Smart Meter and variable tariffs

[Triassic]

My self build plods slowly towards the finish line and I’ve just commissioned my Willis powered under floor heating. Eventually I will fit smarter controls that will allow me to take advantage of cheap night time electricity, a bit like Terry does. Having said that, I’m on my second smart meter and none of them have ever communicated back to the supplier, due to the meter being in a cell phone black spot.  So the question is do I need a smart meter to take advantage of the cheap overnight tariffs or will Economy 7, or similar?, be suitable?

[ProDave]

E10 would be my choice because the 10 hours of cheap rate are spread in 3 bursts including a useful early afternoon period.

 

Getting them to remove a smart meter and replace it with a normal dual rate meter might be an uphill challenge, do let us know how you get on.

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

Getting them to remove a smart meter and replace it with a normal dual rate meter might be an uphill challenge, do let us know how you get on.

Find the SIM card and bend it.

Or get a mobile phone blocker nearby, they cannot be hard to make.

[Triassic]

22 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Find the SIM card and bend it.

Or get a mobile phone blocker nearby, they cannot be hard to make.

The meter can’t get a signal as it’s in a cell phone dead spot. I told them it wouldn’t work but they did insist it would. I only got the th8ng so I could access cheaper tariffs!

[Triassic]

Looking at Octipus Agile, it would appear that I need a working smart meter. Is that correct?

[joth]

1 hour ago, Triassic said:

Looking at Octipus Agile, it would appear that I need a working smart meter. Is that correct?

 

Correct.

 

In theory a SMETSv2 meter might work even where a v1 doesn't because the new meters have their own wide area wireless network, and don't rely on cell phone coverage.

 

[Triassic]

13 hours ago, joth said:

the new meters have their own wide area wireless network, and don't rely on cell phone coverage.

 

How does this wide area wireless network work? Via the Internet or using cell technology? The reason I ask is that I’m on my second smart meter and neither worked due to there being no cell coverage.

[joth]

It depends where in the country you are: northern region uses a long range radio network, central and southern uses cellular network and mesh infill to attempt to fill the black spots.

 

There's a lot of very wordy docs about it on smartdcc.co.uk that run the smart meter Data Communications notwork

 

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/products-services/design-and-assurance/communications-hubs/

 

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/1408/15574_building_a_smart_metering_network_v3.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiMj6uGpe_tAhURZcAKHVnMDZAQFjAMegQICRAH&usg=AOvVaw2hxC7OX5ncoXc6lyfuIb7t

Edited December 27, 2020 by joth

[SteamyTea]

8 hours ago, joth said:

northern region uses a long range radio network

Is that the same LW that E7/10 uses to switch on/off.

I have been told I need a smart meter by March 2023 as it is being turned off.

[ProDave]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

Is that the same LW that E7/10 uses to switch on/off.

I have been told I need a smart meter by March 2023 as it is being turned off.

Google "the long wave goodbye" and you will see why.

[joth]

There's a slightly more accessible overview of the whole dogs dinner here.

https://www.smartme.co.uk/technical.html

 

Includes details of which meters can take what sort of antenna to improve range, and gems like the frequency used in the north depends on how close to Fylingdales you live, and that the Comms hub plugged into the electricity meter is owned by yet another company, meaning we're up to 5 companies/individuals with a claim on the equipment on the fuse board (more if you have smart exports, plus  3 more on the gas meter).