Smart meter for storage heaters

Rosie1001

QrizB said:

Rosie1001 said:

AQrizB said:

Rosie1001 said:

On the Facebook group I’m on ..two people have two different meters that have recently been installed one is working correctly , the other one no afternoon boost
is the meter a factor ?? Or is it all down to meter communication 

It's most likely to be tariff related.

The one with no afternoon boost is on a tariff with no afternoon boost.

Both same suppliers , both supposed to have afternoon boost …. It’s octopus snug 

If Octopus have sent the timings to the meter, the afternoon boost will happen. So I can only assume that the timings haven't been sent.

Ask the owner of the Secure Liberty meter to create an account here, and we can help them directly.

I’ve asked a few people to join , but they seem reluctant to, don’t know why 

Scrounger

Rosie1001 said:

this meter is working correctly and giving afternoon boost from day of installation 

I have two of these Alclara meters (in separate properties) one is on E7 and the other on Octopus Agile (was E7) both using the 5th terminal to control off-peak circuits and both working perfectly.  (The meter on the Agile tariff retaining its former E7 switching times).

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), so although it may be "working perfectly" it isn't actually controlling any off-peak circuits?


Scrounger

Ildhund

Scrounger said:

I have two of these Alclara meters 

Are you sure yours are the same as the one in the photo? That is the first SGM 1423-B I've seen in the wild, clearly a new (post-2019*) model with greater auxiliary load control switching capabilities. The 'normal' Aclara multi-rate meter is the SGM 1416-B. [I think the model no. is 1423-B - it would take newer eyes than mine to be sure.] 

Scrounger said:

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), 

The photo isn't clear enough for me to spot just what tails are present. If it's working as intended, there must be a fifth, either from an internal 100A switch or from the internal 2A switch to an external contactor. 

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* ETA: These were the models available in 2019, from Aclara SGM 1400 series:

QrizB

Scrounger said:

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), so although it may be "working perfectly" it isn't actually controlling any off-peak circuits?

Again, if the owner of that meter would join this forum we migh be able to help them.
It's impossiblt to provide effective advice otherwise.

Scrounger

Ildhund said:

Scrounger said:

I have two of these Alclara meters 

Are you sure yours are the same as the one in the photo? That is the first SGM 1423-B I've seen in the wild, clearly a new (post-2019*) model with greater auxiliary load control switching capabilities. The 'normal' Aclara multi-rate meter is the SGM 1416-B. [I think the model no. is 1423-B - it would take newer eyes than mine to be sure.] 

You're right, mine are SGM 1416-B but look the same as above (different han module).

@Rosie1001 If you get the choice I can recommend both of these Alclara meters (SGM 1416-B or SGM 1423-B).  Also ask the fitter to fit an isolating switch - useful for future upgrades.

Ildhund said:

Scrounger said:

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), 

The photo isn't clear enough for me to spot just what tails are present. If it's working as intended, there must be a fifth, either from an internal 100A switch or from the internal 2A switch to an external contactor. 

On the photo, the 5th terminal orifice at the bottom the the meter appears to be unoccupied.


Scrounger

QrizB

Scrounger said:

Ildhund said:

Scrounger said:

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), 

The photo isn't clear enough for me to spot just what tails are present. If it's working as intended, there must be a fifth, either from an internal 100A switch or from the internal 2A switch to an external contactor. 

On the photo, the 5th terminal orifice at the bottom the the meter appears to be unoccupied.

That was my thought, too, although that part of the photo os really dark. But the Aclara meter owner thinks they're getting their afternoon boost. Maybe they've got timers on their storage heaters? I have lots of questions that I'd ask them if they were to start a thread here.

Scot_39

Scrounger said:

Rosie1001 said:

this meter is working correctly and giving afternoon boost from day of installation 

I have two of these Alclara meters (in separate properties) one is on E7 and the other on Octopus Agile (was E7) both using the 5th terminal to control off-peak circuits and both working perfectly.  (The meter on the Agile tariff retaining its former E7 switching times).

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), so although it may be "working perfectly" it isn't actually controlling any off-peak circuits?


Scrounger

Its very dark, but you cannot see the white board backing between ports 3 and 4  as clearly - the inside gap between the meter tails if you like - so maybe a forward rather than in line 5th port and actually connected - maybe even with red ferrals as theirs a hint of red tone in the shadows there ?

Ildhund

Scrounger said:

You're right, mine are SGM 1416-B but look the same as above (different han module).

The 'han module' is the Communications Hub (CH). The one in the picture is used in the Northern CSP to connect to the Arqiva long-range radio network. In the Central and South CSP (roughly south of Manchester), a different sort is used to connect to the 02 smart meter network. Lots of info on the DCC site.

Scrounger said:

I might be mistaken but in the photo above, the fifth terminal doesn't appear to be connected (I only see 4 cables), 

OK, I stretched my image-enhancement-fu almost to breaking point and came up with this:
  


N3 and L4 are apparently in deep shadow, but L5 (that's the switched circuit feed) looks clear enough to me. Any other guesses?

Phones4Chris

Oh dearie me.
No need to guess @Ildhund your image enhancement is correct but apart from the fact that @Rosie1001 did state that the one with the Aclara meter was working correctly and getting afternoon boost so L5 MUST be connected 

Rosie1001 said:

this meter is working correctly and giving afternoon boost from day of installation 

Phones4Chris

@Ildhund I agree the meter type could look like 1423-B BUT I think it's actually 1422-B. Try your image enhancement on it and see what comes up.
The major difference between the 1416-B and the 1422-B is that the later can handle Active Export on both the Primary and Secondary circuits and has no auxiliary contacts either. The 1416-B only handles export on the primary.