EV Electricity Tariffs and a SMETS1 Smartmeter - any advice?
Discussion
Wow, I never knew this could be so difficult - there must be others out there who have come up against this.
Spoke to my existing elec supplier today about moving to their EV Tafff, 00:00 to 05:00. No problem but you need a smartmeter that talks to us every 30mins.
Wow, great, you installed one for me in 2016/17, happy f**king days, lets get the deal on.
Well no. You moved supplier in 2018/19, then moved back to us. Yes, I do that a lot, I am allowed to.
Ah but there is the problem, your smart meter is an early v1 (or SMETS1) Smartmeter. If you have one of those and then switch it locks out and cannot be fixed, even if you later come back to us!
Well actually, there is a fix, and it was due to be released late 2019, but it wasnt, dont know why and your looking at mid-2021 earliest now.
Sorry, cant help you, doubt any other suppliers can either - but you can try. And no, you cant have a new smartmeter.
Really?
Spoke to my existing elec supplier today about moving to their EV Tafff, 00:00 to 05:00. No problem but you need a smartmeter that talks to us every 30mins.
Wow, great, you installed one for me in 2016/17, happy f**king days, lets get the deal on.
Well no. You moved supplier in 2018/19, then moved back to us. Yes, I do that a lot, I am allowed to.
Ah but there is the problem, your smart meter is an early v1 (or SMETS1) Smartmeter. If you have one of those and then switch it locks out and cannot be fixed, even if you later come back to us!
Well actually, there is a fix, and it was due to be released late 2019, but it wasnt, dont know why and your looking at mid-2021 earliest now.
Sorry, cant help you, doubt any other suppliers can either - but you can try. And no, you cant have a new smartmeter.
Really?
From memory I think that something like 9m "SMETS1" meters have been installed. Indeed the companies carried on putting them in long after the various shortcomings became evident because the newer design was in short supply and the government was threatening punitive fines.
The whole programme has cost many billions and is an utter cluster**ck.
Sorry I can't offer any helpful suggestions. I have refused to have a smart meter for these and other reasons. Unfortunately there will be many more folk with this problem.
The whole programme has cost many billions and is an utter cluster**ck.
Sorry I can't offer any helpful suggestions. I have refused to have a smart meter for these and other reasons. Unfortunately there will be many more folk with this problem.
I had a smart meter fitted last November. It has never worked - poor mobile network coverage. I'm guessing that a lot of people in rural areas have the same problem.
It seems daft that the meter manufacturers don't include the option to link via the customer's wifi.
OP - can you just get a normal dual-rate tariff (economy 7 or similar)?
It seems daft that the meter manufacturers don't include the option to link via the customer's wifi.
OP - can you just get a normal dual-rate tariff (economy 7 or similar)?
clockworks said:
It seems daft that the meter manufacturers don't include the option to link via the customer's wifi.
Because security. That's the official reason.there is also the MESH option, depending on local radio coverage.
This whole debacle is because the government are overseeing it and insist on over complicating systems without looking at the bigger picture.
SMETS1 andf SMETS2 interoperability will, IMO, never get resolved and will probably result in SMETS1 Meters being upgraded to SMETS2 meters in a few years.
I tested the SMETS2 meters back in 2018 and it was total chaos.
What's the security risk of the meter being connected via wifi? Presumably the normal mobile network comms for smart meters are encrypted, so no more risk if the data is sent via wifi?
I think there's pretty much zero chance of the mobile network being improved where I live. Vodafone is the only network that works inside my house, even then I have to stand close to a window if I'm downstairs, and voice calls keep breaking up. Works OK upstairs. Visitors with phones on other networks get zero bars.
It appears that the mobile operators have given up with improving 3g/4g coverage.
No chance of ever getting 5g, as there are no shops or public buildings in the village, not even a "proper" church with a steeple.
Even in my local market town, 4g coverage is very sketchy.
BTW, the chap who installed my smart meter fitted an external antenna. I've tried running that outside the back door, but still no comms.
The most annoying thing is that I have to get a step ladder to read the meter now, as the display is unreadable off-axis.
