My smart home

Discussions around the latest tech at home: EVs, solar, smart heat, battery storage and more

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426 Topic threads

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Carbon Cutter*****
EverythingNeedsAUserNameCarbon Cutter*****
posted in My smart home

Electric vehicle charging market study: final report - HM GOVERNMENT Published 23 July 2021

I just found this and felt I should share it. You may have heard snippets on TV or radio, or in the papers but they rarely point you to the source document. "The Competition and Markets Authority has completed its market study into electric vehicle charging in the UK and published its final report. We have set out a package of recommendations to unlock greater investment, promote competition and build people’s trust in this sector.We have also opened a competition law investigation into the supply of electric vehicle chargepoints on or near motorways.Published 23 July 2021"Read online or download. Final report: printable version PDF, 1.52MB, 117 pageshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electric-vehicle-charging-market-study-final-reportAn extract :Key statisticsScale of the challengeAt least 10 times the current number of charge points needed by 2030.Current provision:UK network has grown to around 25,000 public chargepointsonly 34 public chargepoints per 100,000 people on avera

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M
Carbon Cutter****
2 years ago
H
Plan Zero Hero
hydrosamPlan Zero Hero
Posted in My smart home

Solar PV (photovoltaic) diverters for heating and hot waterTutorial

Solar PV (photovoltaic) diverters are a small unit that diverts unused electricity generated by the solar panels to the immersion heater of your domestic hot water tank. Mine cost about £80 from eBay and I fitted it myself (but most would need an electrician). For the home owner this means when you aren’t using the electricity your solar panels are generating it will divert the ‘spare’ electricity to the immersion heater rather than exporting to the grid. On good days it will provide all of the heating to your hot water tank. If you are on a Feed in tariff you get paid your 50% of generated export payment regardless of whether you’ve actually exported 100% or 0% to the grid (*moderator note: this only applies if you don’t have a smart meter, which can measure export exactly). So financially it’s a pretty worthwhile addition but as @Transparent pointed out it’s also a selfish technology.My heat pump should heat the water with an efficiency somewhere around 3, so for every kWh of electri

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
C
Carbon Cutter****
Chisi1Carbon Cutter****
Posted in My smart home

Replacing oil fired central heating with storage batteries and off peak power - is this possible without solar panels?

We currently use electricity for general lighting, cooking and heating three upstairs bedrooms and two bathrooms with far infrared ceiling panels.Downstairs radiators and water heating are through an oil fired boiler.We plan to stay in the house for at least ten more years and would be really interested in replacing the oil fired system with a completely electric system (even if we don’t get all our money back) using cheap off peak power and batteries.If we got rid of the oil tank, we have a large concrete base that could house these.We’d need a water heating system and six new electric radiators.Can current batteries large enough to last the whole day, especially in winter, be charged up from off peak power?We live in an old Grade II listed building and do not want to use solar panels.Is this is a feasible option?

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
S
Carbon Cutter****
SillupCarbon Cutter****
Posted in My smart home

KIA Soul - my experience of buying and living with my favourite electric vehicle - EV ReviewEV Review

Updated on 23/06/23 by Tim_OVO​: OVO are now fitting electric vehicle (EV) smart chargers.  The smart chargers we fit are compatible with OVO’s Charge Anytime add on, for super cheap EV charging any time of the day.  Considering making the change to an Electric Vehicle? Check out the great advice our community members have shared on what to consider when buying an EV over here.We’ve also got some great EV owner reviews like the one below and this Tesla Model 3 review. A few years back I was introduced to the concept of PCP finance and since then have always been able to drive new cars. I turned to KIA after many years of driving a Honda civic. Basically Hondas were out of price range so I turned to KIA and was smitten bu the SOUL. My first was a diesel Soul automatic - swore I'd never drive an automatic but there you go! I was soon deeply attached to that car for it's performance and there was just something about the SOUL. I then moved to petrol, as diesel was now seen as bad. When it

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S
Carbon Cutter****
2 years ago
M
New Member**
Malc98New Member**
Posted in My smart home

Why does my RCD trip overnight and only resets when the kitchen sockets are off?

