Octopus Intelligent Go & Zappi - got a new car

[clockworks]

I've been using my Zappi to charge a Volvo PHEV.

I've now replaced the Volvo with a full EV - Kia EV3.

What do I need to do on the Octopus or Zappi apps so it knows that I've got a different car with a much bigger battery?

Neither the Volvo or Kia are compatible with Octopus, so the integration is with the Zappi charger.

[t_rifles]

I think you will need to Disconnect Device and Connect the Device again with the new car details.

[Discombobulate]

t_rifles said:

I think you will need to Disconnect Device and Connect the Device again with the new car details.

This

[clockworks]

Ok, so disconnect the Zappi "device " in the Octopus app, then add it again - it will ask me for the car details?

I'll give it a go this afternoon.

I plugged the car in after starting the thread, and Octopus gave me a charging slot starting at 8pm. Car charged at the full 7kW.

With the PHEV, I just left the Octopus app to charge it to 100%.

Presumably when I've set it up for the new car, I will have to tell it what percentage to add each time, as it's not a good idea to charge up to 100% every time.

Edit:
Just noticed that I can set a charge limit using the Kia app.
Presumably I can set that to 90%, leave the Zappi set to charge to 100% (or set to add 100%), and it will then keep charging until the car tells it to stop at 90%.

Edited by clockworks on Thursday 16th January 08:22

[Aunty Pasty]

Yes the Kia app will set the max charge. The octopus app will set the max amount of kph to add but it won't go beyond the set cat limits.

[clockworks]

Aunty Pasty said:

Yes the Kia app will set the max charge. The octopus app will set the max amount of kph to add but it won't go beyond the set cat limits.

Thanks

[phil4]

Beware of that approach though,

you'll be seen as gaming the system if you're not actually needing 100%. With a big battery, Octopus is likely to offer slots well outside the normal cheap period, and since that gives you cheap power in the house too, a big advantage to you. That's no issue if you actually had an entirely empty battery, but if you didn't (and you likely won't), you're seen as gaming the system.

No big issue now, and no one has mentioned ever being caught, but you do run the risk of them retrospectively kicking you back onto the standard tariff and retrospectively billing you for all your use at peak.

Unless you purposely want to do the above, and or disagree that it's wrong, I'd suggest setting the percentage to add as roughly what you actually want. If your max in the car is set to 90, and you get home with 57%, set it to add 35%.

[Pistonheadsdicoverer]

I have the same setup. I have 2 EV. At the moment, Octopus controls the Zappi. Not the cars.
I charge the cars without any thought and haven't registered or re-registered any cars.
Just 100% charging overnight everytime.

[clockworks]

phil4 said:

Beware of that approach though,

you'll be seen as gaming the system if you're not actually needing 100%. With a big battery, Octopus is likely to offer slots well outside the normal cheap period, and since that gives you cheap power in the house too, a big advantage to you. That's no issue if you actually had an entirely empty battery, but if you didn't (and you likely won't), you're seen as gaming the system.

No big issue now, and no one has mentioned ever being caught, but you do run the risk of them retrospectively kicking you back onto the standard tariff and retrospectively billing you for all your use at peak.

Unless you purposely want to do the above, and or disagree that it's wrong, I'd suggest setting the percentage to add as roughly what you actually want. If your max in the car is set to 90, and you get home with 57%, set it to add 35%.

Ah, right. Makes sense.

I was given a long slot starting at 20:00 last night, but the car stopped charging at about 20:45. That's the first time I've been given a slot outside the 6 hour window.
Strange really, because the car that's currently defined only has a 10kWH battery, and gets fully charged in under 3 hours (half power, because PHEV).
I think there must have been a lot of surplus power on the grid last night, as plenty of people in Facebook groups mentioning early slots.

I'll check on Octoaid when it updates with yesterday's data, and see if the cheap rate carried on after the car finished charging.

[phil4]

Last night was strange in Octopus world... all over the country people got 8pm slots.

