Octopus intelligent query

[TheJimster]

Hi folks

We're in the process of switching from octopus go to intelligent octopus.

We've got an ohme charger and 3.2 software, so as I understand it we can control charging via either the car or the charger. I haven't seen an obvious recommendation to go one way or the other.

The charger has generally been pretty reliable controlling things under octopus go. I've not previously attempted any form of charging control via the car.

Would be good to hear if anyone thinks there's a strong argument for the better / more reliable approach.

Thanks.

[steviebabes]

I have a dumb charger so have to use the car. Been on IO for about a month now and it's been faultless. Just had a 3 hour charge this morning 8-11AM as we need to go out this afternoon. We took advantage and put a wash load on, heated the water and had an Octopus breakfast! ( full English on Octopus).

[Big_GT]

I've been using Ohme for Intelligent since last year, it just works and if they VW servers take a flakey as the often do you can still smart charge your car with minimal fuss.

[Ph66]

If your going on to octopus IO make sure you go into the VW app for id3 on your phone ,

And go into settings and then mobile , you need to go into the shop , if you haven't to get these to options to go blue .

There's at zero cost .

Took me ages to get io to work , as I haven't got these .
Also lots of threads about io .

The charger should be changed to manual as io tells it when to start charging, and cancel all the settings on the car . Use octopus app to do it

Hope this helps

[Mark55]

Hi
I have used both the Octopus app and Ohme charger to control Octopus Intelligent. Car ID3 on 3.2 software. Both work well. Octopus app seems to charge later in the early morning whereas Ohme seems to charge much earlier.

Both will charge the car with 7.5 pence per KWh outside of the 11.30pm to 5.30 am window as per Octopus terms.

The charge to 100% delema. Every now and then I need the car to have a full battery by around late afternoon. Charging overnight to 100% by OI will probably get you there by 5.30 am. If keeping the car at 100% from 5.30am to late afternoon sounds to long. Then my work round is. Charge the car as normal to 80% over night. Then around 12 noon plug the car in for a charge to 100% set the time to when you need 100%. So far all such charging has been dynamic. Other than once when attempted a 80% to 100% from 3pm to 6pm, which was no problems as just charged at normal day rate. .

[steve]

I recently switched to IO. It's ability to control the ID.3 seems a bit ropy. The first charge was fine, though it took a long time for IO to spot that the car was plugged in and it was charging at peak rate meantime. But for the next one Octopus never gained control at all. I think it didn't even see I'd plugged in. The VW app is having a similar problem. I found a suggestion somewhere that VW block connections to the API if there are "too many" calls on it.

I have a Zappi charger which I believe is currently in an IO beta test. I think I will switch to control by charger when that becomes generally available.

[mediaguy]

My recommendation would be the charger. The network connection for your charger should be much more reliable than the SIM card in the car.

I'm using the car, but looking forward to swapping to the Zappi.

[TimF]

Minor point with Ohme. As well as the standard Ohme charger, I also have an Ohme granny cable. The Ohme app doesn't have a simple scheme for swapping Ohme chargers - and one needs the full charger ID to change over.

[CarterHounslow]

Hi
I have used both the Octopus app and Ohme charger to control Octopus Intelligent. Car ID3 on 3.2 software. Both work well. Octopus app seems to charge later in the early morning whereas Ohme seems to charge much earlier.

Both will charge the car with 7.5 pence per KWh outside of the 11.30pm to 5.30 am window as per Octopus terms.

The charge to 100% delema. Every now and then I need the car to have a full battery by around late afternoon. Charging overnight to 100% by OI will probably get you there by 5.30 am. If keeping the car at 100% from 5.30am to late afternoon sounds to long. Then my work round is. Charge the car as normal to 80% over night. Then around 12 noon plug the car in for a charge to 100% set the time to when you need 100%. So far all such charging has been dynamic. Other than once when attempted a 80% to 100% from 3pm to 6pm, which was no problems as just charged at normal day rate. .

Do you think say if I need to leave at 7am it's fine to charge to 100% by 5.30 and only leave at 100% for 90 minutes?

[sidehaas]

Hi
I have used both the Octopus app and Ohme charger to control Octopus Intelligent. Car ID3 on 3.2 software. Both work well. Octopus app seems to charge later in the early morning whereas Ohme seems to charge much earlier.

Both will charge the car with 7.5 pence per KWh outside of the 11.30pm to 5.30 am window as per Octopus terms.

The charge to 100% delema. Every now and then I need the car to have a full battery by around late afternoon. Charging overnight to 100% by OI will probably get you there by 5.30 am. If keeping the car at 100% from 5.30am to late afternoon sounds to long. Then my work round is. Charge the car as normal to 80% over night. Then around 12 noon plug the car in for a charge to 100% set the time to when you need 100%. So far all such charging has been dynamic. Other than once when attempted a 80% to 100% from 3pm to 6pm, which was no problems as just charged at normal day rate. .

Do you think say if I need to leave at 7am it's fine to charge to 100% by 5.30 and only leave at 100% for 90 minutes?

Yes

[TheJimster]

Hi folks, thanks for all the advice here.

The onboarding process in the Octopus app did not want to play ball initially, but I gradually stripped out all the controls in the Ohme app until the charger was operating in dumb mode, and that did the job.

I decided to let the car control the charging initially, and the results were not good. The Ohme app would always manage to establish a charging schedule shortly after plug-in, but in a week of trying this, the car never once stopped the initial charge on connection as it should have done.

I had some success stopping the initial charge manually, as has been discussed in other threads, after which the car did follow the octopus charging schedule. But every other time I charged, the car would re-start charging during peak hours. I tried stopping the initial charge via the infotainment and via the app, but the car always ended up charging when it shouldn't have been.

I decided to put the Ohme in control instead. Spoke to Octopus, thinking they might be able to offer an explanation for what had been happening. But the answer was basically 'yes we've been having some issues, no idea when they might be resolved, you just need to manually schedule all your charging for off-peak hours'.

Which wasn't the answer I was expecting! But in all honesty suits me fine. I had to manually configure the Ohme settings, but ultimately I now get 50% more off-peak hours than I had been getting on Octopus Go, and at a lower rate.

[Makro99]

So you now go in to Ohme app and schedule for 11:30-5:30? Or do you tick the button for not more than 7.5p? Trying to work out if it’s worth the hassle!

[Newfie]

So you now go in to Ohme app and schedule for 11:30-5:30? Or do you tick the button for not more than 7.5p? Trying to work out if it’s worth the hassle!

On IO and using Ohme as the main device you disable the price cap of 7.5p. Then select a schedule you require i.e. set a schedule to end t a selected time. If you put 07.00 it can still charge up to that time