New Octopus smart meter woes

Reed_Richards

If you send them a copy of the picture from the Smarty app for 10th August they will immediately realise that the battery is not behaving as it should.

CappacinoGirl

Sorry I've not updated you. I wrote an email last Wednesday and followed it up with a phone call to the battery installer as suggested. Unfortunately there was no-one available to discuss the matter when I called and the person I spoke to had no access to the email box. So far not heard anything from them and I'm still at the hospital in ICU.

Reed_Richards

Oh dear, I hope you make a timely recovery from your operation. Is there anyone you can call on to help you out? Because it looks very much as if your battery is charging from the mains then discharging back to the mains several times a day and so boosting your electricity bill. This must have been caused by a mistake made by the Octopus employee who installed your smart meter so hopefully when the problem is fixed you can persuade Octopus to give you a refund. But the sooner it is fixed the better!

squirrelpie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82105270#Comment_82105270

Is there a friend or relative who could contact the battery installer on your behalf? It might make it easier to get the problem resolved. I'd certainly explain to the battery installer about your personal situation and about the monetary cost of this problem; it might help them prioritise your issue.

CappacinoGirl

Someone came back by phone (to the ICU) but the call couldn't be taken by me at the time and it's only a supposition that it was the battery company. Unfortunately the only person who could help me is currently on a cruise and with luck I'll be discharged before he returns. Don't worry, if the installation of the smart meter is to blame I shall definitely be pushing for compensation.

Reed_Richards

Your picture of your old meter shows grey wires going to and from the meter whereas in the picture of the new meter these have been replaced by coloured wires. So it is obvious that the Octopus installer did not just replace your meter but also some of the wiring. This gave them ample opportunity to make a mistake when refixing the wrap-around sensor on one of the new coloured wires. That sensor is probably used by the inverter that controls you battery and most certainly your battery is no longer charging and discharging as it is supposed to. I hope you make a speedy recovery and get this issue sorted. The person who fixes your battery system for you will also need to provide you with something in writing that documents what was wrong, so that you can provide this to Octopus.

CappacinoGirl

Today the problem was resolved. The FoxEss app that I can use to monitor the battery also contains a link to their UK help desk. At the suggestion of Octopus I used it and they, Fox, were able to remotely update the software and reverse the CT clamp at the same time. Physically the clamp is still in the same upside down position but data wise it has been flipped. Octopus has reimbursed me the cost of the month's overcharge plus compensation.

Thank you so much all of you.

QrizB

I'm glad that you, Octopus and Fox have managed to sort all this out! It's especially helpful that Fox could switch the CT orientation in software without needing any physical intervention.

Reed_Richards

Oh that's great news! I'm glad you got things resolved and that, in the end, the resolution came easily.

squirrelpie

I used it and they, Fox, were able to remotely update the software and
reverse the CT clamp at the same time. Physically the clamp is still in
the same upside down position but data wise it has been flipped.

That's good news. 😀 Can I suggest that you permanently fix a label on or next to the CT clamp to remind yourself or whoever next touches it that it is correctly in the inverted position! It might be many years or you might have sold the property before you before somebody needs to know about that peculiarity of the installation.