Get on octupus svr then Octopus Go in my opinion to start with

But I dont get why your “split” is 50/50 given that you have batteries…I must have missed something

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But I dont get why your “split” is 50/50 given that you have batteries…I must have missed something

That's also baffled me to be honest... That's why I specifically said to charge up on offpeak. I can only assume they are only relying on Solar to charge the batteries.

 

Download the Octopus Compare app, which takes your actual smart meter data to see how much each tarriff would have cost. For me, with two EVs, 14.4kwk of storage, and 2kwp solar, Intelligent is best, with Go a close second. None of the other tarrifs suit me.

Of course, that app requires a working smart meter. Try Bright, or Hugo, or Loop - all apps which read smart meter data, all free. Sometimes they work even if the electricity company can't read them, for reasons I don't comprehend.

 

Agreed. use go. Set the batteries to charge via the cheap overnight period and most of your electricity will be 10ish p/kWh.
If when you get a BEV you could (maybe) swap to Intelligent Go and get overnight power for 7.5 p/kWh (if the car is compatible). You'd also be able to get 15p/kWh that you export on their special outgoing SEG.

You'd need to check that your smart meter (which seems a bit sketchy if it doesnt currently work with SEG) is getting 30min reading first. Sign up to Hildebrand Bright online and check it sends updates to your account every 30mins.

 

I noticed in the OP that you say "We have a SMETS2 smart meter, supplied by Scottish Power but they have not been able (bothered) to get it to work, so we have never received SEG.". If the Smart Meter cannot send data then you will not be able to use an Octopus smart tariff as they require half-hourly readings. Octopus Go is linked to their 8p per kWh export tariff which also needs a working (as in transmitting) smart meter.

 

Yes, I'm aware of that. Despite constant complaints, SP has never bothered to send an engineer or do anything about it. Our meter is outdoors, in a cabinet, and my phone can pick up O2, so although we are in the country and the signal is weak, I see no reason why they could not get it to work if they wanted. Of course, they don't want it as it would cost them money. Loop etc. don't even recognise the meter number.

 

Sounds like your best bet is switching to OE asap and accept that you will be on a temporary tariff whilst OE get a working smets2 meter sending HH data. That may mean swapping out the meter or getting a suitable ext. aerial setup in place. Your goal is to get onto IOG- Intelligent Octopus Go as it is now called which gets you a minimum of 6hrs. cheap overnight, but also additional cheap slots when ‘intelligent’ smart charging your car. Better to get a home charger that works with IOG like Ohme or Zappi rather than use the car integration as its more flexible if you swap cars often as some cars are not directly supported.

 

Sounds like your best bet is switching to OE asap and accept that you will be on a temporary tariff whilst OE get a working smets2 meter sending HH data.

I think you're right, although we probably need to wait until the SP contract expires otherwise they will charge us for leaving. The question is whether Octopus will do anything about the meter. One more minor question, is the time given by Octopus on GO (1230 - 0430) GMT or local time? At present of course, as the current meter doesn't change with the clock, the cheap rate changes to 1 am - 8 am during the summer.

 

If you (Ocotpus) can get the SMETS meter sorted and you get an Ohme or Zappi (i.e. a chargepoint supported by IOG) then you may be able to get on IOG even with the PHEV.

 

and zappi is solar capable so you can leech into the car on sunny days if you wanted (although I would go for the 15p export)

 

When you get a smart meter do you automaticly get an export MPAN number, I mean is the number attached to the meter and you have to apply for it. Just trying to figure out how it all works as I already have a smart meter but thinking about exporting surplus during summer months

 

No.

They have to apply for an export MPAN still. You'll end up with 2 MPAN's on the same smart meter.

 

So it maybe that the contractors cleared off before completing all the registration activity. There may have been a valid reason for that, but TBH I have heard of it happening elsewhere too, and suspect they are paid piecerate for each "install", leaving the time-consuming work of getting it to work with someone else.

