Octopus Energy - Sharing my Prices and thoughts - January 2023 onwards…

[busta999]

Sounds like you’ve got it well covered!

Almost

I am now more able to move all the energy systems under home automation, so just starting to bring under smart controls that react to usage/occupancy etc.

it has been a real game to get it altogether.

I have been upgrading radiators in areas that have been using a lot of energy, and by the end of next week be able to push 4c degrees of heat lift into every room per hour at a flow temp of of 50c, for Optimum condenser running and ready to move to heat pump/thermal store at some point in the future.

This year looking at external thermal wrap for the house, the year after a 4kWh pv test rig.

 

[bigal]

I have another charge pricing quandary

I have been using my new ZS for about two months now
I have also just had solar panels installed

Octopus only allows you to have one or other tariff ie if I use the cheap night tariff they do not pay for any excess charge that the panels produce and vice versa

Does anybody know of any utility company that would allow me to sign up to both tariffs - it will fall me to give them anything for free!

 

[Mike SOS]

The one thing I have notice is the standard of after sale service. I am with OVO there after sale service is of a very poor standard. They quick to tell me of new increase of prices with NO reply to their emails. They give you a phone number to contact. But that number can take hours or even days to get hold of. Even when in contact with them they will behave like dictators telling you we will set the rates if you are paying by direct debit to get the best rates. Even when you are hundreds pounds in credit to. In other words they are pocketing the money for their own investment. So I gave Octopus a call and surprise how quick there were to answer the phone. Quite shocked to see their rates where identical to OVO. But they did offer an overnight charging rate for EV as OVO was not offering. At present I use COSTCO and a shopping centre for free charging. Which I must realize will come to an end sometime in the near future. However Octopus have told me hold back until April where new rates may come infect. Far as payment goes Octopus will take standard order or direct debit at the same rate,. As OVO will charge more if standing order is used. Octopus have no charge for meters change over to. They were quick to say your present smart meter is out of date and would fix that problem to. So my over impression with Octopus after sales service tick quite a few good boxes. I be interested to hear from others of their experience with after sales service been offered from the energy companies out there to.

 

[busta999]

I have another charge pricing quandary

I have been using my new ZS for about two months now
I have also just had solar panels installed

Octopus only allows you to have one or other tariff ie if I use the cheap night tariff they do not pay for any excess charge that the panels produce and vice versa

Does anybody know of any utility company that would allow me to sign up to both tariffs - it will fall me to give them anything for free!

My suggestion is you can switch tariffs with Octopus every 30 days.

In months where you are generating surplus energy switch to a tariff you get paid for surplus, in moths were pv gen is low go cheap rate at night.

My 5c worth.

 

[busta999]

The one thing I have notice is the standard of after sale service. I am with OVO there after sale service is of a very poor standard. They quick to tell me of new increase of prices with NO reply to their emails. They give you a phone number to contact. But that number can take hours or even days to get hold of. Even when in contact with them they will behave like dictators telling you we will set the rates if you are paying by direct debit to get the best rates. Even when you are hundreds pounds in credit to. In other words they are pocketing the money for their own investment. So I gave Octopus a call and surprise how quick there were to answer the phone. Quite shocked to see their rates were identical to OVO. But they did offer an overnight charging rate for EV as OVO was not offering. At present I use COSTCO and a shopping centre for free charging. Which I must realize will come to an end sometime in the near future. However Octopus have told me hold back until April where new rates may come infect. Far as payment goes Octopus will take standard order or direct debit at the same rate,. As OVO will charge more if standing order is used. Octopus have no charge for meters change over to. They were quick to say your present smart meter is out of date and would fix that problem to. So my over impression with Octopus after sales service tick quite a few good boxes. I be interested to hear from others of their experience with after sales service been offered from the energy companies out there to.

I have found Octopus to be extremely helpful.

I was on Octopus Go, 4 hours per night starting at 00:30 at 7.5p per kWh

I had installed 20kWh batteries In the house to avoid the higher peak rates, but wanted to get a longer charging window and start it earlier to make it easier to kick off dishwasher, dryer, washing machine etc before going to be and do it on cheap rate.

Octopus offered Octopus Go Faster 5 hours at 8.25p per kWh, perfect now moved 95% of all electric energy usage to cheap rate including the hot water.

Octopus knows I was trying to move everything to cheap rate and they love it! Instead of paying wind farms to shutdown overnight they get paid for the cheap wind energy overnight. A win win for everyone.

So yes really like Octopus

 

[Cocijo]

I have found Octopus to be extremely helpful.

I was on Octopus Go, 4 hours per night starting at 00:30 at 7.5p per kWh

I had installed 20kWh batteries In the house to avoid the higher peak rates, but wanted to get a longer charging window and start it earlier to make it easier to kick off dishwasher, dryer, washing machine etc before going to be and do it on cheap rate.

Octopus offered Octopus Go Faster 5 hours at 8.25p per kWh, perfect now moved 95% of all electric energy usage to cheap rate including the hot water.