Those cheap rates in Octoaid can only be read for 12 hours, after that it won't see them, so you've probably missed that chance now.

Octopus do start and stop during slots quite a lot. So the stop at 08:45 isn't surprising. But the bill will always be in half hour chunks, so 08:45 will mean 20:30 - 21:00 will be cheap even thought it stopped part way through.

[surfymark]

Sorry if this hijacks the topic somewhat but I just connected my charger and car last night.

As the previous person has mentioned it gave everyone 8pm slots. It gave me 8pm-9:30 then 9:30-10pm slots.

I connected up the Octopus app to my charger and car at about 7pm and as expected it started charging straight away. However it never stopped and charged continuously until the battery was full at about 10:56pm.

It also seemed to charge (according to my charger app) at 1.4kwh as opposed to the full 3.5kwh it normally does.

Am I going to be charged peak rate for the 7pm to 8pm and then 10pm-10:56pm?

I guess I didn't use too much in these peak times given the lower charge rate. However, if it ramped up to the higher charge rate it would have been finished within the cheap rate time!

Will it do this every time? I have been on Octopus Go for several years and only switched because my charger (Indra Smart Pro) became compatible this week.

Thanks!
Mark

[phil4]

If Octopus app shows it as a charging slot, it's cheap rate.

As to likely to happen every time, no, very unlikely. Instead you'll likely see it do it in the middle of the night.

[clockworks]

phil4 said:

Last night was strange in Octopus world... all over the country people got 8pm slots.

Those cheap rates in Octoaid can only be read for 12 hours, after that it won't see them, so you've probably missed that chance now.

Octopus do start and stop during slots quite a lot. So the stop at 08:45 isn't surprising. But the bill will always be in half hour chunks, so 08:45 will mean 20:30 - 21:00 will be cheap even thought it stopped part way through.

I thought Octoaid would show the extra cheap rate slots on the daily usage graphs, but it doesn't. Just shows the normal cheap periods.

I found the screen that does show the extra slots, but like you said, they had scrolled off the end by the time I looked.


Car is now set up, ready to go.

[Pistonheadsdicoverer]

I always thought most chargers would only charge at full capacity (either 0 or full whack).

[clockworks]

Pistonheadsdicoverer said:

I always thought most chargers would only charge at full capacity (either 0 or full whack).

Do you mean charging rate, or kWH?

Home chargers will "negotiate" the charge rate with the car. My previous car was a plug-in hybrid, could only charge at 3.6kW. My Zappi would cut the rate to 3.6kW.
My current BEV can charge at 7kW, so that's what the Zappi does.

Most chargers also connect to the meter tails with a CT clamp. This monitors how much power your whole house is drawing from the grid, and can reduce the charge rate to avoid blowing the main fuse if you've got electric showers or heaters running at the same time.

[Knock_knock]

Pistonheadsdicoverer said:

I always thought most chargers would only charge at full capacity (either 0 or full whack).

I have an Ohme charger.

This evening I have some periods of 1.6kW, 4.3kW, 4.8kW and 7.2kW scheduled.

Intelligent Octopus likes to really mix it up!

I often only get a max of 6.6kW at this time of year as the system is set up to not exceed a household load of (I think!) 80amps.

I've stopped thinking about it. The car is always charged when I need it, and we often get 9-10 cheap hours a day

[Pistonheadsdicoverer]

clockworks said:

Do you mean charging rate, or kWH?

Home chargers will "negotiate" the charge rate with the car. My previous car was a plug-in hybrid, could only charge at 3.6kW. My Zappi would cut the rate to 3.6kW.
My current BEV can charge at 7kW, so that's what the Zappi does.

Most chargers also connect to the meter tails with a CT clamp. This monitors how much power your whole house is drawing from the grid, and can reduce the charge rate to avoid blowing the main fuse if you've got electric showers or heaters running at the same time.

Charging rate (Kw). I thought it was fixed at 7 (if your charger allows it). Octopus has taken over my Zappi. So I don't know whether it is now the brains (i.e. can ask for lower charging rate or not).