Old fuse boxes and smart meters?

cluelessoncanvey

Hi, had British Gas come around 2 years ago as I wanted a smart box installed and they informed me my electrical equipment was out of date and they would get the relevant company around to update it free of charge. It never happened and when I chased it up I had changed to another provider.

Now I am with EON and it looks like these secondary providers are now rolling out the smart meters and I am wondering whether I can get my fusebox upgraded to modern standards for free still with my current company. Have just rang them but the person on the other end seemed clueless and wondering whether I have to start the ball rolling at the beginning again, getting another advisor out to inform my electricity needs updating. Just seems a waste of my time waiting in to be told something I already know. Or perhaps ring them again and hope to get a more clued in person answering. But thought someone might be able to enlighten here whether I would get the free upgrade or they'll decide I am not worth the hassle at the moment and move onto the easier clients (I know they've got to have done most of the country by a certain date).

matelodave

It's unlikely that you'll get a fusebox upgrade.

The bit the energy company are interested in is where it enters your house via the company fuse and ends at the meter.

The tails from the meter to the distribution fuse box are your responsibility as is the fusebaox and everything after it

AndyCF

Although its electric for me I have an older style (with cartridge fuses) fusebox still.

The only other "change" apart from the meter itself was he fitted new pair of tails between the 'main big 100A fuse' and the meter, I guess he felt a new "pair of tails" was required...

AndyPK

amazed you would ever get that for free.

I would wait till next year for a smart meter. Ask for a Mark 2

JC_Derby

AndyPK wrote: »

amazed you would ever get that for free.

I would wait till next year for a smart meter. Ask for a Mark 2

Think that's fairly standard to change the cut out tails, probably the other ones were smaller, or to short to work easily with.

JC_Derby

cluelessoncanvey wrote: »

Hi, had British Gas come around 2 years ago as I wanted a smart box installed and they informed me my electrical equipment was out of date and they would get the relevant company around to update it free of charge. It never happened and when I chased it up I had changed to another provider.

Now I am with EON and it looks like these secondary providers are now rolling out the smart meters and I am wondering whether I can get my fusebox upgraded to modern standards for free still with my current company. Have just rang them but the person on the other end seemed clueless and wondering whether I have to start the ball rolling at the beginning again, getting another advisor out to inform my electricity needs updating. Just seems a waste of my time waiting in to be told something I already know. Or perhaps ring them again and hope to get a more clued in person answering. But thought someone might be able to enlighten here whether I would get the free upgrade or they'll decide I am not worth the hassle at the moment and move onto the easier clients (I know they've got to have done most of the country by a certain date).

I believe BG were talking about the cut-out and saying that in their ( meter operatives) opinion It needed changing. What should have happened then is information is sent to the DNO in the back ground to inform them that the cut out may need changing, this piece of information is categorised and from that, it is decided by the DNO whether the cut out needs to be replaced or not.
Sometimes, its just because the meter operative cant be bothered, sometimes the cut out does need to be replaced and sometimes it doesn't.
It isn't BG's decision to make, as that equipment is owned by the DNO. IF however the information that is send it categorised correctly and meets certain criteria that should trigger a cut out change
Lots of ifs and buts and just because the supplier says it needs to be changed doesn't make it so....
Oh and quite a lot of the time the piece of information is never sent to the DNo by the supplier..