Introduction to Planet Devices
Planet Devices make kit that connects to almost any heat pump to give engineers remote monitoring and control.
The kit is wired to the heat pump controller and communicates via modbus. Install an app, link in to the house’s wifi network, some lights on the box flash in reassuring colours, and hey presto, a live feed fires back to Planet Devices HQ!
They’re young, smart, passionate and driven by their mission. We immediately saw the potential of what they’re creating and so were keen to get involved and are trialling their kit at a local heat pump installation - I’ll post about that shortly.
By way of an introduction here’s a few things I’d wondered about, so asked George Reburn, Director of Planet Devices:
When did Planet Devices start?
Technically the company was founded back in 2020. We had great plans for sustainable smart plugs, but we were busy with other projects and mothballed it. We revived the company in May 2023, and have been working on it full time since the summer.
What gave you the initial idea?
I was sat in a freezing cold warehouse with Graham Hendra, eating a Tesco meal deal, drinking questionable coffee. We were trying to get a Samsung HTQ to spill it’s secret Modbus registers. A few days later, I realised there was, and still is, a heavy focus on saving the consumer money, but what about the person that installs the damn thing?! No one seemed to be supporting installers with manufacturer agnostic data, and surely the installation is paramount? I presented the idea to the team and we didn’t look back!
(nice to hear you drink questionable coffee in great company!)
How did you all meet?
We all work for an IoT company Fingoti, also owned by us. Alex and I met at university back in 2010. Liam and Alex worked in IT support together, and James is relatively new to our close knit team (just over 1 year), however it feels like we’ve known him for years. We make up the dream team, Alex and Liam are both full stack developers, with Alex’s focus being the back-end infrastructure, and Liam working hard on the front-end UI/UX. James is our information developer, and provides the crucial link between the sustainable energy equipment and the Planet Devices cloud, and lastly I am responsible for the hardware, electronics and firmware.
What would you like Planet Devices to achieve this year?
We are focusing heavily on a foundation of trust in sustainable energy by pushing hard on the importance of evidential data. Incredibly, the MCS mafia are refusing to entertain us, despite being the UKs largest installation facilitator! We’re about to launch the Planet Device Home edition but we are on track to provide the Planet Device Pro this year; a solution that enables whole home energy management, including heat, solar, EV, batteries and turbines. Watch this space!
(we sure will!)
Do you have a message for heat pump installers?
Installers should think of Planet Devices as an invaluable tool that enables them to accelerate their businesses, support their customers, and leverage new ways to serve the market. We provide an affordable and scalable solution for installers to boast highly refined installs, compared to their competitors. Installers can reduce their cost-of-sale tenfold, supporting their pitches with real-time data, giving potential punters that peace of mind. Monitor, control, schedule, analyse and optimise your installs, all from the office.
Do you have a message for homeowners using heat pumps?
There is a ton of misinformation out there, alongside a plethora of cowboy installers, abusing the BUS grant. You’ll benefit from choosing an installer that has your best interests at heart, one that is confident enough to share their results with you and one that’ll support you long term. If your installer has the ability to remotely optimise your energy usage on a daily basis, you can enjoy a hands off approach, whilst saving money. Faults and breakdowns can be prevented without you even knowing about it and replacement parts can be ordered before an engineer is deployed to your property.
"Base your decision to install a sustainable energy solution on data science, not opinion and news articles."
If you’re in the Firepower network and interested in using Planet Devices just get in touch and we can get you set up. If you’re not part of the network yet then consider joining in