Octopus Go - update & question ......

[Deleted member 2439]

Hi,

I‘ve just switched to Octopus & have been given a date for a smart meter installation on the 18th Jan. I think this is pretty good, especially as I only requested it today & had been chasing my old supplier, So Energy, without any luck.

This will allow me to use Go, but will the meter also show exported power from my PV system? Is that a standard feature - or is that something that I’d have to request? Does anyone have experience of this aspect of things?

Thanks - Rob

 

[notdodgy]

I don't have PV but do have a newish smart meter.
(Not very smart because the low cost energy provider I use Avro don't do smart meters).

Stepping through the readings on the meter it does have totals for energy both imported and exported to the grid.

 

[Deleted member 2439]

I don't have PV but do have a newish smart meter.
(Not very smart because the low cost energy provider I use Avro don't do smart meters).

Stepping through the readings on the meter it does have totals for energy both imported and exported to the grid.

Thanks - I’m not actually planning on exporting much anyway, with the Zappi charger for the car and my battery storage system, just curious as there WILL be energy exported during the summer when the battery is full

 

[Richie]

Hi,

I‘ve just switched to Octopus & have been given a date for a smart meter installation on the 18th Jan. I think this is pretty good, especially as I only requested it today & had been chasing my old supplier, So Energy, without any luck.

This will allow me to use Go, but will the meter also show exported power from my PV system? Is that a standard feature - or is that something that I’d have to request? Does anyone have experience of this aspect of things?

Thanks - Rob

Hi Robert

I am also on the Octo Go tariff and have asked a similar question on the MG5 forum from RossN:

RossN said:
I am going to have a home charger fitted to the front of my house for my new MG 5 due to be delivered in Jan/Feb. I have gone for the Zappi but am a tad confused about the clamps. I already have a clamp on my power supply as I have solar panels and the clamp is there to work with a power converter so instead of sending excess solar power back to the grid it sends it to charge my hot water. The Zappi also uses a clamp (perhaps 2 ! ) so that if you set it up on Eco+ mode it only will charge your car with excess solar electricity. How will the 2/3 clamps work together and is it a simple case of which clamp is nearest to the house ? Thanks in advance for any replies.

Hi Ross

Interesting you say "instead of sending excess solar power back to the grid it sends it to charge my hot water" do you still get any grid return on the FIT payment?

They were/are giving me an extra payment for estimated 50% return to grid of the total produced that's at the moment. I had a smart meter fitted two months ago so that % may change as I understand the s/meter tells then the correct usage? Only had the s/meter fitted because of the EV charger fitment (did not want one but was told we had to have it)

 

[greentangerine]

As answered elsewhere, you can't be forced off the 50% deemed export AFAIK even if they knew about you now having a smart meter. I'm on Go, the FiT is with Eon (who were my supplier back in 2010) and reducing / eliminating export has been a constant goal since I had my PV installed.

Despite having an immersion diverter to 500l of thermal store and 19 kWh of battery storage, I was still pumping out 5kW to the grid on some days, especially during May/June.

Hopefully now having two BEVs will stop that.

 

[Deleted member 2439]

As answered elsewhere, you can't be forced off the 50% deemed export AFAIK even if they knew about you now having a smart meter. I'm on Go, the FiT is with Eon (who were my supplier back in 2010) and reducing / eliminating export has been a constant goal since I had my PV installed.

Despite having an immersion diverter to 500l of thermal store and 19 kWh of battery storage, I was still pumping out 5kW to the grid on some days, especially during May/June.

Hopefully now having two BEVs will stop that.

Hi, that’s exactly my philosophy. I also have 19kWh of battery storage and I’m not sure exactly what size my hot water tank is - I have a diverter which dumps excess there in the summer months. I’m also minded to start heating my hot water on the Go tariff window, as well as the dishwasher etc. The battery will certainly get it‘s fill, although the battery has a max charge rate of 3.6kW, so a fully depleted battery would “only” charge to 14.4kW from empty in any one night. I can see a degree of “playification” coming into being here in the not too distant future.

 

[greentangerine]

Yeah, my max charge rate is 3kW so I can add 55% of capacity in the 4 hour window.

I have mains gas and a large combi boiler (with cunning plumbing to use the TS instead if that is hot enough - it is also heated by a wood burner but that isn't on daily) and gas is still cheaper than the cheap Go tariff so I've resisted the temptation to heat the store overnight. If you are on oil though, it's a no brainer.

 

[Deleted member 2439]

I’ll have to do the sums. I’m on mains gas, although the gas boiler has a lower efficiency than the “all” the heat from the immersion going into the water if you see my logic. Plus the losses in the pipe work and the power to run the pump - all of which conspire against gas. I’m really just thinking about options at this stage. I regularly heat the water will battery stored electricity when the battery gets full during the day - which happens often as I have a total 7kW of solar PV.

 

[mystreet]

I don't have PV but do have a newish smart meter.
(Not very smart because the low cost energy provider I use Avro don't do smart meters).

