Octopus energy company. Anyone use 'em?

[Bannock]

Mother of Christ. The complexity and the faffing.

I'm an Octopus Go customer (EV to charge overnight, but I don't do huge mileage, only about 25 miles a day on average). My tariff is about to end next month (7p overnight rate, bye bye), and calculations show that I've actually been a bit worse off on Go than if I'd been on the standard tariff all year. But looking at things now, I think (based on some rudimentary calculations in my head using the Compare app), I will probably be better of on Agile than on their new standard variable rate. They are offering a new Go rate, but given it's far higher than my existing one, and looks to be in proportion to the new standard variable compared to how my existing Go was to the standard variable, I *think* I stand to be better off about £50 a month on Agile. And, knowing the times of day when Agile prices are at their lowest, and working from home 5 days a week (and usually being home all weekend too, God life is exciting), I can manage things like laundry and dishwasher to run as the cheapest times.

So I think I'll go for it, but I am a bit fearful of the complexity and the maths. I like neither complexity, nor maths. I am a mathsophobe, and I'd far rather not have to worry about it.

[SpeckledJim]

pingu393 said:

It goes against the grain, but I've switched off the solar, and hope to have drained the battery to 20% by 1430, ready for the big switch on.

I was playing about with the settings this morning and couldn't find a way to consume from the battery and send solar to the grid. I did, however, find out that the battery can draw 5KW from the grid. It cost me 9p to learn that little nugget .

Mrs Pingu is hoping to get two sets of washing and one set of drying done as well. If the battery gets to 100% before the sun gets too dull, we may even be able to export something as well.

Going for broke .

Is this a Powerwall? I tried and failed to tell mine to charge from the grid last time. Is there a knack or something obvious I've missed, without changing all the normal timer settings?

[LordGrover]

Not a biggie, but a little frustrating.
I don't like the way they debit my account before producing the bill.
Yesterday they subtracted the charges for Electricity and Gas from my balance, but still no bill or any form of documentation. I don't doubt for a moment it'll be fine, but why the delay to bill/premature deduction?

[pingu393]

SpeckledJim said:

pingu393 said:

It goes against the grain, but I've switched off the solar, and hope to have drained the battery to 20% by 1430, ready for the big switch on.

I was playing about with the settings this morning and couldn't find a way to consume from the battery and send solar to the grid. I did, however, find out that the battery can draw 5KW from the grid. It cost me 9p to learn that little nugget .

Mrs Pingu is hoping to get two sets of washing and one set of drying done as well. If the battery gets to 100% before the sun gets too dull, we may even be able to export something as well.

Going for broke .

Is this a Powerwall? I tried and failed to tell mine to charge from the grid last time. Is there a knack or something obvious I've missed, without changing all the normal timer settings?

Yes, Powerwall.

My normal settings are...

Solar Master Switch = ON
20% / 80%
Self-Powered
Octopus Tracker 18p / 15p
Grid Charging = No

At the moment, my Solar Master Switch = OFF. This means that I am discharging the battery without any replenishment from either solar or the grid.


At 1430, I will change my settings to...

Solar Master Switch = OFF --> no solar to fill the battery or run appliances
100% / 0% --> this means the battery will prioritise filling itself. When it's full it won't discharge and all appliances will be fed from the grid.
Time-Based Control --> this just means that you are not self-powered
Octopus Tracker 18p / 15p
Grid Charging = Yes --> this setting allows you to draw from the grid to fill the battery


At 1730, I'll go back to my normal settings.

[Zoon]

Bannock said:

Mother of Christ. The complexity and the faffing.

I'm an Octopus Go customer (EV to charge overnight, but I don't do huge mileage, only about 25 miles a day on average). My tariff is about to end next month (7p overnight rate, bye bye), and calculations show that I've actually been a bit worse off on Go than if I'd been on the standard tariff all year. But looking at things now, I think (based on some rudimentary calculations in my head using the Compare app), I will probably be better of on Agile than on their new standard variable rate. They are offering a new Go rate, but given it's far higher than my existing one, and looks to be in proportion to the new standard variable compared to how my existing Go was to the standard variable, I *think* I stand to be better off about £50 a month on Agile. And, knowing the times of day when Agile prices are at their lowest, and working from home 5 days a week (and usually being home all weekend too, God life is exciting), I can manage things like laundry and dishwasher to run as the cheapest times.

