Account
Creation
Use a secure email address and a strong password. Both your email address and password can be changed at any time. If you lose access to your email address, you may lose access to your Powerlake account.
Security
Security settings are found under /dashboard/account, please take the time to review them and secure your account.
Two Factor Authentication
Two factor authentication is strongly recommended to keep your account secure and can be enabled at any time. Once enabled, we will send you a single use code during each login attempt. Do not enter the code if you do not recognise the login attempt. If you receive a login code without attempting to log in, your login details have been compromised and you should change your password immediately.
Update email address
You can update your email address at any time. Upon doing so you will be asked to enter your login credentials. Enter the confirmation code sent to the new email addresses to complete the update.
Update password
You should change your password if you suspect it to be compromised. The app will prompt you to confirm the new password and enter your existing password. You will then be logged out of all browsers/devices.
Logout
Make sure to log out when you’re finished using a shared device or browser.
Logout Everywhere
Log out everywhere logs you out of all browsers and devices. This is useful if you lose access to a device or if you can’t remember whether you logged out of a shared device/browser.
Account Deletion
Account deletion is permanent. Make sure this is the desired outcome before confirming. All of your subscriptions will be cancelled and all of your data may be deleted. We may retain some information to comply with Australian law as descibed in our privacy policy.
Device Settings
Devices created in the app use the lowest cost and/or the most renewable energy available while obeying the following rules.
See use cases and supported hardware to learn more about common types of devices and how we can control them for you.
Boost
Turns your device on for a set period. This is useful if your hot water ever becomes cold, your battery needs a top up, or your pool pump needs to run a little longer.
Boost Duration
The device will return to normal control after this period.
Ignore Max Price
Prevents a device from using expensive energy while boosted. We recommend keeping this setting disabled in most cases.
Cancel Boost
Returns the device to the normal control scheme described below.
Name
It’s yours, so give it a name!
Device Presets
You may select from a number of presets to get close to the right settings.
Make note of the help texts that appear next to each of the setting inputs. They are context sensitive and will help to guide you through the setup. The presets help text is particularly useful. Flip through the presets and see how the help text responds!
Control
Daily Run Time (DRT)
The device will aim to turn on for this amount of time each day. By default it will aim to use the cheapest energy available.
You don’t need to know about the remaining settings if you’re new or you want a simpler experience.
Horizon
The device will aim to achieve the Daily Run Time when averaged over this many days. This can allow the device to use more energy on cheaper days and less energy on more expensive days. Play with some numbers and remember the help text!
Renewable Bias
Sets the prioritisation of renewable energy over the lowest cost energy. Lower cost energy is often more renewable anyway, so it’s completely up to you.
Control (Advanced)
Advanced control settings allow you to get things working exactly how you like them and can enable more advanced behaviour.
Max Price
The device will only use energy when the price is below this number. It’s intended as a backstop to protect you from prices you’re unwilling to ever pay. This setting is powerful and will override most other settings. Use it wisely.
Response Time
The amount of time that the market has to be either favorable or unfavorable before a device will commit to turning on or off. This helps to prevent devices from turning on and off too frequently when the market is borderline favorable.
Turning devices on and off too frequently can cause excess physical wear, so don’t set this too low unless you know what you’re doing. We won’t be held liable for any damage caused by turning things on and off too much.
Spike Threshold
The jump in price required for a device to ignore the response time. This setting helps you to avoid paying for sudden high prices and to capture sudden low prices. It can also cause a device to turn on and off frequently when set too low or if the market is extremely volatile. Pick a number that you consider to be a material change in price.
Interrupt Usage (Requires Energy Monitoring)
If this setting is disabled, the device will stay on until it stops using energy, even if the price goes up. It will still turn off if the price goes higher than the Max Price.
Adaptive DRT (Requires Energy Monitoring)
This feature adjusts the Daily Run Time based on your energy usage patterns so that energy is more likely to be used during periods of lowest cost. It should only be used for energy storage systems such as hot water systems and batteries which take variable amounts of time to “top up” each day. It can’t be used on devices that always use energy when they’re on, such as pool pumps.
Minimum DRT
The minimum DRT set when no energy usage has been measured within the detection range. Two hours provides a good balance between the responsiveness to increased usage and low price capitalisation.
Idle Power
A device is considered to be idle (not using energy) when it uses less than the idle power.