My ASHP Journey in Bonnie Scotland.

Reed_Richards

Maybe it would be better to start a new thread in the main Energy forum about what the Mini does?

cannugec5

I emailed Octopus to ask if I could change to the Cosy tariff. Yesterday I got a disappointing reply that they are not getting readings from my new smart meter ( despite me seeing data in the app and website). They asked for photos of both the meter and hub. Today I’ve had a reply saying the photo of the meter is unclear - could I send another. This surprises me as I thought the photos were good. However I’ve complied and asked if the current photo is not sufficient could they be more explicit about the problem - ie do they want me to home in on the model, serial number, the display, or something else? 

I am able to see the data in Octopus Compare but I’m not sure if that is powered by the mini - or “real” billable data. 

cannugec5

Finally getting somewhere ( I think) with regards my new tariff. 

After sending yet more photos as requested, of the meter - and importantly the sticker- and clarifying date meter was installed, serial numbers of old and new meters, final reading of old meter, I acknowledged that there was a discrepancy in the final reading. I suggested that either I or the meter installer had made an error - or the meter had gone backwards. 

Suddenly my meter is communicating. In the app all references to the old meter - along with the historical readings- have vanished. 

I have not yet been billed for July, but am unsure what the billing date will be from now on anyway. 

Importantly for me (and my tidy mind) the graphs now appear correct. The duplication has gone. It appears clear and unambiguous and I can actually see what I’m using.
 

I just need confirmation that I’m moving onto the Cosy tariff as Octopus Compare tells me I would be saving about 50p per day without making any changes at all! 

cannugec5

Had to give them another gentle reminder, but I’m pleased to say I’m now on the Cosy Octopus tariff. 

I’m still watching the Agile tariff closely but I think it’s too variable for me. I like planning ahead. 

NedS

cannugec5 said:

Had to give them another gentle reminder, but I’m pleased to say I’m now on the Cosy Octopus tariff. 

I’m still watching the Agile tariff closely but I think it’s too variable for me. I like planning ahead. 

So glad you have it sorted.

Before I got my battery I would switch between Agile and Cosy during summer. Lately the Agile pricing has not been great (other than for the storm this week) with very few slots priced below Cosy cheap rate. The good thing about Agile and Cosy is you can switch back and forth instantly, but as you say Cosy is better for planning ahead with consistent pricing slots.

The Octopus Compare App (not an official Octopus product) is great for comparing Agile vs Cosy for your last day/week/month's usage, but of course is backward looking only and cannot predict future pricing. If you are keeping an eye on pricing, I'd definitely recommend the Octopus Compare App.

Unless you have a huge battery, Cosy is definitely the tariff to be on in winter with a heat pump.

cannugec5

So now the heating has come on again, for the first time since having a smart meter and a TOU tariff. 

I’m struggling to get the timings to suit ourselves and the best efficiency. 

We have a Hive thermostat and I realised it’s too clever. The ability to calculate how long in advance of a setting it will take to reach the desired temperature is at odds with restricted cheap/ peak periods of heat. I have now switched that feature off, so it will (hopefully) follow my directions more fully. 

With Cosy Octopus the cheap times are 04.00-07.00, 13.00-16.00 and 22.00-24.00.
The peak time to avoid is 16.00-19.00. 

So, that is 4 time periods, plus the bits in between giving a total of 7 time periods each day. The hive only allows for 6! 

Currently I have merged 22.00 through to 04.00 to accommodate this. 

I want my heating on when it’s cheaper, but obviously I don’t want it to have to heat too hard each slot thereby being less efficient. I think what I mean is that I’m aiming for little swing between the highest and lowest temperatures set. So at the moment it’s 18-20 degrees C . 

Would anyone else with an ASHP on Cosy Octopus like to share their temperature settings?
I received an email yesterday inviting me to switch to Cosy Fixed (12 months).After much deliberation I’ve done so. There is an exit fee of £25.I’m hoping to see (via Octopus Compare) how much I save over the next 3 months as the fixed rate is a little less that the new rates coming on 1st October. 

QrizB

cannugec5 said:

We have a Hive thermostat and I realised it’s too clever.

You've had a Hive since the very start of this thread. Was it installed by the heat pump people or was it inherited from your previous heating system?

