New Octopus Go tariff and off peak options?

[Roy W.]

Hmmm, just got this reply from Octopus...

"Thanks for the enquiry, Smart meters unfortunately do use mobile networks. My advice would be to see if Scottish Power can install one and see if it works, and then to transfer to us. As should it work our Go tariff would really help you save money when powering your EV."

Does anyone know which mobile network these meters use?

Any ideas as to an easy way to improve the signal in the house?

AFAIK they’re not strictly correct. The SMETS1 meters *do* use mobile phone networks, but they no longer count towards the meter change targets, so fitting these should really be a last resort. When I had my SMETS1 meters installed a couple of years ago, the guy had a signal strength meter which told him which mobile network gave the strongest signal at my location.

The SMETS2 meters *don’t* use the mobile phone networks. There are two dedicated radio networks for these, one covering the North and the other the South. So still radio, but not mobile phone. EDIT: See @AndyWrightUK above!

I was half right

 

[Jason71]

Hmmm, just got this reply from Octopus...

"Thanks for the enquiry, Smart meters unfortunately do use mobile networks. My advice would be to see if Scottish Power can install one and see if it works, and then to transfer to us. As should it work our Go tariff would really help you save money when powering your EV."

Does anyone know which mobile network these meters use?

Any ideas as to an easy way to improve the signal in the house?

SMETS2 use a custom WAN ( wide area network) but the older SMETS1 use the normal mobile phone networks. I think the SMETS1 can uses different networks dependant on signal strength. not sure if they have a roaming sim or they switch it out. SMETS1 are not being made anymore but some suppliers still have them and will fit if WAN is not working in your area for SMETS2. however you can only transfer a SMETS1 meter to Octopus if is it "Secure" branded. if its another type its no good

 

[MrBadger]

The SMETS2 meters *don’t* use the mobile phone networks. There are two dedicated radio networks for these, one covering the North and the other the South. So still radio, but not mobile phone.

My SMETS2 meter had reference to Sku 1 Telefonica South/central March 2019 on it and the box on top of the meter specifically says SKU1 Cellular.

I just double checked and both my exact meter models and suffixes are listed as SMETS2 on UK Electricity and Gas Smart Metering (L&G E470-5424 and G470-672)

 

[Jonslatt]

I have a Secure 100 branded smart meter put in by Usio which uses my broadband connection. Have a small fag packet sized box with an Ethernet port which talks wirelessly to my meter.
I guess this isn’t an option anymore.

 

[Mark_T]

I noticed missing data a few days back - this is last gas reading on website. Hope they fix the issue with gas readings - graph values on website totally fictitious 6.969 vs 77.8 (histogram matches incorrect values)

Data for yesterday appeared for me earlier today so hopefully things are working again.

They still need to back-fill the missing information for the first 7 days of this year, but it is a good sign at least.

 

[CertLive]

My current rates with Outfox:
One Tariff Electricity Unit rate 12.75p
Standing Charge 10.50p

Both my rates are much lower than any of the other providers. Its 100% Wind generated. What do you think? In my head I save more in the long run with lower rates.

 

[kevuwk]

My current rates with Outfox:
One Tariff Electricity Unit rate 12.75p
Standing Charge 10.50p

Both my rates are much lower than any of the other providers. Its 100% Wind generated. What do you think? In my head I save more in the long run with lower rates.

It depends how many kWh you use and how much you can shift to the cheaper time

 

[CertLive]

It depends how many kWh you use and how much you can shift to the cheaper time

Yes true but also with home charging speeds its a very limited window at 7kw an hour. I suppose 22kw chargers would work out maybe better? I think the high standing charge of the other providers cancels out the savings for me.

 

[kevuwk]

Yes true but also with home charging speeds its a very limited window at 7kw an hour. I suppose 22kw chargers would work out maybe better? I think the high standing charge of the other providers cancels out the savings for me.

If you used the full 4 hours everyday then you would use ~30kWh. On your current tariff that would be £3.93 with the standing charge and on Go that would be £1.75 with the standing charge.

It also depends how many miles you do each day as the 4 hour window will give you ~100 miles

 

[CertLive]

If you used the full 4 hours everyday then you would use ~30kWh. On your current tariff that would be £3.93 with the standing charge and on Go that would be £1.75 with the standing charge.

It also depends how many miles you do each day as the 4 hour window will give you ~100 miles

Then add the standing charge over the whole month? Ok lets see what I used December 276.7kwh hmm time to look up the charges again and work the numbers.

 

[kevuwk]

Then add the standing charge over the whole month? Ok lets see what I used December 276.7kwh hmm time to look up the charges again and work the numbers.

That is quite a low usage so it depends how much you can move to the Go period. I have sent you my referral code if you do plan on changing provider

 

[CertLive]

That is quite a low usage so it depends how much you can move to the Go period. I have sent you my referral code if you do plan on changing provider

Cheers will look into it.

 

[Mark_T]

Then add the standing charge over the whole month? Ok lets see what I used December 276.7kwh hmm time to look up the charges again and work the numbers.

If that is typical for you then at less than 10kWh a day you are not going to see any saving worth having as the standing charge difference absorbs most of the possible saving each day.

You can't be doing much home car charging on that usage though or are you using wind/solar yourself as part of your mix?

 

[rotor2k]

Then add the standing charge over the whole month? Ok lets see what I used December 276.7kwh hmm time to look up the charges again and work the numbers.

Have a look at the spreadsheet I put together for comparison:

Comparing Electricity price plans -- there's not as much in it as you think

 

[kevuwk]

Have a look at the spreadsheet I put together for comparison:

Comparing Electricity price plans -- there's not as much in it as you think

The numbers you use for Agile look like they are quite old and you are using the wrong usage pattern against Agile as well. If you have Go then you push as much as possible between 00:30 and 04:30 and if you have Agile you avoid 16:00-19:00 and use the best prices for charging.

In the first 9 days of January these would are my figures as an Agile user.

282.977 kWh

Agile cost: £23.75
Go cost: £35.27
Bulb E7 (taken from your spreadsheet) cost: £39.17
(these include standing charge)

It all depends on your total kWh and how much you can move to the cheaper times

I should add that I started with Go and the usage profile I used made Agile ~£15 cheaper over 3 months. The cost of 4-7PM for those 3 months was £38.08 on Go but would have been £67.86 on Agile which affects the overall numbers because the same usage pattern doesn't fit both tariffs

 

[Mark_T]

Just as another data-point, I compare Octopus Go, Agile, EDF Go and Bulb Smart against my usage and for the 4 weeks to the 29th December my numbers look like this:

Go: £92.33
Agile: £77.32
EDF: £89.36
Bulb: £98.51

 

[Jellus]

Octopus Go is working very nicely for me.

 

[NewbieT]

Octopus Go is working very nicely for me.View attachment 498611

Is your charge point 32A? I was comparing my chart and remember I only get 30A from the podpoint.

 

[Adopado]

Is your charge point 32A? I was comparing my chart and remember I only get 30A from the podpoint.

Some limit the amps a little but some use the full 32A. My Zappi does charge at 32A ... but then so would a 32A commando ...

 

[MrBadger]

Is your charge point 32A? I was comparing my chart and remember I only get 30A from the podpoint.

We recently had a 32A Podpoint installed at in laws, not the smart version but the multimode, and it is doing 32A. But its fed from one phase of the 3 phase supply that is less than 10m away.