IHD no longer adding electricity standing charge

Mountstuart

The 'So far today' screen has a gas cost that includes the standing charge but the electricity cost doesn't. It used to up until around the time the clocks went back.   At midnight it flicks to zero and at 8am the cost shown still hasn't reached the standing charge amount. The tariff details are correct on the IHD.

Octopus support have been insisting that the IHD doesn't show the standing charge though I think this is just an individual's opinion. I've asked for sight of the documentation they are using but nothing so far.  The omission of this value reduces the usefulness of the IHD in budgeting especially now that the standing charge is so high.

Is there anything I can do?  I can't see a full reset button and perhaps such a think would lose the pairing with the meter anyway?

Thanks

EssexHebridean

Best thing you can do is to switch the IHD over to displaying the energy used in kWh, rather than in money, and learn what your use is in those terms as it's more practical if trying to reduce use than relying on the monetary aspect which is more likely to be subject to errors. (For example the rates not being updated when the tariff price changes). 

You might also find applying for an Octopus Home Mini useful - that then means that you can use the Octopus app in much the same way that you currently use the IHD. 

Netexporter

My IHD stopped adding in the daily charge a month or so ago. I've got an Octopus Home Mini, now, so I don't care!

ProseccoGirl

Ours does some odd things randomly.   Sometimes the usage on given days moves, which is really odd.

I agree with EssexH, in that it's best to concentrate on what you're actually using.

Scot_39

The ihd might be able to show you what it thinks is the standing charge.

On my old smets1 I can cycle through live power, emissions, sc and unit rate.

But that just relies on data sent to meter by supplier and may not match bills.

I've in  y time with smart - had no sc in totals, kWh rates exc vat, correct rates for couple of years and totals, incorrect sc and rates again for 3.5m Apr to July this year due to EOn sending meter wrong prices etc.

As above getting used to power is better for controlling usage and comparing over time.  3500kWh electric cost double last winter as 2 years ago

Prices may be low cf last winter - but they are still high - so its annoying if ihd not functioning correctly for £s too.

But if gas ok and that's your hot water and heating - at least you can keep track of biggest winter component.


Edit

Octopus also have a live interface device - iirc a mini - to link meters live to a phone / tablet app.

And may be some online dashboards in your account updating regularly.

Or a standard app - loop, bright etc - but not sure how these handle costs if at all cf kWh energy usage stats.  And these tend to be either several hours or day plus old respectively.

Devongardener

I’m having a similar problem with my Octopus IHD. It only shows half of the SC for gas and electric.    I’ve been talking to Octopus by email and followed all the reset advice even though they told me to press a non existent button on the back!   They say they will reset it remotely but nothing so far.  Having read these posts it seems they have a real problem.

PennineAcute

Even if it showed the correct SC, your gas daily cost would not accurate due to the calorific value, which can change daily.  Your IHD just has a default value.

Mountstuart

Thanks for the replies.  I much prefer it to show the cost - that's what the rest of the household think in.  The phone app is not very helpful in my opinion - it's not current for one thing. 

I wasn't aware of the 'mini', I will investigate, thanks.

Mountstuart

@PennineAcute. It does show the gas standing charge and, yes thanks, I know about the conversion factor but it's close enough for rock n' roll.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

the standing charge is the same every day, so just needs a quick bit of mental arithmetic for total.

Netexporter

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

the standing charge is the same every day, so just needs a quick bit of mental arithmetic for total.

Although it is essentially meaningless on a tariff like Agile, because they only put an "average" rate in, about 13p in my case, so the half-hourly prices aren't reflected in the monetary amount.