Overnight tariffs for EV charging, but only with the right smart meter!

Si____c

Hi, first post here. I am soon to be getting an EV, and have a charger installed at home. I want to get onto an electricity tariff with cheaper overnight rates to save money on charging. I heard Octopus were good, and rang them, but here lies the problem. I have a SMETS1 smart meter at home, (works on EON, my current supplier) but obviously won't work with Octopus. They say I need a SMETS2, but cannot do an install/aren't taking bookings, and recommend I ask my current supplier to install. I have asked EON, and they can't due to long leadtimes/other reasons. EON don't provide an overnight rate, aside from Economy 7, which will cost ~£150 to install. 
Has anyone else encountered this, and what was your solution? Is there a shortage of SMETS2 smart meters? I've heard that some people have had smart meters upgraded from V1 to v2, is this possible for all models? 
Appreciate any helpful comments to my numerous questions :-)
Simon

[Deleted User]

Who told you it "obviously won't work with Octopus"?

Nobody has their smart meter upgraded from v1 to v2.

ariarnia

hi sic. 

i think what sparky is saying is the normal thing that happens is its a software upgrade. everyone with a version 1 meter is i beleve being upgraded to the version 2 meter on a kind of rolling thing. i dont think theres a way for you to jump the cue on that but it definitely doesn't need anyone to come to your house to physically change the meter unless its broken some other way. 

i dont think ive ever heard of anyone being asked to say what kind of meter they have so i dont know how it came up in conversation.  

one option might be to move to octopus (which might mean your meter goes dumb in the mean time until you have the upgrade. that's the main problem with version 1 meters they can't reliably switch suppliers and keep smart features but the numbers will still be on there for you to give monthly). then as soon as you see your meter has started to send readings again that means its had the update and you should be able to switch to a time of use tarrif. 

[Deleted User]

ariarnia said:

i think what sparky is saying is the normal thing that happens is its a software upgrade. everyone with a version 1 meter is i beleve being upgraded to the version 2 meter on a kind of rolling thing. 

That's it.  https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/current-programmes/smets1-enrolment-and-adoption/

Si____c

[Deleted User] said:

Who told you it "obviously won't work with Octopus"?

Nobody has their smart meter upgraded from v1 to v2.

Octopus checked my address, and looked up on thier system what meter I have and told me the reason. They won't let me swap to the overnight tariff unless they can read my smart meter, as they won't know if power is being used during the day or during the night.

[Deleted User]

Octopus checked my address, and looked up on thier system what meter I have

What meter model do you have? Unless something has changed, Octopus can read Secure meters not connected to the DCC Network.

As of 4th November, 9,434,551 SMETS 1 meters* (41%) are now connected to a dedicated portal on the DCC Network. Clearly, some work still to do!

*Source: smartme.co.uk

stewie_griffin

If you were moved from E.ON Energy to E.ON Next and your smart meter is still working then it must already be enrolled in the DCC. Another change of supplier to Octopus won’t change anything.

Si____c

I have a liberty 100. 

I wasn't moved from Eon energy, I think I just signed up to Eon next as it was a cheap deal couple of years ago. I'll give Octopus another call. I've seen a couple of websites about this update from v1 to v2 being completed by end of 2022, but clearly they don't seem to be on track for that.

[Deleted User]

update from v1 to v2 being completed by end of 2022,

Given that only 41% of SMETS1 meters have now been adopted by the DCC, I suspect that the date has slipped in line with the rest of the smart meter programme. The firmware update doesn’t change the meter version (AFAIK) : it just allows the meters to connect to a separate/dedicated DCC portal. 

niktheguru

Si____c said:

Hi, first post here. I am soon to be getting an EV, and have a charger installed at home. I want to get onto an electricity tariff with cheaper overnight rates to save money on charging. I heard Octopus were good, and rang them, but here lies the problem. I have a SMETS1 smart meter at home, (works on EON, my current supplier) but obviously won't work with Octopus. They say I need a SMETS2, but cannot do an install/aren't taking bookings, and recommend I ask my current supplier to install. I have asked EON, and they can't due to long leadtimes/other reasons. EON don't provide an overnight rate, aside from Economy 7, which will cost ~£150 to install. 
Has anyone else encountered this, and what was your solution? Is there a shortage of SMETS2 smart meters? I've heard that some people have had smart meters upgraded from V1 to v2, is this possible for all models? 
Appreciate any helpful comments to my numerous questions :-)
Simon

I had a similar issue when I moved to octopus a few years ago to go on octopus go faster for cheap ev charging. At the time I had British Gas smets1 smart metered which were the last due to be upgraded. 

Octopus were great about it. I moved to them. My meters became dumb and then octopus came round and changed both metered to newer smets2 meters, which they could then read and I moved from their tracker tariff to octopus go faster…..never looked back.

now This was a few years ago, so they may not be as flexible now. It’s worth asking them if you move to them can you get the metered changed as they will likely go dumb on transfer.