 

Basically it boils down to the following:

- IOG is the best tariff availible on any supplier by far. You essentially get as many 7.5p/kWh cheapslots as you need. However you need either a compliant charging point or BEV to be allowed on the tariff and you need a house battery andf the ability to schedule using electricity to make the most of it.

- If you can't get on IOG then plain vanilla Go gives 4hrs a day of 9p/kWh electric.

- If you can't or won't timeshift your usage then Tracker is really good value. They've recently made it more expensive for new customers, but even so it is still really good value.

- There are a load of other tariffs (Agile, Cosy, Flux, etc.) but they don't offer value for money.

 

Switch energy supplier or tariff

Check how to switch your energy supplier or tariff to try and save money on your gas or electricity bill. Check your new tariff will work with your current meter.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

You can start the switch anytime now if it expires in January.

Thanks, I was unaware of that. I will probably leave that until the new year anyway as the current tariff is cheaper than Octopus until it ends.

So it maybe that the contractors cleared off before completing all the registration activity.

I suspect that's very likely, but it's frustrating that SP doesn't care.

 

IOG is the best tariff availible on any supplier by far.

Unfortunately, without major and expensive rewiring, any form of 'proper' charger is currently out of the question with this house.

- If you can't get on IOG then plain vanilla Go gives 4hrs a day of 9p/kWh electric.

That looks to be the way forward. It's a pity that it's only four hours, but presumably, I can't even get that until the smart meter is working as the current meter is set up for Economy 7 when reading the figures ourselves.

 

Unfortunately, without major and expensive rewiring, any form of 'proper' charger is currently out of the question with this house.

That looks to be the way forward. It's a pity that it's only four hours, but presumably, I can't even get that until the smart meter is working as the current meter is set up for Economy 7 when reading the figures ourselves.

You may well be better off on Tracker than Go. It depends just how much you are able to timeshift.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but if you have a working indoor home display, that sort of means your smart meter is working, and then it's just a link between Octopus and the company that runs all the smart meter data !! but it's a good start, and Octopus are good at getting that next stage working. In theory your IHD can also show export. Applying for the SEG at Octopus is pretty easy, with an online form, but they need your MCS certificate uploaded with it. I wouldn't discount Agile, although it doesn't make charging anything particularly easy due to lack of consistant cheap times, but Octopus Compare has never yet told me that any other tariff would have beaten my Agile.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but if you have a working indoor home display, that sort of means your smart meter is working,

The IHD is working, but it doesn't give the correct cost, so we've ignored it. It's now not even plugged in. We get better data from the website for our solar panels/batteries. The IHD is pretty well useless by comparison. We are currently sending in values read from the meter at the end of each month.

 

Gary, get the details from your smets meter and best to phone OE and ask CS if the meter combo (Comms hub and smart meter) along with your postcode will work OK when you swap to them. They should be able to advise if its a combo that has known issues or poor reception etc. and if they would need to swap it to a new meter/comms hub, which will likely take longer than just doing things remotely or an engineer visit to help fully commision the original, rather than a new meter install.

You can start the swap process anytime between now and when your contract ends as until you 'accept' the terms on the OE email, it wont start the swap process.
Even if you ccept the default 'flexible' tariff when you swap, you can just call up CS and get them to switch you to tracker or other tariff as its basically same day switch.

 

I've been looking at Octopus but the website doesn't give any details about the various tariff options

Enter your postcode instead of clicking on the Get a quote button.

 

Surprised nobody has commented on the 60A to two places. Thats unworkable in a time shifting demand.

I would be looking to be unlooped and seperate meters at 100A in order to future proof. Also if you had two seperate supply Cos you could use one to supply the other -think about it. This could be done free as i understand ?

 

This could be done free as i understand ?

Unfortunately not. That was our original intention, but although the DNO are quite happy, adding an extra supply means digging up the road, which is a busy country lane. For that and the consequent diversions, the local council want £7,000 which the DNO is not willing to absorb.