Smet 2 meter readings problem

samps1973

I moved into my flat 4 months ago. 

The electric meter is a smet2 smart meter.

When I moved in I took the readings as standard from the total actual import which was 00000, I thought this was a bit strange as the property was built a few years ago. I tried my washer dryer and cooker etc and the readings didn't go up. I now know that the readings normally automatically upload the the energy supplier. 

I know that normally you would take the readings from the total actual import but have just found out the readings have been going up where it says total actual export. Luckily when I moved in I took a pic of all the readings. The export reading was 00316 and are now 00914. My bill was around £200.

The annoying thing is i have to give them readings every month as it's not uploading to them and my ihd only shows how many watts are being used but not the cost of what I'm using which would be good especially with winter coming up and having electric heating. Also the meter is difficult to get to as theres 15 of them in a cupboard and mines at the back.

Is there anyway I can reboot the main meter to hopefully clear the problem. The meter and ihd both show the daily usage charge and the price per kwh but it's not reading or uploading my usage.

Hope that makes sense 🤔

The supplier doesnt seem too bothered about it, they just want their money.

Thanks

macman

No you can't reboot it.It is the property of the supplier and neither you nor a private sparky can touch it: the meter asset company must fix it.
If you know your kWh consumption (not watts), then it's very easy to calculate the ongoing costs, just multiply units used by your unit rate, and add the daily standing charge.

mmmmikey

Hi - AFAIK there's nothing you can do to the meter yourself. It sounds like it has been wired in incorrectly if the export is going up and the import isn't changing. This would also explain why the IHD isn't showing anything, as they only show import, not export. If you persevere, hopefully you'll be able to get the supplier to re-fit the meter properly.

wild666

You can always use an app to see how much you are using daily, I use the Loop app, I also take daily readings for the electric and my suppliers website also gives me daily readings. The gas meter I take weekly readings from as the usage is only around 9 to 11 kWh per week, it used to be double that until I altered the temperatures on the boiler.

[Deleted User]

By the sound of it, your meter is working as it should. Usage data and index readings are pulled from the meters once every 24 hours: the communications hub is the link between your meters; the DCC Network and your supplier.

I assume that your supplier is aware of your problem? Ask it to make a request to the DCC for a remote communications hub reset. This facility is built into all communications hubs. The hub will power down for 15 minutes. If this doesn’t work, then ask your installer to carry out a main fuse pull: this will require an engineer visit.

Before you blame your supplier, you need to know that the DCC is solely responsible for the network and all communications hubs. Individual meter and IHD manufacturers build and certify their meters and devices for use on the DCC network: they also build and test firmware updates. Suppliers are left with the responsibility but they have to rely on others to put things right.

samps1973

Thanks guys.

I have tried the loop app but it only counts the 43p daily usage the same as the supplier. I assumed the reason was that the meter is set to read the kwh via the actual output and not the input. The meter was comisioned in 2019 by eon who is also the current supplier.

I will contact and ask the questions in the post above to them.

Could they just say take a reading every month or are they obliged to fix the problem  I'm not sure.

If the meter was in my home and easily accesible I wouldnt  mind, i could work out the usage myself. Also it's good to see the usage on a daily basis to see if i can make improvements etc.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

samps1973 said:

Thanks guys.

I have tried the loop app but it only counts the 43p daily usage the same as the supplier. I assumed the reason was that the meter is set to read the kwh via the actual output and not the input. The meter was comisioned in 2019 by eon who is also the current supplier.

I will contact and ask the questions in the post above to them.

Could they just say take a reading every month or are they obliged to fix the problem  I'm not sure.

If the meter was in my home and easily accesible I wouldnt  mind, i could work out the usage myself. Also it's good to see the usage on a daily basis to see if i can make improvements etc.

Thanks

It depends on what the problem is. If you are in area of poor mobile communications, then the law of physics applies. The supplier can fit arrange for a SKU2 comms hub with an external aerial but most are very reluctant to go down this route. Their focus is on installing smart meters to meet their Ofgem target.

samps1973

Thanks for all the replies.

I thought it may have been a simple fix by pressing the buttons on the meter in a certain sequence or something like that.

When I first moved in I changed to the cheapest tarrif with eon and the next day it showed the new kwh of 28 pence and the daily charge of 43p, also the meter shows 3 bars so I'm assuming the connection to eon is ok but they arent reading the actual output reading only the input which still shows 00000.3 at their end and on the meter. Somehow my usage is connected to the actual output readings. I read online that the you would normally only get output readings if you have solar power and the excess is forwarded on.

Baffled 🤔

I'll write an email and see what happens. I'll update here when I find out but so far the call handlers dont know anything about it. they only give advice with problems with the ihd it seems.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

samps1973 said:

Thanks for all the replies.

I thought it may have been a simple fix by pressing the buttons on the meter in a certain sequence or something like that.

When I first moved in I changed to the cheapest tarrif with eon and the next day it showed the new kwh of 28 pence and the daily charge of 43p, also the meter shows 3 bars so I'm assuming the connection to eon is ok but they arent reading the actual output reading only the input which still shows 00000.3 at their end and on the meter. Somehow my usage is connected to the actual output readings. I read online that the you would normally only get output readings if you have solar power and the excess is forwarded on.

Baffled 🤔

I'll write an email and see what happens. I'll update here when I find out but so far the call handlers dont know anything about it. they only give advice with problems with the ihd it seems.

Thanks

Are you looking at the actual smart meters or the device known as the In House Display? The 3 bars on the IHD is the strength of the signal between the communications hub and the IHD: this is known as the Home Area Network (HAN). The communications hub connects to the DCC network via a wide area network (WAN). You have no way of seeing the strength of this connection. What lights can you see on the communications hub: it normally sits above the electricity smart meter:

Smart meters can record import (electricity to the house from the Grid) and output (export from PV solar to the Grid).

samps1973

I'm not sure what lights are showing on the hub, I've only really looked at the smet 2 meter. When I get home from work I'll have a look in the cupboard. The meter ms for 15 flat are in the cupboard and there seems to be lights flashing everywhere 😆

Here are some pics I took the other day of the smet meter and the ihd.

I thought the bars on the smet was the connectivity to the supplier so I'm assuming they are the bats communicate  with the ihd.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Do you have PV solar or a battery: your meter shows that there is an export of 914 kWh to the Grid?

Smart meters are not in permanent contact with the DCC network. I believe what you are seeing is the strength of the Zigbee network connection to the communications hub (the Home Area Network). I may be wrong as my smart meter doesn’t show any bars. 

To pull data, your supplier uses secure software known as an Adapter. The Adapter connects to the DCC network. The data pull is a request sent from the supplier to the meters: a call if you like.

Each meter has 4 registers. Have you checked what the other import registers are reading? 

To take two rate meter readings from your Landis and Gyr SMETS2 electricity meter:

• Press the green A button until you see ‘Rate 01 Act Imp’ – this is your first reading
• Press and hold the grey B button for 5 seconds, and then press the green A button until you see ‘Rate 02 Act Imp’ – this is your second reading.

To take an export reading from your Landis and Gyr SMETS2 electricity meter:

Your Landis + Gyr smart meter will have either:

1. Two equal sized green A and grey B buttons, to the right of the screen

If no other registers are reading then your meter is faulty and it needs to be replaced. Any fault is probably the result of a meter firmware update.

The HAN connection to the IHD appears to be working. Usually, in one if the IHD sub-menus, you can find the total import meter reading (the total of the 4 registers).

In trying to get this resolved, I suggest that you send your supplier’s smart team the photos in your post.