I've just had my DNO G99 and MCS cert through from my installer. I filled out the form on the octopus website to sign up for outgoing fixed and noticed that my optopus dashboard now shows the message
We're setting you up to join Octopus Outgoing Fixed. We need to book your smart meter exchange next.
We have a first gen smart meter (installed by Bulb), does anyone know if these are compatible or if they will need to change the meter. And if so how long this usually takes?
ZmGahH6yQBe Don’t worry. Mine said that and I still have the same meter. It’s standard text
ProximusAl good to know. How long did it take them to activate?
ZmGahH6yQBe It depends. Later versions of the SMETS1 meters will be OK but earlier (and cheaper) versions will need swapping out as they have limited remote upgrade and control.
ZmGahH6yQBe 14 days from start to finish. My DNO is National Grid (aka Western Power)
I'm 10 weeks in and still waiting for Octopus, mail them every week and get the same response that they have a backlog. Given away 274 KWh so far.
Arg0t I think you'll find the back log is with the DNO. I think it was UK Power Networks that have massive backlogs....
ProximusAl Thanks for the correction. it's western power/national grid rather than Octopus.
Arg0t
we have all been there. so irritating
Arg0t you should get paid in the end, as mine took a few weeks and I'd exported 600+kWh before they set up the export MPAN, but I then got a random bill through for those kWh after a few months
Cdent
they told me they couldnt and wouldnt pay for any export prior to setting everything up. true to their word they didnt. haha
OK, so it's moved onto the second to last progress dot. Although the message saying about switching to the outgoing tariff has disappeared. I've not have any kind of communications since submitting the form online, no emails or anything which is odd. I would have expected some kind of confirmation at least.
ZmGahH6yQBe
mine never showed the last stage (dot) never discovered what that one was but export all worked.
Mine went from that image to all done without seeing the last dot.
It stayed like that image for a couple of weeks, so I phoned them and then it happened in about 24 hours.
ZmGahH6yQBe Mine has been like this for weeks - but all the data is good and I am rx'ing payments. Things were a little odd in that:
1) To start with, the downloaded data was transposed between "Electricity" and "Electricity export". This seem to fix itself after a while a few days and has been correct ever since.
2) The "dotted progress message is still present, but strangely appears under "Electricity" not "Electricity export".
I have emailed Octopus support...
positor1 I was told the same thing at the start, but at the end of the day some killowatts have been sent to the grid that need to be billed - under the Balancing and Settlement Code all kWh need to be accounted for, might be worth trying to hit them with that
OK, so I now appear to have gone back to the first dot. I already have my G99 back from national grid, does that mean I already have my Export MPAN? Do you have 2 MPAN numbers, one for export and one for import or is there just one number for the meter that handles both?
Usually 2 mpans. 1 in, 1 out. It will be issued by your DNO. Usually initiated by your installer. Got mine 8 days after completion.
Roberto how did you receive the export MPAN? I thought this was the G99, or is that separate?
My installer has given me my G99 and MCS certificate. Is there something else as well that I should be getting? Not sure if Octopus are applying for something I already have or if this is the normal process.
ZmGahH6yQBe Octopus apply for your export MPAN. Give them a couple of weeks. Everything above looks normal to me.
ZmGahH6yQBe Octopus got hold of the mpan. My installer also sent it to me.
ZmGahH6yQBe I was waiting so long for Octopus to get my export MPAN that I contacted UK Power Networks myself. They gave me the export MPAN within the week. I forwarded it to Octopus.
However, I'm still not being paid for the energy I export.
I nudge Octopus on a weekly basis.
Have just now got my Flux export sorted by Octopus ... it has taken two and a half months.
ZmGahH6yQBe my mpan was applied for by my installer on completion. The installer supplied the MCS and the g99. Octopus got hold of the mpan after 7 days. All very easy.
