Price related holds

Mat

I'm sure this has been mentioned before but I'd find it really useful to have slots held when the price for that slot is below X. For example, if there's some random slots scattered through the day and night that are the same or below what has been paid for import. Or zero slots if the sun has had his hat on!

admin

Mat What would be the best way to select those hold slots? From a UI/UX point of view?

KristianS

admin
My suggestion - and keen to see what @Mat suggests:
When clicking a time slot, rather than it turning on/off as it does today - it has a third state "On" / "Off" / "Hold"

Mat

admin sorry don't know what UI/UX means. I see the conversation has opened up with others who may be able to spread a better light as to if/how this can be achieved. I do agree that it would be a shame to over complicate things as simplicity is good!

DaveM

How about a "hold price" similar to the "Automatically pre-select import slots for prices (in pence) below the threshold specified", with a check that the hold price is above the pre-select import price.

So if the price is

below the "import price" - charge
between "import price" and "hold price" - hold
over "hold price" - do nothing unless a charge slot is enabled

The only issue with this is it starts making things more complex and I like WW because of the simplicity.

I know you are working (or at least considering) a PredBat type system so perhaps this is something that would better be factored into that approach?

admin

KristianS Yep, figured you'd say that 😄

Just not sure it's intuitive enough. But could work. Bit worried this would end up with a 4th state, export...

Perhaps it needs a 'View mode' dropdown. Import as default, and a Hold view, which would allow you to select slots that aren't already charge slots.

4 states (Eco, Import, Hold and Export) could also pave the way for a Smart Agile ROI optimiser (PredBat lite) which would set all these 30 min slots up for you.

Mat

KristianS like that idea and actually, for most, it would appear any different than it does now in terms of simplicity

KristianS

admin I did wonder whether that little nugget would come up - the fourth 'option' and you are bang on of course. Isn't life fun when you open the can....

johalareewi

admin Bit worried this would end up with a 4th state, export...

I was just going to say that :D

admin

Mat Sorry, I didn’t mean to be too technical about it, it just stands for User Interface/User eXperience, so I was mainly asking how it would/could work in practice.

KristianS

I was thinking about this topic again... sorry @admin - when the brain is engaged....
What about overlaying a single letter across the time slot, or in the white space to the right of the time ?
Charge = C
Export = E
Hold = H

and then if there is no state - it remains as it is today, not selected...
It needs to be mobile phone friendly too - so I am thinking of overlaying a letter, personally
Just a thought

Mat

I'd forgotten that I'd previously raised the suggestion of individual hold slots and was only thinking about it again a few days ago. Wouldn't the easiest way to do it be in the advanced settings where you set a target value and hold is actioned during these individual slots?

KristianS

Mat
So the challenge with Agile, is that the goalpost moves every day. So, you end up constantly flicking back and forth to reset where you want the bar to be - the slot selection panel seems the obvious choice to me. I guess we are all different and operate in different ways
I think it is important to mention - my battery ONLY charges from the grid, I have no solar. So if I don't get it right, I can end up with no charge in the battery, or running out during peak times. There is no second chance with solar input for me.

admin

But before all of this: finalise IOG integration. Probably will be opened up publicly soon. Then more granular solar forecasting, which is basically a pre-req for granular charging/export etc for Agile.

admin

KristianS That's why I think price-based selection only makes sense in very few scenarios: when there is plunge pricing or when you want to calculate import compared to export for max ROI calcs.

Mat

KristianS I agree. I was just thinking of a scenario where you could possibly set the hold parameters along with the charge parameters and just leave it to do it's thing. For example hold if price is less than 15p, charge if less than say 5p.Tweeks could happen using the setup proposal that you suggested or used as a stand alone.

KristianS

admin
I guess this is where we differ.... :D
I would and now do, set the 'hold' function around the slots of my charge, to get the most out of the battery in a given period - i.e. extend the time betwen charges, by holding charge and then using the slot selection to actually charge on the cheapest slots. I do not currently export at all - and with only 13.5kWh to go at, I don't suspect that I will, even when it is enabled.
The way I have to do this today is manually edit Octopus Agile Charge windows to reflect the time I wish it to 'hold'. Whereas, being able to change each half hour slot to either Charge / Hold [and for those that can] / Export, this would give me the opportunity to 'manage' that hold quickly.
Like all things - personal preference - mine is tomato, others, it is minestrone

KristianS

Mat I thought so too in the early days. But the pricing of Agile varies so wildly, I have stopped even changing the 'price below' field as a result. Because some days I get 0, others I get 15 slots. My battery is full after five or six 30 minutes - so makes it less valuable, becuase my battery is full by the time I get to the really really cheap slots

Mat

KristianS you're right, I change mine every time the weather isn't kind or there's a price plunge. I guess I was just thinking of others who might like a set and forget approach. I was also kidding myself that I won't ever daily tweak! What would be handy is if charging, exporting and holding could be done on the half hr page so I will bow to your suggestion of C E H options with 1,2 or 3 presses 👍