Hi Ovo,
I wondered whether the API that powers your live and historical usage page in the account menu is something you could look into opening up a bit so we can freely access our raw data and also perhaps it may stimulate some interesting community projects?
Yes its c# in .net core 3. I spoke to my friend who said i can compile a linux version. So will try that soon too!
Sorry for another spamming comment but I’m keen to hear if others have checked out this work done by
No longer with Ovo, but as a sysadmin I wouldn't trust a compiled exe distributed via gdrive.
That in itself is very bad practice.
Source needs publishing through something like github, and you should host the exe under the releases section of some of that.
Without it, no one can trust the security of it, especially when you have to put account information in it.
Yes its c# in .net core 3. I spoke to my friend who said i can compile a linux version. So will try that soon too!
At work we write our code as .net core 3 assemblies, then run them with the command line
dotnet assembly.dll
As far as I know we use the same command line and the same assembly running on our windows Dev machine or in our Linux docker containers
/Mike
You'd be much better allowing users to pair their own CAD to the system so that they could use the local API off that, rather than it having a dependency on an internet connection (portal scraping etc).
If ovo are still fitting SMETS1 meters, something like the Hildebrand glow would work if it could be paired. https://shop.glowmarkt.com/products/glow-stick
Other providers such as octopus (who I moved to) allow this.
You'd be much better allowing users to pair their own CAD to the system so that they could use the local API off that, rather than it having a dependency on an internet connection (portal scraping etc).
If ovo are still fitting SMETS1 meters, something like the Hildebrand glow would work if it could be paired. https://shop.glowmarkt.com/products/glow-stick
Other providers such as octopus (who I moved to) allow this.
That's fine for the more technical users, who don't mind paying for extra gadgets.
However, I am sure that there are loads more who just want to use what they already have. I.e. web connection and either Excel or any other free spread sheet software from the likes of open office or libre office etc.
/Mike
That's fair, though I'd have thought that
"Download this exe, add credentials to config json, look at data in spreadsheet format"
Doesn't quite hit the "live usage API" goal of this topic, and would appear more complicated and daunting to a general user.
Being able to buy a third party device that just needs pairing with your account, and then browsing your usage from anywhere using the companion Bright app, while also providing a local API, would.
Unless Ovo change the devices they use in their installations that's the only solution I can think of that would hit the target of this topic.
1. Oops, you are 100% right that download exe etc does not fit with the post title. It's easy to loose sight of this after 8 pages of replies.
2. Yes there is a lot of faffing around to get at your data. Editing the JSON file to add your credentials does not work (yet??) so not worth doing. It is still considered less of a security risk by some.
I would have written this as an azure web app which could be called directly from the browser and generate a choice of xlsx or CSV file directly as a download. This would satisfy the non Windows users.
Here is it: The API exe I promised that takes all that HH data and nicely formats it into a consumable Sheet
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A7XRov0579O53T8OsIGe3wXCk09jul0F?usp=sharing
Download all the files, and read the Readme! (oh, and Enjoy) - now I can start work on ther TOU comparison tool!!
If anyone is willing to send me their export please do! - It will help me build the tooling.
John (at) QuinlanServices (dot) Com
Yes, you should be suspicious, at least when it’s published as Open Source it can be verified that it is not stealing your credentials whether intentionally or accidentally.
As a developer, I have access to tools which can make this as safe as possible before I try something out.
/Mike
Good evening ,
I know the thread is 3 years old. I’m looking for a way to integrate reading from OVO energy on my smart automation platform.
Please advise, I will be happy to test it.
regards
Hi
Here is it: The API exe I promised that takes all that HH data and nicely formats it into a consumable Sheet
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A7XRov0579O53T8OsIGe3wXCk09jul0F?usp=sharing
Download all the files, and read the Readme! (oh, and Enjoy) - now I can start work on ther TOU comparison tool!!
If anyone is willing to send me their export please do! - It will help me build the tooling.
John (at) QuinlanServices (dot) Com
can you help me understand if the links above allow users to access raw data as if from an API?