RCD tripped overnight, only resets with kitchen sockets trip off, any help please

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
Jequinlan
Plan Zero Hero
JequinlanPlan Zero Hero
Posted in My smart home

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and thunderstorms - Is it safe/recommended?

Given the upcoming weather, and the fact all my ev charge plugs  and all public chargepoints all say "donnot use in thunderstorms" I was wondering:A) WhyB) What is the real riskC) Will anything prevent it actually chargingD) If you have a virtually flat battery in a storm, what should you do if you need to keep driving!E) Is it (more?)dangerous with a v2g?

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Tim_OVO
Community Manager
2 years ago
T
Carbon Cutter*****
tesla_model_3Carbon Cutter*****
posted in My smart home

Free electric vehicle (EV) public charging points - tips and recommendations

Go for the highest spec you can if you need the range. I have a 2019 Nissan Leaf 40kw Tekna which is brilliant for me as I'm a volunteer driver and usually just potter around locally so 160 miles is fine and I only need to charge it (at home) once a week. I just visited my sister in the New Forest at the weekend and charged at Winchester Services through Ecoserve and it was free. Haven't heard of ecoserve before, are they new @Gingernut49? I'm heading down to Southampton and so would be good to charge on the way back if it's a fast charger?

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Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
2 years ago
J
Plan Zero Hero
jason.lewisPlan Zero Hero
posted in My smart home

Transport Xtra: Data and smart technology will power the future electricity system

Government and Ofgem set out new approaches and rules for the energy sectorMark Moran 25 July 2021 This is an interesting article from Transport Xtra (a trade mag that we get at work): “The way in which the UK’s energy sector uses data and new technology needs to be modernised in order to meet demand for electricity intensifies and fossil fuels are phased out in the UK. This is the core message of a smart technology strategy launched by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and energy sector regulator Ofgem.The Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, and a new Energy Digitalisation Strategy, seek to deliver on commitments made by the government in the Energy White Paper. The new Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan updates the previous plan launched in 2017.In parallel, a consultation has been launched on overhauling the energy code governance framework. The consultation states that while the codes have thus far done a “remarkable job guiding the industry post-

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J
Plan Zero Hero
2 years ago
Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
TransparentCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

Ventilation in your home - guideTutorial

Ventilation systems for the home - your guide To keep a house warm you need to block up any gaps and keep out draughts. We’ve known that for hundreds of years.A house left like this stays in good order, provided that there are no animals inside. Dogs and cats are bad enough, but it’s homo sapiens I have in mind. Not only do animals breathe, but when they do so they exhale water vapour. Worse still we increase humidity further by cooking and taking hot showers. Aagh!Water vapour condenses on cooler surfaces where it provides a rich micro-environment for fungi and all manner of invertebrates that start living off it. Eventually these organisms start consuming the very fabric of the building itself: dry rot, wet rot, woodworm, carpet moths and mildew all thrive in unventilated space. For the last half-century we’ve ‘solved’ that problem by installing bathroom and kitchen fans. They suck warm humid air from the house and expel it outside, along with all the heat energy which we paid to hav

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
TransparentCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

An electric vehicle (EV) charging point installed at homeTutorial

.Updated on 27/05/22 by Jess_OVOPlease be advised you must employ a qualified electrician to undertake the work outlined in this user-created guide. Given the cost/time requirements as well as the loss of smart charging benefits, OVO Energy would recommend a smart EV charger instead of a self-installed charger described below. As a new owner of an electric vehicle (VW ID3) I am well aware of the plethora of companies who wish to sell me a charger, such as OVO here. Each of them is apparently better than the previous one and comes with an array of bells and whistles . Most chargers are bundled into a package deal offering me cheaper rates and access to a thousand or more charging points across the country. So I need a home charger too, right? Wrong.  Despite its name, the ‘charger’ really only performs two functions: It can reduce the current available to the EV if required It allows the configuration of charge time and duration The actual charging electronics is built into the car… not

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
sylm_2000
Plan Zero Hero
sylm_2000Plan Zero Hero
Posted in My smart home

Why does Kaluza app have a massive variation between the energy imported and exported even when the EV is connected 24h to the charger? Kaluza AMA

Kaluza app has a massive variation between the energy imported and exported even when the EV is connected 24h to the charger.If that’s the level of loss - I am seriously out of pocket. If the data is incorrect then it should be correct. No one is expected to check the SMETS if they have an app/portal.

