Which 1app smart control mode should you use?
A practical guide to choosing between Autopilot, Home First, and Time-based Control in 1app.energy.
If you are looking at the smart controls inside 1app.energy, the useful question is not "which mode sounds most advanced?" It is "what do I actually want the battery to do for my home?"
One home wants calmer battery behaviour and lower grid dependence. Another wants one adaptive setting that can balance tariff value, solar forecast, EV charging, and reserve. Another wants a simple cheap-window charge schedule with a battery target they choose directly.
Those are different goals, so they should not all run the same control logic.
One important framing point first: the smart control choice sits underneath the flagship daytime EV-battery protection workflow. If your setup qualifies for Octopus smart-charging battery protection, that still comes first. The mode choice mostly affects what the battery does outside those conflict windows.
If you want the product pages for each mode, start here:
The short version
- Choose Autopilot if you want the best default for a mixed home and you do not want to babysit the battery.
- Choose Home First if your priority is using your own solar and battery to cover the home, with no optimiser-led export.
- Choose Time-based Control if you want simple cheap-window charging to a target you choose directly.
Quick comparison
| Mode | Best for | Not ideal when |
|---|---|---|
| Autopilot | Mixed homes that want one balanced default | You want a strict no-export home-first policy |
| Home First | Home coverage and lower grid dependence | You want active import/export optimisation |
| Time-based Control | Simple cheap-window charging to a chosen target | You want the system to adapt export and reserve decisions automatically |
1. Autopilot
Start here if you are not sure.
Autopilot is the most sensible default for a home where EV charging, solar, battery use, heat demand, and tariff signals all interact. It is trying to balance value against reserve and refill risk rather than committing too early to either a very cautious or very aggressive style.
Use it when:
- the home has several moving parts
- you want fewer manual changes
- you want one mode that can adapt as tariff conditions change
- you want the system to consider reserve before chasing tariff upside
Do not use it when:
- you want a pure home-first battery policy
- you do not want any optimiser-led export
- you only need a fixed cheap-window charging target
Read the full page: Autopilot
2. Home First
This is the calmer, home-first option.
If your instinct is "I want my solar and battery to cover the house well, and I do not want the optimiser exporting just because a headline rate looks attractive," this is the cleaner fit.
Use it when:
- evening home coverage matters more than export upside
- you want lower grid dependence
- you prefer easier-to-understand battery behaviour
- you want tariff-aware charging only when the home genuinely needs extra battery for the next expensive period
Do not use it when:
- you want active import/export arbitrage
- you are trying to maximise revenue from volatility
- you want the system to opportunistically export whenever margins appear
Read the full page: Home First
3. Time-based Control
This is the simple target-based option.
Time-based Control is for homes that mainly want the battery to charge during cheaper tariff periods until it reaches a level they choose. It is closer to a clear tariff-window scheduler than an adaptive optimiser.
Use it when:
- you are on a predictable cheap window such as Octopus Go
- you want to choose the battery target directly
- you do not want optimiser-led export
- you prefer a simpler control style while still keeping reserve protection
Do not use it when:
- you want the system to decide automatically when exporting is worthwhile
- you want the battery to optimise across changing Agile-style prices
- you expect the mode to solve every whole-home tradeoff automatically
Read the full page: Time-based Control
If you are still unsure
The safest practical rule is:
- Start with Autopilot if you want the best general default.
- Switch to Home First if you care most about home coverage and lower grid dependence.
- Use Time-based Control when you want a simpler cheap-window charging target instead of adaptive value decisions.
That sequence usually keeps people out of the most common mistake: choosing an aggressive battery strategy before they are clear on whether the battery is really there for tariff upside, reserve, or home coverage.
Related reading
If you want the full reference view, go back to the Smart Controls overview.
Relevant smart controls
These mode pages are the closest product-side follow-on from the issue explained in this article.
Autopilot
The best starting mode for most homes. Autopilot balances when to charge, hold, or export by weighing tariff value, later home coverage, forecast solar, and your protected minimum battery SoC so profitable export should not create later high-rate import.
Home First
A simpler home-first mode. It prioritises running the home from your own solar and battery first, minimises grid dependence, and avoids optimiser-led battery export.
Time-based Control
A simple target-based mode. Time-based Control charges the battery during your cheaper tariff periods until it reaches the level you choose, without optimiser-led export.
Does this sound like your home?
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