Smart Meters

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  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748
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    Kess wrote: »
    The power companies and the MSE guide make smart meter installation sound straightforward. However, our existing gas meter is in a box on the end wall of the house. There's no convenient source of electricity. I assume the gas smart meter would require mains power, so does anyone know what an installer would do?

    Pretty sure they just have an internal battery for this kind of situation or they may not have any form of electricity supplied to them anyway.

    It will be not an uncommon situation :) although I have my BG meter outside its not near any form of power (even if they did want to add it through a wall or something) but its a conventional 'read the mechanical dials' meter still, they've not asked me about a Smart yet.
  • My "Smart" gas meter cut off my gas supply earlier this week because of a dead battery.
    OVO apparently received an alarm regarding a low battery last Saturday but did not communicate this to me. I called out a Gas Safe engineer to fix what I thought was a boiler fault only to discover my gas supply had been cut due to a dead battery in the gas meter. The meter was only installed 14 months ago and OVO have told me they won't reimburse me for calling out someone to look at my boiler as more than 12 months have elapsed. If OVO had communicated anything to me via email or text - as per my account preferences - none of this would have happened. I am very disappointed with OVO.
  • Nick_C
    Nick_C Posts: 7,442
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    My "Smart" gas meter cut off my gas supply earlier this week because of a dead battery.
    OVO apparently received an alarm regarding a low battery last Saturday but did not communicate this to me. I called out a Gas Safe engineer to fix what I thought was a boiler fault only to discover my gas supply had been cut due to a dead battery in the gas meter. The meter was only installed 14 months ago and OVO have told me they won't reimburse me for calling out someone to look at my boiler as more than 12 months have elapsed. If OVO had communicated anything to me via email or text - as per my account preferences - none of this would have happened. I am very disappointed with OVO.

    That's alarming, and I would have thought you should be making a foreman complaint to the regulator and asking for compensation.

    But did you find out, how long are the batteries meant to last? Who is responsible for monitoring and replacing them?
  • S0litaire
    S0litaire Posts: 3,535
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    edited 18 November 2017 at 3:11PM
    Nick_C wrote: »
    That's alarming, and I would have thought you should be making a foreman complaint to the regulator and asking for compensation.

    But did you find out, how long are the batteries meant to last? Who is responsible for monitoring and replacing them?
    battery should last 10 years according to this post :
    https://forum.ovoenergy.com/pay-monthly-21/smart-meter-help-35



    P.S.
    I'm surprised they haven't got a gas meter with a small internal "mini turbine" to generate a small charge to top up the internal battery or power the device while gas flows...
    Laters

    Sol

    "Have you found the secrets of the universe? Asked Zebade "I'm sure I left them here somewhere"
  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748
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    General "reading around" suggests a lifespan of at least a few years.

    I'm half surprised there is not some kind of "Warning meter battery low! Call engineer" display or something on the actual IHD so at least you'd be 'aware of a potential issue' before it happened.
  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239
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    AndyCF wrote: »
    General "reading around" suggests a lifespan of at least a few years.

    I'm half surprised there is not some kind of "Warning meter battery low! Call engineer" display or something on the actual IHD so at least you'd be 'aware of a potential issue' before it happened.

    The miracles of modern technology that they are are supposed to call home and ask for new batteries to be sent asap without the need for the consumer to worry their overworked brains with such an inconvenience.

    The subject of battery failure (along with a discussion about mini-turbines ;)) took place on a thread not so long ago.

    It is alarming if a failing battery results in the supply being cut off rather than the consumer getting free energy. One can imagine rather nasty consequences if an elderly or vulnerable customer has their gas suddenly cut off in the middle of a particularly cold snap. I'm pretty sure that someone on another thread said that kind of thing couldn't happen.
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
  • Michaelw
    Michaelw Posts: 296 Forumite
    My "Smart" gas meter cut off my gas supply earlier this week because of a dead battery.

    Dead batteries are potentially a real problem with gas smart meters.They are supposed to last ten years but the equivent prepayment versions fail in as little as two years outside with button pressing.My prepayment went down with a ***** message I called SSE at the time but they didnt come out until the display finally went blank shortly later but the supply remained on.

    British Gas have installed a similar meter with out a card slot being a smart type.The installer informed me its the same meter with different software.With prepayment customers they are obliged to attend in four hours in the event of a failure but I am unsure if this applies to a credit customer.Normally standard battery display gas meters the supply remains on but smart type have a prepayment shut off valve.
  • badmemory
    badmemory Posts: 7,631
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    So it looks like I have been provided with yet another reason not to have a smart meter. I was looking at generation 3 but it is looking like 4 now. Still in booze up & brewery territory!
  • Will they replace a current SMETS 1 meter or remotely upgrade - some conflicting stories!
  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239
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    Will they replace a current SMETS 1 meter or remotely upgrade - some conflicting stories!

    I think it would be a reasonable assumption that by the time the organisers of the programme are anywhere near being capable of upgrading SMETS1 meters the things will be outside their certification and already on their way to landfill.
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
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