Octopus Energy, including Intelligent and go

[_Dave_]

I'm getting far too into the bloody smart meter monitoring (it's the new 'Tesla Shipping'!).

I'm on Octopus Go. I have smart plugs, set to come on at 1-3am, which charge the kids' iPads and phones, games controllers etc (not always or all of them each night, but a couple), plus a dishwasher on around the same time. It's 1hr 9mins for the eco load.

I'm waking up and checking the meter about 7am and it's saying I've spent £1.15-odd already (each day). I'm using 0.06p/hr or thereabouts at that time for whatever is on or on standby (Fridge, Microwave, etc etc).

As I understand it (and I won't tell you what my wife called me when I suggested I'd stay up till midnight for a check...), at midnight, it should reset to 0.00 (the meter, not the clock ) and probably then instantly applies the daily standing charge of 41.39p (unless I have that wrong and it would ensure my day finishes at at least that amount each day?). So how am I reaching £1.15-ish by 7am each morning? I've not worked it out yet. The app isn't too much help in terms of detail, but seems OK and as expected. Today, I can only see detail for Yesterday/Sunday (and we had 5 extra members of family staying over, having coffees and showers etc, hence the spike at 8 or 9. Not that I was counting or resenting each time the kettle went on... ).
But as you can see there's a little jump at 2am as expected. According to the smart meter, we're ending the day on about £4.50 spent.

Anything I'm missing? Worth a call to Octopus?
thanks!

View attachment 849232View attachment 849233

OK, I didn't spot this earlier (certainly not on the iOS App or via the site on my phone) but on the main site there's more detailed info, and consumption available in a CSV.

The Sum shows it adds up to about the amount I am seeing at 7am.

However, I suppose what I'm not understanding is the meter itself says 0.06-0.08p an hour is being used most of the time when we're not doing much, yet the consumption below is in 30min chunks and add up to more like 25p/hr on average.

 

[MattM76]

If you have an in home display for your meter, it’s likely not showing the correct tariff. You can ask Octopus to push the correct tariff but there was some discussion about how it’s not entirely accurate on the IHD.

Ours is still showing the price cap which is too high at night and too low during the day.

I was thinking of writing a small script to parse the CSVs and work out my days cost.

 

[_Dave_]

If you have an in home display for your meter, it’s likely not showing the correct tariff. You can ask Octopus to push the correct tariff but there was some discussion about how it’s not entirely accurate on the IHD.

Ours is still showing the price cap which is too high at night and too low during the day.

I was thinking of writing a small script to parse the CSVs and work out my days cost.

Ah I see, thanks that's good to know.
Yes it's an IHD sat here, looking at me in the living room. I guess that's the answer that it's not the correct tariff (it certainly moves up and down as and when appliances are turned on/off very responsively). I'll ask and see what they can do, but will keep in mind it might not be the most accurate (at that point I might unplug it and stick it back in the drawer where it's been for the last year so!). Thanks!

 

[MattM76]

There’s an app called Octopus Watch on Apple and android. You can log in with your octopus API details and it gives you daily billing accurate for Go and how much you’re saving compared to their flexible rate (spoiler not much right now until the car comes)

Here’s how expensive a hot tub is to run! I turned it off yesterday and winterised it.

 

[_Dave_]

Thanks @MattM76
I’ll give that a go, looks interesting.

 

[ACarneiro]

Your IHD won’t display the correct Go rates by default, therefore it’s showing your off-peak usage charged at the Standard Variable Rate.
The billing is accurate, though.
I believe some people have managed to get the IHD configured appropriately, so maybe ring them for that?

 

[Waltagon]

Started my switch to Octopus today, moving onto the SVR initially, but I explained the situation (i.e. impending EV) to the nice chap on the phone, and said I'll be best calling back in a couple of days to get onto the Go tariff - fingers crossed that goes smoothly so I can get locked in for the next year.

I’ve switched to the SVR but I have the wrong type of smart meter to move to an EV tariff. Hopefully I will be able to get things moving quicker while with them.

 

[Irata]

I believe some people have managed to get the IHD configured appropriately, so maybe ring them for that?

I'll be interest to know who and how they managed it, specifically for the Go tarrifs. I know it can work for other peak/off-peak tariffs, but not when the meter is configured for half hour readings. Though if someone does actually see the actual KWh rate change on Go, please do share.

I've tried for over a year and no luck, tried all the different emails.

I am aware that some people have their IHD stuck on the peak rate and others are stuck on the off-peak. That caused some confusion in threads last year, so I wonder if that's where the idea it works came from.

