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Rank 1
David P J
Rank 1
March 8, 2023
Solved

Smart meters and EV chargers - no CT clamp with fitted

  • March 8, 2023
  • 37 replies
  • 9940 views

Hi 

has anyone had trouble after a smart meter was fitted with their charger ? I have as the meter was fitted correctly but a clamp that must be in place for the charger to work was omitted. Ovo refused to come out and help in spite of many requests and denied anything was wrong. Most irritating. Now fixes BT replacing clamp

Best answer by M.isterW

Updated on 30/01/26 by Ben_OVO

We would always recommend seeking professional advice from an electrician for anything related to your home’s electrics. 

 

I assume you are talking about the CT clamp that would have been put round the "live" meter tail when the charger was installed? Just clamp it back round the new meter tail. You don't need an electrician to do it. It should have an arrow on it to show which way it goes. Make sure this points towards the load (i.e. the consumer unit).

A CT clamp is a current transformer that clamps round a cable. They use the current flowing in the cable to generate a small current that is sent to whatever device they're connected to (car charger, solar battery etc). The device uses the current to determine how many amps are flowing in the cable. A car charger will use this measurement to make sure it isn't drawing too much current.

 

We would always recommend seeking professional advice from an electrician for anything related to your home’s electrics. 

 

 

37 replies

Show previous replies
Tim_OVO
OVO Staff
Tim_OVO
OVO Forum Legend
July 26, 2023

It sounds like there’s been progress in diagnosing this, @AndrewV. Assuming we’re on the right track, that a CT clamp was removed by the OVO engineer that is necessary for the charger to work, OVO will need to make sure things are put right. Our Support team are on hand. If it takes longer than the time frame you’ve been given, feel free to let us know here so we can get you some help via the forum. 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
    A
    Newcomer
    AndrewV
    Newcomer
    July 26, 2023

    Thanks Tim, anything that you can do to help would be much appreciated?  I feel like I am having to ‘self-diagnose’ this, which is definitely sub-optimal (but this community have been great, thanks).  It’s taken me 6-days to get to a point where I now have to wait 5-days for a call-back and I have no idea whether I’ll then need to wait even more time for an Engineer to visit.  I literally have no idea how long this will take.  I keep being told that it’s 17-working-days to book any type of engineering work other than fitting a smart-meter which was available on 24-hours notice.  I now have a health and safety ticket number of ANMR-293.  I’m beginning to wonder whether my charger is now unsafe?  It’s great to be awarded a “has an EV” badge, for this forum, but, ironically, I now can’t use it.

    BPLightlog
    Super User
    BPLightlogSuper User
    Super User
    July 26, 2023

    Hi @AndrewV , hoping you’ll get a quick response. In the meantime, just looking at the wiring again for the charger, I can’t see how the engineer could have removed it completely unless they also worked on your charger - it should be connected directly. 
     

    So my thought was, perhaps the CT is still there but tucked out of the way? Just a thought. 

    Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
      juliamc
      Rank 20
      juliamc
      Rank 20
      July 26, 2023

      I also have a PodPoint charger. Is this the clamp you’re referring to with the thin black cable ?

        BPLightlog
        Super User
        BPLightlogSuper User
        Super User
        July 26, 2023

        That looks like the one @juliamc 

        Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
          A
          Newcomer
          AndrewV
          Newcomer
          July 26, 2023

          Thanks All, this is very instructive, thanks.  To be honest, though, I’m still at a bit of a loss - mapping theses diagrams to what I can see is a bit beyond me.  It was working and now it isn’t.  Hopefully, I’ll get a call back sometime soon and an Engineer will visit/resolve.  I just wish I could use my car.  

            juliamc
            Rank 20
            juliamc
            Rank 20
            July 26, 2023

            Have you got a thin cable alongside the fat electrical cable that goes into the back of the PodPoint @AndrewV ? I thought it was referred to as a Data Cable. Sorry not technical terms. If it’s got a little box thing on the end that’s the boy !!

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