RTS Switch off - E.ON Next doesn't have a solution to replace my 'multi 9' RTS meter

sweetape

E.ON Next have had years to sort this out.  Some of the meters in our building are over 27 years.  I had two appointments to get a smart meter installed and the technicians couldn't do it.  Today, they said this about my meter, '' Unfortunately, we do not currently have a direct solution for these specific meter types, and investigations are ongoing."   Is it just E.ON Next who are avoiding their obligations? Is there anyone is in the same situation or who can provide any advice? Thank you

QrizB

I think you're going to have to assume that no-one on the forum knows what a "multi 9" meter is.

Can you describe your electrical supply and/or share a photo of the meter and the assiociated wiring & fuseboxes?

molerat

Probably E9 which is a complex 2 MPAN 9 hours heat and (effectively E7) on / off peak tariff which seems to be mainly E England

The closest probable tariff would be E10 but that may involve some modifications to the wiring.

QrizB

molerat said:

Probably E9 which is a complex 2 MPAN 9 hours heat and (effectively E7) on / off peak tariff

But you'd have thought that could be easily replaced by a conventionally-wired 5-terminal meter, or a 4-terminal with ALCS and an external contactor. Ther must be more to it, surely?

molerat

QrizB said:

molerat said:

Probably E9 which is a complex 2 MPAN 9 hours heat and (effectively E7) on / off peak tariff

But you'd have thought that could be easily replaced by a conventionally-wired 5-terminal meter, or a 4-terminal with ALCS and an external contactor. Ther must be more to it, surely?

Probably is pretty straight forward for the average thinking person.  Unfortunately energy suppliers don't seem to be employing any of those in senior decision making posts or on the ground fitting meters.

sweetape

That's what E.ON called my meter.  I live in NW England.  It runs peak/off peak, post 30 June I don't think I will be able to heat up storage heaters and will have to rely on 1 hour boosters for hot water.  I will have to track the reading between peak and off peak.   I can't believe their inaction to whatever the problem is..  Engineer's said there are a load of flats like this where we live. 

Scot_39

sweetape said:

E.ON Next have had years to sort this out.  Some of the meters in our building are over 27 years.  I had two appointments to get a smart meter installed and the technicians couldn't do it.  Today, they said this about my meter, '' Unfortunately, we do not currently have a direct solution for these specific meter types, and investigations are ongoing."   Is it just E.ON Next who are avoiding their obligations? Is there anyone is in the same situation or who can provide any advice? Thank you

Not come across a specific EOn link - but google AI links multi-9 to economy 9 - with split off peak slots day and night and that at some to old twin meter / even rts style .

EDF for instance describes its old E9 setup as two MPAN 2 meters  - giving switched off peak to heating - and one normal meter with its own E7 style day / single block night rate.  Not sure if both off peak rates match or not - but the times do not.

However the OP only refers to meter singular - so I might be over complicating things (some suppliers like SSE did single box three rate meters - flexiheat / superdeal ??)  And it might very well be a single 5 port smart meter will work - but that then doesn't explain why the meter fitters have walked away ? - twice.

Does @sweetape have enough posts yet to post a redacted meter / wiring in cabinet picture ?

So if that EDF description was true for OP - and especially has 3 rates - then like other similar legacy tariffs - as per my old RTS in some respects - they could be right that their is no common single meter solution (although more complex meters like 7 port and 5 ports with independent power readings do exist specifically for that sort of set-up - e.g. Aclara SGM1422-B supports port 4 and 5 independent current so energy measurement and spec list includes a secondary tariff facility only for that model - so might do the job).

EOn old EOn used to have a very good complex metering team - who clarified my RTS replacement - and contact number still worked when when smart - but that years before EOn Next took over domestic responsibilities. 

But it might be perfectly possible as another users recent post set-up - perhaps to emulate current with two digital or smart meters - one perhaps 4 port e7 and one 5 port only using the 5th port - to drive and bill the restricted feed.

As shown here with older digital models. If and its only a guess as can be close in communal block cabinets - its possible to have 2 smart comms hub close together. Not the first time Ive seen a meter used only for port 5.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81473087/#Comment_81473087

That is if they EOn were willing and the OP is not happy to accept the off peak times and rates to match the alcs circuits times and rates.

I suspect however EOn Next may well just want to give the OP vanilla two rate single block ideally off peak E7.

(At one stage their standard T&Cs added a clause saying they didn't support more than 1 off peak block a day - which given I had 3 on E10 was not good news - but that seems to have gone in last version - maybe as Ofgem a little more firm on more similar RTS replacement tariff / billing )

So @sweetape

As per EDF E9 - for now I am assuming your meter has two outputs - one 24.7 live one restricted - say 9 hrs over 24 hrs - true ?

What is your heating system and your hot water system arrangement as fed by current off peak only feed.

What is your reason for wanting or needing meter upgrade - EOn driven by age / RTS ? - you e.g. flexible tariff options - fault ?

How many readings do you have to give supplier / how many rates are these billed at ?

Do you have 2 meters ?

Do you know your current off peak times - on both normal and restricted meters or outputs if applicable ?

Perhaps even a heating upgrade in recent past near future means you dont / wont want e9 style rates.

(My E10 is quite expensive cf other tariffs - but suits my heaters - so have kept it for now)

sweetape

Am I not allowed to upload photos? Doesn't matter, it is an Economy whatever number meter.  
 Any new replacement meter will do doesn't have to be a smart meter. I can't see anything happening before 30 June, I am going to have to know my rights after the RTS switch off.

Scot_39

Thats just looks like a standard twin rate analogue spinning dial meter - do you have seperate rts switch feeding a low amp (thin wire cf other meter wiring ) and a seperate output or meter ?

The often if not always require an external timer to switch rates and actually to switch a restricted 24/7 feed - this is an early digital example but like old analogue - they had no internal peak off peak timer

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81018510/#Comment_81018510

An older setup used electromechanical timers

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6593232/do-i-have-rts-electric-meter

Did the meter fitters ay why wouldnt fit replacement - space - too many connections etc.

Some arent well trained in non standard simple like for like replacement. 

sweetape

I was also wondering if this is just an issue with E.ON Next?

sweetape

The first engineer claimed the landlord would need to change the wiring before they could install smart meters. The next one, said it would involve switching off the electricity for the whole building and there were health and safety issues with all the wiring there.  We have wiring for the broadband in the same place. At the end of the day, they've had years to do this and have failed to meet their obligations.