Smart meter just installed

[Deleted User]

danco said:

The Installer did not show the IHD working because the meter itself had not properly registered during his time with me. It took several hours to begin working (he said, occasionally up to twelve hours).

Your installer failed to carryout a full installation. The electricity meter is commissioned first and the gas meter last. There are many reports of the installer leaving before the gas meter has been commissioned (it times out after 59 minutes and installers do not want to wait).

The IHD doesn’t to register with either of the meters. It connects to the communications hub that sits above the electricity meter. It the meters are not commissioned it should still connect to the Home Area Network but it will show something like ‘Waiting for data’ until such time as the meter commissioning process has been completed.

[Deleted User]

@Ultrasonic My bad: my post was wrongly attributed to you. I was just trying to make the point that IHDs are not designed to be run solely from battery power.

MWT

Tightasaducksarse said:

I'm surprised to hear that the IHD is supplied with a rechargeable battery. I have just had smart meters fitted and the IHD that I received had no battery. The fitter told me to fit AAA batteries, but I notice that they run down in approximately 6 hours. I have reported this as default to Octopus energy and await a response.

My IHD is a Chamelion3

You should have been given a small mains PSU with it as well, but even so, I've never seen a Chameleon 3 with user replaceable batteries, so that is something new...

youravinalarrrf

This confirms it should have been supplied with

https://www.smartme.co.uk/documents/IHD3-Product-overview-10.01.19.pdf

If you haven't found the power supply check the packaging carefully as it may be under the top layer which contained the IHD3 screen.
The IHD3 is not the most up to date model as Chameleon are now up to IHD7.

QrizB

Tightasaducksarse said:

The fitter told me to fit AAA batteries, but I notice that they run down in approximately 6 hours. I have reported this as default to Octopus energy and await a response.

It isn't a fault, the IHDs aren't designed to run on batteries for more than brief periods.

As MWT says, you should have been supplied with a mains adapter for the IHD. There should be a socket (micro USB or similar) on the back of the IHD for the power supply to connect to.

Chrysalis

danco said:

The Installer did not show the IHD working because the meter itself had not properly registered during his time with me. It took several hours to begin working (he said, occasionally up to twelve hours).

I agree, the battery is rechargeable and probably non-replaceable. But for some reason a separate battery is included in the box, though I haven't double checked that this is a rechargeable battery.

No, the tab extends into the battery compartment, not the surface. I've seen that kind of tab often enough with new items. They are used to prevent the battery being connected until the equipment is ready for use.

I fear you will need another callout.

My IHD wasnt working on the day of the install, the installer made excuses for it and left.

I then had repeated calls from Octopus my supplier claiming they could fix it remotely with it waiting for data for several weeks, and eventually got advice from someone who works on the meter team for another supplier, he put it very bluntly to me, "any claims it can be fixed remotely are hogwash, and if its not working on the day of the install, its probably not been paired, he said these will typically be working before readings are been sent to the supplier"  He turned out to be correct, I used his advice to talk OCtopus into sending out another engineer, and when he paired the replacement IHD it was working very quickly.

danco

I have the mains power supply. I assume there is a rechargeable battery fitted. The odd thing is that the box containing the IHD also contained a battery, and this has somewhat confused me.

I suspect the IHD was not paired. As the meter was not working properly when installed (see my original post - the installer said that they usually work within ten minutes of fitting, but sometimes take up to twelve hours. In my case it was showing a message for about six hours before starting to show data) he would not have the opportunity to perform any pairing needed.

Just to add to the confusion and annoyance, the booklet about the IHD and smart metering actually refers to a different brand of IHD, not the Chameleon.

Ultrasonic

A photo of what you've got may be informative if you get chance.

Chrysalis

danco said:

I have the mains power supply. I assume there is a rechargeable battery fitted. The odd thing is that the box containing the IHD also contained a battery, and this has somewhat confused me.

I suspect the IHD was not paired. As the meter was not working properly when installed (see my original post - the installer said that they usually work within ten minutes of fitting, but sometimes take up to twelve hours. In my case it was showing a message for about six hours before starting to show data) he would not have the opportunity to perform any pairing needed.

Just to add to the confusion and annoyance, the booklet about the IHD and smart metering actually refers to a different brand of IHD, not the Chameleon.

So your IHD started working after 6 hours?

danco

No, NOT the IHD. The meter itself. For the first six hours or so it just sat there saying "JOIN LOAD OK" but no actual data. This is the third time I have said this - why can't people read what's written (that also applies to the person who remarked about gas smart meters, when I don't have gas and never mentioned gas).