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Jess_OVO
Retired Moderator
2 years ago
T
Carbon Cutter*****
tesla_model_3Carbon Cutter*****
Posted in My smart home

Tesla model 3 performance - EV reviewEV Review

Updated on 23/06/23 by Tim_OVO​: OVO are now fitting electric vehicle (EV) smart chargers.  The smart chargers we fit are compatible with OVO’s Charge Anytime add on, for super cheap EV charging any time of the day.  Considering making the change to an Electric Vehicle? Check out the great advice our community members have shared on what to consider when buying an EV over here.We’ve also got some great EV owner reviews like the one below and this Tesla Model 3 review. Tesla Model 3 Here's my view of having gone electric to a Tesla model 3. Do not cut or quote this on the main OVO site or anywhere else without my consent please! If anyone has any Tesla questions I'm more than happy to try and answer what I can! Buying my Tesla I put a deposit down at the start of 2019 and took delivery in September, without actually seeing one in person before then! It was quite risky if I didn’t like it but all of the reviews I read before then were great. Tesla were also offering a seven day free retu

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Tim_OVO
Community Manager
2 years ago
SianiAnni
Carbon Cutter*****
SianiAnniCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in My smart home

Ovo integration for Home Assistant - Unofficial API

I’ve recently started using Home Assistant to monitor my home. I’ve got 5 Aqara temperature and humidity sensors feeding in data via a ConBee II usb device, I’ve got a Hive integration, and I’ve got an Ovo integration. But I don’t understand what the Ovo integration is showing me. The documentation saysSensorsThis integration provides a few sensors for OVO Energy:Last Electricity Reading - Last meter reading consumption in kWh. Last Gas Reading - Last meter reading consumption in kWh. Last Electricity Cost - Last meter reading electricity cost. Last Gas Cost - Last meter reading gas cost.But it doesn’t explain whether these are half hourly readings, or daily or something else. I’m also very suspicious of an electricity reading that’s decreased over the last 48 hours.Has anyone on here used this Home Assistant integration, and if so what do they make of it?     

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Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
2 years ago
P
Carbon Cutter***
Parikh27Carbon Cutter***
Posted in My smart home

V2G charger not working - what does a solid red light indicate?

Hello, I had my trial V2G charger after 3 installation attempts on Thursday 27th February. It worked for an 1 hr or so and has not worked since, I have followed the reset steps suggested by support but no luck. On final try to switch on and off RCD the charger LED light turns RED and fan makes a loud noise it keeps doing that and the charger LED light does not change.    Did anyone else face same issues ? What was the resolution can Indra be contacted directly can they help ?   Any guidance would help me    Thanks  

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
N
New Member***
nearlythereNew Member***
posted in My smart home

We're thinking about getting an EV - any advice on costs, chargers, tariffs, and whether to also get solar panels?

We are OVO customers, part way through a two-year fixed deal, and are now looking at the possibility of switching to an EV. The V2G plan reads like a good idea too.We’re looking at the possibility of solar panels on the south-facing garage roof, and charging equipment for a car, though we have not yet decided which car (there are just too many new ones in the pipeline at present). We have test-driven a few - including a three-day loan of a Kia E-Niro from one dealer and were very impressed (with both car and dealer). The power to the house comes in via the garage - the consumer unit is inside, meter is in the wall (access from outside for reading). We (obviously! :wink: ) want to take advantage of any Government grants but it seems we can’t start any serious planning or get quotations until we actually acquire an EV car. Any advice from those who have already taken the plunge will be gratefully accepted. 

