[EV i fi]

Finally had a smart meter installed by Octopus: timing would have been perfect as the EV arrived three days ago and I've been poised to switch to Go tariff.

Unfortunately the electrician who installed it couldn't get it to "commission", despite the unit having an aerial. He was a very pleasant bloke and offered a few possible explanations for the problem (both he and I had phone signal in the same room as the meter) but ultimately had no solution.

He suggested it might sort itself out in time and then a second visit would be required to finish setting up.

It all sounded a bit flaky so I've contacted Octopus and they have arranged a new appt.

Since my Podpoint installation has also failed the smart meter is somewhat irrelevant at present, but it would be great for something to go right with my first EV experience.

At least the car is amazing!

 

[dk6780]

The process of moving to an EV seems to be fighting you at every stage. It can only get better.

 

[burnt_crisps2]

Unfortunately the electrician who installed it couldn't get it to "commission", despite the unit having an aerial. He was a very pleasant bloke and offered a few possible explanations for the problem (both he and I had phone signal in the same room as the meter) but ultimately had no solution.

I presume when you say ... despite unit having an aerial, this means the meter was fitted with an ext. aerial due to low signal reception. Is that correct?
getting the meter to commission can sometimes take a while as it’s the DCC network.
mine took a couple of goes before it commissioned and then IHD didn’t work even though it was brand new, had to swap for another new one.
Trust the next visit gets you working.

 

[EV i fi]

I presume when you say ... despite unit having an aerial, this means the meter was fitted with an ext. aerial due to low signal reception. Is that correct?
getting the meter to commission can sometimes take a while as it’s the DCC network.
mine took a couple of goes before it commissioned and then IHD didn’t work even though it was brand new, had to swap for another new one.
Trust the next visit gets you working.

It's fitted with an aerial but it's not external to the property. The lead isn't long enough to reach outside.

Will just have to hope next visit sorts it out...!

 

[EV i fi]

The process of moving to an EV seems to be fighting you at every stage. It can only get better.

It's not been the smoothest of processes, even allowing for the pandemic!

Ironically, I'm glad the car was delayed; I have been working through lockdown but mileage has been significantly reduced so it would have been a waste of three months lease.

 

[burnt_crisps2]

It's fitted with an aerial but it's not external to the property. The lead isn't long enough to reach outside.

Will just have to hope next visit sorts it out...!

Yeah its a bit of non description, 'ext. aerial', what they actually mean is its not internal in the meter, its just moved to the inside of the meter cupboard door so its not entirely buried in the cavity of the wall.
I would have been expecting something that was at least mounted on the external surface of the outside wall.

 

[mad_rich]

I had same problem. Meter installed last week by SMS on behalf of Octopus, but the installer said he couldn't commission it, as the main database was down (or something like that). I have another appointment next week; let's hope the database is online again by then.

On the other hand, the new meter has been stuck on 0000 since installation. Not sure if it will catch up when commissioned, or maybe I've got 2 weeks of free leccy!?

 

[burnt_crisps2]

I had same problem. Meter installed last week by SMS on behalf of Octopus, but the installer said he couldn't commission it, as the main database was down (or something like that). I have another appointment next week; let's hope the database is online again by then.

On the other hand, the new meter has been stuck on 0000 since installation. Not sure if it will catch up when commissioned, or maybe I've got 2 weeks of free leccy!?

Think you have 2 weeks of free elecy

 

[dk6780]

The whole process is explained in detail in an article on the Octopus website:

Solving smart meter issues at Octopus Energy

It is a typically British "world class solution" that I'm surprised ever works.

 

[burnt_crisps2]

It is a typically British "world class solution" that I'm surprised ever works.

Love this bit of the thread... all of these components were designed separately, but launched at the same time. They needed to function well independently as well as when they interact with each other, so there’s no surprise ... and I think it should then say .... any part of it works at all.

Mind you as an electronics engineer if you add up all the reliability of individual components in a device, it basically says it should never work, but of course they do.

And at the end of the day 'Agile and GO' are BETA services, so its no real surprise based on the "world class solution" that has been implemented, that a fair number of issues constantly plague octopus, many of which are out of their direct control.

 

[mad_rich]

I knew that Agile was a beta tariff, but I was kinda surprised reading that blog that so is SMETS2 and perhaps the whole smart meter industry!

That said, I’d rather be in beta with a company like Octopus who I can work with, than with some giant ageing legacy supplier.

 

[dk6780]

SMETS has been a car crash since launch, and the use of three different companies is madness.

 

[Jamjsco]

How long have you all waited for a smart meter from starting with your new supplier? I'm particularly interested in Octopus as I joined them two weeks ago. I'm on their 'Tracker' tariff just now waiting to go on to Agile. I know there will be a wait, just curious how long.

 

[mad_rich]

I joined in February and only had the installation last week. Obviously COVID got in the way. Out of the blue I had an email the previous week saying slots were available in my area, and I could have done it the same week if I had been available.

It's difficult to predict timing, though, because it varies quite a lot regionally I think. It depends on how many people in your area want them, and what the current state of play is with the installers and other various partners in each area

 

[vsmith1]

Think you have 2 weeks of free elecy

My installation seems to also have gone this way with so many similarities. At least the electrical supply and the gas supply came back on. So if I might have a few weeks of free electricity - I think that the gas meter component is not even powered up. So will I get free gas too?

 

[Bullterrier]

I babysat Eon installing SMETS2 at my daughters house today. All done and dusted in just over an hour. That’s 3 out of three with my own and my mothers all on SMETS2 and all in around the same elapsed time. All outside in meter boxes though (my gas is in one of the semi-submerged ones).

 

[EV i fi]

Update: My Octopus Smart meter is now working after second visit.

After 48hrs I received an email from Octopus confirming I could switch to their Go tariff by clicking a link in the email.

I have a healthy paranoia about following links in emails, even when the actual email address looks legit, so I actually did on their website. It was very straightforward.