Half hourly readings - Octopus - new meter needed?

twf81

Hi all,

Hoping to get some advice. I have 16 solar panels with batteries which have been working well for months. 

According to Octopus, my half hourly meter readings aren’t being received by them and they’ve sent out engineers who say it is because of “the radio waves.” 

Without this, I can’t move to their Octopus Flux tariff and benefit from cheaper import rates overnight etc. 

My neighbour (3 doors down) also uses Octopus and has no such issue sending half hourly readings. 

Does anyone know if it’s possible that a change of meter will improve this? Are there alternative meters that don’t use radio waves?

Thanks!

T

FlorayG

I've been told this and yes, it can vary in the same street, dependant on placing of walls and trees. I don't know of any 'alternative' meters but I would have thought if they were available you and I would have both been offered one?

Netexporter

They can fit an external antenna, which may improve matters.

In the north of England and in Scotland they use a UHF radio system. In the rest of England and in Wales the mobile phone network is used. Additionally, meters can form a local network, with other nearby meters, so as long as one can communicate with the outside world, the others can piggy-back off that.

Another, theoretical, solution is to use the customer's own wi-fi to connect via the internet. This is how the Octopus Home Mini works, to enable live consumption data to be displayed in the Octopus app. Unfortunately, this method is not yet deemed secure enough for metering purposes.

Smart meters have to be able to store over a year of data, so if they can get things working in that time then all the data can be taken into account, eventually.

Octopus are generally good at trying to get smart meters working but you will have to be patient.

Scot_39

There are ways of boosting signals in some cases.

But Octopus users have also been warned about firmware issues with a brand of meter in past  sk e having issues for several months getting on for year plus..

If problem marginal signal strength, DCC / suppliers can sometimes fix weak wan signal problems using comms hubs and fitting internal to home t1/t2 secondary aerials or t3 external (if in cellular comms area according to one report only) or mesh networking versions - but as I say depending on signal area.

Octopus have been known to fit or arrange to have fitted in past from at least one forum post few years back iirc.

 

Mark_d

So you have a Smart Meter?  Although your smart meter communicates in the same way as your neighbour's, the hardware of the comms hub might be different meaning that their signal is stronger than yours.  You can potentially get a better smart meter - or you could get an Advanced Meter which could solve the problem.  Octopus can hopefully sort something out for you.

twf81

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll certainly speak with a bit more confidence to Octopus now.