Switch after smart meters installed

mparter

So I've been with Outfox the Market for over a year. Around a week ago, I had new electric and gas smart meters fitted (standard Aclara SMETS2 meter and Flonidan). When fitted, the IHD initially showed the details of the electricity and has remained so for the past week. It's never showed me my gas details. I've never seen readings on the OFTM website.

The reason I went for getting the smart meters fitted was because I have an EV and want to ultimately switch to Octopus and their Go tariff. Can I switch to Octopus before OTFM start receiving readings or should I wait. OTFM have already increased my monthly DD by 50% so another reason to switch.

Another interesting thing is that when I checked this morning, my IHD was no longer showing any data. On checking the meter, it appears the meter reading had reset itself as it was now showing 3kWh. There's no way I've only used 3kWh in a week!

I'm not sure where to proceed from here. The WAN and HAN lights on the communications module above the meter both flash together at 5 second intervals which I believe means the comms are okay.

jbuchanangb

Read the meters yourself. Do not trust the IHD until you are sure it is giving you the same readings as displayed on the meters. If you have a multi-rate meter (e.g. Economy 7, which i suppose you may have if you are planning to charge an EV) make sure you read both readings and have them the right way round. For a gas meter make sure you are reading cubic metres, not kWH. Keep records of dates meters read and readings taken. At least once a month notify your supplier of the readings until you are sure that the bills they send you are derived from the smart meters. All common sense really.

[Deleted User]

You can check whether your meters are connected to the DCC Network by signing up to N3rgy.com (use the I am a consumer link). The IHD connects to your comms hub using a different network called the HAN. Move your IHD closer to the meter to see whether distance is the issue.

Personally, I would switch to Octopus. Octopus has a very good smart meter team and Go prices are forecast to increase due to the high cost of gas generation.

mparter

jbuchanangb said:

Read the meters yourself. Do not trust the IHD until you are sure it is giving you the same readings as displayed on the meters. If you have a multi-rate meter (e.g. Economy 7, which i suppose you may have if you are planning to charge an EV) make sure you read both readings and have them the right way round. For a gas meter make sure you are reading cubic metres, not kWH. Keep records of dates meters read and readings taken. At least once a month notify your supplier of the readings until you are sure that the bills they send you are derived from the smart meters. All common sense really.

I've been reading direct from the meter, which is how I noticed it "reset" itself.

[Deleted User] said:

You can check whether your meters are connected to the DCC Network by signing up to N3rgy.com (use the I am a consumer link). The IHD connects to your comms hub using a different network called the HAN. Move your IHD closer to the meter to see whether distance is the issue.

Personally, I would switch to Octopus. Octopus has a very good smart meter team and Go prices are forecast to increase due to the high cost of gas generation.

I checked that site the other day and there was no data. Just checked it again there and still the same. Something has obviously been updated somewhere as when I done a quote via EDF, it did recognise I had a SMETS2 meter. I'm not sure what the admin processes are behind the scenes to tie it all together. I understand the meters communicate with the DCC who then make the data available to the supplier. If that's the case, how can EDF see I have a SMETS2 meter but the n3rgy website has no data for me?

[Deleted User]

mparter said:

jbuchanangb said:

Read the meters yourself. Do not trust the IHD until you are sure it is giving you the same readings as displayed on the meters. If you have a multi-rate meter (e.g. Economy 7, which i suppose you may have if you are planning to charge an EV) make sure you read both readings and have them the right way round. For a gas meter make sure you are reading cubic metres, not kWH. Keep records of dates meters read and readings taken. At least once a month notify your supplier of the readings until you are sure that the bills they send you are derived from the smart meters. All common sense really.

I've been reading direct from the meter, which is how I noticed it "reset" itself.

Dolor said:

You can check whether your meters are connected to the DCC Network by signing up to N3rgy.com (use the I am a consumer link). The IHD connects to your comms hub using a different network called the HAN. Move your IHD closer to the meter to see whether distance is the issue.

Personally, I would switch to Octopus. Octopus has a very good smart meter team and Go prices are forecast to increase due to the high cost of gas generation.

I checked that site the other day and there was no data. Just checked it again there and still the same. Something has obviously been updated somewhere as when I done a quote via EDF, it did recognise I had a SMETS2 meter. I'm not sure what the admin processes are behind the scenes to tie it all together. I understand the meters communicate with the DCC who then make the data available to the supplier. If that's the case, how can EDF see I have a SMETS2 meter but the n3rgy website has no data for me?

All suppliers can access the National Database which has details of meter type. Only one supplier at a time can communicate with a SMETS2 meter. Before it can do so, it has to send out its own security certificates to your meter. 

Try getting a quote of the Logicor Energy website. When I last looked the quote included meter type.

mparter

Dolor said:

mparter said:

jbuchanangb said:

Read the meters yourself. Do not trust the IHD until you are sure it is giving you the same readings as displayed on the meters. If you have a multi-rate meter (e.g. Economy 7, which i suppose you may have if you are planning to charge an EV) make sure you read both readings and have them the right way round. For a gas meter make sure you are reading cubic metres, not kWH. Keep records of dates meters read and readings taken. At least once a month notify your supplier of the readings until you are sure that the bills they send you are derived from the smart meters. All common sense really.

I've been reading direct from the meter, which is how I noticed it "reset" itself.

Dolor said:

You can check whether your meters are connected to the DCC Network by signing up to N3rgy.com (use the I am a consumer link). The IHD connects to your comms hub using a different network called the HAN. Move your IHD closer to the meter to see whether distance is the issue.

Personally, I would switch to Octopus. Octopus has a very good smart meter team and Go prices are forecast to increase due to the high cost of gas generation.

I checked that site the other day and there was no data. Just checked it again there and still the same. Something has obviously been updated somewhere as when I done a quote via EDF, it did recognise I had a SMETS2 meter. I'm not sure what the admin processes are behind the scenes to tie it all together. I understand the meters communicate with the DCC who then make the data available to the supplier. If that's the case, how can EDF see I have a SMETS2 meter but the n3rgy website has no data for me?

All suppliers can access the National Database which has details of meter type. Only one supplier at a time can communicate with a SMETS2 meter. Before it can do so, it has to send out its own security certificates to your meter. 

Try getting a quote of the Logicor Energy website. When I last looked the quote included meter type.

Appears to be "offline" at the moment. I've never even heard of these guys!