Intelligent Octopus Flux v Intelligent Octopus Go

caledonianman

My hard is scrambled trying to figure it which is best for me currently and when I should switch.  I have both solar (12 panel 4.2kW with 9.5kW battery) and an EV with Zappi charger.  I currently have access to FREE EV charger though occassionally need to use my home charger.  My use of FREE charger may be ending soon.  As I have only used about 500kWh for EV charging in the last year at home I have opted for the Intelligent Octopus Flux tariff for its cheaper grid import rate and superior export rate.  My dilemma is when should I change to the Intelligent Go tariff to make use of the 6 hour very cheap rate for EV charging and general use.  Is there a spredsheet available I can juggle various figures to see if/when I should change?  Thanks.

glennevis

Have a look at the Octopus Compare app. You can do what-if comparisons of Octopus tariffs using your own consumption data.

QrizB

Also, remember that you don't need to be ont he same tariff all year round.

You could eg. choose IOGo for the winter when your solar panels aren't generating any appreciable electricity, and IOFlux for the summer when they are.

caledonianman

Thanks glennevis.  Unfortunately the Octopus comparison tool has (coming soon) against solar panels and battery storage so makes that comparison tool inefective currently. Hence my need for some other tool like a spreadsheet where my current and expected future useage could be compared against the various tariffs.

Thanks QrizB for your response too.  I opted for Intelligent Flux at present for its lower Import charge and superior export charge as well as the extra earning by filling the battery at standard charge and emtying it at peak charge for the extra pennies I can earn.  I just want to know the crossover point when my EV charging use will make Go the better option.

QrizB

caledonianman said:

I just want to know the crossover point when my EV charging use will make Go the better option.

It's a relatively complicated calculation. You'll need to know, month by month:

- how much electricity you expect to use for your car;

- how much for the rest of your household;

- how much solar PV you expect to generate.

Once you have that, put it together with your tariff info on calculate how much each month would cost on each tariff.

caledonianman

Finally had time to import all my data for the past year.  I have only been with Octopus for 15 months and solar and battery only went live 13 months ago.  The Calculation is complex with the need to sum 3 different figures each day for  2 dfferent standard hours (one for Go and other for Flux), low price hours (for Intelligent Go), and peak hours (for Intelligent Flux).  As I have not used Intelligent Go I have ignored the complexity of savings made by filling the batery and 7p/kWh and programming devices to also use the cheaper rate.  

My bottom line calculation is that I would need to be drawing 55kWh for EV charging each week to make Go the better option. Obviously calculations will differ dependant on the amount of solar generation each month.  Hope that may help anyone else with similar query.

debitcardmayhem

I think that iGO is probably better, but my brain is elsewhere at the moment, will give some thought to it later. Having said that @matt_drummer has more experience of EV and solar than mere newbies(old tho) like me.

Qyburn

caledonianman said:

Thanks glennevis.  Unfortunately the Octopus comparison tool has (coming soon) against solar panels and battery storage so makes that comparison tool inefective currently. 

The Octoprice Web site reads your actual import and export half hourly data as held by Octopus. It allows you to see what the figures would have been on different tariffs.

https://www.octopriceuk.app/compare

What it can't do is allow for a change in behaviour, such as charging the battery from the grid when on Go vs charging from solar if on SVT.

Qyburn

QrizB said:

Also, remember that you don't need to be ont he same tariff all year round.

You could eg. choose IOGo for the winter when your solar panels aren't generating any appreciable electricity, and IOFlux for the summer when they are.

Do you have any issues doing that? Octopus has a restriction on moving off a smart tariff, then moving back. The actual wording doesn't make it quite clear. Does it count as "switching away from a smart tariff" if you're switching to a different smart tariff? And do they enforce it anyway. 

"1.3 You can always switch from a standard import tariff to a smart import tariff (provided you meet the eligibility criteria for that particular tariff), but if you switch away from a smart import tariff, you cannot switch back to a smart import tariff within 30 days"

QrizB

Qyburn said:

QrizB said:

Also, remember that you don't need to be ont he same tariff all year round.

You could eg. choose IOGo for the winter when your solar panels aren't generating any appreciable electricity, and IOFlux for the summer when they are.

Do you have any issues doing that?

I don't do it myself, but others on the forum do and have reported no problems.

The restriction is on switching back within 30 days; if you're switching seasonally (one way in the spring, back in the autumn) you'll be outside that window.

And others have said that Octopus aren't currently enforcing the 30 day restriction.

I'm not certain but was @TroubledTarts switching frequently? Can they share their experiences?