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All about smart meter installations, compatibility, plus how to get the most out of your smart meter and In-Home Display

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Smart Meters and In Home Displays - Topic Hub

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461 Topic threads
R
Carbon Cutter****
Robert44Carbon Cutter****
Posted in Smart meters
Smartmeter and Flying Lead - Suppliers

I have read about Smartmeter to Comms hub flying leads recently that resolve possible signal issues.Is Kaifa the only Smartmeter that you fit these flying lead to and does OVO supply both for new Northern UK installations ?

91
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
dutyhog
Carbon Cutter*
dutyhogCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Smart meters
off-peak switches on/off 10 minutes after tariff changes

Our Aclara SGM1416-B was fitted on Friday 6th June 2025. Nick F was excellent, and answered all our many questions. In this remote Argyll location we have no radio control signal, but we do have O2 4G and the WNC UBC-TN6 SKU1 connects to it.  So all the worries that I've picked up from reading this forum evaporated.One puzzle is that off-peak switches on/off 10 minutes after the tariff changes. I know that the switching time needs to vary a bit in an area to prevent massive changes destroying transmission gear, but I thought that the signal change would coincide with the tarrif change.The IHD (IHD3-PPMID-AAA  type 1) shows the tariff changing at exactly the times listed for Economy 10, eg 2:30pm and 5:30pm, but the storage heating switches 10 minutes later. So we are charged too much for 10 minutes. I know this may not add more than about £50 a year, but it’s a niggle.   Is it likely to synchronise as the system settles down?  

357
Firedog
Plan Zero Hero
M
Carbon Cutter****
MaurieCarbon Cutter****
posted in Smart meters
meter readings

My smart meter has stopped sending meter readings to ovo .I’ve contacted them on 3 occasions to be told it would be rectified in 24 hours Today I have an error message to ask for manual readings. I have tried sending these but they don’t go through I can see they ask if I have a dial meter .its a smart meter I’m an elderly person and have to go on my knees to take these readings which I have done but this is not ideal for me  any help would be appreciated 

595
M
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S
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sproutygreenbeanCarbon Cutter***
Posted in Smart meters
Issues getting a replacement THTC Meter in Scottish Highlands

Hi, we are in the Scottish Highlands and have been told we cannot currently have the THTC replaced by a smart meter due to signal issues, OVO currently have no alternative so we have been left with a fuzzy answer that they may have a solution in two months time. Any body else have any additional information, my communication with OVO has been through the online chat box, although with an actual person

1765103
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
W
Carbon Cutter*
woodstok2000Carbon Cutter*
Posted in Smart meters
Smart Meter Installation Issues

Hoping someone can advise why I can’t get a smart meter installed.  Every time I check on the website I get this message:  This has been the case for about 6 months.  I speak to customer services on a regular basis, they’ve never been able to explain what the eligibility checks are, or which one(s) I’m failing.  They usually advise that there is an ‘issue’, but the exact issue changes each time I speak to them (lack of meters, poor signal, RTS priority customers, IT issue on their end, IT issue on my end etc etc).  I’m just outside Edinburgh, and most of my neighbours have smart meters installed and have no issues (none with OVO though) so I can’t understand the problem.This is my meter set-up: I like OVO, this is the only issue we’ve had so far, but we’ve got an electric car on order for August and I’ll be moving to Octopus (who’ve already confirmed they can install a smart meter within a couple of weeks of switching) unless this gets resolved - anyone experienced anything similar, or

10410
L
OVO Staff
A
Carbon Catcher*
awills61Carbon Catcher*
posted in Smart meters
RTS Meter replaced successfully with new smart meter!

Had an appointment today to have my new meter fitted. I chose a single rate meter and th standard variable rate due to my set up.My old meter set up was this When the engineer arrived I asked hime what he was installing and he started talking about two rate and time switching. I said that that was not what I asked for so he got in touch with OVO and they said that off peak had to go to off peak on the new meter and peak to peak. Again I said that I dod not want that so he got in touch with a colleague from SMS who I talked to on the phone and we agreed that I could have what I wanted and the new meter was installed see below.  I’m not sure what tariff I am on yet or how to read the meter. I do have an issue with my water but I think that is the time switch the electric put in not anything to do with the meter. So I think it was successful. Thanks to Malek from SMS who managed to get it done. 

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Abby_OVO
Community Manager
D
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dave66Carbon Cutter****
Posted in Smart meters
Smart meter app not updating

 My smart meter OVO smart meter app on Android has not up dated since the 22nd MayThis issues was fixed before and everything working well. I have the latest version,and been updatedI have topped up today,the in home display is showing the correct amount Anyone else having issues,or is OVO company aware of this issue? Thanks

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Abby_OVO
Community Manager
J
Carbon Cutter***
JohnchisholmCarbon Cutter***
Posted in Smart meters
Smart Meter not Working

Why has my smart meter stopped sending information to Ovo, it has now been a week ?what should I do?

545
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
P
Carbon Cutter*
PeterHayCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Smart meters
Ovo meter removal

I have a smart meter. We are no longer using gas. I have booked Ovo to remove the meter. Do the engineers cap the supply as part of the job? Is there a charge?Do I need to contact the transporter when the meter has been taken away?

