Smart Meter IHD Question

SnakeFighter

Hi Everyone

Last winter, I had smart meters fitted at home, by People's Energy, my supplier at the time. I switched shortly afterwards to Gree.

Although the smart meters appear to be connected to the supplier (they tell me that they are receiving meter readings), only my gas usage is shown on the in home display. Electricity use has not been displayed by the IHD at any stage.

I've been in touch with Green, who told me that I should contact People's Energy, who told me that they couldn't raise a repair as I wasn't a customer... Yay. Anyway, does anyone have any good ideas about how to get the electricity shown on the IHD? Perhaps it's just one to forget about / put the IHD is a box etc.

Cheers

Charlie

[Deleted User]

Your present supplier has the Licence obligation to provide you with fully functioning meters; however, as far as the IHD is concerned this is where it gets complicated.

Your electricity meter is connected to a communications hub. This hub establishes two networks: one is known as the WAN (Wide Area Network) which connects to the central data hub run by The Data Communications Company. The second network is known as the HAN (the Home Area Network). The IHD and other IHD/CAD devices can use the HAN to access smart meter data. It would seem likely that there may be an issue with the HAN side of the hub.

The complicated bit is that, for security reasons, suppliers have no control over the communications hub. These are managed by The Data Communications Company. Similarly, suppliers have no real control over the meters that they supply: these are managed by individual meter manufacturers.

Don't let Green fob you off. You are their customer so they have to try to address the IHD communications issue. As a starter, I would suggest that you ask them to make a request to The Data Communications Company for a remote communications hub reset. This reset will turn off the power to the communications hub for 15 minutes. If this doesn't work then suggest to Green Energy that they need to arrange for an installer to pull the main fuse for 15 minutes.

You may encounter resistance to both suggestions! 

In the meantime, you could do what most of us have done which is to put the IHD into dark place and leave it there. Download BrightApp (free); enter your details and you will get all the information that you need to monitor your usage.

The_Fat_Controller

@[Deleted User] is BrightApp a generic app or company specific ?

If it can be used with any supplier, is it available for Android ?

niktheguru

it is available on the google play store, and it can be used with any smets2 meter.

milgo

niktheguru said:

it is available on the google play store, and it can be used with any smets2 meter.

I have Smets1 meters and also use Bright.

niktheguru

milgo said:

niktheguru said:

it is available on the google play store, and it can be used with any smets2 meter.

I have Smets1 meters and also use Bright.

yep, as long as your smets1 meter has been "upgraded" onto the DCC.

Swipe

I'm impressed by the Bright app. I just wish they had a web version of it as well.

[Deleted User]

Swipe said:

I'm impressed by the Bright app. I just wish they had a web version of it as well.

Hildebrand has produced the App in support of its IHD/CAD devices which sell at about £65 a device. It kindly offers free access to everyone.

Recently, Hildebrand has been leading on a new tariff price comparison tool that will enable smart meter consumers to choose a tariff based on the previous 12 months usage AND the times when energy was used. For this tool to be of any value, then consumers need to switch their smart meters to 30 minute data recording.

Conventional price comparison websites will not to able to make use of this tool unless they become DCC registered users, or partner with a company such as Hildebrand which is. The latter allows Hildebrand to access your smart meter data which then appears in BrightApp.

SnakeFighter

Thanks for the info, @[Deleted User]. I'm going to give Bright a go. I'm not able to post a link, but the app is called "Bright" by Hildebrand Technology Ltd, for anyone else searching for it

Thanks again

Charlie

WBCPB

I have just installed the app ( lekky only ) but none of the usage amounts ( latest daily,weekly,monthly ) match the amounts showing on my IHD ? Does the IHD include both day/night readings for E7 in the daily/weekly/monthly usage amounts does anyone know?
Regards

[Deleted User]

Your meter needs to be set up for 30 minute usage data. You should then see graphs like this. I trust these graphs over what I am seeing in my IHD. Bear in mind, that if you are monitoring gas then both the IHD and Bright will show incorrect costs as they use a fixed proxy CV when your actual supply CV is variable.