Smart meter - which to install first?

Tipper

Gas or electric? Both my meters are near end of life. Both providers want to install new meters. Whose meter should be installed first?

CSI_Yorkshire

Electric. 

TadleyBaggie

Gas meters rely on an electric meter to connect to the network. 

Dolor

TadleyBaggie said:

Gas meters rely on an electric meter to connect to the network. 

The gas meter connects to the comms hub via the Home Area Network. The comms hub gets its power via the electric meter.

jrawle

Is there a reason you need to stick with two separate suppliers? Otherwise, I'd suggest switching to a single supplier. The best chance you have of everything working correctly is to have it all set up by one person. I have been holding out getting smart meters for this reason. Now I have to cancel my fixed gas tariff anyway (as it's way more expensive than the July price cap) I can finally consolidate my suppliers.

Dolor

jrawle said:

Is there a reason you need to stick with two separate suppliers? Otherwise, I'd suggest switching to a single supplier. The best chance you have of everything working correctly is to have it all set up by one person. I have been holding out getting smart meters for this reason. Now I have to cancel my fixed gas tariff anyway (as it's way more expensive than the July price cap) I can finally consolidate my suppliers.

You make a very good point. Occasionally, things do go wrong and dealing with a single smart team must be easier than dealing with two. A hub going offline might result in the loss of both the HAN and the WAN connections. The solution is invariably a hub reset which requires an engineer visit. Which supplier does one call? 

brewerdave

As an aside ,I have a smart meter installed last year for leccy by BG. Seems to be working OK so approached EDF (who supply my gas currently) for a date for smart install . They were very insistent about 6 months ago but now can't offer an install date !! Don't know whether there are still meter supply issues or fitter availability.

Dolor

brewerdave said:

As an aside ,I have a smart meter installed last year for leccy by BG. Seems to be working OK so approached EDF (who supply my gas currently) for a date for smart install . They were very insistent about 6 months ago but now can't offer an install date !! Don't know whether there are still meter supply issues or fitter availability.

I suspect that in some regions demand now exceeds supply. 

Ectophile

Dolor said:

TadleyBaggie said:

Gas meters rely on an electric meter to connect to the network. 

The gas meter connects to the comms hub via the Home Area Network. The comms hub gets its power via the electric meter.

But it is possible to have a comms hub that isn't attached to an electricity meter.  I have a smart gas meter, but an old dumb electricity meter.

bob2302

Dolor said:

 A hub going offline might result in the loss of both the HAN and the WAN connections. The solution is invariably a hub reset which requires an engineer visit.

Would a power cut do that automatically? 

Dolor

bob2302 said:

Dolor said:

 A hub going offline might result in the loss of both the HAN and the WAN connections. The solution is invariably a hub reset which requires an engineer visit.

Would a power cut do that automatically? 

It depends on the time and the region. Some comms hubs need a 15 minute main fuse pull.