Smart Meters

QrizB

oldandwizend said:

I had smart meters installed on 21/09/2021 and following days could smell gas so had an emergency call out to SGN.  Problem solved but lucky we hadn’t gone away for a few days! I put that down to just hard luck.

However, I have a several questions for the knowledgeable forumites.

Firstly, my tariff changed on 02/08/2021 and again on 01/10/2021 then supplier went into administration and moved to new supplier on 03/10/21; so, again, a change of tariff.  I note that my IHD is still showing, and calculating costs based on, 02/08/2021 tariff; so two changes ‘out of date’!   I appreciate that actual kWh and subsequent bills will, or should be, accurate but how long after a tariff change should IHD be updated?

Secondly, I am using the ‘Bright’ app (Hildebrand Technology) to monitor usage (IHD is hidden in a cupboard!) and note that it shows data from before the Smart meters were installed. Is this data based purely on industry standard assumed average use?

Finally, I would like to download the usage data.  This does not appear possible with the Bright app.  Are there, currently, any options available that would allow me to do this or is this purely something that a supplier needs to offer.

In my previous house I had my gas meter changed twice, and both times I had to get the gas co back out to fix a leak from the meter unions. It's just one of those things.

Your IHD gets its tariff info (in fact, all its info) from your smart meter. Your smart meter gets its tariff info from the DCC , who get it from your supplier. Your supplier would normally push the tariff info out to you within a day or two of it changing but as you've been SoLR'd it could take rather longer. If you still don't have the info once your account is fully set up, ask your supplier to sort it out.

I don't use Bright so can't comment on Q2.

You can download your usage info from http://www.n3rgy.com/ without any involvement from your supplier.

sevenhills

Will my smart meter be smart with British Gas?

I was with Scottish Power when the meter was installed, since then, around 4 years ago, I have been with a few other suppliers.

I have it set to display daily usage in ££ and it seems quite high. It says £2.47 for today so far and the central heating wasn't on until later.

I am in the process of changing to British Gas, after being with Peoples Energy.

My smart meter is like this one, in the photo.

https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/12/how-renters-can-live-a-greener-life-and-save-money-on-energy-bills-15322005/?fbclid=IwAR2pANk4P02Z5bB9gmm-gjcgNDS96QxEQfsK0gtMHoalSdafWoAi0vEmwE8

carl.waring

If ithas worked as a smart meter with every other supplier, then yes, it will do so with BG. 

However, if it was installed 4 years ago I am fairly certain it will be a SMETS1 and they won’t be smart with any other supplier than the one that originally installed it. Unless it has been firmware-upgraded to do so recently.

MWT

QrizB said:

London_Millenial said:

Thanks for your reply. That company doesn't have any stock in at the moment. Can anyone else recommend any IHDs that are relatively well priced?

If you don't mind a bit of a gamble, there are IHDs for sale on eBay at bargain-basement prices. You will then have to ask E.ON to pair it to your smart meter (something they can do, but a relatively unusual request so CS might need it explaining to them).

Getting a suppler to white-list a single IHD is going to be a monumental struggle, they have unavoidable costs associated with the process and as a result they will tend to do them in large batches.

Only once it has been white-listed is it possible to have it paired.

MWT

carl.waring said:

However, if it was installed 4 years ago I am fairly certain it will be a SMETS1 and they won’t be smart with any other supplier than the one that originally installed it. Unless it has been firmware-upgraded to do so recently.

Fortunately many SMETS1 have been adopted into the DCC now, and even when not adopted they can often be used by another supplier if they are a brand the new supplier has already been using, 'Secure' for example was a popular choice for several suppliers and can remain smart when switching between those suppliers.

oldandwizend

QrizB said:

In my previous house I had my gas meter changed twice, and both times I had to get the gas co back out to fix a leak from the meter unions. It's just one of those things.

Your IHD gets its tariff info (in fact, all its info) from your smart meter. Your smart meter gets its tariff info from the DCC , who get it from your supplier. Your supplier would normally push the tariff info out to you within a day or two of it changing but as you've been SoLR'd it could take rather longer. If you still don't have the info once your account is fully set up, ask your supplier to sort it out.

