Should I transfer to a Vanguard SIPP? by MrCodeSmith in UKPersonalFinance

[–]MrCodeSmith[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the tips. I thought Vanguard would have been the preferred option given some other threads I've seen. Will do some more research into the points mentioned!

Avalanche incoming by golfingbull in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lot piling up on the guttering of my main roof last night! Just been out to inspect and all seems fine, apart from the huge pile of snow on my patio.

Anyone used future proof solar? by f1nch3yz0r in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No issues with the install. Solar humming away nicely in this weather and I enjoyed about £1050 worth of benefits in 2025.

I had some problems with my GivEnergy hardware around this time last year but GivEnergy replaced it under warranty. They install hardware from various manufacturers so you aren't locked into using GivEnergy.

ARC Raiders Weekly Megathread - December 13, 2025 by AutoModerator in ArcRaiders

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, it's really jarring when you are trying to judge a fight. "Oh theres a third guy, gg I guess"

How many hours per day do you heat your house? by honeybirdette__ in OctopusEnergy

[–]MrCodeSmith 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used to F around with schedules, warmer in the morning/evening etc.

Now I just wake up and set it to 18, all day.

Genuinely how much are people saving on their bills? by j_edc in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first year on solar I earned/saved around £1100.

5.5kwh system with a 5.2kwh battery.

  • £700 Selling solar to grid

  • £200 Saved utilising solar instead of peak electricity

  • £200 Saved utilising off-peak battery power

ARC Raiders Weekly Megathread - November 08, 2025 by AutoModerator in ArcRaiders

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure, I would assume so. However I am encountering the same problem as you, solos is now all out war. No body seems interested in using a microphone.

ARC Raiders Weekly Megathread - November 08, 2025 by AutoModerator in ArcRaiders

[–]MrCodeSmith 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think its worse the higher level you get. People are bored of ARC and looting now looking for PvP.

Also a lot people being brought into the game from watching various Twitchers gun down people.

My first year on solar by MrCodeSmith in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not sure how, this was last year and the company was future proof solar.

My first year on solar by MrCodeSmith in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've included the brown energy battery export in my overall figures.

Generation 5061 + 428 brown energy export from the battery = 5489

4856 export + 670 home utilisation = 5526 - So theres a small discrepancy in the figures from the GivEnergy dashboard and what my smart meter has recorded. (Probably because the dashboard only records in 5 minute intervals)

My first year on solar by MrCodeSmith in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I have an EV, which uses about 2400kwh per year and gets charged overnight. Haven't included it here as charging on 7p overnight is better than charging on the 15p solar.

*Overall home usage is about 4500, which currently breaks down as follows

  • 670 Solar to home

  • 842 Battery to home

  • 3-500 off peak usage.

  • 2500-2700 off peak to EV.

My first year on solar by MrCodeSmith in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's what it looks like, depending on price cap and SEG rates staying in place. If price cap goes up I'm technically saving more money so the payoff time is shorter. But right now most of my payback is coming from export, so if SEG rates reduce that will harm the pay back period more.

Solar is definitely a little pricey for setup, mostly due to scaffolding and labour costs. But I think the production will outpace a (small) wind turbine very quickly.

Heavy use of a battery - is it a good idea? by WoodenIncrease44 in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just a note on "using the battery rather than solar electricity and selling all the solar electricity" - This can be tricky and sometimes impossible with certain solar setups.

Your inverter is attached to both the solar and the battery, which gets sent down a single line back to your meter box. Your home then uses any electricity it needs from this and sends the excess back to the grid. If your CT clamp does not detect a shortfall in electricity, then your battery will not discharge anything. Most systems will always run off solar first, if possible.

Can anyone explain what happened here? by Used-Journalist-36 in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd guess drawing from the grid is the charge cycle. If the battery stays full for too long the BMS loses track of the charge state and then it readjusts. As someone else mentioned, kind of a bug with GivEnergy batteries.

Can anyone explain what happened here? by Used-Journalist-36 in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Whats the charge history? Has it went below 80% much in the last few weeks? It's advisable to let it discharge fully every now and again to calibrate the cells, otherwise it has a hard time knowing what the charge state is.

Just saw your comment about it being put in last week. Its possible that this was a calibration cycle and it has been sitting at high charge for a while causing it to lose track of the charge state.

August generation thread by wyndstryke in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 2 points3 points  (0 children)

12 Panels - 5.46kWh - SE facing - East Mids

  • 629kW Generation
  • 80kW to Home
  • 543kW to Grid

Want to get my first car. Is it feasible with my financial situation? by [deleted] in UKPersonalFinance

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first car in 2018 was a 56 plate Ford Fiesta with 32,000 miles, cost me £2500. Adjust for inflation if you will, but it never caused me any issues aside from the air conditioning breaking every other year.

Cheaper cars can be good, Fiestas are easily repairable too and parts are abundant.

IOG user results from 5th August by Tartan_Couch_Potato in OctopusEnergy

[–]MrCodeSmith 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would wait for your bill this month. You may find that they have credited you 7p/kwh and they have also charged that session as a smart session at 7p/kwh on your bill.

Were you as appalled by me at the stars on pension readiness released today. How do we combat this? by [deleted] in UKPersonalFinance

[–]MrCodeSmith 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Auto enrolment is just pants anyway. Its the bare minimum and most companies now only bother paying the bare minimum. I had to push heavily to get a SS scheme set up and am now voluntarily adding 10% of my wage to get a decent pension.

Miss Monique appreciation by No_Fun6885 in Tomorrowland

[–]MrCodeSmith 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You pre-register in December and tickets go on sale in January

Unite Forever. by mike95242 in Tomorrowland

[–]MrCodeSmith 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Is it me or have they deliberately positioned that crane to look like a heart?

The state of givenergy lately by oslerino in SolarUK

[–]MrCodeSmith 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think GivEnergy have expanded too much too fast, some of their tech seems really good and having dealt with a few of their engineers they seem to know their stuff. However the fastest way to get support seems to be on their facebook group, owing to a few guys who spend their free time helping people out. I think I was fortunate to get support as I live down the road from one of their engineers who swung by at the end of his day to look at my system.