Octopus Charging and Q4 Location Settings

[DocH]

Scotty, how do you know that you are being overcharged? AFAIK, neither the app (Android) or website show the half-hour by half-hour costs for IO (the app shows the kWh but tap on the "£" and it says "can't estimate this...we're working on it"). No more detail on the bill other than the amount of each tariff and the overall cost. Octopus' In Home Display can only be set with one tariff so that overstates the daily/weekly/monthly/yearly costs when you're on IO.

"Charging Explained" on the "Devices" part of the app says any charge when initially plugged in and EV charging that the plan specifies outside the off-peak hours will be charged at the low rate, so if that's not what's happening, then there's a case for that being a misleading statement...

[Tony]

I think IO will sometimes charge on peak, not sure why but in the T&Cs they say it will happen but you should be charged the off-peak rate.

[Tony]

If it helps

[ScottyQ4]

I have an Octopus Energy dual fuel account. I can where requested see the costs on a 1/2 hourly basis together with the rates being used at any time. The app info is too coarse to extract any precise detail. OE has confirmed that I have been overcharged and hence the Compo (I would have only got this Compo if I had brought it to their attention ) they may say they don’t charge during the peak period but my experience and the facts presented in my electricity bill to date would suggest otherwise.

[DocH]

ScottyQ4
Found it in the "VIew Historical Statements" option under "Contact us".

Mine seems to be working fine.
Example below shows 7.14 (ex VAT) rate when the charging is happening outside of the off-peak period (e.g. 05:30-06:00 and 07:00-07:30).

In total, 36.47kWh for £2.60 ex VAT (£2.73 inc VAT @ 5%), 7.5p/kWh as advertised.
Will keep an eye on it but thanks for highlighting.

For info, only had the smart meter installed in November, so it's a very new model.

[ScottyQ4]

Yep. The shape of the graph you have shown is perfect where it shows the reduced charge cost when ‘ out of hours’ charging takes place.

This is the shape of the graph which raised alarm bells for me

[CFC1969]

Hi everyone

I've had the same issues with my 2022 Q4 and 'intelligent Octopus go'. After 9 days I've had a response from Octopus. They asked me to deactivate the car and try and re-register it. I get the same issues as you all have. So I've asked if I can be put on Octopus go that just gives a cheap early hours charging window. It's 9p instead of 7.5p but a lot easier and less hassle I would of thought. It'll probably take them another 9 days to respond !!

[DocH]

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones, but the smart meter (Landis & Gyr E470 Type 5533) was only fitted 8th November and the Q4 was delivered 30th October, so I've got s/w v3844.
Connection and activation to IO went smoothly. I've got a Simpson & Partners Home Plus charger (as I have PV as well) so perhaps that combination helps.
It seems that the IO/Q4 combination is very sensitive and as there are so many permutations of charger/software version/etc., it only takes one small thing to be out of synch and the whole thing falls apart. Hope all those who are struggling get sorted.

FWIW, when getting my smart meter fitted (been with Octopus for years and requested via my account) found that following on X/Twitter and DMing them got the quickest response. Might be worth asking for a new smart meter as even if you have a SMETS2 unit, things may improve with a newer model...

[ScottyQ4]

Thanks DocH. Im finding that charging the vehicle from a low state of charge that requires a smart charge over the entire 6 hour off peak rate send Intelligent OE into a spin. Charging from say a 60% SOC works fine. I’ve tried a few times now with varying degrees of success. I’ll wait to the end of the month when the December bill arrives and I can study the graphs/data

[Tony]

Actually ours was at 20% yesterday and it just started charging when we plugged in, it didn't want to wait for the smart charge window.

I just left it unplugged till 11 when I went to bed.

Not sure if we would be charged or not but that might be a bug as it matches with what you were saying.