Smart Meters

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  • Michaelw
    Michaelw Posts: 296 Forumite
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    The smart gas meter does appear to default to off shutting the valve closed in the event of battery failure.One comment is a neighbour had to wait several days before being reconnected.Its a concern for anyone with a smart meter.

    http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/smart-meter-battery-failure-leaves-home-without-gas/

    https://forum.ovoenergy.com/pay-monthly-21/battery-in-meter-is-dead-565
  • markbloke
    markbloke Posts: 319 Forumite
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    Ovo's plan to fix the incomplete commissioning of my gas meter by having an engineer call when he happens to be passing didn't seem to be working after three weeks. I've therefore switched to "Bulb" who have competitive rates, will pay off Ovo's ransom of £60 for leaving and won't fit a smart meter until SMETs2 versions are available. Ovo also refused to pay me compensation for taking time off work for a failed meter installation.
    Reading this signature is a waste of time
  • carolbristol
    carolbristol Posts: 1 Newbie
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    Had a smart meter fitted earlier this year and stupidly did not look into the consequences fully enough. Am now looking to switch and have already discovered that the SM I have will lose its functionality if I switch to the companies I am considering. This doesn't really concern me, as I am used to reading my meter manually and the in home display unit I have doesn't work anyway and sits at the back of a cupboard. Of more concern is the notice attached to the smart meter, 'property of (my current supplier)'. Are they going to charge me for removing the meter if I switch away from them, lmeaning another charge from map new company? I suppose I could ask them but every time I have a query I enter into long and inclonclusive correspondence with customer service assistants who can't or won't, understand my query.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,097 Community Admin
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    carolbristol wrote: »
    Had a smart meter fitted earlier this year and stupidly did not look into the consequences fully enough. Am now looking to switch and have already discovered that the SM I have will lose its functionality if I switch to the companies I am considering. This doesn't really concern me, as I am used to reading my meter manually and the in home display unit I have doesn't work anyway and sits at the back of a cupboard. Of more concern is the notice attached to the smart meter, 'property of (my current supplier)'. Are they going to charge me for removing the meter if I switch away from them, lmeaning another charge from map new company? I suppose I could ask them but every time I have a query I enter into long and inclonclusive correspondence with customer service assistants who can't or won't, understand my query.

    The answer to your question is 'no - you will not be charged'. I have a 17 year old meter that 'belongs' to a supplier that no longer exists. The Government has an ongoing consultation to update meters such as yours from mid 2018 onwards which will allow you to switch suppliers. If that is not possible, your meter will be deemed a stranded asset and replaced by 2020.
  • saving-mad
    saving-mad Posts: 425 Forumite
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    I booked an appointment with sse to fit our smart meter, they asked lots of questions before fitting.
    It would appear they forgot a crucial question "do you have a good mobile signal?"
    I waited in all afternoon for the engineer for him to walk in and say theres no phone signal here, no I said at least the meter works on WIFI, I'm sorry he said, they don't work on wifi they need a good vodaphone signal, I can't fit it.
    He then left, I had had to have the day off work for the appointment and nowhere on the literature did it mention this nor was I asked the question.
    I was looking forward to having one.
    Owner of a cute cottage in the North York Moors :j
  • System
    System Posts: 178,097 Community Admin
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    saving-mad wrote: »
    I booked an appointment with sse to fit our smart meter, they asked lots of questions before fitting.
    It would appear they forgot a crucial question "do you have a good mobile signal?"
    I waited in all afternoon for the engineer for him to walk in and say theres no phone signal here, no I said at least the meter works on WIFI, I'm sorry he said, they don't work on wifi they need a good vodaphone signal, I can't fit it.
    He then left, I had had to have the day off work for the appointment and nowhere on the literature did it mention this nor was I asked the question.
    I was looking forward to having one.

    Wait until later next year/2019 when all smart meters will be to the new SMETS2 Standard. These meters use a Wide Area Network which don’t require a point to point mobile signal. A meter without a mobile signal will connect to adjacent meters until a mobile signal is found that connects with The Data Communications Company. Clearly, if you live in a remote croft with no adjacent properties then this clever plan will not work.
  • brewerdave
    brewerdave Posts: 8,511 Forumite
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    Hengus wrote: »
    Wait until later next year/2019 when all smart meters will be to the new SMETS2 Standard. These meters use a Wide Area Network which don’t require a point to point mobile signal. A meter without a mobile signal will connect to adjacent meters until a mobile signal is found that connects with The Data Communications Company. Clearly, if you live in a remote croft with no adjacent properties then this clever plan will not work.


    ...or ,IF an early adopter, there are no other SMETS2 meters in the vicinity to establish the WAN! :)
  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748 Forumite
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    My only slight concern with a gas 'Smart' is even if its on 'Credit mode' aka not on a pre-pay if the battery should die I half expect it may shut the gas valve down for "safety reasons" the same way the pre-pay one can at least from what I read on here regarding internal battery failures.

    Given in most cases (as I understand it) the meter is the same its merely the mode it is set in. Perhaps I'm wrong on this 'shut off in credit mode' , I hope so. :)
  • MeterMan
    MeterMan Posts: 433 Forumite
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    I don't know why people are banging on about batteries failing which may cause the valve to shut. For the last 15/20 years, prepay gas meters have had batteries in them, they do sometimes fail, they do sometimes shut off the gas and sometimes they don't shut off the gas.

    I have seen over the last 6 years that smart gas meters where the battery has failed has also not closed the valve, causing unregistered gas to pass, but im sure no one is bothered by free gas.
  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748 Forumite
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    MeterMan wrote: »
    I don't know why people are banging on about batteries failing which may cause the valve to shut. For the last 15/20 years, prepay gas meters have had batteries in them, they do sometimes fail, they do sometimes shut off the gas and sometimes they don't shut off the gas.

    I have seen over the last 6 years that smart gas meters where the battery has failed has also not closed the valve, causing unregistered gas to pass, but im sure no one is bothered by free gas.

    My ( probably unwarranted :) ) concern was someone with a "credit" 'regular DD' / 'pay on receipt of bill' etc setup who had a smart meter would be upset if the battery died and it shut their gas off that's all. :)

    I do understand the economics of not having two different types of 'smart' when one can serve both a credit or prepay setup. To be honest it may be simply lack of thought in the firmware of them in that in credit mode the de-activation should be erm 'de-activated' so ti cannot shut the gas off. This is no different as I see it than a regular older dial/lcd type which did not have an internal shutoff valve, instead relying on the manual one next to it.

    I should point out here my first Electric Smart about 3/4 years ago was a joy compared to the newer one although to be fair once you have figured out what to press*** its fine.

    *** Its interesting there are no detailed instructions usually supplied on the actual smart meter operation only very basic ones if that, compared to what you get for the IHD. I'll be putting that into my feedback next week too. Interestingly the 'first one' the IHD was colour and the newer one is mono but it looks about the same.
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