Stepping through the readings on the meter it does have totals for energy both imported and exported to the grid.

Hi @notdodgy Avro do do smart meters, had one installed at the beginning of December. I have been on the 'waiting list' for about 2 years though. Got the in house display connected to my wifi and an app on my phone to see it

 

[greentangerine]

I’ll have to do the sums. I’m on mains gas, although the gas boiler has a lower efficiency than the “all” the heat from the immersion going into the water if you see my logic. Plus the losses in the pipe work and the power to run the pump - all of which conspire against gas. I’m really just thinking about options at this stage. I regularly heat the water will battery stored electricity when the battery gets full during the day - which happens often as I have a total 7kW of solar PV.

Yes, I have the same amount of PV. I'll try and do the sums too!

 

[RossN]

Hi Robert

I am also on the Octo Go tariff and have asked a similar question on the MG5 forum from RossN:


Hi Ross

Interesting you say "instead of sending excess solar power back to the grid it sends it to charge my hot water" do you still get any grid return on the FIT payment?

They were/are giving me an extra payment for estimated 50% return to grid of the total produced that's at the moment. I had a smart meter fitted two months ago so that % may change as I understand the s/meter tells then the correct usage? Only had the s/meter fitted because of the EV charger fitment (did not want one but was told we had to have it)

Sorry for not replying before. I have been told that as soon as you fit a smart meter they will be able to tell that you are using the excess power and not pay you for it but I have just been 'told' that. Guess when your next FIT payment comes in you (and I hope we) will find out.

 

[greentangerine]

Sorry for not replying before. I have been told that as soon as you fit a smart meter they will be able to tell that you are using the excess power and not pay you for it but I have just been 'told' that. Guess when your next FIT payment comes in you (and I hope we) will find out.

That's certainly not true if your electricity provider differs from the FiT one.

I've been on Go for a year and had 3 quarters of deemed export payments since the smart meter went live.

 

[RossN]

I was thinking about moving to Octopus Energy when I get my car and when my year deal with Scottish Power runs out but will not do so if they insist on a smart meter for sure. smart = dumb move by the look of it.

 

[greentangerine]

I was thinking about moving to Octopus Energy when I get my car and when my year deal with Scottish Power runs out but will not do so if they insist on a smart meter for sure. smart = dumb move by the look of it.

They don't insist on it AFAIK but to use Go, Go+ or Agile you must have a smart meter.

I know there were issues with some of the earlier SMETS1 meters, especially if you have a generation capability, but it's almost mandatory to fit the newer (and provider portable) SMETS2 now and I've had no problems.

The ability to charge the car, top up my battery storage system in the darker months and run the dishwashers, washing machine and dryer all at 5p/unit makes it a no-brainer for me.

 

[notdodgy]

Hi @notdodgy Avro do do smart meters, had one installed at the beginning of December. I have been on the 'waiting list' for about 2 years though. Got the in house display connected to my wifi and an app on my phone to see it

I have given up on getting it fixed. Got fed up of explaining repeatedly that it was incorrectly set up.
Pushing the button on the electric meter just causes it to reset / reboot.
It is actually harder to read the meters now than when I had the old ones.
The in-home device used to work but doesn't - even next to the meter.

Apart from the metering side of things they are good value.
They have one of the lowest standing charges out there.
The problem with a lot of the EV tariffs is the day time rate is much higher so it looks like I won't be changing just yet. Currently without the car until the end of the month due to a charging fault.
(And we are not allowed to go anywhere).

 

[RossN]

As far as I have read it is only 5p for a very short window at night I think...

 

[greentangerine]

As far as I have read it is only 5p for a very short window at night I think...

Go is 5p between 00:30 and 04:30.

That's enough to put 28kWh into the Zoe - my wife's commute (about 58 miles round trip) uses less than that.

I can also time-shift usage with my battery storage - I can put 55% into it over the four hours so that's essentially shifting 10+kWh of daytime usage at a higher rate down to the lower one.

My problem (and it's a nice one to have) is deciding whether to charge the battery, use the dishwasher etc. in the cheap period when the weather is nice and sunny as that can be free PV rather than cheap!

 

[Deleted member 2439]

Go+, I’ve not seen that, must have a look ........

 

[RossN]

Guess I will have to work out whether having that cheap 4 hrs is worth the more expensive 20 hrs...

 

[Deleted member 2439]

Go is 5p between 00:30 and 04:30.

That's enough to put 28kWh into the Zoe - my wife's commute (about 58 miles round trip) uses less than that.

I can also time-shift usage with my battery storage - I can put 55% into it over the four hours so that's essentially shifting 10+kWh of daytime usage at a higher rate down to the lower one.

My problem (and it's a nice one to have) is deciding whether to charge the battery, use the dishwasher etc. in the cheap period when the weather is nice and sunny as that can be free PV rather than cheap!

First world problem eh?