I can certainly give it a go.
Firstly, big thanks to Timmo and other contributors for developing the library. All thanks go to them and links to buy them a coffee for their effort can be found on PyPi or GitHub:
https://pypi.org/project/ovoenergy/
https://github.com/timmo001/ovoenergy
I assume the way the library was developed this was to reverse engineer the My OVO website. That is, browse the website as normal and and monitor the traffic to see what OVO URLs and APIs it uses. Assuming this is the case, one of these URLs (get account IDs) already seems to be different but the library is still working for the moment. The APIs being used are not officially supported outside of the website, so first, a warning that any changes to the My OVO website may break the library.
For anyone using Python, you should be able to include the ovoenergy library and look at https://github.com/timmo001/ovoenergy/blob/master/ovoenergy/cli.py for how to use it.
For replicating this in other languages, the process seems to be as follows:
{
"username": "...",
"password": "...",
"rememberMe": true
}From the response, save the cookies to use in all future requests.
You can also get monthly or half-hourly usage using the following URLs similar to step 3:
As mentioned above, if this is wanted for Home Assistant, the integration was added in version 0.114 (https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/ovo_energy/).
Unfortunately the data only goes up to the end of the previous day as OVO no longer provide real-time data:
Hi all,
Does this still work? By which I mean the API and associated URLs. I am looking into solar panels and would like to download my ½ hourly usage data without going to each day and copy and past e the table!!
TIA
waiwurrie
Bump
Great question,
As this was a bit of a member-generated workaround I wonder if the original architects of this method might be able to give an update,
I know we’ve got a couple of users here who have also made use of some third-party apps which might be able to help too - Isn’t that right,
Great question,
As this was a bit of a member-generated workaround I wonder if the original architects of this method might be able to give an update,
I know we’ve got a couple of users here who have also made use of some third-party apps which might be able to help too - Isn’t that right,
I can't comment on the ovo api as i have never used it.
There are third party providers where you can access 30 min data.
For example https://www.hildebrand.co.uk/ have a beta website where you can download a spreadsheet of timestamped 30min watt data.
https://smarttariffsmartcomparison.org/home
Ignore their test comparison data
Just has two columns, one the timestamp, the other the number of watt hours
You can convert the timestamp to a date-time with the appropriate formula as below. I have used the same formula in column c and d. Then just make sure the cell is formatted correctly in the spreadsheet to show the date or time.
You may find you need to download and register for their Bright app on your mobile phone first to get a login you can then use on their beta website if you haven't already done this.
The same company also have an API if you would rather use that than a spreadsheet
https://docs.glowmarkt.com/GlowmarktAPIDataRetrievalDocumentationIndividualUserForBright.pdf
Hi
Thanks for that I have registered and downloaded the spreadsheet which is what I want! Except it only runs from 29th March. I am guessing from the registration process that they are getting the ½ hourly data from the IHD/Smart Meter direct and it only stores a few days worth. What I am looking to get access is the data from last June/July up to now which Ovo clearly have stored somewhere because the website can display it. Is my guess correct? If so there is no point in me trying the API approach which does allow you to specify a data range.
Regards
Hi
Thanks for that I have registered and downloaded the spreadsheet which is what I want! Except it only runs from 29th March. I am guessing from the registration process that they are getting the ½ hourly data from the IHD/Smart Meter direct and it only stores a few days worth. What I am looking to get access is the data from last June/July up to now which Ovo clearly have stored somewhere because the website can display it. Is my guess correct? If so there is no point in me trying the API approach which does allow you to specify a data range.
Regards
You could see how far the data goes back in the Bright app itself. Also if you have only just registered you might find not all the historical data has yet to be transferred to the Bright app. I would check again in a couple of days. All my data from the day the smart meter was installed is in the Bright app and the spreadsheet (June).
Alternatively drop them an email support@glowmarkt.com in a few days
Great question,
As this was a bit of a member-generated workaround I wonder if the original architects of this method might be able to give an update,
I know we’ve got a couple of users here who have also made use of some third-party apps which might be able to help too - Isn’t that right,
I am a little sceptical of giving my detailed useage figures to a comparison web site (https://smarttariffsmartcomparison.org/home).
