Radio Teleswitch Service ending.

jrh22542254

Qyburn said:

If they went by local time rather that UTC all year round, you'd get only six hours on the day the clocks change GMT to BST, and eight on the day they changed back. 

Had not thought of that ! But logically you must be right!

Jonboy_1984

jrh22542254 said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

jrh22542254 said:

Keep_pedalling said:

Just get it changed. If anything switching will be easier with a SMETS 2 meter fitted.

I am not risking it as my E7 hours change to something I dont like. 

jrh22542254 said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

43722 said:

They told me this was going to happen in March 2023. It didn't. Now they say March 2024. 

They delayed turning off the old system, at least in part because they hadn't managed to change everyone's meter yet.

If we do not exchange the meter, Switching times will gradually drift as the clock will no longer stay in sync."

What does the last sentence actually mean in practice?

Thank you.

It means, in practice, that your E7 hours might gradually change to something you don't like.

Thanks. Which clock are they talking about. Sorry I am a little confused? I dont see a clock on my meter just a radio tele switch? 

There a backup clock inside the teleswitch with some default hours that are overridden by the radio signal. 

Although all the recent conversations have been about economy 7 the equipment has some other configurations that allowed longer or multiple periods, for areas such as the north of Scotland that have shorter daylight hours in winter/colder winters etc. Some of these areas had (or might well still have) hours that were changed daily depending on how cold the weather forecasts are.

(Customers on these services are often captive to SSE as their supplier as no-other supplier supports the complex billing).

Qyburn

Jonboy_1984 said:

 

Although all the recent conversations have been about economy 7 the equipment has some other configurations that allowed longer or multiple periods, for areas such as the north of Scotland that have shorter daylight hours in winter/colder winters etc. Some of these areas had (or might well still have) hours that were changed daily depending on how cold the weather forecasts are.

Also on occasion "top up" charges during the day. As well as varying charge in line with anticipated heat demand, the RTS was supposed to allow the off peak times to be staggered at different time for load management. To avoid a situation where every single storage heater in Scotland goes into full power simultaneously at 01:00.

Goodness know how these systems are going to be sorted out. Maybe "they" are hoping everyone will switch from NSH to heat pumps. 

Hoddington123

Anyone else heard rumours that RTS signal not to be switched off until December 2025? Also Octopus Energy website mentions this date too! Anyone know if this is true!

QrizB

Hoddington123 said:

Anyone else heard rumours that RTS signal not to be switched off until December 2025? Also Octopus Energy website mentions this date too! Anyone know if this is true!

I think somebody - probably @Scot_39 or @Gerry1 - mentioned it a couple of weeks ago.

Scot_39

Sorry not me - AFAIK still end Mar 2024 from Ofgem website.

And many suppliers still quote the 2024 date.

But there is an interesting note on the Scottish Power website - who have a lot of RTS type tariffs (including ones that are seasonally varied to give more heating hours in coldest winter months.

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/energy-efficiency/smart-meters/rts-meters

"The BBC equipment that produces the radio signal can no longer be satisfactorily maintained and at present the plan will no longer operate beyond the end of March 2024.  As a result, the BBC has scheduled the withdrawal of the RTS service, which affects all energy suppliers. This means that from April 2024 the service will no longer support meters of the type listed above. However, ScottishPower and other suppliers are looking to secure an extension to this deadline."

And a quick search here found @Gerry1 - posted this in Jan - with a link to elexon site report - suggesting Apr 25 might be a potential target date extension.  But that arguably come only from a group interested in accurate billing of suppliers for that service - not directly regulating suppliers (Ofgems job I guess).

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79775164/#Comment_79775164

Don't know much about the elexon group in that post page 9 document link.  The seem very much a grid level group - more about running grid costs etc  between suppliers / companies.

But searching eloxon site for "RTS" found this report - published on 7th Sep 2023 ahead of next meeting

https://www.elexon.co.uk/documents/change/issues/101-150/issue-108-issue-report

Which mentions the Dec 2025 date for the ultimate BBC LW shut-off - but Summer 2025 as the "latest" practical date - not Dec 2025 - for RTS meter removal in their mind.

Which could arguably link back to a possible extension to Apr 25 - as Gerry1 link.

So the Octopus website is probably correct for the BBC LW signal - but perhaps not for the RTS meters per se. 

But as Elexon were estimating there were still approx 1 million RTS meters in service nationwide in an earlier June / July series of articles on RTS - the distribution of RTS by region etc. In which Scotland - had c8-9% of homes still on RTS in the summer - which might explain why SP worried about deadline.

But note - Elexon appear to be solely talking about continuing (an extension of end date of) the facility to bill the suppliers for the service if needed beyond the official cut off date. They are not saying the date has actually changed - only that it might.

So I guess ultimately Ofgem would have to authorize any extension to the operators deadline - and their website still quotes the end Mar 2024 date.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/radio-teleswitch-electricity-meters-consumer-guidance

So until that Ofgem extension actually happens (if it happens) - I would say stick with the 2024 deadline.

Removing it early would only reduce the pressure to progress on suppliers - and it is clear Ofgem are unhappy with the roll out progress by many firms - and not just for RTS customers.

And given there are c1 million to be done - that means they should be aiming to be doing plenty every remaining working day - based on say remaining 6.5 months - that is getting on for 7500 meters per day - and they are not going to be leaving everyone to the last day.

So in reality - they could be doing anyones anytime between now and then.

And for those who say they dont want smart - Ofgem advice on that link appears to be - they wont guarantee meter functionality beyond deadline ("However, you may not have the same functionality as you have now") - so if you then lose functionality...

inspectorperez

I would hazard a guess that a number of the RTS user customers will be on the Priority Services register and it is to be hoped that whatever the termination date is, every possible step will have been taken by energy providers to make sure those customers are not literally left out in the cold.

inspectorperez

This is an image of my own meter setup for Economy 7 with EDF which provides heat for old style storage heaters and hot water. I believe the top box is the RTS and the meter located directly underneath.

Can anyone tell me what the bottom box is please?

Scot_39

Main incoming fuse, 100A rated.

Feeds Old analogue / mechanical dual rate meter and RTS signal box that generally switches supply for heating on that second night rate metering and tells meter which register to accumulate if not a meter itself (some are yours isnt by the looks of it)

Depending on the tariff, the top 2 can be replaced by a single 5 port alcs meter but using set time switching not variable.

The bottom fuse block will remain.  Unless the meter fitter calls in the DNO ? to replace it (edit : if dangerous only as a rule).  As they themselves will not replace it.

But people appear to be struggling to get anything but e7 configured ones from posts here out of some suppliers.

I hope to read others having better like for like smart meter configurations to replace their rts  - but people more likely to post problems than succesful replacements.

But some like those on for example a couple of SP tariffs may struggle to match like for like unless SP can find a way to mimic the currently in theory variable 0-14 hrs per day they send via rts to two of their plans for nsh circuits.

inspectorperez

From: EDF
Sent: 13 September 2023 16:37
To: inspectorperez
Subject: Important update on the RTS shutdown

"ACT NOW: We need

to replace your meter

Book an appointment"

Personal email from EDF today.

Appointment booked for Tuesday next week.

Lets see how it goes.

Will they turn up - we shall see?

Very persuasive email explaining how EDF can create a smooth transition.

I'm not confident after  two failed attempts but here goes