Booked a smart metre. How is it connected?

blackstar

Hi all

Just booked in for a smart metre, bit nervous if I am doing the right thing.

Also wanted to know if it will be connected to the electric with its own fuse spark isolator ie if something goes wrong with it that it won't trip anything else in my property? 

Here's the current set up ie a photo. 

Any advice appreciated 

Robin9

It will be like for like as you have at the moment -  incoming cables from the electricity board and outgoing to your isolator as you have now.

Why do you think a Smart meter needs anything different to the existing meter ?

BarelySentientAI

The black box with numbers on will be replaced with a white box with numbers and lights on.

That's basically it.

p00hsticks

Robin9 said:

It will be like for like as you have at the moment -  incoming cables from the electricity board and outgoing to your isolator as you have now.

Why do you think a Smart meter needs anything different to the existing meter ?

But won't there also need to be a new communications hub connected somewhere close to the electricity meter ?

DullGreyGuy

p00hsticks said:

Robin9 said:

It will be like for like as you have at the moment -  incoming cables from the electricity board and outgoing to your isolator as you have now.

Why do you think a Smart meter needs anything different to the existing meter ?

But won't there also need to be a new communications hub connected somewhere close to the electricity meter ?

In each one we've had the comms hub sits directly on top of the electric meter, if you weren't to look closely you'd probably assume it was all one thing. Below is a picture of such a setup, slightly easier to see its two things because of the difference in colour of the case. 

Ectophile

p00hsticks said:

Robin9 said:

It will be like for like as you have at the moment -  incoming cables from the electricity board and outgoing to your isolator as you have now.

Why do you think a Smart meter needs anything different to the existing meter ?

But won't there also need to be a new communications hub connected somewhere close to the electricity meter ?

It sits directly on top of the meter, and takes its power from the meter.

In case you were wondering, you don't have to pay for the electricity used by the communication hub.

Reed_Richards

Above the "L" on the left is your mains fuse in a sealed box.  The installer will break the seal and pull the fuse to cut off the power.  The installer will then remove your existing meter and replace it with a smart meter, a meter with an attached comms hub.  This will be a bit taller than the black meter that is there at present so the installer may have to move some of the wires but hopefully that will not be a problem.  When the meter has been replaced the installer will replace the mains fuse and reseal the box.  You will need to reset anything in your house that has an adverse reaction to a power cut.

The installer should record the final reading on your old meter but it's a good idea to make your own note and take a photograph, just in case there is a mistake.

The big advantage of a smart meter is that it will give you access to some cheaper tariffs that have different rates at different times.  A few people who post here don't like smart meters but the majority appear to be in favour.  My smart meter has saved me money.      

blackstar

Thanks. I was just worried as have just had the whole home rewired and our last place had loads of issues with the electrics and tripping after a smart metre was installed? Do you think it would probably have been a coincidence? How long do you think the current none smart metre we have will last for? 

Spoonie_Turtle

The certification period of that meter is 20yrs

(Sorry for the terrible highlighting, that's the straightest I can get it on my phone!)
Source https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schedule-4-uk-nationally-approved-electricity-meters

So if you look on the sticker and see the certification date, you'll be able to work out how long it has left (unless it were to develop a fault in the meantime, which I'm not suggesting is likely to happen but just including the info for accuracy).

Reed_Richards

Your old meter is reading 94473 so it won't be that long before it goes "round the clock".  That has potential to cause a problem when you submit a reading that is much lower than the previous one (because the meter has gone past 99999). 

I think the electrical problems in your old house were coincidental to the installation of a smart meter.  

MeteredOut

Reed_Richards said:

Your old meter is reading 94473 so it won't be that long before it goes "round the clock".  That has potential to cause a problem when you submit a reading that is much lower than the previous one (because the meter has gone past 99999). 

I think the electrical problems in your old house were coincidental to the installation of a smart meter.  

This happened to my elec meter before I had it switched for a smart meter at the end of last year. Visually, it was identical to the OPs.

In my case, it went over 99999 to 00000 and EDF's billing system worked it out all correctly. It's probably one of the simpler checks to add to their billing systems; I did check it though.