Smart meter incompatibility and chaos

matelodave

I think you are really over complicating things - if your criteria is having a smart meter then go for a supplier who will give you one or swap the one you've got for one that works with their network.

If all you want is relatively cheap energy then just accept that you need a meter and use the one that you've got whether it's smart, dumb or whatever.

I'm guessing that at some time in the future then smart meters will be compatible but only when the authorities, energy companies and who-ever else is involved get their acts together.

In the meantime we've got what we've got and no amount of whinging will improve the situation - you'll have to do your own investigating to see who'll give you what you want

[Deleted User]

matelodave wrote: »

If all you want is relatively cheap energy then just accept that you need a meter and use the one that you've got whether it's smart, dumb or whatever.

That's not my criteria. For me I am looking for a supplier where either:
1 they take meter readings remotely and regularly, or where
2 I can supply consumer meter readings by viewing an in-house display.
I reject any supplier who obliges me to risk breaking my neck reading meters which are very difficult to access safely. Before switching supplier I need to be satisfied that criteria 1 or 2 above is met.

prosaver

I enjoy going under the stair to read meters, you find stuff that you forgot you had months ago.. the other day I found my magic duster stuck behind the meter.

System

Deleted_User wrote: »

Let's just make sure I understand:
1 Before the switch the in-home display was connected wirelessly to the in-house meters without any problem
2 Then you switched and the existing meters remained unaltered in situ at your home.
2 Suddenly the in-home display was unable to communicate with the in house meters even though nothing had physically changed on them and the day before it connected without a problem.

Yes, exactly that. On switch day I glanced at the in-home display and saw that it was continually trying to connect to the smart meter communications hub - just like on day one when it was first switched on by the British Gas engineer - but this time it couldn't find anything to connect to. Nothing else had changed, apart from switching supplier.

Lal05

Hello everyone.
Not sure if this is the right place as I'm a newby.
I have a smart meter which was installed by Eon in July 15. All fine and dandy then my current deal ran out and they put me on the expensive standard tariff. So I scoured the comparison sites for a new tariff that would suit me and decided on SSE two weeks ago.
SSE have emailed me today to advise that 'there was some confusion about what kind of meter you have". I rang SSE who told me that the National Database of meters show my meter as being an economy 7 meter and I incorrectly applied for a single rate tariff. I have never been on an economy 7 tariff so they suggested I contact Eon to ask them to change the details on the database.
I rang Eon who say that I am on a smart meter (on a single tariff) that has the capability to be economy 7 or single tariff, they looked at the database and said everything should be ok... I was on the phone for an hour and 20 minutes.
I rang SSE back who say it's still showing as an economy 7 meter and my request to switch has been cancelled. They say that what I have to do is go back to the comparison sites and search for an economy 7 tariff and book that. SSE will then come and change my meter (1-3 days after the switch), then they will change me to a single rate tariff when that has been done.
This can't work can it? Won't I be locked into an economy 7 tariff at that point?
I am amazed by all this - I wonder if this means that I am stuck with Eon. I am not sure what to do, does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas?
Thank you very much.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Deleted_User wrote: »

Nope I don't have the Ecometer display, I have a Chameleon display and the manual (dated 19/03/2013) does not mention meter readings. Today, on the phone, E.ON also confirmed that meter readings are not available on my device.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hello picks and sorry you're thinking of leaving.

Your Chameleon Energy Display is a type we used a while back. These have been replaced with the Ecometer. As fredandwilma have mentioned, the Chameleon doesn't show meter readings but the Ecometer does.

Deleted_User wrote: »

Let's just make sure I understand:
1 Before the switch the in-home display was connected wirelessly to the in-house meters without any problem
2 Then you switched and the existing meters remained unaltered in situ at your home.
2 Suddenly the in-home display was unable to communicate with the in house meters even though nothing had physically changed on them and the day before it connected without a problem.

As you suggested I've already asked the question of my current provider and they say the in-house display will continue to work although it will no longer show any financial data like costs which are specific to my contract with them. However molerat already assured us :
"Your supplier speak with forked tongue"
So you're telling me there's nothing or no one we can rely on to tell us correctly what will happen to our in-house display when we change provider? We can only "try it out for ourselves" as you say. Presumably this means we have to go and switch provider just to find out the effect on our in-house displays? If so, does OFGEM have a regulation which allows us to go back to our original provider without penalty if we don't like the results of the display test?

