UK Electricity Tariffs for EVs

[Adopado]

After much waiting got a SMETS2 meter installed with bulb.

.. which doesn't work. Apparently they haven't figured out how to run the network in the north yet, Bulb have an ETA for making it work some time in 2020 - and it'll require another engineer visit! I might as well not have bothered..

I wonder if Octopus could figure something out as they seem more competent about this stuff.

Octopus will supply a SMETS1 which they say can be upgraded via software to SMETS2 functionality at some point in the future (that's what they did for me after deciding that connectivity for the current SMETS2 meters would be a problem in my area).

Let me know if you need a referral for Octopus and get 50 quid ...

 

[Jason71]

Octopus will supply a SMETS1 which they say can be upgraded via software to SMETS2 functionality at some point in the future (that's what they did for me after deciding that connectivity for the current SMETS2 meters would be a problem in my area).

Let me know if you need a referral for Octopus and get 50 quid ...

You've not got the hang of this. You send the referral code first ask questions later. You're never going to compete with Referral Roy with this "would you like a code" approach

 

[Roy W.]

You've not got the hang of this. You send the referral code first ask questions later. You're never going to compete with Referral Roy with this "would you like a code" approach

This seems to be turning into the “Poke Roy” thread...

 

[interbear]

This seems to be turning into the “Poke Roy” thread...

I don’t think so. Everyone is just in awe at your speed of referral. Consider it a compliment.

The thread is still primarily about finding the best EV energy tariffs for people’s specific needs. In my case that was Octopus Go and I’m now trying to find the optimal way of using the 4 hours off peak each night. Thus far I have set the charge limit at 80% and think that I need to plug in when it’s somewhere between 50-60% to charge up to 80% within the 4 hours. If anyone has worked out exactly how much charge % is achieved in the 4 hour window I’d be interested to know.

 

[Epico]

I don’t think so. Everyone is just in awe at your speed of referral. Consider it a compliment.

The thread is still primarily about finding the best EV energy tariffs for people’s specific needs. In my case that was Octopus Go and I’m now trying to find the optimal way of using the 4 hours off peak each night. Thus far I have set the charge limit at 80% and think that I need to plug in when it’s somewhere between 50-60% to charge up to 80% within the 4 hours. If anyone has worked out exactly how much charge % is achieved in the 4 hour window I’d be interested to know.

I think the new update coming son will have a finish time option. I use teslafi to set my chargers....works perfectly every night

 

[Roy W.]

I don’t think so. Everyone is just in awe at your speed of referral. Consider it a compliment.

The thread is still primarily about finding the best EV energy tariffs for people’s specific needs. In my case that was Octopus Go and I’m now trying to find the optimal way of using the 4 hours off peak each night. Thus far I have set the charge limit at 80% and think that I need to plug in when it’s somewhere between 50-60% to charge up to 80% within the 4 hours. If anyone has worked out exactly how much charge % is achieved in the 4 hour window I’d be interested to know.

I’ve found that the four-hour window gives 30-35% charge with my LR AWD.

So if I’ve plugged the car in at, say, 45% left, I use the app to set a charge limit of 80%. If I’ve got a road trip planned where I need maximum range, I’ll charge up in this way adding 30% each night over several nights as required.

I’m hoping the new update when it comes will be able to be used as a simple “stop charging at 0430”, but knowing Tesla it’ll be far more complex than that

 

[Tony Hoyle]

I have 500 quid of credit to burn down with bulb before switching to octopus so could be a while.. (various posts about them taking ages to return credit so I'd be nervous of switching too early). Heck at my current usage it's a race whether bulb work out how to do smart meters before I run out and move..

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Octopus will supply a SMETS1 which they say can be upgraded via software to SMETS2 functionality at some point in the future (that's what they did for me after deciding that connectivity for the current SMETS2 meters would be a problem in my area).

It would be kind of ridiculous to have SMETS2 ripped out to put SMETS1 in given that the entire point of SMETS2 was you didn't need to change your meter when changing suppliers.. And no guarantees that would work either..

 

[Mark_T]

It would be kind of ridiculous to have SMETS2 ripped out to put SMETS1 in given that the entire point of SMETS2 was you didn't need to change your meter when changing suppliers.. And no guarantees that would work either..

Agreed it is nuts, but there are areas where the comms network that SMETS2 needs just isn't available and so should be installed.

If you take a close look at the meter you should see a signal strength indicator, it would be good to know if that has a good strong signal in which case someone has just messed up the configuration either at the meter or the central end, or if the signal is very weak in which case it really shouldn't have been installed.

Re the refund from Bulb, they handled mine pretty quickly when I left them, but that was 2 years ago so things may have changed. One strategy if you've build up more credit than you need would be to ask them for a partial refund now to reduce the balance while you figure out the best way forward.

 

[Lx2m3]

F

I think the new update coming son will have a finish time option. I use teslafi to set my chargers....works perfectly every night

For me adding 25Kwh took 3.5 hours at 32 amps. Reported by TeslaFi.

