Change of Meters

Sarahspangles

EssexHebridean said:

The advertising pushing smart meters has been a major cause of problems on this as even until quite recently they've been referring to the IHD and inferring that is the actual meter. Fine for those of us who understand, but hardly surprising that a good tranche of people, when asked whether their "smart  meter" works, ignore the fact that in fact, the meter does precisely what it's meant to, but the IHD doesn't connect/shows the wrong price or whatever, and answer the question "NO!" 

Martin has recently done some research putting together numbers on ALL issues around smart meters - and acknowledges that within those figures he has actively encouraged people to include everything. 

(The SMETS1 issue following supplier change is now sort3d for the majority of the remaining SMETS1 meters, IIRC?)

We’re on gas meter no 3. No 1 was an emergency fit ten years ago due to a leak (on moving day!). It wasn’t smart but OH decided he wanted an IHD. Gas meter no 2 never communicated. Gas meter 3 has also never communicated but the fitter did say that the problem could be the electricity meter. He implied it relays the reading - but this could be nonsense. We’ve also had two energy companies arguing about whether the electricity meter was safely fitted, with the current company saying they won’t touch it.

When I’ve grumbled about this on MSE I’m told I shouldn’t be so precious/busy to read a meter once a month.

The upshot is we’ve never summoned up the energy to get the IHD working properly so we understand our electricity use. I just keep an eye on my spreadsheet.

We’re planning to move before the electricity meter needs replacing. In case the energy co refuse and cut the property off.

EssexHebridean

Nope - the fitter is telling you right - the communications hub is the box that lives on top of your electricity meter (in almost all cases) and if the gas meter isn't communicating then that's likely to be the source of the problem. 

Something to do to check out the situation could be to download one of the third party apps - I like Loop and Bright, but there are others - and see if that can see the readings from the gas meter.

Scot_39

badmemory said:

I have it marked to watch.  Please don't get me wrong I love the IHD.  What I don't love is the lies that they told to sell them to us.  I can see how badly my solar is doing at the moment & also an increase in usage at the moment too.  What am I going to do - turn my freezer off as it is that causing it - really.!

Not if normal.

But if say it got stuck in defrost it might make you aware it was wasting several kWh extra a day.

Or simply needs defrosting and so constantly running compressor.

There was a post mid crisis someone found his garage chest freezer pulling iirc 5+ kWh rather than c1-1.5 as rated after getting his smart meters and ihd

Scot_39

Sarahspangles said:

EssexHebridean said:

The advertising pushing smart meters has been a major cause of problems on this as even until quite recently they've been referring to the IHD and inferring that is the actual meter. Fine for those of us who understand, but hardly surprising that a good tranche of people, when asked whether their "smart  meter" works, ignore the fact that in fact, the meter does precisely what it's meant to, but the IHD doesn't connect/shows the wrong price or whatever, and answer the question "NO!" 

Martin has recently done some research putting together numbers on ALL issues around smart meters - and acknowledges that within those figures he has actively encouraged people to include everything. 

(The SMETS1 issue following supplier change is now sort3d for the majority of the remaining SMETS1 meters, IIRC?)

We’re on gas meter no 3. No 1 was an emergency fit ten years ago due to a leak (on moving day!). It wasn’t smart but OH decided he wanted an IHD. Gas meter no 2 never communicated. Gas meter 3 has also never communicated but the fitter did say that the problem could be the electricity meter. He implied it relays the reading - but this could be nonsense. We’ve also had two energy companies arguing about whether the electricity meter was safely fitted, with the current company saying they won’t touch it.

When I’ve grumbled about this on MSE I’m told I shouldn’t be so precious/busy to read a meter once a month.

The upshot is we’ve never summoned up the energy to get the IHD working properly so we understand our electricity use. I just keep an eye on my spreadsheet.

We’re planning to move before the electricity meter needs replacing. In case the energy co refuse and cut the property off.

If the problem is upstream of meter unsafe - the supplier should arrange for dno to modify fuse holder and associated wiring and if necessary supply street cabling to make it safe.

My sisters cables needed proper shrouding.

He neighbour needed rewiring to street level as even worse state.

badmemory

Scot_39 said:

But if say it got stuck in defrost it might make you aware it was wasting several kWh extra a day.

Or simply needs defrosting and so constantly running compressor.

There was a post mid crisis someone found his garage chest freezer pulling iirc 5+ kWh rather than c1-1.5 as rated after getting his smart meters and ihd

My freezer is way too antiquated to have automatic defrost & is probably the cause.  It will be replaced when I finally get round to having my new kitchen.