Sense issue estimates to help you understand what’s using energy and how much it’s costing. This process begins automatically as soon as your system is fully set up, though it does take some time for Sense to understand the patterns of your devices and present them in reports throughout the app. Sense needs to “see” a device run a number of times before it can recognize, verify, and ultimately label a device's electrical signature. Device detection is ongoing, so while some devices may be found within a few days or weeks, others may take longer to be detected.
Throughout the day, Sense analyzes changes in electrical magnitude, phase, and frequency. We then apply our algorithms to this data. Not surprisingly, the first devices Sense identifies are likely to be common devices that cycle frequently and consume large amounts of power, such as a refrigerator or clothes dryer or water heater. Lower usage or smaller load devices like game consoles and televisions tend to take longer for Sense to find. And Sense may find components within a complex appliances separately, so you'll want to manage this detailed detection.
Frequently asked questions
Following is a simple overview of some frequently asked questions. We've included links that allow you to dig more deeply into some topics.
Can I do anything to speed up detection?
If you haven’t already, be sure to answer the questions about your home and major appliances - you can access them from the Dashboard or Devices tabs. In many homes, Sense is able to use this information to help inform historical estimates of some appliances before real time details are available. And soon, you'll be able to add new devices from the link at the bottom of the Devices tab as things in your home change.
As devices appear in your app, be sure to manage your device list. Information provided by users is a critical path to improving device detection over time.
Why hasn’t Sense detected everything?
Due to variances across homes in terms of power quality and devices present, as well as frequency of use, 100% detection is unlikely. However, Sense is always learning. Our detection algorithms will continue to improve as more homes work with Sense and more users do things like turning on networked device detection (article here) and renaming your detected mystery devices.
Once you have created your account with Sense and your setup details are complete, Sense begins to collect data and run its device detection algorithms. These algorithms rely on machine learning, which is a state-of-the-art technology that continues to improve as more data is collected. But it will take some time for the algorithms to identify many appliance "signatures" in the larger flow of electrical activity throughout your home.
In the early stages, you will be asked to answer a few questions about some major appliances in your home. Your answers to these questions will help Sense provide early estimates for some devices and to add better details over time. As device detection continues, the system will suggest appliance identifications and ask you to help it name and track devices that are uniquely combined in your home. Read Sense found a new device today for more insight into naming.
For more information on our state-of-the-art device detection systems, take a look at How does Sense detect my devices? A Sense user has offers more help in What to expect when you're expecting detections.