How to get the best out of Intelligent Octopus

Hawk Tuah

Hawk Tuah

Hawk Tuah

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
14,244
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Sandwich, Kent
I couldn't find anywhere else about this new tariff, so thought best to start a new thread. I've had Intelligent Octopus set up for about 3 weeks now. I originally set it up with the car being the thing I associate with Octopus, and configured with a granny charger (3 pin 2.4kw in the settings) as the charger (which is all I had at the time).

Now, I've had an OHME Pro charger installed - but I'm thinking that I'm actually better off keep using the granny charger, and only using the OMHE if I need to charge the car quicker.

Here's my logic.

When I plug my car in, Octopus will work out how best to achieve my configured charge level, by a set desired time. I've currently got it set as 80% by 5:30am.

With it configured as a granny charger, if the car is at 55%, that equates to about 14 hours of charging. So, their calculated charging period for the car starts much earlier than if I were configured using the OHME. For the entire duration of that charge period, I'm getting all my house electric at 7.5p. So, by charging at a slower rate, I'm getting cheaper electric for longer.

Anyone else on Intelligent find a fault with this logic?
 
I think the catch is you are not always guaranteed the earlier slots, so you might end up with only 6 hours at 3KW. If that’s not an issue I think your logic is sound…
 
It does seem to change every night - I guess they're balancing it with other demand. I think the 11:30 to 5:30 is guaranteed, so I've got my other EV and the house battery charging (when it's not sunny) between those hours. But anything else is just a bonus.

Will make more of a difference during winter when my batteries are likely depleted by the evening.
 
so surprised no one mentioned it but IO is now allowing people to export on their fixed packaged at 15p or agile export.
this is a massive bonus. of course now we are in September maybe not so much. it just depends of it stays like that next spring.

as soon as this hot spell is over I am gonna move.. just waiting on zappi support as I don't want to do it off my car if possible
 
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Well after a fantastic almost 5 months, now i have an EV i have requested to move from Octopus flux to IO. i was not able to do it via the web portal as i am on Flux and i didnt want to force flux export over to the SEG as that may have caused issues with me being on Flux import.

I was hoping to go right over to using my zappi however the beta is apparently full and i dont want to wait much longer - yesterday my export didnt cover my import and my battery was flat way before my cheap period so i think Flux is no longer the best choice for me.... So initially i will have to go via my car directly and then move it over to my zappi once its out of beta.

all things being equal, for those with home solar and battery, IO still seems the run away winner now that they allow customers to export at 15p when on IO. I hope it is a painless transfer as i dont want to end up falling off flux and stuck on their variable unable to get on IO!.
 
The only juggling act I have to contend with is handling the charge period not being consistant. Charging the EVs will drain any house battery I've got left very rapidly. I don't really want to constantly be doing that (for battery longevity) - and I like to have a bit of 'sunlight' charge left in the batteries to cover breakfast useage.

By having the car linked to IO, and the charger doing it's own thing (set to not allowing charing outside 11:30-5:30 unless I override) - I can set the inverter to match those times to prevent overnight discharging.

If you're exporting you'll likely find it more efficient to drain the battery during the high yeld times and recharge in the cheap period, so may not be an issue.

Whilst I'm not making any priofits - last bill was £51, including standing charge - covering the house and charging two EVs for daily use. Considering my wife used to spend £200 a month on fuel, we're doing pretty well from IO + solar.
 
Bug One said:
The only juggling act I have to contend with is handling the charge period not being consistant. Charging the EVs will drain any house battery I've got left very rapidly. I don't really want to constantly be doing that (for battery longevity) - and I like to have a bit of 'sunlight' charge left in the batteries to cover breakfast useage.

By having the car linked to IO, and the charger doing it's own thing (set to not allowing charing outside 11:30-5:30 unless I override) - I can set the inverter to match those times to prevent overnight discharging.

If you're exporting you'll likely find it more efficient to drain the battery during the high yeld times and recharge in the cheap period, so may not be an issue.

Whilst I'm not making any priofits - last bill was £51, including standing charge - covering the house and charging two EVs for daily use. Considering my wife used to spend £200 a month on fuel, we're doing pretty well from IO + solar.
Click to expand...
yeah i am going to have the same problem. i wish Solis had a simple option built into the remote control app "force battery charge for x time" it would then take seconds to over ride .

as it is my plan is in summer to do the odd out of cheap slot charge to keep me in the Tcs and Cs but for the most part just charge in the cheap 6 hrs, and in winter i will just connect the car after 6pm by which poiint my home battery tends to be flat anyway.
 
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bigmike20vt said:
yeah i am going to have the same problem. i wish Solis had a simple option built into the remote control app "pause battery output for x time" and "force battery charge for x time" it would then take seconds to over ride .

as it is my plan is in summer to do the odd out of cheap slot charge to keep me in the Tcs and Cs but for the most part just charge in the cheap 6 hrs, and in winter i will just connect the car after 6pm by which poiint my home battery tends to be flat anyway.
Click to expand...
Solis do have that option. Have you requested to be able to control your inverter from Solis support? It doesn't come as standard when you sign up for an account, you have to request it from them.

solis-service.solisinverters.com

Inverter Remote Control application

Our inverter Remote Control facility is available now for end users, for basic functions. Installer Control Access is now open but you need at least 10 sites minimum to enable this feature. In order to get access please submit a ticket...
solis-service.solisinverters.com solis-service.solisinverters.com

Once you have that, you can set your charge / discharge period via the app. I set mine to charge at 1amp during that period, which effectively pauses charge / discharge aside from a ~63w trickle of power which keeps the charge state level.
 
