CAIBI suggestion · Lighting

A lamp that shows when electricity is cheap

Change a lamp's colour with your current electricity price or household demand, so heavy appliances can wait for a cheaper period.

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A source to explore and a proposed direction to develop. This is not a full build assessment.

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Change a lamp's colour with your current electricity price or household demand, so heavy appliances can wait for a cheaper period.

CAIBI’s proposed addition: Pair the optical meter reader with a tariff price feed where your supplier publishes one, such as Octopus Energy's API for its time-of-use tariffs, then map price bands to colours.

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Existing project

CAIBI suggestion developed from a source-reviewed catalogue project on 24 Sep 2026; untested

See the original source for its photos and demonstrations. We have not copied imagery without confirmed reuse rights. A source prototype is not a photo of this proposed CAIBI build.

DATA ROUTES

Online services this idea would use

All data sources →

Used for	Service	Status	Access
Tariff pricesUsed by default	Octopus Energy API No key for Octopus tariff prices; other suppliers need their own route.	Official API	No key for tariff prices

Alternatives the code does not use

NESO Carbon Intensity API: Great Britain carbon intensity is a supplier-independent signal for the same lamp.

CAIBI suggestion; routes checked 24 Sep 2026. Service terms change; check the provider before relying on one.

Prompts to move it forward

Copy a prompt into your AI tool with the source material and your actual parts. Work through one small step at a time and check the output before using it. Choose an AI tool or practise the skills first.

Check the source before buying

Review the source material I supply for A lamp that shows when electricity is cheap. Make a table of what is provided, missing, contradictory or dependent on a paid service. Identify exact hardware revisions, firmware files, library versions, CAD files and licences. Separate creator claims from your proposed additions. Do not fill gaps with guessed specifications. Finish with one small test that can resolve the biggest uncertainty before I buy parts.

Sources:
github.com: https://github.com/klaasnicolaas/home-assistant-glow
Octopus Energy API: https://developer.octopus.energy/rest/guides/endpoints

Plan the next step

I want to develop this idea: A lamp that shows when electricity is cheap. Intended outcome: Change a lamp's colour with your current electricity price or household demand, so heavy appliances can wait for a cheaper period. The source is https://github.com/klaasnicolaas/home-assistant-glow. CAIBI suggests: Pair the optical meter reader with a tariff price feed where your supplier publishes one, such as Octopus Energy's API for its time-of-use tariffs, then map price bands to colours. First inspect the source I supply. Separate what it already does from proposed additions. Ask for my actual board, parts, skill level and missing files. Produce a small staged plan with one bench test per stage. Do not invent pin assignments, dimensions or completed test results.

Sources:
github.com: https://github.com/klaasnicolaas/home-assistant-glow
Octopus Energy API: https://developer.octopus.energy/rest/guides/endpoints

Design a measured enclosure

Help me design a practical enclosure for A lamp that shows when electricity is cheap. First ask for measured component dimensions, mounting holes, connectors, cable clearance, ventilation and operating conditions. Suggest a printable or off-the-shelf approach. Begin with a fit-test piece before a complete case. Label assumptions and do not invent an enclosure rating.

Sources:
github.com: https://github.com/klaasnicolaas/home-assistant-glow
Octopus Energy API: https://developer.octopus.energy/rest/guides/endpoints

Check and document the result

Create a test log for A lamp that shows when electricity is cheap. Intended outcome: Change a lamp's colour with your current electricity price or household demand, so heavy appliances can wait for a cheaper period. Separate expected behaviour from observed results. Include power restart, disconnected inputs, communication failure and the actual physical use. Ask me to provide results, firmware versions, changes, photos and unresolved problems. Never mark a test passed without my evidence.

Sources:
github.com: https://github.com/klaasnicolaas/home-assistant-glow
Octopus Energy API: https://developer.octopus.energy/rest/guides/endpoints

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