Is This a Dual Band Comms Hub

Qyburn

Octopus are talking about installing additional equipment.  Not that I believe for one moment that the problems are due to signal strength but I won't argue with them sending their guy armed for bear with extra bits just in case.

However in conversation she said something along the lines of "I see we've already installed a dual band comms hub". But I don't think they have. I have a recollection of the tech saying they only install them where there's a gas meter.  And looking up the model EDMI CS010A "Standard 420" also suggests otherwise. Could someone confirm  before I let Octopus know?

Thanks,

Rodders53

Technical information on UK SMETS 2 Smart Meters has example comms hubs...

Yours is a North region hub (Arqiva long range UHF signals for WAN).  Not a dual band variant (which might allow a IHD to work on the HAN?, but I thought Octopus mini repeaters sorted HAN issues out?).

Octopus (allegedly) are installing South region (Mobile phone network) comms hubs to fix a lack of WAN reception at UHF in some locations;  so the WAN works via mobile rather than Arqiva long range radio.

Qyburn

Thanks. As I say I am not convinced that the past problems, leading up to the equipment being replaced, were due to poor signal strength.  I can't see why it would mean that for a period Octopus were able to retrieve index readings but not HH data. Of why it would cause the meter to have gaps in its recorded data. And of course there's the fact that the meter worked perfectly for 18 months before going flakey.

I've sent the photo to Octopus anyway so they can update their records if necessary.

 

Rodders53

Sign up to the Bright app from Hildebrand, and see what data they can pull from the DCC (although it may take some time).  I have my data from a year ago and I signed up at the weekend.

Bright App — MoneySavingExpert Forum

If the same gaps in data appear via that then that's all the DCC have got from your meter...

EDIT  I was using the Hugo app, but they have pulled their free version.

Qyburn

Rodders53 said:

Bright App — MoneySavingExpert Forum

If the same gaps in data appear via that then that's all the DCC have got from your meter...

Bright has the same gaps.

mmmmikey

Hi, there are two wireless networks at play here. The wireless network that allows your gas meter, electricity meter and IHD communicate with each other via the comms hub. And the wireless network (mobile comms or Arquiva depending on where you live) that gets the data to the DCC.

The dual band comms hub allows the meters and IHD use a choice of frequencies to communicate. Note that it is highly unlikely for the electricity meter to have a problem communicating with to the comms hub (it sits on top) and the IHD has (rightly or wrongly) not been seen as a high priority. So it would make sense for them only to install a dual band comms hub if the gas meter isn't communicating. 

If the problem you're having relates to the IHD not connecting then a dual band comms hub might work. But if the IHD is working and the problem is the data getting to the DCC then a dual band comms hub won't help. In this latter case the extra kit would be an external antenna but IIRC they are only available for the hubs that use mobile comms (not Arquiva).

Not sure if this helps or I'm just telling you something you already know?

Ildhund

mmmmikey said:

But if the IHD is working and the problem is the data getting to the DCC then a dual band comms hub won't help. In this latter case the extra kit would be an external antenna but IIRC they are only available for the hubs that use mobile comms (not Arquiva).

There's another possibility: the Kaifa Flying Lead. If the difficulty connecting to the WAN can potentially be attributed to local obstruction, moving the comms hub with its internal antenna away from its perch on top of the meter is an obvious step to try. As far as I'm aware, all the lead does is provide power to the comms hub.   

Qyburn

mmmmikey said:

Hi, there are two wireless networks at play here. The wireless network that allows your gas meter, electricity meter and IHD communicate with each other via the comms hub. And the wireless network (mobile comms or Arquiva depending on where you live) that gets the data to the DCC.

We don't have a gas meter.

I have the Octopus Mini, and that continued to work while Octopus was unable to retrieve data from the old, flakey, meter. It doesn't work at all with the new one.  I assume the Mini is 2.4GHz only, but that's just my guess. If I'm correct then dual band HAN would do nothing for us.  Unless the dual band CHs just happen to also have enhancements on the WAN.