Home charger installed today

[Simondi]

I've had a Rolec charger installed today by a Scottish company called Jorro.

Have to say it all went well and I'm fair impressed. All I need now is a Smart meter. I'm still trying to get to grips with the App but it all seems straight forward

 

[Simondi]

Video now uploaded to YouTube and link added

 

[Chrispydoc]

Do you have solar panels? as well? If so i'd hold off with the smart meter.

 

[greentangerine]

Do you have solar panels? as well? If so i'd hold off with the smart meter.

Why?

The days of smart meters counting export as consumption are long gone and you aren't forced to give up deemed export/move to metered export.

Having a smart meter gives access to tariffs such as Octopus Go and that's a no-brainer IMHO if you have a 7kW home charger.

My wife's Zoe has done over 4000 miles since she got it in mid-October and add in the 500 miles or so my MG5 has done results in a bill so far of just £72 for our charging costs!

 

[RossN]

Why?

The days of smart meters counting export as consumption are long gone and you aren't forced to give up deemed export/move to metered export.

Having a smart meter gives access to tariffs such as Octopus Go and that's a no-brainer IMHO if you have a 7kW home charger.

My wife's Zoe has done over 4000 miles since she got it in mid-October and add in the 500 miles or so my MG5 has done results in a bill so far of just £72 for our charging costs!

Are you 100% sure about this. I have solar panels, got a Zappi fitted and was considering moving from Scottish Power to Octopus but worried that I would lose my FIT payments if they fitted a smart meter.

 

[greentangerine]

Are you 100% sure about this. I have solar panels, got a Zappi fitted and was considering moving from Scottish Power to Octopus but worried that I would lose my FIT payments if they fitted a smart meter.

You won't.

Apart from the fact that your FiT contract isn't/won't be with Octopus and therefore whoever pays you the FiT won't know, there's nothing they can do to force you to do give up deemed export.

 

[RossN]

Oh well...my contract ends in the end of April so prob changing then

 

[Chrispydoc]

If you do have Solar panels.........You need to look at all the implications...in detail before you change anything......IMO. Don't rely on some inexperienced call handler!...Check and double check.

 

[SimonomiS]

Has anyone had a site visit from their FIT provider whilst having CT clamps fitted as part of an excess solar divert system? I know the meter readings are 1. Only every 2 years and 2. Not happening currently as a result of Covid but is it something that the FIT provider would be looking for? Our panels are 8 years old and we get a deemed 50% export tariff whether we actually export any power or not. If I changed to a smart meter tariff I wouldn't be changing my FIT provider anyway!

 

[greentangerine]

Has anyone had a site visit from their FIT provider whilst having CT clamps fitted as part of an excess solar divert system? I know the meter readings are 1. Only every 2 years and 2. Not happening currently as a result of Covid but is it something that the FIT provider would be looking for? Our panels are 8 years old and we get a deemed 50% export tariff whether we actually export any power or not. If I changed to a smart meter tariff I wouldn't be changing my FIT provider anyway!

I had a guy around from EON last week to read the generation meter so it is happening.

They don't care how much you actually export; I've had solar diversion for almost as many years as my PV system, a battery storage system for over two years and now a BEV car and charger capable of diverting any excess to that too. Basically if I'm exporting then I'm looking at ways to stop that! And by doing that, you aren't doing anything illegal.

The only thing you can't do is change the size of the array or type of panels. If your inverter breaks (and it likely will - mine did) then you can also replace that with anything you like without notifying them - the only catch is if you have an array > 3.6kWp and are restricted by your DNO to that limit - in which case you need to ensure you are staying below that.

If your generation meter breaks (and they can do), then the FiT provider just normally needs the old meter reading (if you can provide it), the new meter serial # and new / starting reading.

 

[SimonomiS]

I had a guy around from EON last week to read the generation meter so it is happening.

They don't care how much you actually export; I've had solar diversion for almost as many years as my PV system, a battery storage system for over two years and now a BEV car and charger capable of diverting any excess to that too. Basically if I'm exporting then I'm looking at ways to stop that! And by doing that, you aren't doing anything illegal.

The only thing you can't do is change the size of the array or type of panels. If your inverter breaks (and it likely will - mine did) then you can also replace that with anything you like without notifying them - the only catch is if you have an array > 3.6kWp and are restricted by your DNO to that limit - in which case you need to ensure you are staying below that.

If your generation meter breaks (and they can do), then the FiT provider just normally needs the old meter reading (if you can provide it), the new meter serial # and new / starting reading.

Very useful, thanks. Our last FIT meter read was cancelled from being in person to me taking a photo of the meter (with serial # visible) and emailing it to them. Our array is 4kW but no DNO restriction. My challenge is to get CT connectivity from the meters to the charging point which is about 40m away in a garage with plenty of walls in the way. I know the Zappi would struggle with 25m+ so ideally need WiFi connectivity instead.

 

[Simondi]

Do you have solar panels? as well? If so i'd hold off with the smart meter.

No solar panels. I live on the Costa del Clyde, we don't see the sun lol