Is Octopus Go worth it?

[Lovemyev]

Quite right. Ours said 100A but the fuse inside was 60 A which the DNO upgraded.

When MANWEB first connected the supply to the houses on our estate back in 1982 they decided to install all properties with 60 Amp protection fuse's.
Earlier this year, when I asked the DNO to upgrade my protection fuse, they first offered an upgrade from the current 60 Amp to 80 Amp and explained this was a 5 minute job, as the 60 Amp fuse and the 80 Amp fuses are physical the same size and uses the same service head.
Simple switch - one out, one in !.
However, if I wanted a full upgrade to a 100 Amp fuse, then the whole service head would require replacement, because a 100 Amp fuse is physically larger in size and will not fit into a 60 - 80 Amp service head.
What I find hard to understand is this.
The main cut fuse should only be touched by the DNO and therefore it is their soul responsibility.
So, why would a main cut fuse have a 100Amp rating on the case and then a 60 amp protection fuse installed inside and then sealed with a lead safety tag ???.
Surely they SHOULD re-identify the cartridge holder with the correct fuse ratting for safety reasons alone.

 

[Lovemyev]

I would say that 3.5kW is a little high for an immersion element as they can be on a fused spur. You need to check if it has a modern thermal cut out. I had to swap out my thermostat.

Most popular ratting for a emersion heater in the U.K. is 3 Kw's.

 

[Alb]

So, why would a main cut fuse have a 100Amp rating on the case and then a 60 amp protection fuse installed inside and then sealed with a lead safety tag ???.
Surely they SHOULD re-identify the cartridge holder with the correct fuse ratting for safety reasons alone.

This is no different to the "13A" plugs in your house.
It's called a 13A plug but it can accommodate multiple fuse ratings up to and including 13A without any external indication of what is actually fitted.
It's just cost effective to do it that way.

 

[Jomarkh]

Sometimes they do put a sticker on the fuse carrier with the correct internal fuse size.

 

[Lovemyev]

This is no different to the "13A" plugs in your house.
It's called a 13A plug but it can accommodate multiple fuse ratings up to and including 13A without any external indication of what is actually fitted.
It's just cost effective to do it that way.

I agree, but the contact surfaces that retain the fuse in a standard three pin plug should be rated to carry 13 Amps, but we know that 10 Amps continuous demand ( in the case of a Granny charger ) it is pushing it, and therefore excess heat can be a result.
Interchanging a 13 Amp rated fuse for a 5 Amp fuse posses no issues, because it is well below the carrying capacity of the fuse retaining pins etc.
In the case of a 100 Amp rated fuse head, the termination blocks and hardware etc are much larger in size as the 60 Amp service head.
This is expected, if was intended to carry close to 100 Amp load.
If is WAS possible to install a 100 Amp fuse into a 60 Amp ratted service head, then the weak spot here, is the hard ware inside the size head.
I can could understand a 60 Amp fuse in a compatible 100 Amp carrier ( if at all possible - but I don't think there is ).
But a 100 Amp fuse in a standard 60 Amp service head - NO !.

 

[Kithmo]

I've just moved from BGas at 28p/kWh (price capped variable) to a new EDF "EV go June 2024 fixed" tariff which is 29p/kWh daytime and 5p/kWh night, midnight to 7am.
A couple of nights ago I put 43kWh into SWMBO's MG5 overnight for £2.15, which would have cost me £12.04 previously.
Even without the 5p overnight rate, 29p/kWh is still a good rate to fix at for two years avoiding the huge price cap increase later this year, so it's a win win situation for me.
The £150 get out fees apply to this tariff but on the website it says I can switch to another EDF tariff without incurring these.

 

[johnnyc]

I've just moved from BGas at 28p/kWh (price capped variable) to a new EDF "EV go June 2024 fixed" tariff which is 29p/kWh daytime and 5p/kWh night, midnight to 7am.
A couple of nights ago I put 43kWh into SWMBO's MG5 overnight for £2.15, which would have cost me £12.04 previously.
Even without the 5p overnight rate, 29p/kWh is still a good rate to fix at for two years avoiding the huge price cap increase later this year, so it's a win win situation for me.
The £150 get out fees apply to this tariff but on the website it says I can switch to another EDF tariff without incurring these.