Octopus knows I was trying to move everything to cheap rate and they love it! Instead of paying wind farms to shutdown overnight they get paid for the cheap wind energy overnight. A win win for everyone.

So yes really like Octopus

Is it straightforward installing house batteries? They seem crazy expensive at the moment!

 

[Jomarkh]

I have another charge pricing quandary

I have been using my new ZS for about two months now
I have also just had solar panels installed

Octopus only allows you to have one or other tariff ie if I use the cheap night tariff they do not pay for any excess charge that the panels produce and vice versa

Does anybody know of any utility company that would allow me to sign up to both tariffs - it will fall me to give them anything for free!

I am on octopus Go and I get 4.1p/kWh SEG

 

[busta999]

Is it straightforward installing house batteries? They seem crazy expensive at the moment!

It took me a while to spec, but the install was quick and very easy.

After two years of research I went with a commercial, rather than domestic solution, cost more but I get more flexibility and reliability.

I put in a Victron Multiplex II 5000va inverter/charger.

Then put 4 x 5kwh Leoch batteries on it.

All a bit daunting, but they went into the utility room, they charge at night at 4kWh per hour, and discharge during the day at a maximum of 4kWh discharge.

That covers everything except half of the shower, which goes to the grid for the extra.
95% of my energy is at 8.25p kWh, higher if you add in the car charges and the Hot Water immersion heater at night.

At the current rate, the leased EV, MG ZS LR 22 and the batteries will reach an ROI of just less than 4 years, quicker if tariffs go up, longer if the go down.

I use 60% of battery so the expected battery life is 20 years.

I like the Victron makes it very easy to remote manage, integrate into home automation and add solar, when it is cost effective for me.

I have all my critical systems on a instant failover, if I lose the grid everything keeps going, adding the light circuits to the failover next month.

Had it running for 5 months now, loving.

 

[jackois]

I have another charge pricing quandary

I have been using my new ZS for about two months now
I have also just had solar panels installed

Octopus only allows you to have one or other tariff ie if I use the cheap night tariff they do not pay for any excess charge that the panels produce and vice versa

Does anybody know of any utility company that would allow me to sign up to both tariffs - it will fall me to give them anything for free!

I have Octopus Go, Ohme Home Pro charger, solar and battery and I get a 4.5p feed in price per Kw exported.

 

[Jomarkh]

I have Octopus Go, Ohme Home Pro charger, solar and battery and I get a 4.5p feed in price per Kw exported.

Who do you get 4.5p/kWh from?

 

[jackois]

I'm assuming Octopus. The exported amount appears as part of my Octopus account on the app... and that's the tarriff shown.

The amount is pretty minor with less than a Kw exported a week at this time of year...

 

[Jomarkh]

I thought export was 4.1 or 7.5 if you are not on Go or Go faster

 

[Cocijo]

Thank you. Very comprehensive. It’s the ROI that has never really been justified for me whenever I have had a look. What has happened over the last 12 Months makes it worth another visit I think.

 

[Cocijo]

I thought it was 4.1 or 7.5 if you are not on Go or Go faster

The Octopus off peak rates are about 10p and 12p for those tariffs now - but some still have the old rates fixed for a while. I think the 4.5p refers to export of kWh.

 

[Jomarkh]

The Octopus off peak rates are about 10p and 12p for those tariffs now - but some still have the old rates fixed for a while. I think the 4.5p refers to export of kWh.

Sorry the figures I quoted are for export.

 

[jackois]

I thought export was 4.1 or 7.5 if you are not on Go or Go faster

apologies... I've just looked and it is 4.1p. Not that it'll buy much... either way.

 

[Cocijo]

I’m paying ten times that in the other direction!

 

[smokie]

At the current rate, the leased EV, MG ZS LR 22 and the batteries will reach an ROI of just less than 4 years, quicker if tariffs go up, longer if the go down.

May I ask what the system cost, as I am genuinely interested?

However to me it looks like at least £5k worth of hardware plus installation, with the car at another £30k or so do you really think you'll recover £35k in 4 years?

 

[Edward]

I have just switched my electricity supplier to Octopus in anticipation of taking delivery of my MG ZS EV (hopefully next week) and because my electricity previous tariff had expired which increased the price I was paying. They have a new customer referral scheme where if an existing customer refers a new customer, both existing and new customers gets £50 back (I assume this is added as a credit against the next bill). I signed up without inputting a referral code but it has asked me if I want to enter one now.

If any existing Octopus customer wants to refer me so that we can each get the credit, please feel free to send me your referral code (clearly first come, first served!)

Likewise, if anyone is switching to Octopus, please feel free to use the referral link below to get your £50 credit (and get me credit too!)

[ Moderator: Referral code redacted. Allowed only in signatures. ]

Apologies if there is another thread covering this. I couldn’t find one, just some mentions of the referral scheme in some posts from last year.

 

[smokie]

Sent you a message...