Your meter is approaching its use-by date and needs to be replaced 24 February at 11:29AM edited 24 February at 11:32AM in Energy 67 replies 3.4K views

Qyburn

That article refer to a new device, the "BEET-box" rather than just the Smart Meter itself. Does ut the BEET-box do the voltage measuring and recording, maybe sharing the SM comms hub (like gas). Or does the  BEET-box pull voltage data from the SM and pass that to the DNO via some separate network.

Is SM voltage data included in the data that Suppliers receive?

Dolor

Qyburn said:

That article refer to a new device, the "BEET-box" rather than just the Smart Meter itself. Does ut the BEET-box do the voltage measuring and recording, maybe sharing the SM comms hub (like gas). Or does the  BEET-box pull voltage data from the SM and pass that to the DNO via some separate network.

Is SM voltage data included in the data that Suppliers receive?

 Not routinely. The supplier gets to see the meter event log and consumers also get alerts on the IHD. DNOs are also Registered DCC User Users and they can pull 30 minute voltage data going back 12 months.

5.4.11 Voltage quality measurements

5.4.11.1 Average RMS voltage

ESME shall be capable of calculating the average value of RMS voltage over a configurable period as defined in the Average RMS Voltage Measurement Period(5.6.3.5) and:

i. recording the value calculated (including the UTC date and time at the end of the period to which the value relates) in the Average RMS Voltage Profile Data Log(5.6.4.8);

 ii. detecting when the value calculated is above the Average RMS Over Voltage Threshold(5.6.3.3), and on detection:

a. generatinganentrytothateffectintheEventLog(5.6.4.16);

b. countingthenumberofsuchoccurrencesintheAverageRMSOver

Voltage Counter(5.6.4.6); and

c. sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN Interface;

iii. detecting when the value so calculated is below the Average RMS Under Voltage Threshold(5.6.3.4), and on detection:

a. generatinganentrytothateffectintheEventLog(5.6.4.16);

b. countingthenumberofsuchoccurrencesintheAverageRMSUnder

Voltage Counter(5.6.4.7); and

c. sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN Interface.

5.4.11.2 RMS extreme over voltage detection

ESME shall be capable of detecting when the RMS voltage is continuously above the RMS Extreme Over Voltage Threshold(5.6.3.32) for longer than the RMS Extreme Over Voltage Measurement Period(5.6.3.31) and on detection:

i. generating an entry to that effect in the Event Log(5.6.4.16); and

ii. sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN Interface.

5.4.11.3 RMS extreme under voltage detection

ESME shall be capable of detecting when the RMS voltage is continuously below the RMS Extreme Under Voltage Threshold(5.6.3.34) for longer than the RMS Extreme Under Voltage Measurement Period(5.6.3.33) and on detection:

i. generating an entry to that effect in the Event Log(5.6.4.16); and

ii. sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN Interface.

5.4.11.4 RMS voltage sag detection

ESME shall be capable of detecting when the RMS voltage is continuously below the RMS Voltage Sag Threshold(5.6.3.37) for longer than the RMS Voltage Sag Measurement Period(5.6.3.35) and on detection:

i. generating an entry to that effect in the Event Log(5.6.4.16); and

ii. sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN Interface.

5.4.11.5 RMS voltage swell detection

ESME shall be capable of detecting when the RMS voltage is continuously above the RMS Voltage Swell Threshold(5.6.3.38) for longer than the RMS Voltage Swell Measurement Period(5.6.3.36) and on detection:

i. generating an entry to that effect in the Event Log(5.6.4.16); and

ii. sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN Interface.

5.4.11.6 Supply outage reporting

ESME shall be capable of recording the UTC date and time at which the Supply is interrupted and the UTC date and time when the Supply is restored and:

i. generating entries to that effect in the Event Log(5.6.4.16);

ii. following restoration of the Supply, sending an Alert to that effect via its HAN

Interface; and

iii. following restoration of the Supply, when the time difference between the

Supply being interrupted and restored is greater than or equal to three minutes, sending an Alert that Supply has been restored via its HAN Interface containing details of the UTC dates and times of interruption and restoration.

Another example of what the Smart Grid is making possible:

https://www.energylivenews. com/2022/09/28/sp-energy-networks-deploys-tech-to-predict-faults-on-electricity-network/

‘ Data produced by smart meters and electricity substations highlight where a potential fault may occur on the electricity network, helping engineers find exact locations where repairs are needed and sometimes before power drops and customers are even aware of an issue.

