Smart Meter monitor working question

dunstonh

I have two IHDs and find them very beneficial. One is set to current usage, and the other one is set to cost over the day. However, we are a high user at around 16,000 kWh per year. We also have a couple of items that are heavy draws and on timers, and it's handy to know when they might have fired up when they shouldn't have done.

The EDF one supplied was next to useless and never worked. The other two were independently bought and much better.

QrizB

We also have a couple of items that are heavy draws and on timers, and it's handy to know when they might have fired up when they shouldn't have done.

Now you've reminded me of @valiant24 and their electric Aga which has a reputation for "doing the naughty thing" 😆 and charging on peak-rate electricity. A real trip down memory lane (OK it was only 2022, it seems ages ago).

Wonder how they're getting on?

Scot_39

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6671794/smart-meter-monitor-working-question

BG know about the available options as there are threads here from customers having them fitted - often to fix hub to gas rather than hub to ihd - but the principal remains.

When standard HAN doesn't work - there are at least 2 - further planned approaches - dual band han - and alt han wired comms over distance.

Older IHDs like mine don't support dual band - but some of the modern ones apparently do.

With say a couple of solid walls - and several meters distance - default han almost certain to fail - dual band might help - but to be sure (and in some respects it might be simpler for supplier) I am guessing "wired" comms to room where you want the IHD - the alt-han approach might suit your best bet.

Some do talk of alt-han devices as signal boosters - others - like your fitter - might find that confusing.

This works for IHD zigbee comms, carrying signal over standard mains wiring from an adaptor next to meter - to a normal room socket, which has a Zigbeee comms module plug in adaptor - that then talks Zigbee HAN to the IHD.

Some companies have been fitting them for a few years now - mines since c2023 iirc (not that I need one - just rmeber the data in their forums) - but you would hope fitter should have been aware of alt han existence (but the signal booster reference may have misled them)

https://althanco.com/how-it-works/

(Wish I could find a simpler less cluttered picture / example quickly)

There is another perhaps even simpler (no wiring wise) option - if get a signal - somewhere just inside the home - which I am not sure you have. Even the bedroom might be too far away in a solid older build.

But on the subject of meter fitter getting it working in the bedroom - worried that may be their end point - it's not a logical location to my mind - but is their any stipulation by Ofgem where the IHD works - or is just as long as it works somewhere inside ?

You can apparently also get Zigbee repeaters / extenders - that are purely wireless (a but like a wifi range extender in wireless mode) - put in between the meter and IHD - acting as a kind of wireless relay station (it can reach your meter - your IHD can reach it). Not sure if UK suppliers providing those. Anyone ?

If get no joy - and important to you - something like this might be worth a go - at least this one specifically references meters and IHDs

https://www.in-home-displays.co.uk/product/smartxtend-pro/