Those on UK Power Networks, I found emailing them for the export MPAN seemed to make things happen. Octopus don't chase them, they just send and forget/wait. If you email UKPN you'll get it faster and can either give it to Octopus yourself or they'll pick it up in a few days.
Somewhere on UKPN website there is a way to contact them for your MPAN
I applied for my export with Octopus (Fixed Outgoing) as soon as I received my DNO, however, due to being on Intelligent tariff, my export request was ignored, as they're not compatible. I had to reapply for SEG (their standard export rate) and got that within a few days.
pacemaker I wish all DNO’s were as set up for domestic solar PV installations as UKPN- their smart connect system seems very efficient. Meanwhile, Octopus and I are tag teaming the prodding of Electricity Northwest to no avail…
Dougm11 I called nation grid yesterday and they gave me my export mpan and said they were waiting for the data flow from Octopus. I logged into my account in the evening and saw that it's not moved onto "Export MPAN request accepted" and that I should be up and running by the 25th.
FFS!
After 11 weeks, and contacting the DNO myself to get an improved MEC limit and export MPAN, I finally get the mail from Octopus that my export account is setup. 552kwh of export, without compensation, so far.
Check the account online to see it shows as a flexible import tariff rather than a flux export.
You should find that changes quickly - Octopus tend to switch you back to their “basic” tariff before changing you onto the new tariff - that’s what happened to me, and is probably a good sign 😀
Arg0t kick up a fuss about the export so far; I got mine paid to me. They have to do it anyway but just make a point that they have gained "free" energy and under the balancing and settlement code they need to account for it
Lofthouse weird thing is import is showing flux, it's only the export that shows a basic import tariff. I've mailed them to point this out, hopefully sorted today and I do not get charged a double standing rate lol.
Cdent what did they pay? the 30 minute rate at the point you exported or a flat rate? I've mailed mentioning balancing and settlement but unclear what I would actually be due. I was on agile for 10 of the 11 weeks, flux for the other week. Assume they can get the smart meter data to show when I exported?
Arg0t when I originally applied for export payment I had requested fixed which at the time was 7.5p. The start reading was 0 and they calculated everything up to the meter they took when it officially went live with them.
I've had to walk Octopus through the whole process every step of the way - it feels like if they could find a way to screw it up, they did. I'm now on my 5th attempt to get them to set up the Flux Export, which they have assured me will be reflecting on the account this afternoon. I'm not exactly filled with confidence at this point, especially after twice reverting the status to "applying for an Export MPAN on your behalf", despite having sent them all the documentation to show I already had one.
Twice.
On the plus side, they have now at least agreed to backdate the export to the initial reading supplied, the previous attempts were always followed up with a "we can't pay you anything for energy exported before the switch is completed"..
Cdent Hoping for a similar result, 13 weeks in and octopus still cant connect to my meter, even for import, despite it being visible on DCC through Bright. If I wasnt hanging on for potential backdating, I would try another supplier.
Arg0t Mine took a couple of days for the import and export to both change over on Octopus to the flux tariff.
Yes it's very frustrating dealing with Octopus I think I have a 20% response rate to my emails. Glad my Flux Export only took 6 weeks, although it also took nearly 3 weeks to switch to Octopus from Eon in the first place.
Just had my first credit for export applied to my account after having to chase them for it (only a day for an email response) as nothing had appeared after 5 weeks, hopefully the credits will happen automatically in future.
Of course I have also been charged for the privilege of exporting to them on the second day of connection (74p a kWh) and it looks like I won't be payed for the first day of connection but that is trivial compared to the units exported waiting for the connection.
Quickest communication method with Octopus is Twitter or a good old-fashioned phone call. My export was set up in 3 weeks from sign up to going live on Flux export but I already had a smart meter up and running so that was one less hurdle. DNO’s and suppliers need to have a much more efficient and automated system for issuing and handling export mpan numbers since demand is only going to increase. I know Octopus seem like they’re falling short on this but there are Scottish power customers who have been waiting 9 months + so it’s not just Octopus.
