Is there any IHD giving consumer meter readings?

mac.d

Didn't Hengus give you a suggestion of another solution in the Smart Meter thread - here?

Simple solution. Stick with E.ON for now, carry on using their smart meter, then you won't have any estimated bills. Wait until SMETS2 meters are being installed and then phone up a potential new supplier and say you want to switch to them but only if they will install new smart meters (good luck with that!).

[Deleted User]

mac.d wrote: »

Didn't Hengus give you a suggestion of another solution in the Smart Meter thread - here?

Simple solution. Stick with E.ON for now, carry on using their smart meter, then you won't have any estimated bills. Wait until SMETS2 meters are being installed and then phone up a potential new supplier and say you want to switch to them but only if they will install new smart meters (good luck with that!).

True, at that time I'll be one of an estimated 16 million people asking for the same favour. According to Hengus in post #7 there may be a wait until 2020 before it's installed. Unless, of course, a further c*ck-up intervenes to delay the matter a few more years!

While I'm waiting to reach Prince Philip's age, where are the IHD or similar devices that others around the forum claim do the job of reading meters?

System

As a meter reader, I have got around the problem of the Secure Liberty reads when the meter is difficult to see.Its difficult but doable with an extending mirror about a metre long and a torch and this can be used if you can reach to the keyboard to press button 9, even if it is with the edge of the mirror. The reading is back to front on the second screen.It takes a bit of practice. Any 2 you see is a 5 and any 5 you see is a 2 .All the other numbers are easily seen.I have been doing mirror readings for years without mistakes and can read awkard placed meters in seconds. Don t expect a SMETS2 meter installation any time before 2025 ! BG have been installing smarts for over 10 years and they are less than 50% done.Suppliers install meters about as fast as a glacier moves.No wonder its costing 11 billian.Meter fitters are on good money and they are not rushing it..no bonus !
Another method is to divide the gas kwhs on the IHD by 11.2 .That is near enough for an accurate read of cubic metres.
Personally I think all gas meters should display kwhs and not cubic metres.We re billed in kwhs and it makes more sense to come in line with electric meters.The IHD is not supposed to be giving meter readings, its there for billing/usage advice in hard cash. The smart gas meter is sending the reading off to the supplier. If the OP cannot see his own dumb meter reading easily, its their fault. All meters are required by law to be accessed by meter readers for periodic inspections and the OP should do the work to facilitate easy access. As a meter reader whenever I come across meters I cannot get to and the customer will not help then I make sure that it is described as "refused access " on my hand held computer. Any problems with leaking gas meters causing explosions in the future would mean that a refused access on a gas meter would mean the insurance would not pay out..

EachPenny

Deleted_User wrote: »

2 As regards your second suggestion, I'm puzzled as to how a supplier change would be a solution.... Feel free to give me a list of suppliers who would be so enthralled at having a new customer that they'd immediately rip out my existing smart meters and replace them with new equipment including an IHD displaying gas readings in cubic metres.

Sorry picks, I wasn't saying that a switch could get you the IHD you want, what I was saying was even if somebody came up with a possible way of switching and getting the right IHD then personally I'd still consider the USB camera rather than switching - given that a switch may leave you more than £10 (or £20, the cost of two cameras) worse off, and also there is no certainty the new IHD will be any use on an ongoing basis.

brewerdave

EachPenny wrote: »

Sorry picks, I wasn't saying that a switch could get you the IHD you want, what I was saying was even if somebody came up with a possible way of switching and getting the right IHD then personally I'd still consider the USB camera rather than switching - given that a switch may leave you more than £10 (or £20, the cost of two cameras) worse off, and also there is no certainty the new IHD will be any use on an ongoing basis.

A camera won't work ...............unless you have a robotic arm to press the keypad buttons to get to the right screen!!:)

As to SMETS1 meters being adopted into the system by 2020 - a pink pig has just flown by my window:rotfl:

Robin9

brewerdave wrote: »

A camera won't work ...............unless you have a robotic arm to press the keypad buttons to get to the right screen!!:)

As to SMETS1 meters being adopted into the system by 2020 - a pink pig has just flown by my window:rotfl:

Depends on the meter - my elec has a continually rolling - date/time/reading illuminated display; my gas needs a button pressed.

My IHD from Eon only ever gave £ and was binned after a week. I read the actual meters monthly.

I agree (as an ex elec supply employee) the industry has messed this up.

System

All Secure Liberty meters used in domestic properties in the UK have the keyboard. One press of button 9 gets the meter sprinting through the displays at around 1.5 seconds a screen, blink and you miss it.. They display a lot of totally useless facts as they flip through the various screens..They are awful non user friendly meters. Any non computer literate person or any one with poor vision are knackered. Suppliers are just making everything harder to read since the old analogue super reliable meters were changed .I cannot believe that suppliers care so little about their customers that they would choose these meters over the Landys and Gyrs.. Anyone with an old analogue meter who wants to keep it I advise them not to get involved in any meter exchanges until the meter reaches the end of its life which I believe is 25 years.Just don t open the door to meter fitters. In my second property I have an old Sangamo Weston electric meter and that is staying there for donkeys years yet

Rubidium

House_Martin wrote: »

All Secure Liberty meters used in domestic properties in the UK have the keyboard. One press of button 9 gets the meter sprinting through the displays at around 1.5 seconds a screen, blink and you miss it.. They display a lot of totally useless facts as they flip through the various screens..They are awful non user friendly meters. Any non computer literate person or any one with poor vision are knackered. Suppliers are just making everything harder to read since the old analogue super reliable meters were changed .I cannot believe that suppliers care so little about their customers that they would choose these meters over the Landys and Gyrs.. Anyone with an old analogue meter who wants to keep it I advise them not to get involved in any meter exchanges until the meter reaches the end of its life which I believe is 25 years.Just don t open the door to meter fitters. In my second property I have an old Sangamo Weston electric meter and that is staying there for donkeys years yet

Well that's a first.


Our resident smart meter evangelist is now telling us not to get involved with smart meters and that his old electric meter will be "staying there for donkey years yet".


Has the penny finally dropped or have you been on illegal substances.

:rotfl:

EachPenny

brewerdave wrote: »

A camera won't work ...............unless you have a robotic arm to press the keypad buttons to get to the right screen!!:)

Fair point, I keep on forgetting that something given the name 'smart meter' doesn't display register readings by default

[Deleted User]

House_Martin wrote: »

All Secure Liberty meters used in domestic properties in the UK have the keyboard. One press of button 9 gets the meter sprinting through the displays at around 1.5 seconds a screen, blink and you miss it.. They display a lot of totally useless facts as they flip through the various screens..They are awful non user friendly meters. Any non computer literate person or any one with poor vision are knackered. Suppliers are just making everything harder to read since the old analogue super reliable meters were changed .

I'm interested in the contradiction between what you've just said and what you said earlier in post #14:
If the OP cannot see his own dumb meter reading easily, its their fault.
Had you read my opening post properly you would have seen that I don't have a dumb meter - I actually have smart meters. As it so happens the smart meters I've got are Secure Liberty meters which, you're now suggesting, are difficult to read (presumably even when sited in an easy to access location). Please explain therefore when I have Secure Liberty meters why it is "my fault" if I have difficulty reading my inconveniently sited "awful non user friendly meters" as you call them.