From the discussion and looking at their web site I can only assume that they call the OVO API to extract your data and store that into their database.
The other web site seems to be selling a ZigBee adapter or custom In House Display which you would have to purchase.
/Mike Williams
Great question,
As this was a bit of a member-generated workaround I wonder if the original architects of this method might be able to give an update,
I know we’ve got a couple of users here who have also made use of some third-party apps which might be able to help too - Isn’t that right,
I am a little sceptical of giving my detailed useage figures to a comparison web site (https://smarttariffsmartcomparison.org/home).
From the discussion and looking at their web site I can only assume that they call the OVO API to extract your data and store that into their database.
The other web site seems to be selling a ZigBee adapter or custom In House Display which you would have to purchase.
/Mike Williams
They are not part of ovo and don't use any of the ovo api or software or data.
They are a SECAS (Smart Energy Code Administrator) approved DCC Other User.
https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/your-security-and-privacy-obligations/
Only authorised organisations have been given secure access to the smart meter data. They are grabbing the same data as ovo.
They have their own secure database and are ISO 27001 Certified.
They also have their own IHD CAD. If you buy this you can get real time data (circa every 8 seconds) rather than 30mins. This is commonly used in energy automation, both domestic and businesses.
You don't have to purchase the IHD CAD if you only want 30 min data.
OVO and other suppliers are DCC Users
https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/becoming-a-dcc-user/
It’s probably also worth noting that the fact you can use the OVO API at all is really just a coincidence related to how OVO’s billing platform is designed, because the API isn’t actually intended for use by anyone other than OVO.
The primary function is to allow the front end web app and mobile apps to communicate with the back end billing platform. There is no official support for anything else to use the OVO API and OVO won’t be able to help you out with it. It’s possible that might happen eventually, but that’s some way off yet.
Intersting points to me (especially as a software developer)
They are not part of ovo
I never (intentionally) implied they were.
They are a SECAS (Smart Energy Code Administrator) approved DCC Other User.
https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/your-security-and-privacy-obligations/
Only authorised organisations have been given secure access to the smart meter data. They are grabbing the same data as ovo.
This implies that OVO do not store any data for my meter readings. If I were writing a billing system I would not want to rely on externally stored data.
They have their own secure database and are ISO 27001 Certified.
I would expect that part of the approval process for SECAS is that if you store data extracted it must be secured stored.
Actually, OVO is a DCC Supplier User, so doesn’t need DCC Other User. It’s everyone else who isn’t DCC, a Distribution Network or a Supplier who needs to apply for the Other User role.
OVO’s billing platform does also store all collected usage data, billing data and meter readings that are retrieved from smart meters. A backup copy is also kept on the meters themselves with enough capacity for at least 13 months worth of data in the event it needs to be re-downloaded. The new billing platform OVO now uses is also custom built in-house by their sister company Kaluza. The old legacy one is third-party, but will be terminated once the migration process for all OVO and Boost members is completed.
The rules are more or less the same regardless of user role and OVO has indeed got measures in place to secure the data. If you think you’ve found a security hole though, please check out https://www.ovoenergy.com/security as OVO will definitely want to know about it.
I think what we are seeing with things like the Bright app and associated IHD CAD and API are only going to dramatically increase over the next few years and become more user friendly and mainstream.
For example we also have Chameleon working with Samsung Smartthings and Uswitch and smart meter data
Loop working with solar installers and comparison tariff data and smart meter data
Ovo Kaluza and Octopus Kraken and similar technologies which which may evolve separately or we may end up with a single platform or at least standard.
The IoT and time of use tariffs will quickly expand to support demand management over the next few years, along with heat pumps, solar panels, batteries, EVs and better home installation and draft proofing.
Exciting times for many who can afford any upfront transition costs or get involved in pilots as early adopters. It may be a bumpy transition, but it is inevitable.
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