Octopus had the request for 10 weeks and kept telling me it was DNO backlog, I contacted the DNO, they didn't have a request. I asked them to update the G99 to increase the MEC and provide export MPAN. That was last Thursday. Yesterday Octopus had the export MPAN and export switched today.
Moral of the story, if your fitter tells you the DNO rejected MEC above 3.68kw, check with the DNO. If Octopus tell you they are waiting on the DNO, contact the DNO.
Octopus took ages to switch us to Flux too, even though we already had a standard export tariff with them. After three weeks, several emails and a long call, they finally sorted it. Flux import was enabled almost immediately, just the export they dragged on with. No need as they just needed to switch us from standard export. After some further pestering they back-dated the payment. It felt almost deliberate but maybe just a back-log.
About time we had 'vote for the worst DNO poll'. Mine - Scottish and Soutrhern. Quicker to move house than get a response from them. They have another neat trick - if you manage to get a response from them they open a 'case'. Trouble is their reply closes the case. All I was asking was 'has my installer applied for G99/G100'.
Cdent
Hi Cdent, so did day pay you?
After 30 months and 4 different meters, Octopus finally got my smart meter to be able to download half hourly data (started working in Oct 2023). It was fixed on the phone by a person playing with settings, not changing the meter again..............Doh.
All going well on Flux until they sent out the new tariff data on 1st July.
Now all half hourly data has stopped.
Meter comms is working (green flashes every 5 seconds)
I have mailed about 4 times, tried their online meter health check and sat on the phone for ages (gave up in the end).
Jud yes, I got a catch up credit from 0 all the way to the start reading they originally credited me from.
Cdent At what rate ? The tariff you applied for ?
SteveCook If you have twitter try contacting them on twitter, lot of folk have had a lot of quick success with issues going this route.
justpassing yes, i'd applied for the fixed 7.5p at the time and that's what they'd paid me
Jellybaby
Thanks, but I looked at doing this and not quite sure how. (I am 63 and try to avoid social media)
Can I do it on laptop or do I need app on phone
Figured it out!!!!!
Doh.
SteveCook Struggle dwith this as well. Like all assumed knowledge, obvious once you have done it, baffling before :-)
Yes you can do it from your web browser. You need to sign up for a twitter account. Then you CAN go to the octopusenergy page. twitter/octopusenergy, but thats not neccesary, and you dont want to post directly on that page. What you want is to send a message, or Direct Message, which is private. "Katie" in the screenshot has posted to the main page, not used direct messaging.
Then
And then type your stuff. You get a window with your message and reply reply. Go back to messages if you come back later to check if you close the page.
The first thing they will ask is name/address (perhaps account number), so you can put it in your original message.
justpassing
Thanks. I think I managed
Missed your
"Figured it out!!!!!
Doh."
So thats my "Doh! " :-)
No problem!
Octo replied to my tweet.
There have been zero readings since 1st July for import and export.
Octo reply "I can see there are some missing half hourly readings" and they will check with DCC.
All was working until new Flux tariff was sent - so I think this is a settings issue and not a meter/comms issue
For anyone that hasn't seen it before, https://energy.guylipman.com/sm/getstarting is a great way to check what data is available, you can see both octopus and the n3rgy available data.
Octo have again replied to my tweet asking for photos of gas meter, elec meter and how close they are to each other (about 18"). I have issued these in emails at least 4 times.
They have also asked for manual meter readings so they can bill me. I have asked how they plan to issue an accurate bill without half hourly readings, as I pretty much only import off peak, export pretty much all day and do a forced battery export at peak!. I am worried they will now try to bill me on standard rates, which pretty much negates any reason/advantage of having a battery.
Comms is showing correctly -2 green flashes every 5 seconds.
Readings have stopped exactly the time they pushed out new tariff on July 1st.
I went though my old emails and readings also stopped when I went onto Flux and that was fixed by Octo at their end by changing settings - nothing to do with DCC and poor comms!
