Zappi 'E Sense' - Used to Track and Exploit Variable Electricity Tariffs. 

You are welcome. But, there is actually a much easier means of exploiting variable tariffs available for the Zappi now, if you have a hub to go with it - go to myaccount.myenergi.com/account and set up an account, set your preferences and tariff information and the system will automatically sent 'Timed Boosts' to your Zappi for the cheapest times to charge. Saves having to buy a smart plug and do any wiring.

Already doing that !

The new MyEnergi account now gives direct Octopus Agile compatibility to the Zappi - I now use that instead of a smart switch.

@@LiveActionFX awesome, even better, thanks for letting me know!

If you have a hub as well as a zappi, you can sign up for free to the MyEnergi account, which automates this for you without the smart switch - the account has much better functionality, I'm now using that exclusively.

@@LiveActionFX thanks for the info! I was looking at the API and thinking a few lines of Python could do the same, too!

@@m1geo I tried that, but since MyEnergi have done all the development and set up servers for it, it seems silly not to use their free service. I use a Raspberry Pi and some Python code to monitor my Zappi and when it is doing a super economical charge, the Pi switches my Tesla Powerwall battery over to 'Back-up' only so it doesn't supply energy - the bonus is that this causes the powerwall to charge up on the cheapest possible grid energy!

@@LiveActionFX really nice! I have a LuxPowerTech Hybrid 3.6kW inverter, 7kW solar, 10kWh battery. So I'll have similar concerns! 🤣

You are quite right, safety is important - I relied upon the internals of the Zappi and the insignificant current that the E-Sense System draws as a trigger signal and simply used the internals of a smart plug to switch this. But there is no need to use this 'hack' with a Zappi anymore, as there is now the MyEnergi Account, which automatically schedules charging for the cheapest time slots on Agile or other smart tariffs.

MyEnergi already have this covered with their free 'MyEnergi Account', so my hack is now null and void. The account engine automatically sets your zappi to charge at the cheapest periods on whatever tarrif you are on, you can control the amount of charge you want on any day during the week and it'll keep doing this until you make changes - it's great.

I don't have a 'feed in' tariff per se, they were no longer on offer when I had my PV system installed (March 2020). Instead I have an Octopus Outgoing Tariff - They do two types: a fixed rate at 5.5p per kWh or a variable Agile rate. I chose the fixed rate for what I supply from my PV array to the grid and use the incoming variable Octopus Agile Tariff for any energy I need to draw from the grid. I have a Raspberry Pi that monitors the Octopus Agile rate and if it drops below 5.5p per kWh, this switches my Zappi mode to 'Fast' and throws grid energy into my EV, I also use my Pi to switch my Powerwall battery mode to 'back-up only' which prevents it providing energy to my EV - this mode also means that the Powerwall battery charges during this time. This means that I can now mostly only draw grid energy when it is cheaper than the rate they pay me for providing energy to the grid - so all good. There have been various studies comparing 'Go' and 'Agile' - 'Agile' proved to be cheaper than 'Go', even without a price comparison and auto switching system like I've set up, but to make the most of 'Agile' you need to charge at the cheapest possible times, the rate varies every 30 minutes, unlike 'Go' which is a fixed period each night at a fixed rate. MyEnergi have just (quietly) released a new feature for their Zappi and Eddi systems called 'MyEnergi Account', which will automate Zappi EV charging for the cheapest possible Octopus Agile time slots - Which is brilliant. But now I need to figure out how to monitor my Zappi during these periods and switch the mode of my Powerwall battery at these times to stop it providing energy to my EV - It's less than 24 hours since I set up my own 'MyEnergi Account' so it's a work in progress. Hope this helps.

​ @LiveActionFX Thank you that is a great reply. Re your solar system does it have a battery or do you have to charge during the day? Also If you don't mind how much did it cost to install and what is your estimate of breakeven. Or is that not the main motivation for you getting solar?

@@SeanMaudsleyBarton Yes, I have a Powerwall Battery that mostly charges from Solar (did all through the summer, occasionally needs a cheap rate boost from the grid through the winter months). The 7.2 kW peak PV system (6kW inverter) and Battery including installation cost me £22,000. Without factoring in the EV, the predictions said that the PV/Battery system should pay for themselves within about 12 years, but when you factor in fuel saving from switching to an EV (after accounting for the EV costs) and the smart (raspberry Pi based) systems I'm using for efficient grid use, the payback should be even sooner and with more than the predicted £30,000 of savings across the 25 year life of the system. Plus I get to feel smug for doing my bit for the environment.

MyEnergi have added this as a feature via their MyEnergi Account - check out my written description directly under the video for details.

Yes, you can and some people have.

Sorry - don't hold your breath, I'm too busy to spend time making videos, this was just something to do on a day that I didn't want to do much else - unlikely to be much more content anytime soon.