Smart meter installed weak/no signal

Scot_39

kipsterno1 said:

I was in the same position. About 18 months ago we had the old SMETS2 electric meter swapped to one with a boasted signal unit. The installer said despite this upgrade it still wasn't capable of connecting to the gas meter.

This week we had this swapped out for a new meter with the Alt Han boaster and a new gas meter. Both are now sending readings as they should. I would get back in touch with them and ask why they didn't consider an Alt Han set up and if that is a possibility for your property.

Change 1 for wan
Can you remember how they boosted the WAN comms ?
Is there any clue from wording on comms hub ?
Maybe mesh, maybe aerial - if in cellular regions ?

Change 2 for gas on han
Do you mean dual band comms hub and gas meter (extended range) or althan  - or possibly even both ?

iirc alt han is sort of the equivalent of through the mains wiring ethernet extenders.  Used to link meters / comms hubs - in past read designed for really "remote" ones - from comms hub to a local plug in extender in the home.  Designed say for larger homes like low rise and high rise with communal meters like many  flats.

It could improve the link to a gas meter on the han as well of course.  If the module positioned closer to it than tge electric meter. 

My basic han occasionally flakes out to ihd and is less than 5m as crow flies but 1 wall and 1 door / wall to attenuate signal.

Scot_39

Marvel1 said:

I live in the South

Movbile data works great in the kitchen and the room directly above living room.

An internal aerial like a t1/2 might well solve your issue if can be run to a better signal room.

kipsterno1

Scot_39 said:

kipsterno1 said:

I was in the same position. About 18 months ago we had the old SMETS2 electric meter swapped to one with a boasted signal unit. The installer said despite this upgrade it still wasn't capable of connecting to the gas meter.

This week we had this swapped out for a new meter with the Alt Han boaster and a new gas meter. Both are now sending readings as they should. I would get back in touch with them and ask why they didn't consider an Alt Han set up and if that is a possibility for your property.

Change 1 for wan
Can you remember how they boosted the WAN comms ?
Is there any clue from wording on comms hub ?
Maybe mesh, maybe aerial - if in cellular regions ?

Change 2 for gas on han
Do you mean dual band comms hub and gas meter (extended range) or althan  - or possibly even both ?

iirc alt han is sort of the equivalent of through the mains wiring ethernet extenders.  Used to link meters / comms hubs - in past read designed for really "remote" ones - from comms hub to a local plug in extender in the home.  Designed say for larger homes like low rise and high rise with communal meters like many  flats.

It could improve the link to a gas meter on the han as well of course.  If the module positioned closer to it than tge electric meter. 

My basic han occasionally flakes out to ihd and is less than 5m as crow flies but 1 wall and 1 door / wall to attenuate signal.

I couldn't remember the right name.

First change was to a dual band electric meter but this still didn't reach the gas meter so that wasn't changed.

Second change was to an electric meter with alt Han unit and a new alt Han gas meter. Internally there is a plug in unit boasting the signal.

Scot_39

Thanks Nice to know suppliers are making the effort.

Will mention the alt han to a friend struggling with gas if he turns up to end of month pub group next week.

Another one reverted last year to dumb gas even after dual band didn't work - not sure either was offered alt-han.

An alt han plug in module in kitchen might solve his issue if can get one fitted.

bob2302

Marvel1 said:

I live in the South

Movbile data works great in the kitchen and the room directly above living room.

Note that it's only mobile signals for O2 or virtual networks using Telefonica's infrastructure that are relevant.

Phones4Chris

@Marvel1 On the Comms hub which is on the top part of the Electricity meter, do any of the Green LED's flash?
If so, which ones, do they flash in sync and roughly at what rate?
If all was working correctly the SW, WAN and HAN lights should flash together every five seconds.

Marvel1

Phones4Chris said:

@Marvel1 On the Comms hub which is on the top part of the Electricity meter, do any of the Green LED's flash?
If so, which ones, do they flash in sync and roughly at what rate?
If all was working correctly the SW, WAN and HAN lights should flash together every five seconds.

Yes

SW, WAN and HAN flash green together every 5 seconds 

Phones4Chris

@Marvel1 then that means that your Comms are working fine. If the readings are not getting through to your supplier it likely means that the meter either hasn't been commissioned correctly or it's still being processed by the system. You'd need to chase your supplier on this to find out what is happening.

QrizB

Just so everyone knows:

- HAN is the Home Area Network, the encrypted ZigBee network shared by both meters, the Comms hub and the IHD.

- WAN is the Wide Area Network, the cellular (south of UK) / UHF radio (north of UK) network that connects the Comms hub to the DCC and hence to your supplier.

- Mesh is a rarely-used networking option that lets your Comms hub connect directly to a Comms hub in a neighbouring property, in cases where you don't have a decent WAN signal but they so.

Marvel1

This is fun, trying to commission my meters, they are having trouble connecting.

Now having an appointment for a smart meter enginner (I think).

More confused as it sounds like they are replacing the meters  as they said 2 hour job, moving credit over if any