SteveCook did you check the link above ? Then at least you can record the 3rd party data for that time.
justpassing
Yes I did. Last data 30th June 23:30
SteveCook I was thinking that was wierd that they could break the third party feed. But just realised, did you try the n3rgy info as well as the octopus one ?
Octo have now said if they can't get the half hourly readings that they will just have to use flat 15p export rate and Flexible import rate to calculate my bill.
Because of my battery and 27 panels, a full off peak charge of 10kWhr does me for 24hrs plus I do a 50% peak battery discharge of 5kWhr plus any excess solar from 16:00-19:00.
I have followed the desire of HMGov and Octo and spent over £15k so I can off peak import and peak export to help the UK, but because Octo still can't sort their meters out, I will be the one to suffer.
It's not just me with this situation then.
My smart meter was sending half hourly data just fine for about 2 years. I signed up to flux and was put on the import tariff on 22/07 and left to wait for the export to be set up, which was 02/08. But, on 27/07 just after midnight the smart meter stops sending data. 2 emails and a phone call to Octopus so far and nobody has done anything. . Octopus don't seem to give a stuff and I am losing every day the sun shines. Brilliant! Anyone know if there is a reboot button on the smart meter?
They said 4 days ago that they were going to ask the metering team to "power cycle the meter".
So far nothing, so I asked them if I should pull the main fuse.
Dead silence!!
Is yours a Kaifa MA120?
Mine is showing event log 8154 pretty much every day until 27/07. the day the readings stop.
It also has power event 81BB every day since 21/7. The day of the switch to Flux Import tariff.
My "smart" meters were installed in Mar 2020. It took Octo until Oct 2022 to get them working. They kept sending "engineers" to swap them with zero effect.
Int Oct 2022 an engineer turned up and said "I am not going to change the meters again and hope for a different outcome". He got on the phone and in withing 15 minutes data was flowing.
In March 2023 I swapped to Flux and all data stopped. I got on the phone and again within 15 minutes data was flowing again.
On 1st July the new Flux tariff was issued and all data stopped again, but the green comms lights are showing comms is OK.
I think Octo internal settings are the problem, but I seem to be banging my head against a brick wall.
SteveCook I had a similar experience, but with a different energy supplier. The issue was not with the meter and its comms to DCC as I could see the data on the Glow app. The issue was that their internal billing systems had an incorrect premises code. The meter serial number and MPAN aligned with the DCC, but the energy company's internal billing system was the problem. Along the way, they have now changed my meter which is still logging data to DCC and visible via Glow. Now they don't have the new meter serial number on their system so cannot change me to a different tariff until that's sorted. It's a joke when the energy company change the meter and their billing side isn't informed of the change. That said I've had some amazing people from that company chasing down the issues and telling me exactly where their processes are falling down. If I was Joe Public who had no clue about metering, MPANs and unit rates, I'd have absolutely no chance of getting the issue sorted. It's only because I can explain what I can't see that they are able to agree that there's a problem and then chase down a solution.
Octo turned up today 8 weeks after me telling them that data stopped the day they issued the new Flux rates.
Green comms lights have been flashing every 5 seconds for 10 months showing comms OK!
Did a power cycle - turn off and on again - no change
Fitted new comms hub - no change
Did another power cycle - no change
Coming back in 4 weeks to fit new meters - again.
Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Octopus feel to me, as if they are in a bit of chaos right now.
I have had numerous minir issues with export credit, IHD giving wring figures ets. Emails get replied to after a week, but little resolution. It took months for them to absolutely confirm my E7 times. I had to insist they did it via email.
My IHD still reads jubberish and my export and import electrical bills are not regular. Now i have had to escalate things, and await a reply to that.
Theyy have got too big, too quickly. They cant keep up with their iwn goid ideas. They pedal Kraken as the next best thing in billing etc to other suppliers, yet cant sort themselves out. Their major USP is that they are marginally better than the rest.