Changing to smart meters, just a heads up

BarelySentientAI

pseudodox said:

Really do not understand why meters have generally been put in the most inconvenient sites - in garages, cellars, understair cupboards, under kitchen sinks, in boxes outside - with access for many being difficult unless you are 3ft tall, 7ft tall or a contortionist.

Because people wanted them "out of the way" and thought that a meter reader would be the one needing to get to them.

Design/positioning hasn't really changed much in the last 5 decades.

pseudodox

My parents Edwardian house had the fuse board and electric meter (no mains gas when it was built) on the wall above the cellar door.  Very easy to read and access the fuses/main switch.  When gas was installed the meter was put in an attached outhouse at a sensible level.

I guess you are right - people don't want such things on show these days.  In my current house the CH boiler was originally in a ridiculous position in an underground room behind the garage, with the flue going out near the ceiling onto paved area at the back of the house, just a couple of inches clear of the ground.  And as far as it could possibly be from any hot water outlets in the house.  Before I bought the place there had been a serious flooding incident and water had flowed in through the flue, wrecked the boiler and flooded the ground floor.  Where did the then owners have the replacement boiler fitted?  In exactly the same position.  I had it ripped out and relocated to the first floor kitchen where the flue is safely 8ft above ground level and hot water has to travel only 3 feet to the kitchen sink.  My insurance company were happy when I explained I had reduced the risk of a further flood but neighbours were horrified - "you don't want the boiler in the kitchen where it is on show!".  And no I did not get it boxed in.  I am very popular with service and repair guys!  Apart from those under 6 foot tall when they want to access the meters.

I guess this is why the IHDs are so heavily promoted as being a magic solution to a perceived problem of not knowing how much energy you are using.  

tim_p

EssexHebridean said:

For those with Octopus also be aware that their excellent "Home Mini" device can supply far more detailed information about your use directly to the app and online account - which is far more useful than a little screen in the kitchen or wherever will ever be! Hopefully more suppliers will start doing similar devices. 

What exactly?  He mine a while and all it seems to add is the ‘Live’ figure in the app. Is that it?

UnsureAboutthis

The gas and elec meters are no more than  14/16 inches apart and the electric meter is about 2/3 inches higher therefore right next to the other.  My brother took the IHD right next to the meters, gas still did not work,
The IHD works even when in the garden a good 50 feet from the meter, ie works for the electric.

He was fobbed off " not all IDH can connect to smart meters ..there is nothing else we can do.."

The whole exercise was to get an IHD that displayed dual fuel pricing on the one screen and he did not get that as those types were not in stock.

My brother's recommendation is, don't bother and it has certainly put me off

Having said that, one of our son's who lives a few minutes walk from us in a detached house built in the late 1980's, the meters are in a cupboard at the front of the house and its a big house. I guess their IHD, dual fuel reading on one page is on the extended kitchen a good 50 feet from the meters and that works fine

The suppliers should be clear about the good chance of IHD meters my not work in another room or even when right next to the meters as is the case for the gas readings for my brother.

The irony is that its not just the suppliers banging on about being able to read costs at a glance  - OFGEM site also states similar. See below

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/get-smart-meter

They refer to it as "near real-time information re energy use."  (That is what sold the smart meters to my brother and son)

Your in-home display can help you easily track your costs and understand when your energy use could be more efficient.

MP1995

Less than 5% affected if you believe the figures so whilst not ideal not worth the fuss that is made here week in week out.

katejo

Reed_Richards said:

A smart meter is not "smart" if it cannot communicate via the WAN and you have to read it yourself and submit the readings.  IHDs are "sold" in the advertisements as a means of monitoring your instantaneous power usage.  If the IHD can communicate with the comms hub (via the LAN) then it can still do this.  So there is every point in still having an IHD.

Is there any point in requesting a replacement IHD if only the electricity part displays? The gas still says 'awaiting data' after 2 months. I have chased Octopus with no success. The app on my phone is now working. It took several weeks to do so. 

katejo

pseudodox said:

I keep seeing people saying their smart gas meter does not work because it is too far from the electric meter.  Can anyone give examples of how far apart they are because that is one aspect of having SMs myself that I think could be an issue, as the meters are diagonally opposite across a large garage.  And I am in a mobile phone signal iffy blackspot ("now it works, now it doesn't" scenario) & the garage is the lowest part of a townhouse built into a hillside.  The only part of the garage that a signal might transmit through is the front access metal roller door And the chances of an IHD toy working are probably zilch unless it sits next to the meter, which would hardly fulfill the "see at a glance" usage output.

Really do not understand why meters have generally been put in the most inconvenient sites - in garages, cellars, understair cupboards, under kitchen sinks, in boxes outside - with access for many being difficult unless you are 3ft tall, 7ft tall or a contortionist.

My electric smart meter is in a cupboard under the stairs. My gas one is mounted under my front window. My IHD is roughly halfway between them but hasn't yet worked for gas. For electricity, it works most of the time. 

mmmmikey

katejo said:

pseudodox said:

I keep seeing people saying their smart gas meter does not work because it is too far from the electric meter.  Can anyone give examples of how far apart they are because that is one aspect of having SMs myself that I think could be an issue, as the meters are diagonally opposite across a large garage.  And I am in a mobile phone signal iffy blackspot ("now it works, now it doesn't" scenario) & the garage is the lowest part of a townhouse built into a hillside.  The only part of the garage that a signal might transmit through is the front access metal roller door And the chances of an IHD toy working are probably zilch unless it sits next to the meter, which would hardly fulfill the "see at a glance" usage output.

Really do not understand why meters have generally been put in the most inconvenient sites - in garages, cellars, understair cupboards, under kitchen sinks, in boxes outside - with access for many being difficult unless you are 3ft tall, 7ft tall or a contortionist.

My electric smart meter is in a cupboard under the stairs. My gas one is mounted under my front window. My IHD is roughly halfway between them but hasn't yet worked for gas. For electricity, it works most of the time. 

Hi, the gas meter sends it's data to the comms hub that sits on top of the electricity meter. The IHD gets the gas data from the comms hub, not the gas meter. So the problem is likely to be either the link between the gas meter and comms hub, or there is a configuration error (probably related to security). Unfortunately no amount of moving the IHD round will fix either of these issues

pseudodox

When I eventually get SMs the Einstein gizmo will go in the bin.  I will stick with my spreadsheet to know exactly how much my energy is costing.

Reed_Richards

katejo said:

Reed_Richards said:

A smart meter is not "smart" if it cannot communicate via the WAN and you have to read it yourself and submit the readings.  IHDs are "sold" in the advertisements as a means of monitoring your instantaneous power usage.  If the IHD can communicate with the comms hub (via the LAN) then it can still do this.  So there is every point in still having an IHD.

Is there any point in requesting a replacement IHD if only the electricity part displays? The gas still says 'awaiting data' after 2 months. I have chased Octopus with no success. The app on my phone is now working. It took several weeks to do so. 

If Octopus can get your gas meter readings and your IHD can display the electricity readings then there is no reason other than a fault for it not to give you your gas readings as well.  But if Octopus are estimating your gas meter readings or using readings you supplied yourself then no IHD will work for gas.