Hello picks and can I ask if your situation is the same as when I replied to your post a few weeks ago? At that time, we were your supplier and you had one of our earlier Chameleon In-Home Displays linked to the smart meter.

If this is the same, I can confirm our previous advice that changing supplier will mean the display no longer shows usage in pounds and pence. It will, though, continue to show the kWh used. Also, these models don't show meter readings. It's only later models that do this.

Sorry if things have changed picks and I'm barking up the wrong tree. Please ignore this if they have.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Lal05 wrote: »

Hello everyone.
Not sure if this is the right place as I'm a newby.
I have a smart meter which was installed by Eon in July 15. All fine and dandy then my current deal ran out and they put me on the expensive standard tariff. So I scoured the comparison sites for a new tariff that would suit me and decided on SSE two weeks ago.
SSE have emailed me today to advise that 'there was some confusion about what kind of meter you have". I rang SSE who told me that the National Database of meters show my meter as being an economy 7 meter and I incorrectly applied for a single rate tariff. I have never been on an economy 7 tariff so they suggested I contact Eon to ask them to change the details on the database.
I rang Eon who say that I am on a smart meter (on a single tariff) that has the capability to be economy 7 or single tariff, they looked at the database and said everything should be ok... I was on the phone for an hour and 20 minutes.
I rang SSE back who say it's still showing as an economy 7 meter and my request to switch has been cancelled. They say that what I have to do is go back to the comparison sites and search for an economy 7 tariff and book that. SSE will then come and change my meter (1-3 days after the switch), then they will change me to a single rate tariff when that has been done.
This can't work can it? Won't I be locked into an economy 7 tariff at that point?
I am amazed by all this - I wonder if this means that I am stuck with Eon. I am not sure what to do, does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas?
Thank you very much.

Hello Lal05 and welcome to the Forums. You're certainly not stuck with us. Most suppliers support Economy 7 meters it's just that some handle switches differently to others.

With us, as you've a two rate Economy 7 meter, we give you the choice of going on to a single rate or Economy 7 tariff. No need to change the meter. We add the day and night readings together and charge all the usage at the one rate. Not all suppliers do this and some ask to change the meter before switching customers from an Economy 7 to a single rate tariff.

To benefit from Economy 7 prices, a significant amount of electricity needs to be used during the off peak night hours. The actual amount differs depending on the area and tariff. This is because Economy 7 tariffs have a higher day rate than single rate tariffs and then a lower night rate. As customer's circumstances alter, particularly when properties change hands, we give them the choice of moving from single to two rate tariffs and vice versa with as little disruption as possible.

As you've an Economy 7 meter, The National Database will be right as this is what it's showing. Being a smart meter won't affect this.

Hope this explains Lal05. Let me know if you need any more information as happy to help.

Malc

[Deleted User]

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hello picks and can I ask if your situation is the same as when I replied to your post a few weeks ago? At that time, we were your supplier and you had one of our earlier Chameleon In-Home Displays linked to the smart meter.

Thank you for your input.

Yes, my situation has changed since your last reply. I reached a deal with E.ON whereby I would stay with them and they, for their part, agreed to change my smart meters. So about a month ago they installed new meters with a new display. The display is smaller than the old Chameleon and less colourful. I think it's the latest and as currently shown on the E.ON website. Unlike the Chameleon the manual provided with my new display is very thin and gives only sparse information. Do you know of a downloadable PDF manual for this display which goes into a lot more detail about all the features?

Certainly, the good news is that it shows meter readings in kWh for electricity which I can obtain at any time and pass on as a consumer reading. It also shows the gas meter readings in kWh. The bad news is that for some inexplicable reason E.ON refuse to take gas meter readings in kWh but insist I must give them in cubic metres. I asked "how to I obtain gas meter readings in cubic metres?" to which the answer was "you have get them by reading the meter itself". This seems quite extraordinary. My prime reason for getting my meters and display changed was because to physically read my meters I have to risk possible injury by struggling to reach fairly inaccessible physical meters.

