Smart Meter in Dumb Mode

[HazardLights]

Hi,

I am on Ecotricity fixed rate but can only get the daytime rate of 22.29p as my meter gets no signal so my SMETS2 meter is stuck in dumb mode. I've tried asking for an external "T3 aerial" but I am told that I won't get any upgrades to my meter hardware although the industry may at some point come up with other solutions for customers stuck in dumb mode. I intend to purchase an MG4 Trophy LR and will install a home charger and am wondering if there is any way to get an overnight rate? For example a solution that uses direct comms from charger or vehicle. I suspect not but I am frustrated by the situation.

Finally, I am often at home during the day and considering a small solar installation (I have dormer windows which will doubtless limit the number of panels). Is this likely to be economical given my lack of FIT or smart meter?

I realise my questions are scraping the barrel but I'd like access to cheap electricity with a nice environmental benefit thrown in with it and thought I'd ask before giving up and parking this hope beside my dreams of fibre broadband which always seams to remain +6 years from now.

Thank you,
Hazardlights

 

[Rolfe]

Welcome to the forum, HazardLights. I'm a novice on all this myself and don't know the answers to your questions, but hang in there and hopefully someone will be along soon who does!

 

[GaryMG4]

I've recently switched to Octopus Go, my in home display does not show the correct rate any more but the meter is working normally as in Octopus charge me the correct rates for electricity used. The IHD shows the correct usage but not the correct value, according to Octopus this is why their offerings are still 'beta'.
If your meter is unable to be read by Ecotricity then I guess that bis a bit of a blocker.

As to solar that's a fine balance, my 4kW array can generate enough to power the granny charger for free on nice summer days with minimal sips from the grid, but in the winter overnight at 8.5p will be cheaper.

I'm not sure that spending £4k(?) for solar purely to charge the car is likely to be a good deal, even at cap rate that equates to 60k+miles, likewise in my case £1k on a wall box to reduce my cheap rate from 8.8p to 7p would take a long time to recover the outlay.

Welcome.

 

[Alb]

Has your smart meter ever worked in smart mode?

 

[HazardLights]

No it hasn't. It was installed by So Energy and hasn't worked for them or Ecotricity. It looks like it will remain in dumb mode for the foreseeable future. The electricity companies all tell me that the "industry is aware of the issue of smart meters in dumb mode" and until a technology change happens I am stuck this way. Ideally these meters would have a VPN over Wifi option but they don't. I was wondering if there are any manually accessible tarrifs or smart chargers that communicate at an IP level. In fact ironically cellular communication should be fine out of doors here. I suspect I am stuffed for the present but off-peak tariffs do enable significantly cheaper charging.

 

[gazza487]

I don’t see why you couldn’t have a simple timed charging package like eon, British Gas etc. that is assuming they can communicate with the meter to set it to the two rate. Has the meter actually been set to dumb mode or is it just lack of signal - maybe a meter swap would enable it to scrape enough to work. Probably best to keep on at your provider about it?

Solar is great but if you can get an ev tariff (if you go solar only, no battery) it’s cheaper to sell your excess to the grid for 15p/kwh then charge at night on the cheaper rate usually below 8p/kwh.

Any pics of your meter (obviously block out the serial numbers)?

 

[Alb]

I had some issues with data dropout from my smart meter and I also live in a an area with low signal strength. I was convinced that there was a problem with the comms hub but Octopus were very unhelpful. I had to badger them long and hard before they relented and agreed to change the hub. I've had no further problems since.
There are things that can be done but you usually have to fight to get them.

 

[HazardLights]

I don’t see why you couldn’t have a simple timed charging package like eon, British Gas etc. that is assuming they can communicate with the meter to set it to the two rate. Has the meter actually been set to dumb mode or is it just lack of signal - maybe a meter swap would enable it to scrape enough to work. Probably best to keep on at your provider about it?

Solar is great but if you can get an ev tariff (if you go solar only, no battery) it’s cheaper to sell your excess to the grid for 15p/kwh then charge at night on the cheaper rate usually below 8p/kwh.

Any pics of your meter (obviously block out the serial numbers)?

I wasn't sure what to blank but here we are...

 

[HazardLights]

Lack of signal resulting in it being "dumb". It's in a cupboard in the middle of the house in a poor reception area at the bottom of a glen. No label on the smaller white box here to see what it's rated at. The consumer unit Double Pole Isolator is rated at 100A (a CPD100). Not sure if that can be relied on to indicate a 100A supply suitable for an EV charger.

 

[gazza487]

I wasn't sure what to blank but here we are...

View attachment 28293

Right well looking at that you are oooop north (confirmed by looking at profile doh). You did blank out everything important so all good. As you are oooop there - it uses a long range radio signal not mobile type networks like down here.

