Octopus Agile

EssexHebridean

Telegraph_Sam said:

So we have to wait until Feb 26 for 12 months' data excluding the distortions?

Well if they were of any real relevance to choosing/not choosing Agile, then yes, we would, but they're not. As explained, Agile is a volatile tariff, and not for anyone who requires the sort of certainty that the need to study 12 months of data in order to make a decision about venturing on to it. If you are happy to fly by the seat of your pants and maybe have to think about chopping and changing at certain points in the year, then great, go for it. if you're not, and need reassurance that you will be paying a price you are comfortable with at all times, then head for a fix! 

Telegraph_Sam

Very true. The objective is to see how much I would have to tailor my lifestyle in order to take advantage of Agile's features as  against the upside of competitive prices. ⅘ Otherwise known as the tail-wagging-the-dog syndrome. I suspect that our aims are very similar except that my solars don't have a battery.  I'm currently on a good Octopus fixed rate. I'd be very keen to benefit from your experience.

EssexHebridean

If you currently use energy between 4pm and 7pm, but could generally avoid doing so, then Agile may well work for you. 
If you are able and willing to be flexible about when you choose to do your washing, run your dishwasher, and any other tasks that use higher levels of energy, then again, Agile may well work for you.

There are all sorts of options on the octopriceuk.app website to let it see your usual usage and it will then make suggestions about what difference tariffs might cost you, if you are already an octopus customer. 

debitcardmayhem

Telegraph_Sam said:

Very true. The objective is to see how much I would have to tailor my lifestyle in order to take advantage of Agile's features as  against the upside of competitive prices. ⅘ Otherwise known as the tail-wagging-the-dog syndrome. I suspect that our aims are very similar except that my solars don't have a battery.  I'm currently on a good Octopus fixed rate. I'd be very keen to benefit from your experience.

Sam my aims are probably very different than yours, however let me try to help.

The first aim is to know what your base load is daily, you can find that roughly using half hour data over say a week concentrating on times when the panels aren’t producing and high power items are not running.
Now find out what your consumption is , ideally month by month over say 2 years, more is better obviously. For you it would be total generated + imported - exported.

Now think through how much your import is in cost terms and then work out much you want to save.

From there you will have a better handle on how your household works, and you can then look at full days  and see which high power items you can switch to low rate periods. Of course this it going to be labour intensive doing all this but spreadsheets and beer and coffee helps.

I wouldn’t try to do all of these things all at once, but if you keep a spreadsheet(s) you will be set for the future. 

If you find that you can’t switch stuff from higher rate periods then agile wont be for you. Tracker, which you were on may be ok but then only if you can ride out a prolonged up tick. I don’t mean a few days, the market is more forward looking but it’s difficult to beat, otherwise I would be a multimillionaire.( Next year Rodney)
Otherwise a fix is best for you.

Keeping records is probably the best weapon in the event of meter errors, sudden extra costs, and of course the vagaries of suppliers.

My average consumption is 3800 kWh , base load is 185 Wh (some can get down to 20-30), and my net import is -650 kWh , but of course the SC is £160 above that.
Sorry to be so long winded and feel free to ignore me😎

Telegraph_Sam

I have to admit that you are way ahead of me for competence and conscientiousness. My aims are more modest.

I put my electric consumption @ 2780 kWh (and gas @ 7500). On the Loyal 14 M Fix @22.92 p and sc 58.46 / day until May 2026. In addition to the Outgoing 12 M Fix @ 15p for just one more month. I believe that this deal passes inspection. I was / am trying to use Compare for judging the "case" for switching to Agile, including its unpredictabilities, or playing safe and staying put. 

What was the source of Masonic's graph on 3 Sept pls?

Note to the moderators: Could you please tweak the system so that you don't lose the unsent text every time you flick back to a different page to check something.  I have had to re-write this (not the first time something like this has happened). Can the system be persuaded to save the draft automatically ??

debitcardmayhem

@Telegraph_Sam compare can’t help you if you don’t have a scooby about your consumption patterns, even-then it’s a no go since you can’t feed it with other other than your actual patterns. 
I would fix your inverter, stick with your fixes and find a  new hobby. 

As for the losing of what you typed do what I do use a second tab in your browser to flick back.

masonic

Telegraph_Sam said:

What was the source of Masonic's graph on 3 Sept pls?

The energy-stats.uk website.

KevinG

Good grief, negative nearly all day tomorrow

Netexporter

KevinG said:

Good grief, negative nearly all day tomorrow

More importantly, it should be cloudy during the best hours in the afternoon, so I don't have to fret about "wasting" my solar that I could be getting 15p for.

bob2302

Telegraph_Sam said:

Note to the moderators: Could you please tweak the system so that you don't lose the unsent text every time you flick back to a different page to check something.  I have had to re-write this (not the first time something like this has happened). Can the system be persuaded to save the draft automatically ??

You could just use tabs to avoid that.