396
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
M
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miaowliciousCarbon Cutter***
Posted in Smart meters
We are at a standstill with RTS switchover because of asbestos flag on the account.

Hi,On Monday 19th may an engineer came to swap up from RTS to a smart meter. I explained to him that the meter was dusty because the housing association replaced the cavity wall filling and they blew all the old cavity from the terraced house next door into our porch like confetti. The engineer started work and then said he was worried about the dust and to rebook with a full face engineer.On Tues 20th I rang ovo to say this and they said he has flagged us as possible asbestos. I advised again it isn't asbestos but general dust and cavity filling (I didn't realise I should have dusted and cleaned the meter before his visit!). The Ovo customer service person told me I needed to get in touch with SSEN as they fitted the meter in the 90s. So I emailed SSEN and they said "SSEN engineers are electrical engineers and do not hold license to attend to asbestos . Unfortunately your supplier has given the incorrect information." I emailed Ovo a week ago today sending pics (attached) we have dust

392
L
OVO Staff
S
Carbon Cutter*****
shetlandCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Smart meters
Can a smart meter install disrupt your broadband connection and mobile signal ?

Had a new smart meter fitted, right afterwards, our broadband ADSL wasn’t working and mobile phones, for 2 hours.Coincidence, or does the meter produce a burst of data when its first plugged in that swamps the local area with interference ?

20027
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
Firedog
Plan Zero Hero
FiredogPlan Zero Hero
Posted in Smart meters
Third-party access to smart meter data: recent failures

Many of those who are used to retrieving their usage data from third parties have noticed an interruption in the service recently. For me, it started on 13 June and has yet to be resolved.Third parties (called ‘other users’ by DCC) are supposed to be able, with the customer’s permission, to contact a smart meter and retrieve usage and tariff data stored in it, which they can then present in a friendly form and also make it possible to download the data. This is in many cases a more efficient system than what suppliers offer via their websites.So far, we’ve heard from customers using n3rgy and Hugo, and also apps like Loop which piggyback on n3rgy to get the data. It appears that only those with Aclara meters are affected, although this may be a red herring: all of the affected customers I’ve come across have indeed Aclara meters, but another common factor is the communications hub - in all cases WNC. Both n3rgy and Hugo say that their credentials are not being accepted when they try to

167647
Firedog
Plan Zero Hero
HairyMutley
Carbon Cutter****
HairyMutleyCarbon Cutter****
posted in Smart meters
RTS meter change stopped due to asbestos

Trying to get mother-in-law's meter changed in anticipation of RTS switch-off.It started off complicated and it just seems to get worse from there on!Not sure where I am now.Mother-in-law has an apartment in a Churchill older peoples' building (about 30 similar apartments).Back in September 2024 I started with a phone call to book an appointment and was immediately hit with the question of tariff. I thought that I was just booking a meter change, not realising that I would have to pick an alternative to Superdeal. Anyway, after a bit of too-ing and fro-ing it seems that dumb night storage heaters will be best suited to Economy 10 and an appointment booked.It seemed straight forward enough, so only mother-in-law was there on the day of the appointment. However, it turns out that the OVO technician could not do the job. Mother-in-law was told that there was asbestos and it required a different team and approval from the leaseholder (Churchill) to sort that out. The OVO technician gave mo

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L
OVO Staff
S
Carbon Cutter*****
shetlandCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in Smart meters
Storage heaters with single tariff allowed ?

I heard mention the other day that if you have a smart meter and are on an Economy 7 tariff and you want to change to a single rate tariff, that you need to have your storage heaters rewired, and you can’t just switch tariff’s like that, is this true ?

15920
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
B
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BosticCarbon Cutter*
Posted in Smart meters
no communication

No communication because the meter is too far away(1st floor up to 7th floor) The engineer said fit a battery in the back of the home unit so it resets itself then take it back up to 7th floor still no communication why the engineer could not complete the installation and do this himself i dont know he has walked away from it. I assume this is a job for OVO engineer.No comunnication

9910
Firedog
Plan Zero Hero
S
Carbon Cutter***
Susie901Carbon Cutter***
Posted in Smart meters
Economy 10 and Smart Meters

Hi I rent my flat and have to have economy 10 can I get a smart meter? Not sure if its relevant but I I do not have storage heaters and as my meter is 8 foot up a wall I find reading it each month very difficult and slightly dangerous!! Also I have read that economy 10 is ending but I havent had any communication from OVO to collaborate this.

9412
Nukecad
Plan Zero Hero
D
New Member***
DarthtraderNew Member***
Posted in Smart meters
My smart meter installation was aborted due to asbestos - What should I do next?

Himy smart meter was being installed Friday but the engineer failed it and said it has an asbestos backboard behind the meter.…I am not sure it is. I have a digital meter which would be fairly new? I’m not sure they would have fitted that meter to asbestos… any ideas? 

1477016
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
L
Carbon Cutter*
Lindsey138Carbon Cutter*
Posted in Smart meters
Pipit 500 In Home Display (IHD) estimated bill isn't resetting - is this right?

