Octopus Energy Saving Sessions

[Stranger Dings]

Does anyone know how the Octopus ”Power Hour” energy saving sessions are actually calculated?

I’ve taken part in all of them, but the results just seem totally random.

I’ve had sessions where we’ve switched off as much as we can and gone out, only to be told that we didn’t manage to save anything.

Some sessions, we’ve made very small savings, Including one where virtually everything was switched off and the whole family was in another country.

One session I forgot it was happening despite signing up, only to be told I’d managed to save 93% of my normal usage and be credited with over £16 off!

I’ll continue to sign up for them and don’t really do it expecting to save much as we are already quite energy efficient. It all just seems so random.

 

[ACarneiro]

Healthy margins all week, though...

 

[PITA]

Got an update...

 

[Pink Duck]

Surprising it took that long to appear on your account, was there on mine same day as the Pete @ Octopus email on Valentine’s

 

[Jonathan Mason]

Yep its been discussed in this very thread, export everything option, might need turning on via Tesla Support

EXACTLY THAT! Requested them to do it, provided a simple piece of informatoon (DNO approved export limit), and hey presto! Job's a good 'un. J,

 

[Jonathan Mason]

You can email [email protected] with your gateway serial number and telling them what your maximum permitted export is (your DNO should have told you that).
Tesla will then enable Export from battery.

EXACTLY THAT! Requested them to do it, provided a simple piece of informatoon (DNO approved export limit), and hey presto! Job's a good 'un. J,

 

[Pink Duck]

So much for Pete’s "opt-in bonuses… within a week”.

Still missing 200 OctoPoints from 12th/14th December too.

 

[Oxid8ter]

After some to-ing and fro-ing with the support email for my SAJ equipment they have finally updated the firmware on my inverter (it can only be pushed!!!), and since them doing so I can now discharge my battery to the grid.

Bring on the next saving session!

 

[Oxid8ter]

Wel

After some to-ing and fro-ing with the support email for my SAJ equipment they have finally updated the firmware on my inverter (it can only be pushed!!!), and since them doing so I can now discharge my battery to the grid.

Bring on the next saving session!

Well that joy was short lived. The firmware update now seems to not be working using the windows I specify, and the battery is charging from the Grid during the day - even though my window only states 23:30-05:30. Does it under "Self-Consumption Mode" too.

I thought it was the weather, but then its carried on charging with the PV having a surplus.

PV: 629w
Load: 249w

Battery instead of charging at the 380w difference is charging at 642w and pulling 262w from the grid.

I'm so peed off currently, fix one problem to install another, and its not like if they sort the firmware I can update it myself as the firmware can only be pushed to the device(s). This problem of course is costing me money, as its drawing from the grid during peak time even though I haven't asked it to.

The above doesn't seem all that bad as its only a couple of hundred what's, but its fluctuated all the way up to 1.2kW at one point this morning. And the whole point of having solar is to not need to rely on purchase from the grid.

I've gone back to the manufacturer but their support is in China, and they aren't great either.

Edit: Just to add, I'm connected to the inverter via bluetooth so the numbers I am seeing are live data and it is a consistent pull from grid.

 

[ACarneiro]

Wel

Well that joy was short lived. The firmware update now seems to not be working using the windows I specify, and the battery is charging from the Grid during the day - even though my window only states 23:30-05:30. Does it under "Self-Consumption Mode" too.

I thought it was the weather, but then its carried on charging with the PV having a surplus.

PV: 629w
Load: 249w

Battery instead of charging at the 380w difference is charging at 642w and pulling 262w from the grid.

I'm so peed off currently, fix one problem to install another, and its not like if they sort the firmware I can update it myself as the firmware can only be pushed to the device(s). This problem of course is costing me money, as its drawing from the grid during peak time even though I haven't asked it to.

The above doesn't seem all that bad as its only a couple of hundred what's, but its fluctuated all the way up to 1.2kW at one point this morning. And the whole point of having solar is to not need to rely on purchase from the grid.

I've gone back to the manufacturer but their support is in China, and they aren't great either.

Fo what it's worth (and I know it's meagre consolation for you), at least it is an experience with that particular manufacturer that will help the rest of us inform future advice and decisions.
Fingers crossed you'll get things sorted eventually!

 

[Oxid8ter]

Fo what it's worth (and I know it's meagre consolation for you), at least it is an experience with that particular manufacturer that will help the rest of us inform future advice and decisions.
Fingers crossed you'll get things sorted eventually!

Very true, I would recommend people avoid SAJ Electric for Solar installs. I didn't really have a choice as I went with a national installed, it was during a shortage of solar equipment and so we were provided this, with a bigger battery as a consolation.

If I wasn't still paying for the install, I am at the point where I would be ripping it out and replacing with something better. Sadly I still have a fair way to go to pay this install of yet.

 

[phil4]

If it helps, I heard of some issues with Libbi, where it constantly sucks 100W from the grid, 24/7. I appreciate your problem seems worse, but even well known manufacturers don't always get it right. OH, and good luck.

 

[Oxid8ter]

It's just frustrating as its such an unknown brand than no one but the manufacturer can help, and its charging from the grid when it should be discharging to the load. I am about at the end of my tether with it to be honest.

 

[ACarneiro]

It's just frustrating as its such an unknown brand than no one but the manufacturer can help, and its charging from the grid when it should be discharging to the load. I am about at the end of my tether with it to be honest.

Don't the installers share some level of responsibility for the correct operation of the system?

 

[Oxid8ter]

Don't the installers share some level of responsibility for the correct operation of the system?

They are less responsive than the chaps in china. I used a national installer (Project Solar UK/Project Better Energy) so once they have installed and have your money you get very little out of them.

I also struggle to see how they might be able to assist with this as I think that (again!) it is a firmware/software fault as it has only been doing it today since the manufacturer pushed the firmware update to sort the discharge to grid issue.

When looking on the inverter now though, if I (try and) go into G100 Setting I am faced with "Please update the latest firmware program", so I wonder if another element needs some form of firmware update and that this mismatch is causing the issue. That said I thought the BMS was all that controlled the battery and it didn't care about grid and G100 etc, so it should just go "oh you are 50w short, let me get that for you" instead of being 50w short for the load and pulling 150w from the grid so the battery could have 100w to charge.

Its as if the inverter or BMS are just ignoring my Self-Consumption Mode and just doing wtf they like.

 

[phil4]

If it is as bad as you say, and fixes aren't done or aren't done in a reasonably timeframe, I'd be using a solicitor to basically say it's not fit for purpose, and getting the installer to remove it and refund you.

You obviously need to allow time to rectify, but it doesn't matter one jot about the manufacturer, it was the installer which proposed it and installed it. If what they installed is defective, your claim is with them.

 

[yessuz]

Think about this way: you probably need to replace inverter only. Which is in region of 1k gbp of you purchase it yourself

 

[Oxid8ter]

Think about this way: you probably need to replace inverter only. Which is in region of 1k gbp of you purchase it yourself

I shouldn't need to replace any of it as its still under warranty, but I get your point. I do think it is a firmware issue as its only started today, after the service team pushed an update to my inverter.

 

[yessuz]

I shouldn't need to replace any of it as its still under warranty, but I get your point. I do think it is a firmware issue as its only started today, after the service team pushed an update to my inverter.

but yes, in general, it should be replaced to something different by installer as this is not fit for purpose

 

[Pink Duck]

Have a feeling the 12th Saving Session will be happening this coming Monday. Only 4 weekdays more and it’ll be March too.

 

[ACarneiro]

Do they have to have 12 sessions until the end of February?