This is expected to prevent unnecessary power cuts and help keep the lights on for homes and businesses across Central and Southern Scotland, covering areas including Ayrshire, Dumfries, Edinburgh and the Borders, Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

MalMonroe

1socrates1 said:

I have booked for them to install the digital meters on 8 March. I am sure it will be okay, it just feels as though I am relinquishing some vestige of power over to the energy company due to automation of reading. But I am sure I will get used to it, will do my own readings for the first few months and make sure the automated readings reflected in my bill tally up with what I see. 

Hi, I read your post before and I'm an Octopus customer and was, like you were initially, feeling very hesitant about having meters changed and having a smart meter. 

However, they sent me the email yesterday(!) and I felt strangely quite relieved! Is that weird? We will be having brand new meters and I won't have to send readings any more. Obviously like you I will be taking my own readings for a while but I think it's the way forward. Not looking forward to having meters actually replaced but from what I gather the engineers are good and act quickly - they've obviously had a lot of practise. So now, from initially feeling I didn't want to, I'm quite looking forward. My neighbour has a smart meter and she thinks it's much better. And this thread has been helpful so thank you for that.

I'm sure we will be okay. I'm going to book my appointment over the weekend. At least I feel like someone else shared my initial trepidation - and we are now going for it!  Yay. 

Tbh I was wondering if my old meters were working properly, the electricity one certainly is about twenty years old, installed before we moved here. The gas one is about 15 years old so they are both past it. All being well, bills will be a bit smaller if we can see what we're using too. All good!

Thanks again. I feel like we are in this together. 

gbhxu

Don't see why they can't re-certify old meters in the same way you MOT a car.

macman

gbhxu said:

Don't see why they can't re-certify old meters in the same way you MOT a car.

Because to do that they'd have to remove the meter, replace it with a temporary one, certify it off-site and reinstall it.  Does that make any kind of economic or logistiical sense?

Dolor

gbhxu said:

Don't see why they can't re-certify old meters in the same way you MOT a car.

They do re-certify meters based on in use testing; the number of meter failures during the certification period, etc. If you are suggesting that when every gas meter reaches the end of its certified life, it is removed and sent away to a testing facility for re-certification this would be both expensive and impractical. Gas meters cannot be tested in situ.

Given that the Government has taken the decision that smart meters are needed to support a Smart Grid, the days of analogue meters in the UK are numbered.

SnakePlissken

macman said:

gbhxu said:

Don't see why they can't re-certify old meters in the same way you MOT a car.

Because to do that they'd have to remove the meter, replace it with a temporary one, certify it off-site and reinstall it.  Does that make any kind of economic or logistiical sense?

Or replace with a refurb.

Aerosopace industry does this with avionics, hydraulics and mechanical parts.
1 unit off, old one sent back for refurb, then back to stock. 

And SSE did that with my meter clock gave me a refurb one.

Engineer said they had loads of refurb units at the main depot.

Zandoni

macman said:

gbhxu said:

Don't see why they can't re-certify old meters in the same way you MOT a car.

Because to do that they'd have to remove the meter, replace it with a temporary one, certify it off-site and reinstall it.  Does that make any kind of economic or logistiical sense?

Meters used to be removed and repaired, they were never put back into the same house though. There was also a period of time when a disputed meter was found accurate it was re-sealed and put back into service.

1socrates1

The man was here to do the work and install the monitor. He said he could not do the work because he could not get into the outside electrical box. He did have access to the old meters, which where in my flat I never knew that he needed access to the external electrical box. He tried 3 keys, none of the worked He said the onus was on me to get the electrical box opened and the appointment rescheduled. I was only having this work done because I was been pestered by Octopus Energy to do so. I feel this exercise has been a complete waste of my time. 

EssexHebridean

1socrates1 said:

The man was here to do the work and install the monitor. He said he could not do the work because he could not get into the outside electrical box. He did have access to the old meters, which where in my flat I never knew that he needed access to the external electrical box. He tried 3 keys, none of the worked He said the onus was on me to get the electrical box opened and the appointment rescheduled. I was only having this work done because I was been pestered by Octopus Energy to do so. I feel this exercise has been a complete waste of my time. 

What "outside electrical box" is the issue here? He should need access to the meters and your consumer unit, as far as I know?