But I would be very happy to know of one that really does dynamically change, I gave up myself and concluded it's actually a scenario the smart meter designers (who don't appear to have been overly smart) had not considered - half hourly meetings with just two time periods.

 

[robmcm]

You sure it doesn’t start at midnight with the standing charge?

 

[Irata]

You sure it doesn’t start at midnight with the standing charge?

Not sure if you are asking me or not.

Look at the live consumption view, rather than total daily consumption, and it clearly uses the wrong rate for some of the day. The live view would not include standing charge as that doesn't make sense.

There's nothing especially smart about smart meters.

In my case, it's stuck on off-peak all day and has been for getting on two years now. Although of that it took 6 months to even get the IHD showing anything.

Others have reported it to be stuck on peak rate for them.

I don't actually pay any attention to the price it shows nowadays, the novelty has long gone, and the IHD has nothing whatsoever to do with billing anyway.

It's just a local display getting live energy consumption over a Zigbee (bespoke version) wireless transmission from the meter and doing basic maths. The IHD does not connect back to Octopus at all. Price information is sent to the meter, then shared with the local IHD. The meter does know the different rates, it can handle far more than two per day. But the whole design and integration of smart meters and the IHD does appear overly complex and not that well thought out to me.

I do use it to see what the current energy consumption is, it's a quick glance to see that the car is actually charging. That's all the value it has to be honest.

I would say to anyone, well spotted that the costs shown are not correct. Fortunately it has no bearing on billing, but sadly it's very common on "smart" tarrifs. I wouldn't loose any sleep over it.

 

[JaseW]

I'll be interest to know who and how they managed it, specifically for the Go tarrifs. I know it can work for other peak/off-peak tariffs, but not when the meter is configured for half hour readings. Though if someone does actually see the actual KWh rate change on Go, please do share.

I've tried for over a year and no luck, tried all the different emails.

I am aware that some people have their IHD stuck on the peak rate and others are stuck on the off-peak. That caused some confusion in threads last year, so I wonder if that's where the idea it works came from.

But I would be very happy to know of one that really does dynamically change, I gave up myself and concluded it's actually a scenario the smart meter designers (who don't appear to have been overly smart) had not considered - half hourly meetings with just two time periods.

See

Octopus Smart Meter Experiences

TLDR: It’s not a smart meter limitation, utilities just don’t like to set multi-rate readings on the IHD because they don’t translate well when moving from 1 provider to another. That being said mine works fine and I get the GO rate displaying correctly. You just need to speak to the right people.

 

[Irata]

See

Octopus Smart Meter Experiences

TLDR: It’s not a smart meter limitation, utilities just don’t like to set multi-rate readings on the IHD because they don’t translate well when moving from 1 provider to another. That being said mine works fine and I get the GO rate displaying correctly. You just need to speak to the right people.

Just to double check, so your IHD actually calculates the right live consumption cost and that changes as per whatever Go period you have. So assuming no energy consumption change, you see the live cost per hour on the display jump up/down on changeover?

Yep I've seen that post. My meter is already 2 rate, it's display is correct. My IHD is still not.

But previously, no one has actually reported seeing one work with Go.

So your IHD on a Go tariff definitely does change rate on the live view?

I'm very happy if it does, but I have tried all the right people, I had to speak to the right people to get the IHD working for 6 months. The right people in octopus told me it cannot ever work as the system is currently implemented and that ended it. That was about 12 months ago now, so be great if it's finally fixed?

 

[JaseW]

so your IHD actually calculates the right live consumption cost and that changes as per whatever Go period you have.

Correct

My meter is already 2 rate, it's display is correct.

Sounds about right, otherwise your bills would also be wrong. This is just about the IHD profile; which is not 2 rate like the meter itself.

That was about 12 months ago now, so be great if it's finally fixed?

It was never broken in the first place, they don’t like doing it so probably have some excuse like it can’t be done. I know they’re experimenting with it so maybe at some point in future they’ll just start doing it for everyone or they will abandon the idea I don’t know. I’ve had this setup for over half a year now.

 

[cryo]

Just to double check, so your IHD actually calculates the right live consumption cost and that changes as per whatever Go period you have. So assuming no energy consumption change, you see the live cost per hour on the display jump up/down on changeover?

Yep I've seen that post. My meter is already 2 rate, it's display is correct. My IHD is still not.

But previously, no one has actually reported seeing one work with Go.

So your IHD on a Go tariff definitely does change rate on the live view?