I don't use Bright so can't comment on Q2.

You can download your usage info from http://www.n3rgy.com/ without any involvement from your supplier.

Thanks for info and link.

Unfortunately I appear to have a CAD rather than an IHD and whilst n3rgy can 'see' it they cannot use it for authorisation as it is not on SmartEnergyCompany's trusted and certified product list.

They suggested that once my transfer to EONnext has been completed that I ask them for an IHD but I suspect that the answer will be 'no' since, as far as they are concerned, I already have a display.

Interestingly, and I quote from n3rgy's response to me:

One final point, CADs are devices design to take your energy usage data (a reading every 5 seconds) and delivery it to their cloud. The idea is to disaggregate the data and figure out exact what you do (potentially even down to the make and model of fridge you have in order to sell you a new one).

Doubt that this is possible or happening yet but if they are correct then one of my initial worries about Smart Meters may not be as far fetched as certain forumites led me to believe!

MWT

oldandwizend said:

Thanks for info and link.

Unfortunately I appear to have a CAD rather than an IHD and whilst n3rgy can 'see' it they cannot use it for authorisation as it is not on SmartEnergyCompany's trusted and certified product list.

You have an IHD, it just also happens to be a CAD, and it is up to you if you choose to use the CAD side of its features, so if you do not connect it to wifi it cannot send your data anywhere, so you should not worry about that side of things.

The quid pro quo for sharing your data via a CAD is that you get better and more immediate information about your usage, in exchange for letting the provider gain more knowledge about the way you use the energy.

If you don't value the information that much then don't connect it to your wifi...

oldandwizend

MWT said:

oldandwizend said:

Thanks for info and link.

Unfortunately I appear to have a CAD rather than an IHD and whilst n3rgy can 'see' it they cannot use it for authorisation as it is not on SmartEnergyCompany's trusted and certified product list.

You have an IHD, it just also happens to be a CAD, and it is up to you if you choose to use the CAD side of its features, so if you do not connect it to wifi it cannot send your data anywhere, so you should not worry about that side of things.

The quid pro quo for sharing your data via a CAD is that you get better and more immediate information about your usage, in exchange for letting the provider gain more knowledge about the way you use the energy.

If you don't value the information that much then don't connect it to your wifi...

Yes, I appreciate and understand that but, as far as I am concerned and other than for billing purposes, it is my data and I would like the capability of being able to analyse it without uncontrolled third party access. Maybe a future IHD version will offer the customer the ability to extract/download data locally.

MWT

So far at least, there has been no particular interest in simply providing a local data feed.

Given the development work involved in producing such a system vs the willingness of customers to pay to cover that work I'm not totally surprised.

I imagine it will come eventually but will probably not be cheap, for now, access to your data is the price you have to pay it seems...

[Deleted User]

oldandwizend said:

MWT said:

oldandwizend said:

Thanks for info and link.

Unfortunately I appear to have a CAD rather than an IHD and whilst n3rgy can 'see' it they cannot use it for authorisation as it is not on SmartEnergyCompany's trusted and certified product list.

You have an IHD, it just also happens to be a CAD, and it is up to you if you choose to use the CAD side of its features, so if you do not connect it to wifi it cannot send your data anywhere, so you should not worry about that side of things.

The quid pro quo for sharing your data via a CAD is that you get better and more immediate information about your usage, in exchange for letting the provider gain more knowledge about the way you use the energy.

If you don't value the information that much then don't connect it to your wifi...

Yes, I appreciate and understand that but, as far as I am concerned and other than for billing purposes, it is my data and I would like the capability of being able to analyse it without uncontrolled third party access. Maybe a future IHD version will offer the customer the ability to extract/download data locally.

Buy a Hildebrand IHD/CAD and it will provide you with a data feed. For security reasons, there are no plans to allow consumers direct access to smart meter data. You could always sit the examinations to become a Registered DCC User and that might give you the local access that you are seeking.