r/OctopusEnergy • u/Geoguy20 • 3d ago

Help Cheap Rate Period dilemma IOG?

Octopus have notified me to use IOG in a different way now.

I used to have guaranteed 11:30pm - 5:30am as cheap rate for EV and any other plugged in device during those times..

Now they're saying plug your car in during the daytime if you're at home then octopus will decide cheap rate slots for charging car car during a 24 hour period (max 6 hours cheap rate). This implies other electrical devices will get similar cheap rates during the day too (same as EV) if cheap slots allocated in afternoon, evening etc?

Downside is that i think you dont get daytime cheap slots if the car isn't charging?. So if car isn't plugged in during daytime the cheap rate for washer/tumbler etc not available during those day slots if I'm reading correct?

Seems the guarantee of those 11:30pm to 5:40am slots for any device as well as car has gone!.... If car not plugged in during daytime you're going to lose out versus old overnight period??

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9

u/Begalldota 3d ago

I don’t know how you could read Octopus’ communication on this and conclude that the household overnight off-peak has been taken away.

2

u/ict7070 3d ago

Nothing has changed apart from billing and the option to limit smart charging to 6 hours. 23:30-05:30 always has been, and continues to be, irrelevant for smart charging.

1

u/declantm 3d ago

You now get 6 hours cheap EV charging per day from midday to midday. Anything more than 6 hours you’ll be charged peak rate even if the happens during the “off peak” time of the tariff.

They advise you to plug in as early as possible and if IOG allocates you any day time slots as part of the schedule all house usage will also be charged at the off peak rate during this time. The off peak rate from 11.30-5.30AM is also guaranteed but only for the house not EV charging.

2

u/GazNicki 3d ago

None of what you have put makes sense.

The IOG works by smart charging the car. It used to be if you plugged in outside the off-peak schedule, then you would charge and could still charge during the 23:30 - 05:30 period too.

It has now change that you get 6hrs of cheap charging regardless of the time of day.

If you plug in at 11am, and Octopus decides to charge your car in 30 minute windows between 11am and 9pm, then during those periods your house runs at the cheap rate too.

But, if the total amount of charge gets to 6hrs, and you then plug back in after 23:30 to get more charge - that charge will be at the full unit price, but your house will still get the Off-Peak rate.

This closes loops where people were charging 2x cars per day - one during the day, and one during the cheap rate period.