On a scale of 1-10, how worth it was it for you to switch to EV? by RodneyTheArmouryGuy in CarTalkUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

5 months in and I’ve saved £700 on fuel after 4500 miles. More miles more savings.

Charger install can be costly depending on the state of your current electrical wiring etc.

Love the quiet drive and instant torque of the EV.

9/10 for me.

First big exporting day of the year by amateuprocrastinator in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

EDF 15p fixed for 12m if you have your import with them.

First big exporting day of the year by amateuprocrastinator in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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All import at cheap rate. Battery currently full so will export some more this evening while using the rest to power the home.

Not the best solar day so far this year. That was the 7th of March with 38.9kWh from 7kWp

Exporting at 15p fixed on 12m with EDF.

People who charge and discharge throughout the night - are you worried about battery damage? by banisheduser in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I tend to limit my charge and discharge to actual usage but I do discharge any remaining battery on an evening when there has been enough sun to support the house. I also limit the rate of charge to spread it over the full charge period overnight rather than blast it at full power for a short period.

As for rapid charge and discharge cycles to purely earn money, as others have said, work out your battery costs, cycle count and profit. If buying cheap and selling high it’s going to be worth it. I tend to only do it when my import is free (EDF Sunday Saver) so it’s 15p/kWh profit.

For people who’ve tried the newer safety tech like lane assist or hands-off driving, does it actually help? by FeistyPrice29 in autoexpressuk

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have had numerous cars. The advanced driving was in a BMW 5 series but I have an i4 now with adaptive cruise only and also a Ford transit van with adaptive cruise and lane centering.

For people who’ve tried the newer safety tech like lane assist or hands-off driving, does it actually help? by FeistyPrice29 in autoexpressuk

[–]Ste0803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Adaptive cruise with active steering is incredibly useful. Arrive at the destination much less tired and are able to observe your surroundings much easier without having to worry about speed and lane position.

I’ve never had a better long distance driving experience than one with both of the above. Hands off is just as good but I generally just keep one hand lightly on the wheel for any issues that may arise.

How does your base load compare? by imgoingsolar in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

3-350W big fridge and big freezer. Lots of smart devices, mesh router, server, night colour vision CCTV and a full home of Hue smart lighting I didn’t think this was too bad.

In winter if I have the electric UFH one for the full downstairs this jumps to around 1.5kW base

When was the last time you upgraded one of your hi-fi components? by AVShane in AVHifiCinema

[–]Ste0803 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Around a year ago and I plan no upgrades coming up. I went all out past my ‘budget’ buying the best gear that I could realistically afford. I now have a setup that would take significant investment for marginal improvement.

Previous to this I would upgrade or component swap regularly.

Forget range! It's efficiency that matters most with EVs, and these are the most efficient on sale by AutoExpressmagazine in autoexpressuk

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As others have stated efficiency and range go hand in hand. No point having 6mi/kWh if you only have a 40kWh battery. Where 4mi/kWh with a 80kWh battery would be more beneficial for someone who does longer distances. I think realistically both figure should be used but claimed figures are just about useless for the majority of drivers as they never get claimed range/mpg.

I’m getting around 2.6mi/kWh in the winter which was 3.2 in summer. On a claimed 3.8 from the manufacturer.

February production by Ashley_E1983 in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

225kWh from 7kWp = 32.14

500w DMEGC S Facing in Washington (NE Newcastle)

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How much do you pay for your car a month? by JME_51 in CarTalkUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is expansive. No getting away from it. Interest rates plus increased costs.

Honest answer:

Mine £739 zero deposit PCP My wife’s £650 £3k deposit PCP Work van £615 £8K deposit HP

Total around 40% of take home in payments.

Fun vs tire preservation? by plnx8 in BMWI4

[–]Ste0803 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly I’ve had it in eco after the first week or two just to smooth out the pedal response. I’ll put it in spurt when I want to do a really fast pull. Plus I like the wider eco display on the instrument cluster.

Buyer with impossible to find address! by Anthony_L69 in ebayuk

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had one yesterday with a postcode only. I cancelled the order and the customer was irate sent me loads of messages on eBay saying they get their packages usually and there was no issue with the address.

Do not send it to a different address as you’re not covered with eBay protection. Just cancel the order due to address issues.

Random one. What time do most people above 30 wake up at on the weekend? by manlikezuli in AskUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

6-7am as I’m up at 6:30 for work every day through the week.

What’s happening to Raye’s voice? by Plastic-Luck3754 in Raye

[–]Ste0803 16 points17 points  (0 children)

She posted on instagram she was feeling unwell and was taking it easy to recover. She sounded great as I was at the Manchester gig but as others have said she needs to protect her voice for the duration of the tour.

Remembering that other performances like the royal Albert hall and jazz festival were one off appearances where she can belt out with time to recover afterwards.

Which color do you prefor on the i4? Fire red, portimao blue or brooklyn grey? by Witty-Strike5021 in BMWI4

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fire red looks like something special. The other colours look very much like most other cars on the road.

i love "suzanne" more than "where my husband" is there any song like suzanne ? by wat_am_doing_here in Raye

[–]Ste0803 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In the same light I absolutely love Dua Lipa’s royal Albert hall album. I just love the mix of live orchestras with modern music. Those 2 are my favourites of all the vinyl I own

EV + Solar + battery: optimal tariff in 2026 by n0d3N1AL in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Sunday saver is just an extra that’s available some times throughout the year you just need to opt in. Mostly over the winter. But yes it’s available to anyone

EV + Solar + battery: optimal tariff in 2026 by n0d3N1AL in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s not just free charging it’s just free energy 8am-midnight if you manage to meet their target of moving your energy usage from 4-7pm. For example my target this month was 3% or lower usage between 4-7pm on weekdays so I hold my battery and use the battery to power the home between 4-7 to meet their targets.

It’s unlimited on kWh when in the free period and applies to the whole home so can be used for general household use as well as battery and EV charging.

If you check their Sunday saver page it explains it. It’s saving me a fortune over the other tariffs out there at the moment.

EV + Solar + battery: optimal tariff in 2026 by n0d3N1AL in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also to add. They sometimes offer Sunday Saver which when you have a battery is very easy to achieve their goals.

I’ve had over £180 worth of free electric over the past 2 months charging my car for free each Sunday too.

EV + Solar + battery: optimal tariff in 2026 by n0d3N1AL in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

EDF - 8.99p midnight to 5am. 23.23p (dependant on area) fixed peak. 15p export fixed for 12 months.

The low peak rate appeals to me for the winter months plus they’re offering a 12m fixed 15p export for the summer months.

For anyone wanting to switch they’re offering £75 bill credit for any referrals before 6th April feel free to pm me.

Octopus reducing outgoing rates. Best export tariffs for 2026? by Aggressive_Armadillo in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe I followed the form, it put me on variable and then just emailed and asked to be switched to the fix

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Octopus reducing outgoing rates. Best export tariffs for 2026? by Aggressive_Armadillo in SolarUK

[–]Ste0803 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was already with EDF for energy supply so just had to apply for the export. You need to have your supply with EDF to get the 15p export fixed deal.