Is my Smart Meter really dumb?

Reed_Richards

I'm with Arqiva, or would be if there was a signal.  That's Long Range Radio.

What I was really hoping to find out is whether the communication device could be in an error state without indicating as much by changing the normal light-flashing behaviour.  Does anybody know?

[Deleted User]

Reed_Richards said:

I'm with Arqiva, or would be if there was a signal.  That's Long Range Radio.

What I was really hoping to find out is whether the communication device could be in an error state without indicating as much by changing the normal light-flashing behaviour.  Does anybody know?

Yes, I have had a hub with all the LEDs flashing normally but without any WAN or HAN connection. If you go to the SmartMe website, it has a section on what the LEDs mean and what their flashing rate indicate.

Bear in mind, that the installation process requires a connection with the network and the supplier’s systems. 

Reed_Richards

The installer had a tablet device which he was using from time to time.  He said he had managed a connection but not a reliable one.

I had read the SmartMe website previously, which is what had made me think that the lights should not be flashing as normal.  So in a way it's pleasing that @[Deleted User] 's experience is that normal flashing does not necessarily indicate communication.

The solution to my problem, I was told, would be a better aerial, when these became available.   

Reed_Richards

I'm reviving this thread because I looked online and found a Smart Meter reading from the day after my new meter was fitted.  So it must be capable of working, at least intermittently.  I tried to register with https://www.n3rgy.com/ to see for myself but that failed because it wanted information from the IHD that I wasn't given.  Would I see daily readings in my online account if it was fully operational?    

Reed_Richards

Oh and my Comms Hub is an Edmi 420.  There's a small metal wire secured by the screw on the front which could well be the aerial, in which case I probably have to unscrew the screw to find the aerial port.

[Deleted User]

Reed_Richards said:

Oh and my Comms Hub is an Edmi 420.  There's a small metal wire secured by the screw on the front which could well be the aerial, in which case I probably have to unscrew the screw to find the aerial port.

If you follow the advice in this blog you may well incur the wrath of your supplier; however;…….

https://anengineersview.tech.blog/smets2-is-there-anybody-there/

QrizB

Reed_Richards said:

Oh and my Comms Hub is an Edmi 420.  There's a small metal wire secured by the screw on the front which could well be the aerial, in which case I probably have to unscrew the screw to find the aerial port.

That screw atraches the comms hub to the meter (Dolor's linked blog confirms this).

Beware that if you remove the comms hub, there will be bare terminals on the meter with 240V and no RCD protection.

Reed_Richards

[Deleted User] said:

Reed_Richards said:

Oh and my Comms Hub is an Edmi 420.  There's a small metal wire secured by the screw on the front which could well be the aerial, in which case I probably have to unscrew the screw to find the aerial port.

If you follow the advice in this blog you may well incur the wrath of your supplier; however;…….

https://anengineersview.tech.blog/smets2-is-there-anybody-there/

Thanks, that's very helpful, but my problem is less severe than that of the blogger and I have been given a vague promise of a return visit so I think it's too soon to start tampering.

Should I see daily Smart Meter readings online if the Comms Hub was fully operational?

QrizB

Reed_Richards said:

Should I see daily Smart Meter readings online if the Comms Hub was fully operational?

If you've set it (via your account) to provide daily or half-hourly readings, yes.

Although, if your connection is patchy, you might find that it only updates intermittently.

Reed_Richards

QrizB said:

Reed_Richards said:

Should I see daily Smart Meter readings online if the Comms Hub was fully operational?

If you've set it (via your account) to provide daily or half-hourly readings, yes.

Although, if your connection is patchy, you might find that it only updates intermittently.

I did not set it myself but I see it has defaulted to half hourly readings.  However there is only one reading actually shown so far and it only has a date associated with it, not a time.  I can't tell if other readings are missing becaue they failed or because my provider doesn't want to show me the full detail of 48 readings per day.