But not having a battery means you have no choice if your generation exceeds consumption.
Last edited:
How to getthe best out of Octopus Flux
- Thread starter Ron-ski
- Start date
@HogPower I believe the Powerwall can be set to discharge to the grid, see this thread.
myenergi.info
I suspect your installer has disabled the option because they only applied for a G98, which only allows for 3.68kW maximum export.
You could contact your DNO and ask if you could export more, you'd need to check what the maximum power the Powerwall can supply, and then add the 3.68 of the PV inverter to it, it's this figure that the DNO will require.
If they say yes, you'll need to apply for a G99, and convince your installer to unlock the feature.
With regards to the DNO they may not be too helpful at first, and just say fill out the forms, this is the first response I got, but in the end I did get more info.
myenergi-Tesla Powerwall configured for Export?
Does anyone have a Powerwall 2 which has been configured to enable manual export of power? Looking at Octopus Outgoing Agile for my SEG tariff and the
myenergi.info
I suspect your installer has disabled the option because they only applied for a G98, which only allows for 3.68kW maximum export.
You could contact your DNO and ask if you could export more, you'd need to check what the maximum power the Powerwall can supply, and then add the 3.68 of the PV inverter to it, it's this figure that the DNO will require.
If they say yes, you'll need to apply for a G99, and convince your installer to unlock the feature.
With regards to the DNO they may not be too helpful at first, and just say fill out the forms, this is the first response I got, but in the end I did get more info.
@HogPower My experience is limited to my own installation, and what I've read on forums. It does sound very much like NG was saying a total export capability of 7.36kW was acceptable. Do you have an email address on the correspondence you received from NG. If so I'd email them along with property details, and any reference numbers and ask them, if they say that's fine then you'd need to tackle your installer.
Hopefully the system is clever enough just to set total export to 7.36kW, whether that's from solar, battery or combination of the two.
Hopefully the system is clever enough just to set total export to 7.36kW, whether that's from solar, battery or combination of the two.
@HogPower yes, as you already have permission to export a maximum of 3.68kW, you can do that all-day long, from PV or battery, or a combination of both, but not exceed it.
I would download form G99 and apply to add 5kW of AC connected battery to your existing 3.68kW export allowance, note on the form that the system is already installed but the battery is limited to zero export, but you'd like to have full export of 5kw from the battery as well, making a total of 8.68kW. They will then reply with an offer, and this will state whether anything needs upgrading and if so what it will cost, or they may just say yes that's fine, and then you just need fill out the relavant forms.
You haven't said who you DNO is, I'm presuming NG is national grid, but most DNOs don't charge for processing the form and producing an initial offer.
Once you know exactly what the DNO will allow, then tackle your installer.
I would download form G99 and apply to add 5kW of AC connected battery to your existing 3.68kW export allowance, note on the form that the system is already installed but the battery is limited to zero export, but you'd like to have full export of 5kw from the battery as well, making a total of 8.68kW. They will then reply with an offer, and this will state whether anything needs upgrading and if so what it will cost, or they may just say yes that's fine, and then you just need fill out the relavant forms.
You haven't said who you DNO is, I'm presuming NG is national grid, but most DNOs don't charge for processing the form and producing an initial offer.
Once you know exactly what the DNO will allow, then tackle your installer.
Last edited:
Yes, the battery export limitation was set by the installer.
I'm not entirely sure what the G100 is, but I believe it is where you have to limit the system to less than its capable of, and what you've said does fit with that understanding.
Everyone has the legal right to export up to 3.68kw, to do this you just need to inform the DNO once the system is commissioned, this is why a lot of Solar firms opt for this, its the easy route, and simpler. Anything more than 3.68kw and you have to apply for permission via G99, the DNO will check network capacity, and say yes that's OK, or set a limit of X, and tell you how much they'd like YOU to pay to upgrade THEIR network if you want the full allowance. Its a weird system, if your wanted to export 8.68kw and they said, unless you paid to upgrade the network, there nothing you can do unless you pay. But now if two of your neighboaurs also added 3.68kW systems, so another 7.36, whichs makes 11kw including yours, the DNO would be forced to pay to upgrade the network. However if you paid for the upgrade, and a neighbour then wanted to add a 5kW system, I believe you would get some money back.
I had a 4kw PV, with 3.68kw SolarEdge system installed in 2015, so I had an existing permission to export 3.86kw, last year I applied to add a further 8kw via the G99, and I was approved, no need for a G100 as I had full approval.
Its not clear from what you were told whether you simply can't add more, or they are just trying to tell you how to work with what you have, hence doing a G99 application, and seeing what they say.
I'm not entirely sure what the G100 is, but I believe it is where you have to limit the system to less than its capable of, and what you've said does fit with that understanding.
Everyone has the legal right to export up to 3.68kw, to do this you just need to inform the DNO once the system is commissioned, this is why a lot of Solar firms opt for this, its the easy route, and simpler. Anything more than 3.68kw and you have to apply for permission via G99, the DNO will check network capacity, and say yes that's OK, or set a limit of X, and tell you how much they'd like YOU to pay to upgrade THEIR network if you want the full allowance. Its a weird system, if your wanted to export 8.68kw and they said, unless you paid to upgrade the network, there nothing you can do unless you pay. But now if two of your neighboaurs also added 3.68kW systems, so another 7.36, whichs makes 11kw including yours, the DNO would be forced to pay to upgrade the network. However if you paid for the upgrade, and a neighbour then wanted to add a 5kW system, I believe you would get some money back.
I had a 4kw PV, with 3.68kw SolarEdge system installed in 2015, so I had an existing permission to export 3.86kw, last year I applied to add a further 8kw via the G99, and I was approved, no need for a G100 as I had full approval.
Its not clear from what you were told whether you simply can't add more, or they are just trying to tell you how to work with what you have, hence doing a G99 application, and seeing what they say.
Last edited:
@HogPower If you apply to your DNO for the full 8.68kW export and they approve it, then you don't need to limit anything, you'll just have to get the 0 export limit removed on the Tesla power wall.
If you don't get the export increased, then just get the Tesla to limit maximum export to 3.68kW, I doubt there is any need to touch the SolarEdge system.
PS Victron is the Rolls Royce of solar
If you don't get the export increased, then just get the Tesla to limit maximum export to 3.68kW, I doubt there is any need to touch the SolarEdge system.
PS Victron is the Rolls Royce of solar
@HogPower And you trust your installer, when they've already likely took the easy route? I did my own G99 application, even when I was getting quotes from installers, who all quoted for what they wanted, not what I wanted.
Yes you are, and no they won't need to change your meter, they will apply to UKPN for your export MPAN
I had an email yesterday as well, bit of a hike in standing charge, but not a lot of change on the others IIRC.
Last edited:
@SoliD Mines been held up because they are waiting on an export MPAN, where as Welshman was already paid via Octopus so was an easy switch.
Me to. Octopus also seem rather slow in updating the data as well, Bright App is a lot more up to date. I also use Octopus Watch, but that gets it's data directly from Octopus so suffers the same delays, but good for seeing how much you've spent or haven't spent, or once exports is setup how much you've gained.
I think I broke octopus.
@Welshman does your Octopus App mention export?
Last edited:
@PaulB81 it depends if you already were being paid by Octopus for export, if not it takes longer to setup. Import gets setup pretty quickly, but it's been around three weeks now for me and still waiting for export to be setup.
Just had confirmation that my export has finally been set up, I'll start getting paid from Tuesday , probably just in time for next week's rain.
, probably just in time for next week's rain.
Last edited:
The gas meters talk to the electric meters, and then the electric meters actually send the data as they have a power supply. So if your gas meter is too far from the electric meter it won't work.
Octopus Watch is very similar, hopefully it will start showing my exports tomorrow
My export is supposed to have gone live today, so now I wait in anticipation to see if I get paid for the 32kWh I exported.
Some indications of it being live are starting to show on the Octopus website, so hopefully tomorrow it will show my exports.
Without putting too much thought into it, I think it makes more sense to charge the battery between 2am and 5am, then run off battery/solar/export excess, then export as much as possible in the peak period, but keep enough back to see us through to 2am. I'm assuming 90% efficiency charging/discharging via inverter each way.
Imports:
Exports:
So, £4.94 - £8.50 = -£3.56
So I should be around £3.56 up
Some indications of it being live are starting to show on the Octopus website, so hopefully tomorrow it will show my exports.
Without putting too much thought into it, I think it makes more sense to charge the battery between 2am and 5am, then run off battery/solar/export excess, then export as much as possible in the peak period, but keep enough back to see us through to 2am. I'm assuming 90% efficiency charging/discharging via inverter each way.
Imports:
- 14kWh imported at Flux rate = £2.99
- 4.3kWh at day rate = £1.47
- Standing charge = £0.48
- Total import costs = £4.94
Exports:
- 24kWh exported at day rate = £5.56
- 8kWh export at peak rate = £2.94
- Total export value = £8.50
So, £4.94 - £8.50 = -£3.56
So I should be around £3.56 up
It was set to charge from 2am until 4pm, which means it won't use any battery in that period, so everything we used before the PV was producing enough came from the grid. The day rate is 34.18p, yet peak export is 36.85p, but if you take into account efficiency losses we'll be getting back less than what we pay to import at day rate, also the battery carries on charging until full, you can see below that it stopped charging a 5:42 or there abouts, thus 42 minutes at the day rate. So I'm going to set it only to charge between 2am and 5am, then we'll just run off the battery until solar kicks in, some of the excess can be exported in the peak window, I think that makes most sense.
I'm only charging the battery with half power at the moment, once the second battery is installed I'll charge at full power of 8kW (70amps into each battery), but still wouldn't completely fill circa 29kWh of battery storage in three hours.
I'm only charging the battery with half power at the moment, once the second battery is installed I'll charge at full power of 8kW (70amps into each battery), but still wouldn't completely fill circa 29kWh of battery storage in three hours.
I'm really not that impressed with Octopus's systems, seems a bit of a mess. App is slow to update, data is missing, app says my DD is £301, website says my DD is £150 after I changed it a week ago. App doesn't show cost of energy used on Flux yet. Weird messages when changing to Flux export, I and others got emails saying our change from another provider was complete as if we'd changed utility companies.
The app is showing exports, but currently it can't put a value against imports or exports.
Octopus watch isn't yet showing the exports, although it shows the rates, and at the bottom of the last 7 days it shows export 0
It will be, I had the same Tuesday, then it started to gradually appear on Wednesday.