 

[Yev000]

Heck at my current usage it's a race whether bulb work out how to do smart meters before I run out and move..

As soon as I decided to switch to Octopus, Bulb sent me a "switch to smart meter" email.... I tried to see how far I'd get... Just about as far as the partially concealed gas meter, at which point the switch wizard told me 'thanks for playing, better luck next time'. They sent me 2 more emails after that too....

Here is to hoping Octopus wont squirm at the semi concealed Gas meter too. Honestly, I just want the electricity meter to be start, the gas is not that important. But I guess they would want to do both or none.

 

[Beady3647]

Honestly, I just want the electricity meter to be start, the gas is not that important. But I guess they would want to do both or none

I'm with Octopus Go using a smart meter (SMETS 2) that was installed by EDF in June. They cannot access for Gas readings so I just send one monthly online and they seem quite happy. They access my electricity usage every 30 minutes.

So I think you'll have no problem.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Agreed it is nuts, but there are areas where the comms network that SMETS2 needs just isn't available and so should be installed.

If you take a close look at the meter you should see a signal strength indicator, it would be good to know if that has a good strong signal in which case someone has just messed up the configuration either at the meter or the central end, or if the signal is very weak in which case it really shouldn't have been installed..

No signal strength at all that i can see. The communication with the network is through a separate box with nothing on it but two lights, one for wan and one for han. The meters just connect over the han I think. No way of telling if that's working, although I might have another look to see if I can drill into the logs.

 

[Jason71]

Agreed it is nuts, but there are areas where the comms network that SMETS2 needs just isn't available and so should be installed.

If you take a close look at the meter you should see a signal strength indicator, it would be good to know if that has a good strong signal in which case someone has just messed up the configuration either at the meter or the central end, or if the signal is very weak in which case it really shouldn't have been installed.

Re the refund from Bulb, they handled mine pretty quickly when I left them, but that was 2 years ago so things may have changed. One strategy if you've build up more credit than you need would be to ask them for a partial refund now to reduce the balance while you figure out the best way forward.

The irony is part of the reason for the going to the SMETS2 WAN rather than the SMETS1 mobile network was cos mobile network coverage was not good enough WAN was supposed to be better. I have just been refused a SMETS2 due to poor WAN coverage. switched to Octopus in the hope they will fit me a SMETS1 if that coverage is good enough!

 

[Mark_T]

No signal strength at all that i can see. The communication with the network is through a separate box with nothing on it but two lights, one for wan and one for han.

The Home Area Network (HAN) is used for connecting a gas meter and the In Home Device (IHD).

It there any model numer on the meter or the comms box?

The one Octopus fitted for me is a single integrated unit with an LCD showingthe comms status.

 

[mysp00n]

I currently don't have a charger installed at home and OVO are offering me a free '7KW Smart Charger' for nothing if I commit to 24 months. OVO seem reasonable compared to Octopus from what I can work out from my current usage - unless I'm missing something on their website which would give me a free charger too?

Anyone got an OVO charger to comment?

 

[Dalphaon]

Since I’ve had the Kona my off-peak use has been a steady 70%, so well worth it for me. Our washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher are also only used at night on their timers.

I just wish the Tesla had the ability to set a stop time on the charger, something which both the Leaf and Kona allow. Perhaps we should all ask Tesla to include it in a future software update? I know it can be done using TeslaFi, but I wasn’t planning on paying for that...

I’m not sure if someone else already answered this. Apologies if so. The STATS app (iOS only) allows you to set a stop time for charging. The app costs £20 though

 

[Tony Hoyle]

The Home Area Network (HAN) is used for connecting a gas meter and the In Home Device (IHD).

It there any model numer on the meter or the comms box?

The one Octopus fitted for me is a single integrated unit with an LCD showingthe comms status.

It's an EDMI standard 420

It's literally a box.. nothing to configure at all.. https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/2206/edmi_standard_420_comms_hub_datasheet_2017-06-26.pdf

 

[Mark_T]

It's an EDMI standard 420

It's literally a box.. nothing to configure at all.. https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/2206/edmi_standard_420_comms_hub_datasheet_2017-06-26.pdf

That's deeply unhelpful isn't it

Got to love how many different ways there are to not deliver something helpful atthe customer end.

So you just have one light for the WAN, is it at least a helpful colour like 'green' for example?

 

[Roy W.]

I currently don't have a charger installed at home and OVO are offering me a free '7KW Smart Charger' for nothing if I commit to 24 months. OVO seem reasonable compared to Octopus from what I can work out from my current usage - unless I'm missing something on their website which would give me a free charger too?

Anyone got an OVO charger to comment?

Octopus don’t offer a free charger.

To work out if the free OVO charger is effective for you you probably want to take the cost of the charger as £400, as that seems to be roughly what people get charged after the OLEV grant.

£400 divided by your 24 month contact is £16.67 a month, so as long as OVO aren’t going to be charging you more than that extra compared to any other supplier, you’ll be quids in.

I’ve no idea what OVO give you by way of a charger, so it might be worth asking them some pertinent questions - make; model; 16A or 32A; tethered or untethered.