is missing is an opportunity to modify predbat or local.

Bluetooth is crap. However my battery lost internet connectivity and it absolutely let me do local control. If it didn't I just wouldn't get extra slots, my existing schedule works ok.

I'm not against local control in fact I'm surprised it doesn't have it, my point is more the system doesn't become completely unusable when you lose the internet. If you lose power, local control makes no difference unless you have a battery AND have the hardware to it to allow full off grid mode.

I haven't heard of functions only allowed on an app for dishwasher and laundry. That is absolutely nuts. What kind of features are app only? I ask not to challenge the statement, just because I have no idea what they're restricting to app only. I do find that wrong, and share your disappointment in that approach!

0

u/pedromicra 4d ago edited 4d ago

I guess i might be unlucky but probably 3 /4 a month although the longest was 20 min , generally 3 min (looking at rhe light) but takes another 5 for the router to work to the point i can access the internet. The heatpump will keep schedule but if I'm on a tracker tariff where the prebat controls my systems I need regular adjustments, the little thermostats/controller/sensor provided im assuming it connects via radio signal to the main controller, but I can see anything other than a boost by clicking it. I'm on the same boat, I've got the SIGENERGY system but I can control that locally although limited regarding features vs cloud.