Solar power and battery charging

[foreverwaiting]

I have the following setup

Sunsynk 2x5kw battery
Sunsynk inverter
16 solar panels

A Hypervolt charger
Octopus intelligent tarriff

Summer time.
I can charge the car using solar between 10:30-4pm (peak sun times) using purely solar at around 5kw generated. Basically my car will be topped up to almost full. Failing that I can charge at night on the low tarrif of 6.5p per kw.
Which is what I do during winter time.

All I have to do is tell the car the charge immediately for day time charging. Or switch it to schedule charge for off peak charging times. Which. An all be done from app.

I’m making the most of my solar investment during the summer.

[Trilby]

Hey @foreverwaiting

You have a similar setup to our house, 10kw of battery, 16 panels chucking out 6.4kw max, Hypervolt as well!

Only, difference is we are on Octopus Flux in order to get the higher export rates of 17.02p/kWh from 5am till 4pm and so pay 16.81p/kWh for 2am to 5am charging.

We can switch to Go for 6.5p charging window, but then we only get 4p/kWh export. I wasn't that interested in doing the maths to work it all out!

Summer time solar charging certainly is a nice experience

[Splitty]

That’s odd from Octopus, I am on Go and get £0.15 for export and pay £0.42 for import. (Eastern region)

[sidehaas]

They used to only do a limited export rate for people on Go etc, but they allowed everyone to get the 15p export rate from a few months back, as I understand it.

[DelayedID3]

I am also exactly the same, Sunsynk, 14 Panels, 2x battery etc, but with Octopus Go and an Ohme charger. I don't know as I will ever be in enough to charge the car from Solar during the day, but the 6.5p overnight rate is a boon. I also went straight onto Octopus Outgoing for the 15p export rate (as mentioned, available to everyone).

I don't know about anyone else, but I wish I had gone for 3 batteries.....we can easily drain the batteries during the day on the dark winter days, I think we are very power heavy even without an EV plugged in.

[Trilby]

Interesting feedback folks, thanks.

I’m not on a fixed plan so maybe switching back to Go and Octopus Outgoing would be possible. I’ll reach out and see.

Yes @DelayedID3 I too wish I had gone a big bigger on the battery front, an extra 5kw would have been useful. Hopefully the next car will have some Vehicle to Load ability seems crazy to have 58kw sat on the driveway and not be able to access some of it.

[Trilby]

Octopus website still suggests
“Right now, you can’t be on Octopus Go together with Outgoing Fixed or Agile (the price is so good it’d be like a double discount!) Instead, we’ve created a great export option just for Octopus Go customers. On Outgoing Fixed Lite, you’ll export power at a rate of 8p / kWh.”

If you wouldn't mind sharing, what is the name of the plan you are on?

[DelayedID3]

Weird, so according to my last bill I am on "Intelligent Octopus Go October 2022 v1" for the Electricity incoming, and "Outgoing Octopus 12M Fixed May 2019" for the export, and it definitely confirms 15.00p/kWh

[steve]

Yes I saw the 8p message and also when I signed up it said 15p.

[StewartManley]

Weird, so according to my last bill I am on "Intelligent Octopus Go October 2022 v1" for the Electricity incoming, and "Outgoing Octopus 12M Fixed May 2019" for the export, and it definitely confirms 15.00p/kWh

You can be on the Intelligent tariff with 15p export, but not the plain Jane Go tariff.