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Tim_OVO
Community Manager
2 years ago
NinjaGeek
Carbon Catcher***
NinjaGeekCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

Living with a Smart thermostat - HiveTutorial

Updated on 09/05/22 by Jess_OVO Keen to learn more about how you can control your heating with a Smart thermostat? Check out this great guide.OVO offers an exclusive deal on a tadoº Smart thermostat, or check out what one of our members had to say about using a Hive in their blog below. So you are with an amazing energy supplier but still want to save money on your heating bill? Look no further! Although OVO offers an incredible deal with Tado, there are alternatives. I am not saying the product I have implemented into my home is better than Tado but I will go over why I chose Hive over Tado further on. Let’s talk about the advantages before we get to the disadvantages. So the advantages with replacing your current thermostats with a smart one? Well, let’s rewind this back in December when I got the thermostats installed into my home as this is when people tend to use their heating right? So rewind to December 2017. British Gas man arrives at my house to install thermostat in the hallw

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knight
Carbon Cutter**
2 years ago
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
Blastoise186Plan Zero Hero
Posted in My smart home

Quick ways to save energy with the devices you haveTutorial

Hi,There’s always a bunch of different ways you can save a bit of energy with your devices, with ways that you might not always think of. I’ve got a few examples I’d like to share which you can try out. If you have a lot of tech gadgets like me, this one can really add up!And the best part about all of the tips I’m sharing below? They won’t cost you a penny to do and you don’t need to get hold of any other fancy gadgets to make these work. Changing the brightness By default, a lot of devices with screens tend to come with things like the brightness and backlight set to maximum because it gives that “shop floor look” which you see when shopping. Chances are though, you won’t be using them on a shop floor with loads of extremely bright fluorescent lights shining on them!If you’re OK with turning the brightness and backlight down just a bit, that can sometimes massively reduce how much power juice it’s pulling from the grid… And also make your phone battery last longer! It might not look

2023
P
New Member**
2 years ago
L
Carbon Cutter***
lauratullochCarbon Cutter***
Posted in My smart home

Switching back to OVO with an EV (electric vehicle) - What's the best plan for me?

We have an EV and are considering switching back to Ovo from Octopus Energy because:I remember Ovo being good at replying to customer messages and requests (I’m hoping this is still the case and would love to hear from current Ovo customers if this is still the case). Octopus Energy has been pretty dire in this respect. We have an EV and would like to consider using the home to grid option that Ovo is trialling at the momentReferring to the above, I’d love to know from Ovo and others about the following: can we still get a free home smart charger for our car? if so, which option has proved best for other users? There are three options. if it’s no longer free, will Ovo install it if we do not have off street parking? we are currently (comprehensively) renovating our home and am interested to know if Ovo or others can provide us with advice on whether to install the charger during the renovation or afterwards (ie: could our electricians do it or does installation require a dedicated Ovo

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Tim_OVO
Community Manager
2 years ago
NinjaGeek
Carbon Catcher***
NinjaGeekCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

You gotta give her more juice Scotty - my new EV: the 45kw MG ZS - EV ReviewEV Review

Updated on 23/06/23 by Tim_OVO​: OVO are now fitting electric vehicle (EV) smart chargers.  The smart chargers we fit are compatible with OVO’s Charge Anytime add on, for super cheap EV charging any time of the day.  Considering making the change to an Electric Vehicle? Check out the great advice our community members have shared on what to consider when buying an EV over here.We’ve also got some great EV owner reviews like the one below and this Tesla Model 3 review. It’s happened EV owners! I have finally upgraded from a 24kw Nissan Leaf to a 45kw MG ZS EV! It feels so good to have a bigger battery and more space to fit family stuff in.   What can I say?! It’s certainly not a Leaf I know. It’s Chinese car (what isn’t made in China these days?) but China is the leading country in electric vehicles. It’s a lovely car to drive, we haven’t given it a big test such as driving to see family up north. That will be the first thing I do once lockdown is over. Most I have gotten out of it in t

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Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
2 years ago
Darran_OVO
Retired Moderator
Darran_OVORetired Moderator
Posted in My smart home

Greener Energy- Our Green Energy Add OnNews

Updated on 13/03/23 by Emmanuelle_OVOWhat is Greener Energy? Greener Energy is replacing OVO Beyond, previously our green energy add on. Greener Energy is our upgrade which can be added to any OVO Energy plan at any time! It combines traceable 100% renewable electricity and 100% carbon neutral gas for you and more renewables for the UK all in one easy step. It does this by offering: 100% renewable electricity that can be traced all the way back to the generator (like a solar farm) thanks to *Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)*.  100% carbon neutral gas - 10% green gas, and 90% offset. A fixed contribution each year by OVO Energy to support new renewable power generators, helping to build a better energy system.  *Power Purchase Agreement contracts* This means that for each unit of electricity you use, we'll make sure we're buying an equivalent unit of electricity from a renewable generator that we have a PPA contract with. This is where the transparency element comes in, we have chos

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Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
2 years ago
M
Carbon Cutter***
Mark GCarbon Cutter***
posted in My smart home

Advice on heating my home to be eco friendly and cheap, electric or gas? We have storage heaters, a gas supply but no gas meter...

