Octopus intelligent vs Go

[paul.straker11]

I am currently on Octopus Go, with its 4 hrs of cheap electricity.
I concentrate consumption to this time( 2 ev’s, pool heater, washing machine dishwasher etc)
The period is not quite long enough for my needs.
The “ Intelligent” tariff would be perfect (2p cheaper and for 6 hours), but there are conditions to its availability: either a qualifying car or an home charger.
could anyone explain why the conditions are there and is there a downside to this tariff please?
My hybrids do not currently qualify although I expect my Volvo 2023 Xc60 will be added to the list eventually.
All knowledge appreciated.

Paul

 

[johnb2713]

I am currently on Octopus Go, with its 4 hrs of cheap electricity.
I concentrate consumption to this time( 2 ev’s, pool heater, washing machine dishwasher etc)
The period is not quite long enough for my needs.
The “ Intelligent” tariff would be perfect (2p cheaper and for 6 hours), but there are conditions to its availability: either a qualifying car or an home charger.
could anyone explain why the conditions are there and is there a downside to this tariff please?
My hybrids do not currently qualify although I expect my Volvo 2023 Xc60 will be added to the list eventually.
All knowledge appreciated.

Paul

Intelligent is great, as you say you get the 6 hrs at 7.5p but you also get additional hours under Octopus control through the day if they have surplus energy. If you have solar / battery you can also feed back to them at 15p. If your cars aren't compatible, it's purely down to the car companies releasing their API's to Octopus, my BMW is but my new MG isn't, the Chinese apparently reluctant to release API. Volvo being Chinese now may not release their top secret info so you may have to go the alternative route and install an Ohme charger, these are directly compatible with Octopus Intelligent.
I havent found any downside yet, I was on GO prior to this but I've been using Intelligent for over a year now and it's brilliant.

 

[Figrol]

The only downside I've found so far is that when Octopus choose to charge your car outside of the 23.30 to 05.30 cheap period, it quickly draws down from my Growatt solar batteries. This results in me having no solar battery power to run my house if the sun is not shining during the day. I've yet to see if it works, but I've disabled the smart charging feature of Intelligent Octopus and will solely rely on my i3's charging timer to limit charging to 23.30 to 05.30, which is also the period I charge my solar batteries. Thanks to Johnb2713's historic posts, I found how to make sure my solar batteries are not depleted by the car charging during the cheap period.
I have read that you need to intelligently charge at least once a month to keep Intelligent Octopus, so I'll have to watch out for that.

 

[johnb2713]

The only downside I've found so far is that when Octopus choose to charge your car outside of the 23.30 to 05.30 cheap period, it quickly draws down from my Growatt solar batteries. This results in me having no solar battery power to run my house if the sun is not shining during the day. I've yet to see if it works, but I've disabled the smart charging feature of Intelligent Octopus and will solely rely on my i3's charging timer to limit charging to 23.30 to 05.30, which is also the period I charge my solar batteries. Thanks to Johnb2713's historic posts, I found how to make sure my solar batteries are not depleted by the car charging during the cheap period.
I have read that you need to intelligently charge at least once a month to keep Intelligent Octopus, so I'll have to watch out for that.

If you add Home Assistant into your system, it can see the Octopus schedules and switch your Growatt round into charge mode while your car is charging during peak times, this of course also stops your batteries being discharged.

 

[Figrol]

Thanks Johnb2713. I'll have a look at that.

 

[wgoldie]

If you add Home Assistant into your system, it can see the Octopus schedules and switch your Growatt round into charge mode while your car is charging during peak times, this of course also stops your batteries being discharged.

Can that be done with the Victron Multiplus Johnb2713 as I have the same issue?

 

[johnb2713]

Can that be done with the Victron Multiplus Johnb2713 as I have the same issue?

I havent sorted comms with my Multiplus II yet, in theory yes, quite easily. When Home Assistant sees an Octopus controlled charging session during peak times, switch the multiplus into charge mode, at the end of the session switch back.

 

[wgoldie]

Thanks John, will investigate.

 

[Marky0]

@johnb2713 that sounds like a great solution ! Like others I have been doing the schoolboy trick of setting my intelligent octopus charge level to 10% to effectively switch it off and just used night time charging to avoid battery discharge during the day. Can you give us more details of the advanced home assistant trick ? What home assistant integration are you using to monitor an intelligent charge ? I looked at the unoffficial one on HACs but couldn't see an event that triggered upon an Octopus intelligent controlled charge ?

 

[paul.straker11]

Lots to digest , thank you.
Are the additional octopus controlled “cheap” periods @ 7.5p
Any recommendations on a simple home charger that complies?
Could I pick something up ( independent of car plugged in or needing charge) so I could switch my pool heater on in these “ cheap” periods?
I have “ smartened” my house with a “Shelly” system.

Cheers Paul

 

[johnb2713]

@johnb2713 that sounds like a great solution ! Like others I have been doing the schoolboy trick of setting my intelligent octopus charge level to 10% to effectively switch it off and just used night time charging to avoid battery discharge during the day. Can you give us more details of the advanced home assistant trick ? What home assistant integration are you using to monitor an intelligent charge ? I looked at the unoffficial one on HACs but couldn't see an event that triggered upon an Octopus intelligent controlled charge ?

Heres tye link to megakid, I used his info and coding etc

https://github.com/megakid/ha_octopus_intelligent

Use the binary sensor to control your gear, in my case Zappi and Growatt with Victron to be added asap

 

[johnb2713]

Lots to digest , thank you.
Are the additional octopus controlled “cheap” periods @ 7.5p
Any recommendations on a simple home charger that complies?
Could I pick something up ( independent of car plugged in or needing charge) so I could switch my pool heater on in these “ cheap” periods?
I have “ smartened” my house with a “Shelly” system.

Cheers Paul

Intelligent will only work with a compatible car OR EVSE. It communicates with the device and if there's surplus energy available it will instruct the equipment to switch on to charge. The whole of your house get supplied at 7.5p during these times.

 

[KJC58]

I havent sorted comms with my Multiplus II yet, in theory yes, quite easily. When Home Assistant sees an Octopus controlled charging session during peak times, switch the multiplus into charge mode, at the end of the session switch back.

Intelligent will only work with a compatible car OR EVSE. It communicates with the device and if there's surplus energy available it will instruct the equipment to switch on to charge. The whole of your house get supplied at 7.5p during these times.

I've been on the Go tariff for the last year and its been great but see they have moved me from yesterday to a different tariff I also have the Multiplus but no Home Assistant and a simple Rolec charger. I'm assuming if I upgraded to the Zappi or Ohme charger would I qualify for Intelligent but wouldn't be able to take advantage of the Octopus controlled charging session during peak times