I think there's pretty much zero chance of the mobile network being improved where I live. Vodafone is the only network that works inside my house, even then I have to stand close to a window if I'm downstairs, and voice calls keep breaking up. Works OK upstairs. Visitors with phones on other networks get zero bars.
It appears that the mobile operators have given up with improving 3g/4g coverage.
No chance of ever getting 5g, as there are no shops or public buildings in the village, not even a "proper" church with a steeple.
Even in my local market town, 4g coverage is very sketchy.
BTW, the chap who installed my smart meter fitted an external antenna. I've tried running that outside the back door, but still no comms.
The most annoying thing is that I have to get a step ladder to read the meter now, as the display is unreadable off-axis.
Octopus installed a smart meter for me; I assume SMETS2 but not 100% sure. It works, anyway.
I was told that even though I'm pretty rural it wouldn't likely be an issue since a network neutral SIM card was in the meter which would latch onto the strongest network and use that. So far it's been perfectly reliable.
Octopus, like others, put their meter installation program on hold this year, but have restarted it now.
Octopus Agile is saving me a fortune, what with running 2 EVs, an ASHP, and having no mains gas etc.
I was told that even though I'm pretty rural it wouldn't likely be an issue since a network neutral SIM card was in the meter which would latch onto the strongest network and use that. So far it's been perfectly reliable.
Octopus, like others, put their meter installation program on hold this year, but have restarted it now.
Octopus Agile is saving me a fortune, what with running 2 EVs, an ASHP, and having no mains gas etc.
clockworks said:
OP - can you just get a normal dual-rate tariff (economy 7 or similar)?
Looking at it at the moment. Looks like Octopus will come and replace my smart meter. Asked them to confirm waiting list - days, weeks or months, as you can’t have the 5p tariff until it’s done. But their normal tariff is about 1p kWh less than my current provider.I’m on a £60 exit fee from Scottish Power until March, so need to balance that with the savings of running a Zoe for 70 miles a day/5 days a week. Spreadsheet required!!!!
It has occurred that at the 5p tariff, everything that can run at night should be run at night, and also does it then warrant switching the immersion heaters on between 00:30 and 04:30 to heat the hot water cylinder rather than use one of the central heating circuits.
And then, do I replace my trusty log burner with one with a back boiler and just get a f@@koff hot water cylinder to heat the house the following morning, get some solar panels and ditch gas completely.
I hate gas and boilers. Don’t understand them. Electric I’m happy with.
Sorry for going off topic!
clockworks said:
What's the security risk of the meter being connected via wifi? Presumably the normal mobile network comms for smart meters are encrypted, so no more risk if the data is sent via wifi?
Make sure you have a really strong password. Some smart meters don't support strong passports.The real problem will come in a few years when someone finds some huge flaw in WiFi security and you have to upgrade, like happened with WEP and then WPA (the current recommended standard is WPA2). Then your router will be on WPA3 or whatever it will be called and your smart meter won't be able to talk to it.
Some come with a dongle that plugs in to the router's LAN port. You are then reliant on how secure the radio in that thing is.
Parents with bulb, 6 months after SMETS2 install and still having to give manual readings as no signal to meter, just been given £40 'sorry' bill credit out of the blue.
I had SMETS2 installed by octopus early July, great signal so no manual readings, but only yesterday (2 months later) the gas usage is displayed on the IHD, electricity? Who knows!
I had SMETS2 installed by octopus early July, great signal so no manual readings, but only yesterday (2 months later) the gas usage is displayed on the IHD, electricity? Who knows!
FeelingLucky said:
Or........
Get a Powerwall, fully charge it overnight @5p/kwh, then let that run the house until next night.
Saves 8p per KWh. Say 10KWh used per day. 80p per day saved. Less efficiency losses (90% return efficient) say 72p per day. X365 = £262 per year saving. Get a Powerwall, fully charge it overnight @5p/kwh, then let that run the house until next night.
A Powerwall costs around £8k installed. By the time the warranty runs out at 10 years it will be around 1/3rd of the way towards paying for itself. Even if it was cycling 10Kwh of electricity from solar panels so saving 13p over normal prices the saving is a £427 per year. Around half the cost of a Powerwall in 10 years.