I spent over an hour on the phone to E.ON yesterday trying to fathom out why they have devised this crazy system. But they were adamant that I must give them gas meter readings in cubic meters, regardless of the display not providing such a reading. In the end they effectively said tough luck you either clamber up to the meter and hope you don't get injured or here's a horrendously complicated formula you have to apply to change your kWhs into cubic meters. I pointed out that prior to the changeover I was assured that using my new display I would get meter readings which I could pass directly to E.ON. Maybe it was a joke?: electricity readings "yes", but gas "no". That's a good half truth if I ever heard one.

I asked why E.ON's IT people couldn't modify their website to enable those of us with these displays to enter the display figure (kWh) as the gas meter reading. They're passing this suggestion on, but said realistically it's unlikely to happen. What a fiasco!

SnakeDoctor_2

I had (not so) smart meters installed by OVO. The engineer who installed them, and OVO themselves could not tell me how I could read them manually. (I have read my meters on the last day of each month for the last 15 years so my spreadsheet graphs tell me if my usage is going up or down). I had to work it out for myself. The In Home Device (IHD) was useless. The tariff was wrong, it didn't split usage between day and night and the overall usage total disagreed with what the meter was saying.
When I moved to First Utility they, of course, couldn't read the meters but that didn't stop them connecting to it and screwing up the totals. For 2 months my day usage got added to my night usage instead (the only good thing that I can say about First Utility). I got First Utility to remove the (not so) smart meters.

As for an IHD that shows my current usage, I got one of those (iBoost+) as part of my solar panel installation package so I know exactly how many Watts I am using whenever I look at it.

Smart meters are NOT FREE. We pay for them via higher bills.

When the Utility Companies start installing the Smets 2 meters I will contact my then supplier and ask them if I will be able to get the data that I need, and if I will be able to switch seemlessly.

My first foray into smart meters was a disaster. Let's hope that the companies will get the Smets 2 meters doing everything that we were told the Smets 1 meters would do and that the IHDs will provide accurate, cumulative data for all usage Rates.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Deleted_User wrote: »

Thank you for your input.

Yes, my situation has changed since your last reply. I reached a deal with E.ON whereby I would stay with them and they, for their part, agreed to change my smart meters. So about a month ago they installed new meters with a new display. The display is smaller than the old Chameleon and less colourful. I think it's the latest and as currently shown on the E.ON website. Unlike the Chameleon the manual provided with my new display is very thin and gives only sparse information. Do you know of a downloadable PDF manual for this display which goes into a lot more detail about all the features?

Certainly, the good news is that it shows meter readings in kWh for electricity which I can obtain at any time and pass on as a consumer reading. It also shows the gas meter readings in kWh. The bad news is that for some inexplicable reason E.ON refuse to take gas meter readings in kWh but insist I must give them in cubic metres. I asked "how to I obtain gas meter readings in cubic metres?" to which the answer was "you have get them by reading the meter itself". This seems quite extraordinary. My prime reason for getting my meters and display changed was because to physically read my meters I have to risk possible injury by struggling to reach fairly inaccessible physical meters.

I spent over an hour on the phone to E.ON yesterday trying to fathom out why they have devised this crazy system. But they were adamant that I must give them gas meter readings in cubic meters, regardless of the display not providing such a reading. In the end they effectively said tough luck you either clamber up to the meter and hope you don't get injured or here's a horrendously complicated formula you have to apply to change your kWhs into cubic meters. I pointed out that prior to the changeover I was assured that using my new display I would get meter readings which I could pass directly to E.ON. Maybe it was a joke?: electricity readings "yes", but gas "no". That's a good half truth if I ever heard one.

I asked why E.ON's IT people couldn't modify their website to enable those of us with these displays to enter the display figure (kWh) as the gas meter reading. They're passing this suggestion on, but said realistically it's unlikely to happen. What a fiasco!

Ah! I understand a bit more now picks. Thanks for clearing that up.

Your new display will be the latest one we're currently providing with our smart meters. You're right, the information we leave with this display isn't as copious as that left with earlier versions. It should, though, still explain how the display works. Whilst there's not a manual as such that can be downloaded from our website, there is quite a bit of information in the smart meter section. This includes a YouTube video featuring one of our advisors who explains how to use the display.

As you say, this new display shows the meter readings in the top right hand corner. Must admit, not sure about the advice you were given concerning the gas reading on the display. I need to check this and have asked a senior manager in our Smart Centre for advice. I'll come back to you on this point when I've had clarification.

Talk later picks.

Malc