 I had my smart meter fitted and everything has worked great so far. The only problem is that after about a month the electricity estimated bill reset to £0.00 to start calculating for a new month. So far though, the gas just keeps increasing. My bill online is all fine and my direct debit hasn't changed but it's frustrating to not be able to work out what my gas bill will be for the next month. Anyone got any ideas how to sort this out?Thanks 

1525175
Chris_OVO
Community Moderator
S
Carbon Cutter***
ScoobdriverCarbon Cutter***
Posted in Smart meters
Old fuse cut-out, isolation switch , possible meter tails upgrade in hope of fitting an EV Charger

I’ll be looking to get a EV charger fitted in the future. I understand my fuse cutout (biscuit tin type) needs upgrading by the DNO which I have requested.I suspect I need my isolation switch also changed . Can OVO do this , I’ve been told it is surprising this was not done , or reported when OVO changed the smart meter in 2021. (Should OVO have changed the meter with this old cutout ?)Am I now likely to be charged for this service? Also unclear if the meter tails would need any upgrade. Any help with next steps appreciated   

13416
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
M
New Member**
MarLabNew Member**
Posted in Smart meters
smart meter on for 30 min during off peak

So I had the Kaifa smart meter with domestic economy tariff installed 3 weeks ago. Now my water immersiand storage heaters only switch on between 12:30 and 1:30 am resulting in no hot water or heating. Engineer requested Ecaul and Alcs configuration from the remote team but there has been no change. Why does my meter ping off at 1am and overnight heating appliances stop working? 

383
Chris_OVO
Community Moderator
K
New Member***
khrNew Member***
Posted in Smart meters
Help / advice for getting RTS meters changed after failed and cancelled appointments?

Grateful for any advise/suggestions.I’ve been trying to get the 2 electricity (under THTC tariff) meters changed since I could first book an appointment in October 2024.  An Engineer did appear at this first attempt in October 2024.  He tried to install a smart meter (with economy 10 tarriff) but the signal was an issue.  Subsequently, I have had to keep phoning OVO to find out what was happening - OVO have never contacted me even though I have been told a numerous times they would be in touch.  I have twice more booked appointments in January and today which have been cancelled.  The first one I was told it was a wider area network (WAN) problem and OVO would be in touch in 8 weeks - this didn’t happen.  I phoned intermittently and was told the problem hadn’t been resolved until I phoned at the end of April.  Today the appointment got cancelled again for a system reason - I am still not clear if the WAN problem has been resolved.  I tried to re-book an appointment today but all the ap

1907
Chris_OVO
Community Moderator
S
Carbon Cutter*****
Srd02601Carbon Cutter*****
Posted in Smart meters
Economy 9 from THTC. Do I leave my Immersion switch in the ON position?

Just had my RTS switchover. New meter and my Tarrif is Economy 9. I am a veteren from the old THTC system that SSE had.  I now have a smart meter. However, I have forgotten how it all works. Should I leave the immersion switch on beside my water tank???? I am sure in days gone by, it used to switch off automatically but now stays on outside the off peak charging times. Please see photo (I switched off manually). Also I didn't realise you need a degree in 'Utilities' to work out the best energy usage!!!! 

1217
Nukecad
Plan Zero Hero
J
New Member**
jhwalkerNew Member**
Posted in Smart meters
Identifying items in meter box - disconnected ground cable?

Hi, I’ve moved into a house which had a new smart meter installed by Ovo in February 2025 (prior to my ownership).I can’t work out all of what’s going on in my meter box. Specifically, what’s the role of the two grey boxes with “WARNING” labels in the top-right, and what is this disconnected ground-coloured cable doing… should it be connected to anything!?  I’m just a layperson, but I can see the supply comes in as the black cable on the bottom left of the board, into the 100A fuse terminal and then up into the meter. The grey meter tails then go in the bottom of the fused “main switch” and back out the top of the switch, into the house. A ground cable comes out of the house and goes into the side of the 100A fuse terminal’s N side. But there are two more grey tails coming out of the “house” and going up to these WARNING-stickered boxes. I don’t know what those components are or what they do. How do they relate to the rest of the setup on the board, as they’re not directly connected to

926
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
T
New Member**
trekkervalNew Member**
Posted in Smart meters
Elec Meter Initialisation message on my In Home Display

A new message has appeared on my In Home Display, saying “Elec Meter Initialised - press OK to confirm”. My OVO account says they are receiving my smart meter readings successfully. I had smart meters for gas and electric installed Oct 2024. Why has this message appeared? Thans in advance

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Chris_OVO
Community Moderator
M
New Member***
MiguelAlabamaNew Member***
Posted in Smart meters
Why are my solar panels causing my electric meter to run backwards?

We have solar panels installed and our electricity meter is running backwards and are unable to have a smart meter installed as there is no mobile signal. we have contacted Ovo a twice to report that our meter is running backwards but haven’t been able to get a clear response from them. It’s clear that we need an export meter fitted. But how will this work practically? Will our Ovo account give us the ability to input the reading from our export meter? Who can we get to install one? Thanks

16788
Chris_OVO
Community Moderator

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