Multiple Meters Help!

Wiglets69

My partner and I have just bought our first flat. It has 2 electricity meters as it had storage heaters which we've just had removed. We currently have two accounts with eon on Economy 7 because of the two meters. Now we've removed the storage heaters, how can we go about removing the second meter so we only have 1. At the moment we're paying two standing charges! We also have a RadioSwitch meter that's disconnected if anyone has any wisdom around that too!?

I spoke to eon this morning who weren't overly knowledgeable and told me that if they disconnected one of them I'd still have to pay a standing charge 

DE_612183

Have you had a bill yet?

I don't think you have economy 7 - you should only have one standing charge anyway and perhaps a timeswitch rental charge.

It looks like the kit is property of scottish power - so I guess you're in scotland - they need to ask the Meter Operator to remove any kit no longer required, then you can go onto a basic domestic tariff.

Tell them that's what you want.

A basic Domestic single rate tariff.

DE_612183

By the way - the meter certification on the first meter is 1998 - that's 26 years old - it's probably due for renewal anyway.

Wiglets69

DE_612183 said:

Have you had a bill yet?

I don't think you have economy 7 - you should only have one standing charge anyway and perhaps a timeswitch rental charge.

It looks like the kit is property of scottish power - so I guess you're in scotland - they need to ask the Meter Operator to remove any kit no longer required, then you can go onto a basic domestic tariff.

Tell them that's what you want.

A basic Domestic single rate tariff.

No we haven't had a bill yet. But we're definitely on Economy 7 and paying 2 Standing Charges as eon had to set it up as two seperate accounts so we have two accounts and two direct debits! What we really want is to remove/disconnect the 1998 meter (older than myself and partner!) all together now we've removed the storage heaters

TheElectricCow

It sounds like you’ve received some poor advice from Eon, once the second meter is removed that account can be closed and no standing charge would apply. I believe it would also be Eon who are responsible for removing this second meter, so personally I’d try contacting them again and seeing if you can get through to someone else with a bit more knowledge in this area.

Slightly besides the point, but in the last image the tamper seal on the meter appears to be broken - it would probably be a good idea to ensure Eon are made aware of this promptly to prevent any possible issues with it being discovered in future.

FreeBear

TheElectricCow said:

It sounds like you’ve received some poor advice from Eon, once the second meter is removed that account can be closed and no standing charge would apply. I believe it would also be Eon who are responsible for removing this second meter, so personally I’d try contacting them again and seeing if you can get through to someone else with a bit more knowledge in this area.

Try the smart meter team - They should be more knowledgeable about such matters (if not, they are on the wrong team). Having a smart meter will open up access to innovative time of use tariffs (such as Octopus Agile & Tracker), and should mean you never get an estimated bill.

Scot_39

Thats a strange metering set-up in some respects - as the 5235D-N is as it clearly states - is multi-rate - so capable of billing on E7 - but not what is termed a load switching (ALCS) meter - so you would still have needed an external timer signal and relay / contactor to supply restricted circuits - your RTS box will be doing both currently.

The 5335D - does appear to have the low current tariff switch wire connected (the thin one on the right)

My RTS box was a combined dual rate digital meter and time switch - yours just a time switch.

Assuming you supply the old ABB reading on 1 account - how many readings do you supply on the second for the Landys + Gyr ?

With the little cable "pulled" (connected) to N feed by I suspect the RTS timeswitch - the meter selects rate 2 register - to allow billing at second off peak rate.

https://www.solartradesales.co.uk/Cache/Downloads/L-and-G-5235-User-ManualBrochure-info.pdf

In the photo it is displaying rate 1 - when it displays rate 2 - is that register also changing - or does rate 1 match total - you tube videos suggest it just cycles - but flashes 1 if rate 1 active 2 if rate 2 active as does so ?

It looks as if it could be wired to work in dual rate mode.

So my initial thoughts without being able to trace the wiring - is that the ABB meter itself could have been removed in any case when it was fitted - but not the time switch.

The RTS box - which I suspect will be doing the 5235D tariff time switching and supplying the NSH / any HW immersion restricted time circuits -  via the old meter - if it still registers any use.

The RTS radio signal was meant to be switched off and RTS boxes iirc prioritised if truly liable for failure / time signal sensitive - for removal - that deadline was by Apr 24 - reports at the time suggested around 3/4 million RTS meters / switches were still in service - switchoff deadline now iirc by Apr 25.

I would have thought EOn would jump at the chance to get your's removed - but in some regions there still seems to be delays even for more simple meter exchanges.

But it might be beyond the wit of their normal customer service team - and even some meter installers - it took 3 visits to replace my dual meter RTS meters with a single digital - 2 left rather than trying and botching - as hadn't dealt with the complexity - the third came from a distant location - but knew the set-up.  (Curiously he came back and did 2 other neighbours that month).

But you should definitely be on the list for a free upgrade of the RTS bits in the near future - you might have to pay to have the meter removed - if want it doen earlier - but iirc Ovo charge was quite a bit less than 1 years electric SC (nearer £100 vs c£200+ for SC in more expensive regions ).

You might find your water heater still relies on the restricted circuit - it may even have two heater elements - one connected to restricted (7 hours only) on E7 off peak and one connected to peak for boosting during day.

Did you upgrade it's supply in anyway - when you replaced the NSH ?

At one stage Ovo used to tell customers to have the home system surveyed and checked that all (needed) circuits would operate as desired before and request a copy - before would remove a complex metering home's second meter - EOn might do the same.  (That was case for removing an old SSE complex THTC second RTS meter with Ovo)

Which appears to be what you want (you say have already removed the old storage heaters - were you advised to or a personal decision - did you consider upgrading to modern programmable / smart  HHR NSH or  lot 20 ?).

Given the set-up - you could well qaulify as what Ofgem term as having restricted meter (RMI) - but theirs a plit between those with E7 and not - which in my case didnt apply - as I had Heatwise RTS then E10 that matched GMT timings - so could be able to request single rate billing and one standing charge.

IIRC from the date I accepted the E10 ultimatum to the meters fitted - about 2.5 months given failed visits - they zeroed my second SC for that bill period.

See

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/decision/supplier-compliance-requirements-customers-restricted-meters

As that article states - suppliers have been forced to pay back costs and goodwill compensation.

In any case - apart from any dynamic off peak timings via the RTS signal - you system can be replaced by a modern smets2 smart meter with onboard ALCS if want to retain restricted timed circuits (e.g HW immersion) - and you can again have a modern E7 meter billed at single rate on both registers at many suppliers.

Or by simply feeding everything in the house - so both consumer units if the second off peak one still exists or needed - with a simple single rate smart meter - connecting the CU tails using a henley block to the single meter tail.

Just check they update the meter database at the same time - removing the second MPAN - and changing the remaining - to the correct meter type.  It could come back as an issue if switch suppliers in future if not.

And not sure exactly what you were told - but yes you will always pay a SC  - but only one - for a standard modern E7 with or without ALCS - or single rate smart meter.

I used to pay 2 SC - only paid one ever since RTS removed - iniitially with digital with onboard ALCS - then smart with timer signal -driving external contactor.  Just as well as now over 20% of my total bill.