So I think I'll go for it, but I am a bit fearful of the complexity and the maths. I like neither complexity, nor maths. I am a mathsophobe, and I'd far rather not have to worry about it.

I'm in the same boat and have concluded that Agile is the best. What car do you have?
The Ev.energy app is worth a look as it charges based on when agile is cheapest if your car is compatible.

[Bannock]

Zoon said:

Bannock said:

Mother of Christ. The complexity and the faffing.

I'm an Octopus Go customer (EV to charge overnight, but I don't do huge mileage, only about 25 miles a day on average). My tariff is about to end next month (7p overnight rate, bye bye), and calculations show that I've actually been a bit worse off on Go than if I'd been on the standard tariff all year. But looking at things now, I think (based on some rudimentary calculations in my head using the Compare app), I will probably be better of on Agile than on their new standard variable rate. They are offering a new Go rate, but given it's far higher than my existing one, and looks to be in proportion to the new standard variable compared to how my existing Go was to the standard variable, I *think* I stand to be better off about £50 a month on Agile. And, knowing the times of day when Agile prices are at their lowest, and working from home 5 days a week (and usually being home all weekend too, God life is exciting), I can manage things like laundry and dishwasher to run as the cheapest times.

So I think I'll go for it, but I am a bit fearful of the complexity and the maths. I like neither complexity, nor maths. I am a mathsophobe, and I'd far rather not have to worry about it.

I'm in the same boat and have concluded that Agile is the best. What car do you have?
The Ev.energy app is worth a look as it charges based on when agile is cheapest if your car is compatible.

I have a 30kwh Leaf, may soon be moving to a 40kwh version. I have a PodPoint 3kw charger, installed 5 years ago. No idea if any of that is compatible with the app you mention. If I move to a 40kwh Leaf, I'm planning on getting a Type1 to Type 2 adapter as my charger is a tethered Type 1 cable.

[Puzzles]

anyone thinking of jumping to ovo anytime?

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Puzzles said:

anyone thinking of jumping to ovo anytime?

Why would we move are they offering anything good?

[SpeckledJim]

pingu393 said:

SpeckledJim said:

pingu393 said:

It goes against the grain, but I've switched off the solar, and hope to have drained the battery to 20% by 1430, ready for the big switch on.

I was playing about with the settings this morning and couldn't find a way to consume from the battery and send solar to the grid. I did, however, find out that the battery can draw 5KW from the grid. It cost me 9p to learn that little nugget .

Mrs Pingu is hoping to get two sets of washing and one set of drying done as well. If the battery gets to 100% before the sun gets too dull, we may even be able to export something as well.

Going for broke .

Is this a Powerwall? I tried and failed to tell mine to charge from the grid last time. Is there a knack or something obvious I've missed, without changing all the normal timer settings?

Yes, Powerwall.

My normal settings are...

Solar Master Switch = ON
20% / 80%
Self-Powered
Octopus Tracker 18p / 15p
Grid Charging = No

At the moment, my Solar Master Switch = OFF. This means that I am discharging the battery without any replenishment from either solar or the grid.


At 1430, I will change my settings to...

Solar Master Switch = OFF --> no solar to fill the battery or run appliances
100% / 0% --> this means the battery will prioritise filling itself. When it's full it won't discharge and all appliances will be fed from the grid.
Time-Based Control --> this just means that you are not self-powered
Octopus Tracker 18p / 15p
Grid Charging = Yes --> this setting allows you to draw from the grid to fill the battery


At 1730, I'll go back to my normal settings.

Thanks very much for trying to help this idiot. I think it's beyond me. I can't see where to manipulate the % part you refer to.

I'll just switch it off at 1430 so the house runs from the grid, and switch it back at 1730 so the house runs from the wall.

[Silverage]

LordGrover said:

Not a biggie, but a little frustrating.
I don't like the way they debit my account before producing the bill.
Yesterday they subtracted the charges for Electricity and Gas from my balance, but still no bill or any form of documentation. I don't doubt for a moment it'll be fine, but why the delay to bill/premature deduction?