HiI am looking for advice on what is the best solution to heat my property, gas or electric?I have recently purchased a first floor 2 bed maisonette which has been vacant for 2 years. It currently has a 40-50 year old old storage heating system, with gas to the property but no meter installed. The loft is well insulated and double glazed windows fitted.I want an eco friendly, cost efficient solution. Combi gas boiler, electric radiators or underfloor heating? I could do with some professional assistance.

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
TransparentCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

Lightning suppressors, anti-surge devices and PV Solar Panels - tutorial and FAQTutorial

Updated on 10/05/22 by Jess_OVOThe community written DIY guide below is the perfect companion to this Solar Panel Self-Installation guide. We’d of course recommend consulting a solar-panel installer to ensure the safety of your Solar PV installation. Lightning suppressors: A lightning suppressor is similar to a mains-connected anti-surge device. However, the magnitude of the pulses it needs to quench are significantly greater.These suppressors are rather like an insurance policy. It isn’t essential to have them, and each person will have differing ideas about the level of risk they are prepared to take. As I live on high ground with a clear view of the prevailing SW wind from the Atlantic, it’s a subject in which I have a keen interest! A short tutorial:Lightning is caused by electrostatic charge building up within clouds. The higher the cloud, the greater is the potential difference (voltage) between its base and its crest. The ground is positively charged in comparison with the cloud

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
2 years ago
A
Carbon Cutter*
aphrabennCarbon Cutter*
Posted in My smart home

Is it worth replacing an old Alpha gas boiler?

I've recently moved to a house where the central heating system is run via a 14 year old Alph gas boiler. My meter readings seem high. Is this down to the age of the boiler? It has been regularly maintained. I'm wondering whether to replace it or not.

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G
New Member*
3 years ago
Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
TransparentCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

Installing wet underfloor heating: Domestic Heating How To series Part 5Tutorial

.Part 5: Wet UFH, Connecting controls Each loop of pipe fed from a manifold requires a thermostat. That enables each section of floor to be treated as a separate zone. Rooms can be held at different temperatures.It is common to use a combined time-clock and thermostat, allowing alternative settings for the weekend as well as throughout the day. combined time-clock and thermal sensor The photos show a basic/cheap battery-operated zone controller. A temperature setting can be applied for 4 time-sectors of the day. If it falls below the set temperature, then a relay will switch on, allowing the manifold actuator to open for that room/zone. The zone controller should be positioned on a clear section of wall, out of direct sunlight, and 1.5m above floor-level. This is slightly higher than the default position for a light switch (1.3m).Depending on the quality/capacity of the batteries, you should expect to change them every 12-18 months. A 2-core cable runs between the Controller in the roo

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
3 years ago
Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
TransparentCarbon Catcher***
Posted in My smart home

Installing wet underfloor heating: Domestic Heating How To series Part 4Tutorial

.Part 4: Wet UFH, Filling and commissioning Before putting any floor on top of newly-laid pipes, a new circuit needs to be filled and tested. You don’t want to find leaks once you’ve covered over the pipework!  In order to combat the effects of introducing air into the system, I take the opportunity of adding a half-litre of Inhibitor into each new pipe loop immediately before connecting it to the manifold. The 70m pipe I’ve just added has an internal bore of 12mm, so it has a capacity of 0.84 litres - plenty of room! As I have a 280-litre thermal store, there is over 300 litres of water which requires system inhibitor. The minimum recommended dosage is 1%, so the 500ml I’ve added only increases the level by 0.17%. It’s a reasonable amount for a top-up. Once the new pipe is finally connected to the manifold, open fully the manual valve (shown here with a yellow tag) and allow water to circulate through the pipe.  Air remaining in the new pipe will be flushed through by the flow of wate

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Transparent
Carbon Catcher***
3 years ago

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