Yup! Time of use tariffs are fantastic! Well done for beating the cap! I’ve been banging on about this for months lol! So apologies if people are getting weary of it! The earlier fixes (April, May, June) are looking to safe substantial amounts (or rather, not spend substantial amounts). There are still savings to be had now though! octopus still taking on, and whilst edf have pulled theirs for new customers, they are still available for existing customers I believe - although the day rates are ALOT higher at roughly 60p/unit

 

[Scorpion]

Hi all,

I started mentioning this on another thread which is now closed, but I was hoping those in the know would be able to help?

I'm trying to understand if it really is worth changing to Octopus Go from my existing tariff...

Currently with Eon on the following rate (now that my fixed rate has just ended):
View attachment 7996

Octopus rate would be:
View attachment 7998

I'm thinking the overnight rate would be great @ 13p cheaper. So say usable battery capacity of 60kwh on the LR...A full charge would be something like £4.50 on the OG tariff and £12.30 on eon (saving £7.80 per charge).

I will probably only charge about 3.5 times a month (all shared out at the cheaper rate) so an overall saving of £27.30 per month by moving to OG.

My question is with the day rate being 15p more expensive per kWh, would I just use up my savings with being charged more in the day?

I know it's all dependent on how much I use in the day, but I think I use about 400 kWh per month. Am I therefore right in thinking that my daytime use of 400kwh per month would therefore be about £60 pm more expensive so would actually be £32.70 more expensive for me to move to Octopus.

Sorry, quite detailed, but hoping someone could check my logic here...

Your quoted EON rates are out of date, what is the current price with EON for electricity and if it's not a fixed rate tariff it will probably rocket up in October

 

[Susanna]

@Shanecb

Can you move any of your daytime electricity use to the cheap night rate by using timers on washing machines/dishwashers etc? I have done that to save money.

 

[N2STY]

At this rate I am thinking of getting a mini nuclear reactor for the garden

I may have a few kws left over

 

[peterseddon]

@Lovemyev

No home energy meter unfortunately, as the smart meter was installed by Eon and the device I was given then doesn’t work with Octopus. I am sure my electrician will be able to check that everything is working.

I love this forum - so much useful advice from knowledgeable people!!

Thank you

I was with eOn before swapping and my eOn IHD has never displayed my gas usage, luckily this is not a problem. I very rarely look at it, IMO they are not worth bothering with.

 

[Jomarkh]

Unfortunately you need the IHD to see what your current usage is so you can't actually check what power the IHD itself is using

 

[Gr44]

I've just moved from BGas at 28p/kWh (price capped variable) to a new EDF "EV go June 2024 fixed" tariff which is 29p/kWh daytime and 5p/kWh night, midnight to 7am.
A couple of nights ago I put 43kWh into SWMBO's MG5 overnight for £2.15, which would have cost me £12.04 previously.
Even without the 5p overnight rate, 29p/kWh is still a good rate to fix at for two years avoiding the huge price cap increase later this year, so it's a win win situation for me.
The £150 get out fees apply to this tariff but on the website it says I can switch to another EDF tariff without incurring these.

That sounds good, can't get a price from their website at the moment though... Guess they're about to jack them up!

 

[Jomarkh]

You need to phone most suppliers up now to get an EV tariff

 

[Gr44]

You need to phone most suppliers up now to get an EV tariff

Thanks, will give them a bell tomorrow!

Would get me away from Octopus who have been f'king hopeless too! Amazed as I thought they were meant to be prided on their CS etc... sure as hell doesn't seem that way!

 

[mystreet]

Found this on their site

 

[uali]

Thanks, will give them a bell tomorrow!

Would get me away from Octopus who have been f'king hopeless too! Amazed as I thought they were meant to be prided on their CS etc... sure as hell doesn't seem that way!

Any luck with this?

 

[Gr44]

Any luck with this?

Forgot all about it until I just saw this

May try tomorrow if I remember!!