Incidentally re heating water with 5p per KW electricity. My Octupus bills shows gas as 2.3p per KWh. So even if electric is more efficient gas will still be cheaper.
Unless someone has had solar panels installed in the days of high subsidies or are not on the gas mains network I don't think gas can be beaten for water heating or home heating.
EDF do a flat rate EV tariff that works with any meter if that's helpful.
Also, just a heads up that all S1 meters should be getting enrolled into the national network, whereupon they work as S2 meters and can move between suppliers no problem at all, albeit it doesn't sound like your company know what they're doing.
They certainly should be able to get the old S1 meter reconnected, there's no reason at all it can't be made to work again, they probably just don't know which team to pass it to.
Also, just a heads up that all S1 meters should be getting enrolled into the national network, whereupon they work as S2 meters and can move between suppliers no problem at all, albeit it doesn't sound like your company know what they're doing.
They certainly should be able to get the old S1 meter reconnected, there's no reason at all it can't be made to work again, they probably just don't know which team to pass it to.
Clockworks: "The most annoying thing is that I have to get a step ladder to read the meter now, as the display is unreadable off-axis."
My father faced a similar problem in his previous house - and he was not up to climbing a stepladder at 88 years old. We solved it by asking a helpful neighbour to take a pic of the meter by holding his smartphone above his head: it became a regular excuse for them to enjoy an evening snifter too!
Would that work for you?
My father faced a similar problem in his previous house - and he was not up to climbing a stepladder at 88 years old. We solved it by asking a helpful neighbour to take a pic of the meter by holding his smartphone above his head: it became a regular excuse for them to enjoy an evening snifter too!
Would that work for you?
Mikehig said:
Clockworks: "The most annoying thing is that I have to get a step ladder to read the meter now, as the display is unreadable off-axis."
My father faced a similar problem in his previous house - and he was not up to climbing a stepladder at 88 years old. We solved it by asking a helpful neighbour to take a pic of the meter by holding his smartphone above his head: it became a regular excuse for them to enjoy an evening snifter too!
Would that work for you?
Good idea. I'll try it next time I need to take a readingMy father faced a similar problem in his previous house - and he was not up to climbing a stepladder at 88 years old. We solved it by asking a helpful neighbour to take a pic of the meter by holding his smartphone above his head: it became a regular excuse for them to enjoy an evening snifter too!
Would that work for you?
Mikehig said:
Clockworks: "The most annoying thing is that I have to get a step ladder to read the meter now, as the display is unreadable off-axis."
My father faced a similar problem in his previous house - and he was not up to climbing a stepladder at 88 years old. We solved it by asking a helpful neighbour to take a pic of the meter by holding his smartphone above his head: it became a regular excuse for them to enjoy an evening snifter too!
Would that work for you?
Our meter was angled towards the wall, next to the washing machine. The only way to get a decent reading was using a small mirror or a smartphone camera My father faced a similar problem in his previous house - and he was not up to climbing a stepladder at 88 years old. We solved it by asking a helpful neighbour to take a pic of the meter by holding his smartphone above his head: it became a regular excuse for them to enjoy an evening snifter too!
Would that work for you?
.FeelingLucky said:
Or........
Get a Powerwall, fully charge it overnight @5p/kwh, then let that run the house until next night.
The web site is vague about pricing but reviews suggest £8,500 installed. Say you save 10p/kWh, you would need to use 85,000kWh to break even.Get a Powerwall, fully charge it overnight @5p/kwh, then let that run the house until next night.
Say you get 4 miles/kWh in your EV that's 340,000 miles. An average home used 8-10kWh/day, so let's say 10, that's 23 years to break even.
aestetix1 said:
FeelingLucky said:
Or........
Get a Powerwall, fully charge it overnight @5p/kwh, then let that run the house until next night.
The web site is vague about pricing but reviews suggest £8,500 installed. Say you save 10p/kWh, you would need to use 85,000kWh to break even.Get a Powerwall, fully charge it overnight @5p/kwh, then let that run the house until next night.
Say you get 4 miles/kWh in your EV that's 340,000 miles. An average home used 8-10kWh/day, so let's say 10, that's 23 years to break even.
Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff