How to getthe best out of Octopus Flux

Yes, it probably would have been better and easier to use Twitter or the phone, but changing import tariff lead me through to changing export as it told me current export wasn't compatible, probably should have stopped there and used the aforementioned methods.

Considering the system recognised what tariff I was on it would have made sense to just ask which one of the three I wanted to switch to, rather than making me reapply.

It's done now, see what happens.
 
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Ron-ski said:
Yes, it probably would have been better and easier to use Twitter or the phone, but changing import tariff lead me through to changing export as it told me current export wasn't compatible, probably should have stopped there and used the aforementioned methods.

Considering the system recognised what tariff I was on it would have made sense to just ask which one of the three I wanted to switch to, rather than making me reapply.

It's done now, see what happens.
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totally agree, the system should already know the relevant documents have been filed as your already on export.
 
Ron-ski said:
All done online just now, thanks. Had to add MCS cert number and upload DNO documents again for export, seems a waste of time as waste already on Flux, so they have already verified all the info.
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Good job. You'll be able to simplify your exporting now. It's much easier with fixed.

My HA setup starts looking at my battery % around 21:00. If it's got enough in it to export and cover load till 23:30 it exports. If not it checks again at 21:30....etc. The aim is always to be empty at 23:30 when the IOG window opens. Charge up for 90 mins, export for 90 mins and then charge from 02:30 to 100% for 05:30.
 
Glad to see you've made the switch to Go. It's a no-brainer in winter. To be honest, for a large number of people Flux doesn't make sense anymore: the cheap rate is too expensive, the export outside of 4-7pm is too low and the window is too short.

For me, I was importing about 12kWh per day in the cheap rate, so with the standing charge it was already £2.39/day before I exported anything. I would then only be able to force discharge at 4-7pm down to about 50% SOC or risk running out before 2am, so I wasn't able to export anywhere near enough to make much back, sometimes nothing if it was a dull day. Now I'm on their EV saver tariff (Intelligent Go but 6p/kWh instead of 7p/kWh from 23:30 to 05:30) and that same import costs £1.38. I then force discharge at 20:30 to 23:00 but can go to 20% SOC so end up sending out more too. Rarely is my daily cost above £1 now. I need to generate about 8kWh to break even roughly.
 
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Yes, it certainly makes sense, and will be a lot easier to manage, plus no exporting in the saver session hours. It was also very easy to calculate what costs would be due to the flat rates and how much this year has cost.

Was put off with it being an EV only tariff (seen many reports of them asking for proof), and concerned with possible complications changing tariffs. EV will come, but need to get an ASHP first.
 
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Ended up exporting almost 17 kWh yesterday, still had 26% in the tank at 00:30 this morning.

26 kWh imported this morning equals £2.21 cost, meaning I need to export 14.73 to equate to zero cost (edit: forgot to take into account standing charge), that should be doable except on the very worst days (of which there's been a load recently)- we had 5.43 kWh of solar export yesterday.

Exporting nothing in the peak period, and exporting between 20:00 and midnight does feel wrong though, but I don't want to lower my saving session rewards!
 
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madtoady said:
Only recently had panels and a powerwall 3 installed. I think I've made the right decision to sign up to the Intelligent Octopus Go import tariff and the flat 15p export tariff.
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Same as me. If you can generate a decent amount from your solar you’ll not pay a penny for electric at the current import / export rates.
 
john_smith said:
Same as me. If you can generate a decent amount from your solar you’ll not pay a penny for electric at the current import / export rates.
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I made it to about 10pm yesterday before the battery drained, I think that's pretty good? Although my baseline power colnsumption will be going up about 200% in a month or so which will change things drastically.
 
I definitely need to write some more code to automate mine a bit more, my battery hit the target of 15% SOC at midnight, but I had to manually adjust the export rate. I put 25.57 kWh back in this morning, which gives a calculated capacity of around 30 kWh, which is good as in theory they should be 29 kWh.

@madtoady what's going to cause your big increase? John's correct it's mostly about building up a big credit over the summer months, either that or add another battery if you think it makes financial sense. I might do that when we get an ASHP, but my batteries are pretty cheap these days.
 
Not sure if this has come up on another post with it being 45 pages, but I came off flux for the winter, with the intent to go back in Spring, however I given it seems to have been nerfed that I will be in no hurry to go back to it.

Instead, I moved to Tomato energy for import (which is 5p off peak at night when I fill my batteries and thermal battery, top up again at 09:30 - 11:30 at 13.37p) and export to Scottish Power for flat 12p at all times.

I am thinking of leaving it for spring / summer and just turning off the top-up charge, so will continue to import at 5p - My batteries plus any daytime generation will likely cover all of my use and then just flat export at the 12p.


That is of course until they nerf the 12p export....

Seems like such an easier option than messing around with Flux - Also less cycling of the batteries with all the forced discharge to get the peak export rates for an extra 50p a day or whatever (and the TE standing charge is like 30p a day less than Flux anyway).
 
Ron-ski said:
I definitely need to write some more code to automate mine a bit more, my battery hit the target of 15% SOC at midnight, but I had to manually adjust the export rate. I put 25.57 kWh back in this morning, which gives a calculated capacity of around 30 kWh, which is good as in theory they should be 29 kWh.

@madtoady what's going to cause your big increase? John's correct it's mostly about building up a big credit over the summer months, either that or add another battery if you think it makes financial sense. I might do that when we get an ASHP, but my batteries are pretty cheap these days.
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I'm currently building a koi pond and swimming pool in my garden. The pond will have a continual energy use of around 1kw and run all year round. The pool will mostly be used in the summer with the pump running at 1.8kw and the ASHP heater using 5.9kw when in use. I'm hoping to use the heater only when the solar panels are working fully but will have to see how it goes. The solar system is new and the pool will be new so not entirely sure how it'll perform.

I have a feeling it'll be wise to add a 13.5kWh Powerwall 3 addon to my existing battery as my useage will be quite high. I currently have 28x 450W panels in a non optimal position but plan on adding another 10 panels fairly soon in a really optimal location. So that a potential of 12kW + 4.5kW total generation with a capped export rate of 8kW which I think is fine with my current useage. But this is all new to me so any advice is greatly appreciated.
 
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