I have this with them every month. Every month I wait 7-10 days after they debit my account before asking them where the bill is. They then produce the bill alongside some excuse.

[Evanivitch]

LordGrover said:

Not a biggie, but a little frustrating.
I don't like the way they debit my account before producing the bill.
Yesterday they subtracted the charges for Electricity and Gas from my balance, but still no bill or any form of documentation. I don't doubt for a moment it'll be fine, but why the delay to bill/premature deduction?

They debit your account the amount you agreed to as a direct debit? Or they debit the actual amount you've used?

I have smart electricity and a dumb gas meter. I get monthly electricity bills and a gas bill everytime I provide a reading. I was significantly in credit (thanks to pre-Ukraine referrals) and now I owe them a bit each month.

[Philvrs]

LordGrover said:

Not a biggie, but a little frustrating.
I don't like the way they debit my account before producing the bill.
Yesterday they subtracted the charges for Electricity and Gas from my balance, but still no bill or any form of documentation. I don't doubt for a moment it'll be fine, but why the delay to bill/premature deduction?

I’m going to try to manage your expectations:
Don’t expect it to get sorted anytime soon.

Mines been like that for over a year. I just make sure my direct debit is slightly less than I expect to use, and just stay in debit to them, not once have they automatically increased my direct debit.

[Mikey G]

Evanivitch said:

LordGrover said:

Not a biggie, but a little frustrating.
I don't like the way they debit my account before producing the bill.
Yesterday they subtracted the charges for Electricity and Gas from my balance, but still no bill or any form of documentation. I don't doubt for a moment it'll be fine, but why the delay to bill/premature deduction?

They debit your account the amount you agreed to as a direct debit? Or they debit the actual amount you've used?

I have smart electricity and a dumb gas meter. I get monthly electricity bills and a gas bill everytime I provide a reading. I was significantly in credit (thanks to pre-Ukraine referrals) and now I owe them a bit each month.

I think hes on about the fact they take an amount out of your credit balance before giving you a bill. Not the direct debit.
So I have a balance of £400 and then it drops by £200, then a day or so later get an actual bill for £200 for instance.

[Evanivitch]

Mikey G said:

I think hes on about the fact they take an amount out of your credit balance before giving you a bill. Not the direct debit.
So I have a balance of £400 and then it drops by £200, then a day or so later get an actual bill for £200 for instance.

Ah okay, can't say I've seen that.

[Mikey G]

Evanivitch said:

Mikey G said:

I think hes on about the fact they take an amount out of your credit balance before giving you a bill. Not the direct debit.
So I have a balance of £400 and then it drops by £200, then a day or so later get an actual bill for £200 for instance.

Ah okay, can't say I've seen that.

I suppose it depends on how obsessed you are with the balance and watch it everyday
Normally when it happens I pop into the balance history and there is normally a little box that says they have charged you for XX kWh for gas or electricity, sometimes you can click on it and it will say wether a bill is available or not.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I dont see what the issue is really my DD goes in on the 1st charges come off on the 5th and bill is issued on the 6th or 7th

Why is it such a problem

[Mikey G]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I dont see what the issue is really my DD goes in on the 1st charges come off on the 5th and bill is issued on the 6th or 7th

Why is it such a problem

I dont have a problem with it, and LG said it wasnt a biggie.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I'd rather it this way than what I had with bg that was no bil no bil no bil etc then a bil then that bill taken back then a new bill then that one taken back then a new one with inly elec in it then a new one with like 3 says usage

And all the in and out of money happening along with that

[Silverage]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I dont see what the issue is really my DD goes in on the 1st charges come off on the 5th and bill is issued on the 6th or 7th

Why is it such a problem

My only issue is that they don’t actually send me a bill that details how they’ve arrived at the amount they’ve debited from my account until I ask them. Ideally I like to have the bill prior to or at the same time as they take the money.

[Mikey G]

I was with BG and I agree, I feel so much more in control of my account now with Octopus.

If all previous months are anything to go by then i'll get a bill sometime in the next couple of days.