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Hi yep i have done that and made a schedule..... however (and this may be me being lazy but i dont think so) i am literally suggesting a button on the solis app to do it in 1 go, rather than

go to inverter
log in with password - which on my phone at least wont save
go to self use time setting
then hit read from inverter and wait up to 2 mins
then refresh the self use time setting
then change my time of use settings and save

and then when the "bonus" cheap period is over then log in and repeat.

i just mean a simple press button to over ride for 30 mins and force charge the battery without touching my normal schedule (which on IO will just be charge between 11:30pm and 5:30am)

unless what you are saying is i am wrong and there IS a setting i have missed, in which case please share and you will be my BFF ;)
 
Hi.
how many ex Octopus Fluxers are here?
I have a question please (as I doubt anyone at octopus work Sunday evenings).
I tried signing up again through the app to move to IO. this time it worked. all green ticks and the 10 min test charge passed.

I have now been given a charging schedule 10.30-4:30 am , charging through the car support (until zappi is out of closed beta then I will add that)

I have also changed around my batter charging and what not but my question is......

when you guys moved over did your account details automatically update? because whilst everything looks good for me being on IO, Inc a charge schedule and all that, my octopus account still says I am on flux import and export, which would make tonight's 30-80% charge a lot more expensive than it should be.

hopefully it's just data lag and it will update the paperwork correctly tomorrow.
thanks.
 
We have 2 EV’s, Model Y & an MG ZS, I now charge my Tesla on the 3 pin plug, IO is linked direct to it, I tend to get 12-16 hours of cheap rate electric when I plug it in (run battery down to 50% the plug in to 90%). MG plugs into our Ohme and schedule is set to 2330-0530 anytime it’s plugged in.

Best way to maximise your IO hours!
 
bigmike20vt said:
Hi.
how many ex Octopus Fluxers are here?
I have a question please (as I doubt anyone at octopus work Sunday evenings).
I tried signing up again through the app to move to IO. this time it worked. all green ticks and the 10 min test charge passed.

I have now been given a charging schedule 10.30-4:30 am , charging through the car support (until zappi is out of closed beta then I will add that)

I have also changed around my batter charging and what not but my question is......

when you guys moved over did your account details automatically update? because whilst everything looks good for me being on IO, Inc a charge schedule and all that, my octopus account still says I am on flux import and export, which would make tonight's 30-80% charge a lot more expensive than it should be.

hopefully it's just data lag and it will update the paperwork correctly tomorrow.
thanks.
Click to expand...
No took a few days.
 
Bug One said:
No took a few days.
Click to expand...
bummer so even tho you had all of the IO controls and the car generated a schedule for you, you were still charged on your old tarif for a few days? that is a royal pain if true given I put 40kwh in the car last night all over a not discounted session if on Flux .

thanks for the reply (even if it's not news I want to hear)
 
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oh no..... i just had the email that my account transfer was complete and i am now on IO.

however i think it has gone wrong... so i have emailed them but apparently they are snowed under.

my old Flux export account is now showing as IO import.............. and i also have Flux import showing on my account as well.... so as it stands i have 2 import accounts (not sure which one i will be billed to) and i no longer have any export accounts showing.

hopefully they get back to me soon.
 
lol i never thought of that!.

Rather than wait for an email back considering the error on my account i faced my hatred of speaking to people over the phone and phoned them...... hopefully sorted now, they had indeed put my export account on IO import which would have caused issues, but that is now fixed, and i am off octopus flux and on flexible octopus now. The guy on the phone was unable to put my correct account onto IO but has passed my case on.

The IO team will at some point over the next few days re add my correct account to IO however any charges will be backdated to 10:30 last night when i did my 1st charge using intelligent octopus

so all in all as long as it works as planned it will all pan out. Happy days!
thanks for the replies.
 
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Hi
bit of a necro. has anyone here put the octopus app on 2 phones for using IO and if so did it mess anything up? I am going abroad for a while taking my phone with me.
usually I sort out charging both our cars but the Mrs is gonna have to do it whilst I am gone.

thanks
 
I have octopus intelligent but no panels or a battery. I set it in the app for it to be ready for 4am, so that if I can plug it in around 7-8pm I can get cheap electric for a decent time. I tend to plug in with about 50-100 miles range (model 3 performance so about 25%). I guess with the 7kw charger, octopus would just run that at full chat without it being able to be dropping to increase the window.

Edit, didn't see the age of the thread :eek: .
 
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if you have a tesla you can limit the charge rate in your car...... I have a friend who charges really slowly and gets cheap electricity almost all day however i will warn you this is not in the spirit of IO as it is all about balancing the grid and not *just* for giving you cheap electricity.

I am not judging however according to myenergi (the people who make the zappi) Octopus are making a note of all accounts where they feel people are exploitig the system and if so those people could be kicked off.

as for the age of the thread, it was me who bumped it. i was not sure but i felt it made sense to keep this as the single IO thread.
 
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