Octopus Electric Juice Network

[bloggsy]

Just seen this video, after watching an associated video by 'Modern Heroes' on Youtube and wondered if anyone has this?



It's a card which activates a number of different chargers but, more importantly, it gets billed to your Octopus home energy account so you don't have to submit credit card details, etc

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[jamesie]

Yes, I have the card but have yet to use it.

 

[bloggsy]

Thanks Jamsie - I take it, it's free and does it give you a preferred rate for charging?

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[kiltox]

Thanks Jamsie - I take it, it's free and does it give you a preferred rate for charging?

Cheers

Bloggsy

It is free, and it gives you a reduced rate at IONITY (66p/kWh - so not much discount but a little). I don’t think there are reduced rates on other networks - Osprey is 36p/kWh for example just like their walk up contactless rate.

It is so easy though.

 

[Lucky5]

I have one and used it on an Osprey charger once. Worked flawlessly and took a little over a month for the charge to show up on the home bill

 

[bloggsy]

Thanks everyone - I've just signed up and received an email saying my card will be posted out in a few days. At least if it's in the car then we can use it if needed.

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[BillyWhizz]

i got the card also the app but not yet used

 

[kiltox]

I have one and used it on an Osprey charger once. Worked flawlessly and took a little over a month for the charge to show up on the home bill

I guess some networks are faster than others - when I used mine at IONITY it went on the bill almost immediately!

 

[Fishettibean]

I can confirm ionity does appear on bill stright away. I used one for a birthday treat on my london trip yesterday. One thing is for sure, ionity chargers does drain your money quicker, but it does fill the car quicker (was getting 62kw at 20%). The 'services' (more like truck shop) was far cheaper than moto...
Also another advantage of Octopus card is it doesnt lock £69 pre authorisation like credit/debit cards do on ionity chargers.

 

[bloggsy]

I can confirm ionity does appear on bill stright away. I used one for a birthday treat on my london trip yesterday. One thing is for sure, ionity chargers does drain your money quicker, but it does fill the car quicker (was getting 62kw at 20%). The 'services' (more like truck shop) was far cheaper than moto...
Also another advantage of Octopus card is it doesnt lock £69 pre authorisation like credit/debit cards do on ionity chargers.

Happy Birthday! Hope you had a good day at the charger stop!

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[AndyNWuk]

I signed up with Octopus Energy in February, they installed the Smart Meters and cannot get them to communicate with the Long Wave Radio Network as used in the North of the country.

They called me last week to say I need a different type of hub with a booster aerial fitting to the meter but this is not available at the moment for this system up here.

So I am left with charging two electric vehicles at .1599p per Kwh. It’s cheaper to charge my car at a car park in Cleveleys down the coast using BP Pulse rather than at home.

I need to find a cheaper electric tariff for a non-Smart Meter user and get rid of Octopus Energy as I simply can’t go onto their “Go Faster” overnight tariff without a working Smart Meter and no resolve to the issue for three months now from Octopus or for the foreseeable future.

 

[mystreet]

Try Avro Energy

 

[jamesie]

I signed up with Octopus Energy in February, they installed the Smart Meters and cannot get them to communicate with the Long Wave Radio Network as used in the North of the country.

They called me last week to say I need a different type of hub with a booster aerial fitting to the meter but this is not available at the moment for this system up here.

So I am left with charging two electric vehicles at .1599p per Kwh. It’s cheaper to charge my car at a car park in Cleveleys down the coast using BP Pulse rather than at home.

I need to find a cheaper electric tariff for a non-Smart Meter user and get rid of Octopus Energy as I simply can’t go onto their “Go Faster” overnight tariff without a working Smart Meter and no resolve to the issue for three months now from Octopus or for the foreseeable future.

Interesting, Andy. I am in the same position regards the smart meter not connecting (since install in November last year!).

Octopus have finally agreed to send out an engineer on Tuesday to investigate and hopefully fix.

Fingers crossed!

 

[bloggsy]

Interesting, Andy. I am in the same position regards the smart meter not connecting (since install in November last year!).

Octopus have finally agreed to send out an engineer on Tuesday to investigate and hopefully fix.

Fingers crossed!

Good luck Jamesie - I didn't have any issues with my switchover so hopefully it'll be something easily fixed and you can get onto the Go tariff.

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[AndyNWuk]

Interesting, Andy. I am in the same position regards the smart meter not connecting (since install in November last year!).

Octopus have finally agreed to send out an engineer on Tuesday to investigate and hopefully fix.

Fingers crossed!

Being an electrical engineer myself, the meters Octopus installed are EDMI, which come with a 420 Communication Hub in this area.

But if you are in a poor radio reception area, then you need a Dual Band 450 Hub which allows for an additional internal or external aerial to be fitted to improve communication to their network.

I understand the 450 hub has been available since 2019, but NOT APPROVED by Octopus as yet so cannot be installed.

Also, this year should see the introduction of a New Government Developed network for country wide Smart Metering communication called DCC (Data Communications Company) evidently developed by GCHQ.

This will get rid of the two completely different systems in use at the moment, the South of the Country from Manchester down using Telefonica and us in the North and Scotland on Long Wave Radio on the Arqiva Network.

But concerns have recently been raised about EV owners charging at home and the signalling capability on the DCC network to mandate the cheaper tariff switching at night.

It’s still a nightmare out there with Smart Metering, if your in a good signal area it works, but for those in parts of the country where there is poor signal strength, it is a no go for Octopus Go!

By the way, I am just off the promenade in Bispham, Blackpool. You would think a town this size would be covered signal wise, especially as the Lifeboat association use the similar Long Wave Radio network for communication. Its crazy!
It all boils down to a lack of investment in the infrastructure.

 

[jamesie]

Being an electrical engineer myself, the meters Octopus installed are EDMI, which come with a 420 Communication Hub in this area.

But if you are in a poor radio reception area, then you need a Dual Band 450 Hub which allows for an additional internal or external aerial to be fitted to improve communication to their network.

I understand the 450 hub has been available since 2019, but NOT APPROVED by Octopus as yet so cannot be installed.

Also, this year should see the introduction of a New Government Developed network for country wide Smart Metering communication called DCC (Data Communications Company) evidently developed by GCHQ.

This will get rid of the two completely different systems in use at the moment, the South of the Country from Manchester down using Telefonica and us in the North and Scotland on Long Wave Radio on the Arqiva Network.

But concerns have recently been raised about EV owners charging at home and the signalling capability on the DCC network to mandate the cheaper tariff switching at night.

It’s still a nightmare out there with Smart Metering, if your in a good signal area it works, but for those in parts of the country where there is poor signal strength, it is a no go for Octopus Go!

By the way, I am just off the promenade in Bispham, Blackpool. You would think a town this size would be covered signal wise, especially as the Lifeboat association use the similar Long Wave Radio network for communication. Its crazy!
It all boils down to a lack of investment in the infrastructure.

Again, thanks for this useful info.

I live in a rural property and we suffer from poor service for all things digital. Broadband is rubbish and mobile phone patchy at best (Vodafone is an exception).

However, a neighbour of mine who lives about 300m away has a functioning smart meter supplied by Scottish Power. I mentioned this to Octopus and was told that connectivity can vary between properties even at such short distances.

I live in hope as my Zappi install is happening the day before the meter investigation.

 

[mystreet]

I have signed up to the network, got my confirmation email but no card yet. Has anyone else got theirs yet who have recently signed up

 

[ZSDave]

My card came yesterday but obviously not used it yet.

Dave

 

[bloggsy]

Got my card a few days ago. Now sitting in my wallet 'just in case'!

Cheers

Bloggsy