RTS Meter Replacement - 4 or 5-Terminal Smart Meter?

QrizB

A four-port meter with external contactor will look something like this (taken from this thread):

Note the thin blue wire from the smart meter to the contactor. This carries the switching signal.

While a five-port meter will look more like this (this one belongs to Rosie1001, from this thread, and was fitted to replace an RTS meter earlier this week):

Rosie's installation looks complicated because (a) hers includes two separate isolation switches and (b) her house electrics are antiquated.

Edit: hopefully you can see the photos; I can see them in "edit" view but not after I save the comment!

Second edit: another go at fixing the photos.

Scot_39

Dont see the 4 port @QrizB

Theres a messy example here

https://forum.ovoenergy.com/the-library-archive-149/why-are-my-storage-heaters-not-coming-on-with-my-secure-liberty-100-no-boost-mode-no-off-peak-night-rate-9672

It at least shows the thin cable linked to the Protues contactor and the restricted switched  - 3 Ls meter tail to Consumer unit.

But must be cleaner photos of ones somewhere.

QrizB

Scot_39 said:

Dont see the 4 port QrizB

...

But must be cleaner photos of ones somewhere.

Shold be visible now, and it's a lot cleaner than the one in that Ovo forum thread.

Scot_39

Thanks @QrizB

It really annoyed my meter fitter that EOn standardised on the Liberty 100 - rather than was it the Liberty 110 - 5 port that followed soon after.

I had already gone 5 port digital - but the new isolators and Henley to common my old 2 restricited circuit outputs from RTS took up my old RTS space and more on the RHS of my meter back board.

So he had to move the isolators and Henley to get the space for the Proteus and cut a couple of extra tails.

Rosie1001

QrizB said:

A four-port meter with external contactor will look something like this (taken from this thread):

Note the thin blue wire from the smart meter to the contactor. This carries the switching signal.

While a five-port meter will look more like this (this one belongs to Rosie1001, from this thread, and was fitted to replace an RTS meter earlier this week):

Rosie's installation looks complicated because (a) hers includes two separate isolation switches and (b) her house electrics are antiquated.

Edit: hopefully you can see the photos; I can see them in "edit" view but not after I save the comment!

Second edit: another go at fixing the photos.

I actually recommended the OP to post on here as he’s in the same FB group as I am regarding RTS meters 

He asked the same question in the group and  I knew you guys would help him 

TCA

Thanks to @QrizB for posting the images. I think the electrics at my parents' house falls into the antiquated category.

I only have photos to hand of the Horstmann meter itself, which was installed in a separate wallbox, but there's another wallbox next to it, which might even still contain the original mechanical meter, along with an old-style black fuse box. I'll need to look again but it's definitely not a modern consumer unit.

I don't think the newer cupboard/box with the Horstmann meter is that big, so looking at the images posted and as @Phones4Chris mentioned, space might be an issue already for a 4-port meter with external contactor box. 

TCA

A quick question please so I can get an email off to Octopus and sound like I know what I'm talking about.

Re HCALCS - put simply, is it just the case that the ALCS in the external contactor box is controlled by a Home Area Network? So it might be that, or the meter might be wired to it as pictured above?

QrizB

Personally I'd leave the acronym out of your email.

Inform Octopus that you (your parents?) have storage heaters that are currently switched by the legacy meter, and that the replacement smart meter will need to carry out the same switching. Add that space in ther meter cabinet is limited and there may not be room for an external contactor.

Qyburn

TCA said:.

Re HCALCS - put simply, is it just the case that the ALCS in the external contactor box is controlled by a Home Area Network? So it might be that, or the meter might be wired to it as pictured above?

An external contactor is hard wired, nothing to do with the wireless Home Area Network.

TCA

Thanks both. I'll stick to the lack of cabinet space and potential failure of additional equipment arguments.