It’s definitely SMETS2 and not one of the fudged SMETS1 ones. Does your meter appear here? ….

https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

You’ll need to input your mpan (which you can find on a bill).

If it does I’d sign up for a smart tariff and see what happens (I.e you meet the requirements by having a smart meter so they should sort it out). The meters themselves store 13months of half hourly data so long as it’s “patchy” it should work albeit badly.

Two types of billing exist - some suppliers use multiple registers so you get two readings - one peak, one off peak like the old economy 7 and they calculate the prices off that. Smarter ones like octopus always use the half hourly data and assume they would need polling more often for bills etc. my thoughts would be to keep on at the supplies to sort!

 

[HazardLights]

"

We can’t find your meter​

"

Thanks. I've pushed the admittedly responsive metering guy at the supplier as far as he will go. What I'd really like is for someone to sign me up for a pilot for a new comms solution for metering as the current system seems to exclude too many customers and doesn't align well with the idea of a distributed grid with consumers adapting to supply and providing storage and generation thus giving a more efficient and stable grid. I can but dream. It also has me questioning a system that encourages the deployment of meters regardless of their likelihood of delivering any smart functionality. Surely meters like mine are likely to need another upgrade visit in future. Anyway I am wandering off into questions of policy about my lowly station!

 

[gazza487]

"

We can’t find your meter​

"

In that case it must be properly dumb. Afraid you are going to have to whinge and whine at them - if you have hassle my favourite is to ask them to transfer me to the most disliked member of their team as I’m going to make someone’s day unpleasant

Seriously though I think you need to push on with supplier who badger the metering companies and see what your options are. There are extra aerials they can fit etc.

 

[Bam Bam]

I don't know if you've tried it but you could switch to Octopus and then get them to sort out the smart meter (I'm sure many people on here would be happy to offer you their bonus reward code so you get £50 each).

Octopus are very keen on Smart meters because their business model is all about being smart with energy. I can't be sure but I would guess they would be on it!

(You could use my code if you don't have any other volunteers: Octopus Energy)

 

[HazardLights]

I don't know if you've tried it but you could switch to Octopus and then get them to sort out the smart meter (I'm sure many people on here would be happy to offer you their bonus reward code so you get £50 each).

Octopus are very keen on Smart meters because their business model is all about being smart with energy. I can't be sure but I would guess they would be on it!

(You could use my code if you don't have any other volunteers: Octopus Energy)

I had been toying with Octopus as a last desperate attempt based on the same kind of rationale. I think I'll make the switch just before getting my MG4. I may need to replace my wife's car first as it's four years older than mine. I'd get her an MG4 but it is not quite big enough for our two large cases which we use for the four of us going on holiday.

 

[gazza487]

May possibly worth getting a charge point installed before hand, should you go with needing one. The ev tariffs can ask for proof of a car being on order or an ev point may suffice (mine didn’t tbh) but more so for the leccy supply.

Your friendly sparky would apply to the DNO and should your fuse be too small or you are on a looped service it may save you some hiccups (granted even on a looped supply most will allow a load limited charger - mine is and been waiting since Oct for an unloop). Dont let that put you off the DNO pay for the work and nothing stops you using a granny charger.

 

[HazardLights]

May possibly worth getting a charge point installed before hand, should you go with needing one.

I had thought that but also wondered "how will I know it's installed properly without a car to test it?"

 

[Bam Bam]

I had thought that but also wondered "how will I know it's installed properly without a car to test it?"

Interestingly 'Gary Does Solar' just had a video out mentioning that he got a Zappi with a solar but still hasn't bought an EV.

However, he has hired EVs via a car share scheme. Do you have one of those near you?

Our solar installer had an EV, and some companies now have electric vans, so perhaps they would be able to test it for you after install as well.

Also - you could see if there are any MGEV members local to you who could pop over.

If you are planning to get an EV (and let's face it everyone will get one eventually) then I'd say the charger and smart meter need to be sorted anyway, so better to join Octopus and ask them to sort it all for you.

 

[gazza487]

I had thought that but also wondered "how will I know it's installed properly without a car to test it?"

Erm maybe grab a friend with an ev over for a cuppa, they often like leccy and a chat or do it a little closer to you actually swapping so you don’t eat too much into warranty on the charger?

 

[HazardLights]

However, he has hired EVs via a car share scheme. Do you have one of those near you?

It turns out they have them in Dundee (thank you Google and Bam Bam)... and they offer MG4s!

 

[Bam Bam]

It turns out they have them in Dundee (thank you Google and Bam Bam)... and they offer MG4s!
View attachment 28356

Great!

Same people as Oxfordshire by the look of it, and white MG4s as well! Ours is one of the few towns in Oxon that doesn't have any cars to hire.

I remember Dundee Council actually showed up at a Fully Charged event in Hampshire, so they were quite ahead of the curve.