Several of the heat pump regulars on this forum would suggest that a Hive isn't well suited to heat pump operations, being designed for gas boilers.

What other control equipment do you have with your heat pump?

(Apologies if we've discussed this earlier in the thread, it's been two years!)

matelodave

TBH a Hive is probably not the best way to control a heatpump, Its a bit like controlling the speed of your car using the ignition switch rather than the accelerator. The house temp just bounces up and down and the heatpump cycles rather than adjusting the flow temp to suit the weather.

I dont know what facilities your heatpump controller has, but my 15 year old Daikin has the facility to program different temps at different times during the day (and night) whilst using weather compensation. So it would be reasonably easy to programme in a set back during during peak times and a bit of a temperature boost for an hour or so during the off-peak times.

I dont have Cozy as I wouldn't have a happy household and would never manage to get SWMBO to use power at off-peak times but I can control my temps to set back overnight and up it a bit for an hour before we get up.

I dont vary the flow temp by more than 3-4 degrees. I have disconnected all the external controls and zone controllers so the system gently idles at the lowest temp I can get away with (bearing in mind household harmony) and it just tries to maintain an even temp (except overnight when the flow temp is set back by 3 degrees and it drops a bit).

It actually uses less electricity as its idling most of the time with slow changes in the flow temp (use the car accelerator analogy) and the house is warm and cozy all the time rather than having the temp drop over night and then the heapump flogging its heart out to get it back up to temp

Alnat1

cannugec5 said:

So now the heating has come on again, for the first time since having a smart meter and a TOU tariff. 

I’m struggling to get the timings to suit ourselves and the best efficiency. 

We have a Hive thermostat and I realised it’s too clever. The ability to calculate how long in advance of a setting it will take to reach the desired temperature is at odds with restricted cheap/ peak periods of heat. I have now switched that feature off, so it will (hopefully) follow my directions more fully. 

With Cosy Octopus the cheap times are 04.00-07.00, 13.00-16.00 and 22.00-24.00.
The peak time to avoid is 16.00-19.00. 

So, that is 4 time periods, plus the bits in between giving a total of 7 time periods each day. The hive only allows for 6! 

Currently I have merged 22.00 through to 04.00 to accommodate this. 

I want my heating on when it’s cheaper, but obviously I don’t want it to have to heat too hard each slot thereby being less efficient. I think what I mean is that I’m aiming for little swing between the highest and lowest temperatures set. So at the moment it’s 18-20 degrees C . 

Would anyone else with an ASHP on Cosy Octopus like to share their temperature settings?
I received an email yesterday inviting me to switch to Cosy Fixed (12 months).After much deliberation I’ve done so. There is an exit fee of £25.I’m hoping to see (via Octopus Compare) how much I save over the next 3 months as the fixed rate is a little less that the new rates coming on 1st October. 

Cosy for me too but do have the back up of solar/batteries. We heat to 20C for daytime, starting at 4am. By 7am it's tootling along at around 300w as the house is up to heat. Temperature is reduced to 18C at 9pm and we heat he tank in the 10-12pm slot when the house isn't calling for heat.

I did try lowering the temp to18C during the peak slot but found it dropped too cold in the living room by 7pm and then the heat pump was full on, trying to get it back up to 20C. It actually used less power (and would cost less for you) to leave it at 20C between 4 and 7pm.

cannugec5

QrizB said:

cannugec5 said:

We have a Hive thermostat and I realised it’s too clever.

You've had a Hive since the very start of this thread. Was it installed by the heat pump people or was it inherited from your previous heating system?

Several of the heat pump regulars on this forum would suggest that a Hive isn't well suited to heat pump operations, being designed for gas boilers.

What other control equipment do you have with your heat pump?

(Apologies if we've discussed this earlier in the thread, it's been two years!)

The Hive was installed by the Heat Pump installers. Prior to that, with our Oil Boiler we had a Nest. I was perfectly happy with the Hive last winter, but now I’m trying to get the best of the Cosy tariff. 

We don’t have any other ‘control equipment’ - sorry that’s not entirely true. There are TRVs throughout- but all fully open. We have two zones - upstairs and down , but they have the same heat schedule.