I'm very happy if it does, but I have tried all the right people, I had to speak to the right people to get the IHD working for 6 months. The right people in octopus told me it cannot ever work as the system is currently implemented and that ended it. That was about 12 months ago now, so be great if it's finally fixed?

My IHD works with Octopus go and agrees with my Owl intuition within a few pence variation which has the go tariffs and timings entered into the electricity use/price Sofware calculation.

 

[phil4]

Mine is one stuck on the cheap rate. Before I changed to Intelligent I was on Go and it was stuck on the expensive rate.

In fairness, I spend enough time chasing them for missing meter readings (which stops them billing me), that I'd rather not spend more time trying to get them to fix the display.

 

[HertsChapY]

Good afternoon all, this thread seems like a good place to post my query, and I do apologise if it’s been discussed to death somewhere else but here goes:

I am minded to get a OHME PRO installed and from previous research though Ocotopus Go was going to be my switch of choice. However, looking at the day rate it is 10p per unit more expensive than my current EON rate. Thinking that I am not going to be doing a 4 hour charge every night, my fear is that I would not be getting enough use out of the cheap night rate to warrant the more expensive day rate. Yes I may be able to shift the dishwasher etc, but the majority of electricity use will still be in the day.

Anyone else had experience of mulling this over? And has someone found a handy tool to work out what would work best for you? Conscious that if I boil it all down it may only be minor savings per day, but if I am not going to be getting loads of benefit from a cheap night rate, then I will head down the dumb charger route and get a Tesla Gen3 wall connector.

Appreciate the actual unit costs are crazy at the moment due to wider issues, but guessing the general principle in my question would have been the same 18 months ago.

 

[WllXM]

Good afternoon all, this thread seems like a good place to post my query, and I do apologise if it’s been discussed to death somewhere else but here goes:

I am minded to get a OHME PRO installed and from previous research though Ocotopus Go was going to be my switch of choice. However, looking at the day rate it is 10p per unit more expensive than my current EON rate. Thinking that I am not going to be doing a 4 hour charge every night, my fear is that I would not be getting enough use out of the cheap night rate to warrant the more expensive day rate. Yes I may be able to shift the dishwasher etc, but the majority of electricity use will still be in the day.

Anyone else had experience of mulling this over? And has someone found a handy tool to work out what would work best for you? Conscious that if I boil it all down it may only be minor savings per day, but if I am not going to be getting loads of benefit from a cheap night rate, then I will head down the dumb charger route and get a Tesla Gen3 wall connector.

Appreciate the actual unit costs are crazy at the moment due to wider issues, but guessing the general principle in my question would have been the same 18 months ago.

The question is : how long is your current rate with E.ON valid for?
Expect it to go up by 80% in 3-weeks time if you're on a variable tariff, which makes the switch a no brainer.

 

[phil4]

There are tools to compare, Octopus compare is an app for iphone for example... but it really needs you to be with Octopus first.

The best way with where you are now, is to look at your current bills, woork out roughly how much you'll charge daily/how often, and with a spreadsheet work out how much use at peak, how much at off peak... multiply by the unit cost and you should get an idea of how much the move might save or cost you.

FWIW it's not guaranteed to save everyone. And while it does lock in the price for 12 months, come Thursday we might find that doesn't matter quite so much.

 

[Darreno]

Good afternoon all, this thread seems like a good place to post my query, and I do apologise if it’s been discussed to death somewhere else but here goes:

I am minded to get a OHME PRO installed and from previous research though Ocotopus Go was going to be my switch of choice. However, looking at the day rate it is 10p per unit more expensive than my current EON rate. Thinking that I am not going to be doing a 4 hour charge every night, my fear is that I would not be getting enough use out of the cheap night rate to warrant the more expensive day rate. Yes I may be able to shift the dishwasher etc, but the majority of electricity use will still be in the day.

Anyone else had experience of mulling this over? And has someone found a handy tool to work out what would work best for you? Conscious that if I boil it all down it may only be minor savings per day, but if I am not going to be getting loads of benefit from a cheap night rate, then I will head down the dumb charger route and get a Tesla Gen3 wall connector.

Appreciate the actual unit costs are crazy at the moment due to wider issues, but guessing the general principle in my question would have been the same 18 months ago.

Do you know your leccy annual usage for the house? If so, post here. I also assume your Eon rate is the variable? around 29p? And how many miles you expect to drive pa.

 

[ACarneiro]

Expect it to go up by 80% in 3-weeks time if you're on a variable tariff, which makes the switch a no brainer.

I’m not sure that this is a given anymore. God knows what’s going to happen in October, but I’m sure Lizzie will fix everything…