Hi everyone, I have a question about Octopus Intelligent Go and solar exports. The issue: On sunny days when my panels are generating well, I’m exporting to the grid as expected. However, if my EV is plugged in during the day, Octopus Intelligent Go sometimes starts charging it using cheap daytime rates. While this is cheap, I actually don’t want it to charge during the day because I prefer exporting all my excess solar rather than using grid import, even at a reduced rate. I suspect Octopus triggers this because they also have excess solar on the grid during those hours, so it makes sense for them to offer cheap rates. But for me, it’s counterproductive as I’d rather maximise my export payments or offset my household use fully before charging. My questions: Does anyone else here find this an issue with Octopus Intelligent Go? Is the solution simply to toggle smart charging off during the day and back on at dusk to force it to charge only overnight? Has anyone set up an automated workaround for this to avoid manual switching each day? Keen to hear how others manage this. Thanks in advance for your advice.

@"PANface"#p8132 this is definitely a downside to solar and batteries on IOG whilst export rates are good. First world problems, although I suspect those days are numbered, duck curve, zonal pricing, blah, blah. Anyway, realistically, your options are: 1) don't plug in until the sun has mostly gone 2) switch off smart charging and set a timer in the appropriate device to only use the core hours (you only need to smart charge once a month to pay lip service to the T&Cs) Not really in the spirit of things but, here we are. 3) depending on how you're integrated to IOG, leave smart charging on, set a timer in the chargepoint/EV for say 21:00-05:30 and plug in anyway. The danger with this method is you get insufficient charge because half the slots Octopus generates are outside of your defined period.

@"PANface"#p8132 Before I had my Export Account I used to switch off Smart Charge in the Octopus App and plug the car in to soak up the excess solar. Now that I can get paid for export, just don’t plug the car in until early evening, when generation has gone below 1.4kW.

@"admin"#p8161 i can only sell back 3.68kw but produce 12kw at peak

Daytime Smart EV Charging Undermining My Solar Export (Octopus Intelligent Go)

PANface

I have a 12kW solar system but can only export up to 3.68kW due to DNO limits. Because of this, I prefer to use as much solar as possible during the day to avoid wasting excess generation.

At the moment, I plug in my EV during the day so it uses some of that solar.

Currently, I have to switch IOG off every morning and remember to turn it back on in the evening to ensure it only charges overnight.
If WW could automate this i could set and forget
if i had a small wish:

WW Toggle IOG switch off 9am toggle switch on dusk or 5pm

MrMessy

PANface but WW can't control IOG, only how your inverter reacts to it.

Are you saying you want a timed version of this button, so WW doesn't react to IOG schedules during the day...?

PANface

Mmmm, yeah… what was I thinking? Doh.

I’m trying to stop Octopus from selling me electricity during the sunny times when I’m actually trying to sell it to them, while topping up my car using the free solar energy.

The only way I’ve found so far is to toggle off “AM” and remember to toggle it back on later if I need more charge… but I have a memory issue.

admin

PANface I’m trying to stop Octopus from selling me electricity during the sunny times when I’m actually trying to sell it to them, while topping up my car using the free solar energy.

Wouldn't it make more sense to sell it back to them at say 15p, and plug car in in the evening and top EV up at 7p?

PANface

admin i can only sell back 3.68kw but produce 12kw at peak

admin

PANface I see, export limit.

Is this a use case that other IOG users would find helpful too?

PANface

admin YES PLEASE 🙂

admin

PANface Other! 😄

amackayj

@admin please reconsider my request to add Agile EV charging? IOG is not compatible with Agile and us EV owners are having to manually schedule charging to match the battery charging. Is there a technical reason or are you just too busy? If the latter, then I'm happy to wait but I doubt I'm alone with this... if Octopus can schedule charging then there must be an API which your app can use?

amackayj

amackayj https://community.wonderwatt.com/d/548-givenergy-ev-charger

admin

amackayj Sure GivEnergy have an API for their EV charger I believe.

But if we went through the pain of integration this, and then Octopus adds support (which I'm sure they will eventually), it's a complete waste of time.

We'll have a cheeky look at the docs...

amackayj

admin thank you! I don't think it will be a waste of time at all. I've been using IOF with my givenergy battery and I much prefer Agile with WW. Even if Octopus do add support for the GE charger, I would not use it... and I think the liklihood of them doing this is extremely low, they've dragged their feet for years and now they're selling their own charger, so even less likely they they'll do it.
I'm more than happy to let you use my charger for development and testing. Their charger works in a similar fashion to their battery and maybe GE will help you, especially if it helps them sell more charger. It's great having the EV integrated with panels, battery and grid, why would anyone with a GE battery not also want a charger.

Thanks again, appreciate you are busy and happy to help if I can.

johalareewi

Maybe WW could provide a basic functionality for EV chargers that have a public API such that the EV charger can be started and stopped. You could then potentially control EV Charging during an Agile slot.

I can now set up charge and export slots with the WW Agile Scheduler. Would be ace if I could schedule EV charge slots too.

admin

johalareewi Would you always want them to line up with your charge slots? I think initially it would be one for one.

The Giv docs seem a bit sparse. https://givenergy.cloud/docs/api/v1#ev-charger-POSTev-charger--charger_uuid--commands--command_id-

Where are the list of IDs for the commands?

Never mind: https://givenergy.cloud/docs/api/v1#ev-charger-GETev-charger--charger_uuid--commands :-)

Yeah, there could be some quick wins for users on Agile. We'll do some more digging and may set up an opt-in test page as a first step.

johalareewi

admin Would you always want them to line up with your charge slots?

Yes. For me it makes sense to align EV charging with Agile slots. It is how I work it at the moment.

Note: I don't have a GE EV charger.
I have an Ohme Pro which has an API but the Ohme app is unreliable.
Would be great if there was a way to use it without the app.

amackayj

johalareewi

admin yes, that's what I do anyway my ev battery is an extension of my home battery, so linking it one to one is perfect

Thanks so much! I should have read to the end of the thread!

KristianS

Definitely first-world problems. lol.
I think that a number of people will be bound by @PANface challenge as time goes on and more folks have solar installed. I would encourage everyone to go for a G99 that gives more scope, but if 3.68kW is what the DNO limit you to, then that is your limit. I am with @MrMessy that this current situation of good Export rates is limited time only. As we build out more and more solar as part of the UK Government's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan , then if they get anywhere near 45-47GW of installed capacity, the days of high export rates will diminish very quickly indeed. Self consumption will then be the best way forward because once it goes into negative pricing - like it does sometimes in Australia [and now in Germany too], then you will want to avoid exporting it at those times..... But let's get there first, eh!