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Rank 2
March 10, 2024
Solved

Faulty traditional meter

Hiya, went to take a meter reading as usual (non smart meter) but the display is flashing alternately 000 18 and 8888.8.8 and TOT with a sporadic red flash (assuming this is consuming?) and no actual reading!

 

I’ve emailed OVO but no chat till tomorrow…is there an easy fix like batteries/reset or something? (we’ve not long owned the house so not sure how it all works!)

Thanks.

 

waltyboy
waltyboyBest Answer
Rank 8
March 10, 2024

Updated on 02/07/25 by Chris_OVO:


Not got the answers you need? The following topics may be helpful:
 

 

Hi @zedzedhoney, can well understand how you must feel anxious about the whole meter thing on a remote island; but don’t worry, as @fancyabrew says, your smart meter when fitted will be no worse than your present meter even if its limited “smartness” MAY mean you still need to take manual readings. AND it will be better in the sense that a new smart meter can handle dual tariffs, so will be able to manage both your regular tariff and your Economy tariff, assuming there are no dreadful cabling issues or lack of room in a small cupboard or some other unsuitability issues. So the meter would automatically have you on the reduced off peak tariff (midnight to 0700? or whichever you are on at the moment). 
 

As @Blastoise186 says, the “05 02” sticker is wildly out of date now and you could maybe ask for a calibration check when it’s replaced, as some of your billing (less heating and hot water) for the past 9 months has been based on it…of course, such a check could work either way I suppose!
 

But I’m wondering if it’s the change from a 9999.99 reading to a 0000.00 reading which has prompted the current shenanigans from your meter?  You mention a previous reading of something like 9875.33…so usage over 3 or 4 winter months on that island of yours could well have made a difference of 124.67 kWh or so?

 

Good luck with it all, and as I say, don’t worry, you will at the very least be no worse off with a modern smart meter, and chances are it will actually prove to be easier in use for you, and who knows? its smart communications may well work, depending on where within your house its sited, and where your house itself is sited on the island. Maybe depending where the island itself is sited! Depending on how well known some of your neighbours are to you now after nine months, (and how close geographically they are!) one or two of them might have some interesting or relevant stories?! 

Walt. 2013: 3.2kW PV East/West + Fronius IG, as at 01 Sep 2026 30 MWh, of which 22 MWh exported. 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”). 2026: Hyundai Inster 02 EV.

88 replies

Rank 2
March 10, 2024

You’re welcome - keep posting and we’ll try to give the best advice we can between us. That’s one of the things this forum is amazing at - and all the advice we offer is free too, which is a bonus!

There’s two possible meter setups that you could be on. I very much doubt you’re on Standard Economy & Heating Load because that tariff is absolutely useless 99% of the time if you’re on oil heating. I also can’t see you being on Economy 7/White Meter based on what you’ve said. The only other one would be THTC and that’s what I think you’ve probably got.

When it comes to THTC stuff, I have a direct contact at OVO who’s been helping me out and keeping me informed. I can’t tell you his exact name, but it rhymes with Bim so you can probably figure it out. :D

The latest info I have from “Bim” is that THTC Support for Smart Meters is still in development with OVO’s teams. It’s coming soon though! Please wait and I’ll try to get a refresh because that info is a few months old now.

Thanks so much, hopefully ‘Bim’ will update you soon!

Another local lady said to me: “I am stuck with OVO after being migrated from SSE and now can’t shop around. OVO have absolutely refused to fit a smart meter because I still have two meters - one was the old storage heaters meter - now only does the hot water tank. OVO said that in 2024 they will be replacing all meters on the island with single smart meters”

 

So I’m now wondering, if I call them about my faulty meter what on earth they will suggest doing if they’ve told someone with a similar set up that they won’t install a smart meter so they’re unable to shop around or get a smart meter with ovo till an indeterminate point in 2024 when all THTC meters will be replaced…I can’t be left without a functioning meter till then! 😆😩

Then I read this and I’m really worried!

https://laim.scot/blog/thtc-meter-change-sse-ovo

 

 

 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
March 10, 2024

The reason they couldn’t change was probably due to not having anything available to change to.

However, in your case it MIGHT be possible given that it’s not the RTS side that’s failed. The thing about being “stuck” with OVO probably won’t go away even after a Smart Meter upgrade. You can only really switch to suppliers that support your tariff type - and barely any other than OVO can handle THTC.

To be honest… I’m probably a LOT more clued up about this stuff than most people are, and I get the feeling even the Energy Ombudsman isn’t as clued up and up-to-date as I am (I don’t even live in Scotland either!). They certainly can’t use some of the magic tricks I can pull off...

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Rank 2
March 10, 2024

The reason they couldn’t change was probably due to not having anything available to change to.

However, in your case it MIGHT be possible given that it’s not the RTS side that’s failed. The thing about being “stuck” with OVO probably won’t go away even after a Smart Meter upgrade. You can only really switch to suppliers that support your tariff type - and barely any other than OVO can handle THTC.

To be honest… I’m probably a LOT more clued up about this stuff than most people are, and I get the feeling even the Energy Ombudsman isn’t as clued up and up-to-date as I am (I don’t even live in Scotland either!). They certainly can’t use some of the magic tricks I can pull off...

So as a magician, what’s your best advice? Can’t I just ask OVO to ditch this THTC meter/tariff now, get a smart meter installed (I’m assuming I’d need an electrician to move the hot water back onto the main meter?) get on whatever the OVO standard tariff is…then shop around in the future as I see fit? Am I completely misunderstanding the problem I have?

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
March 10, 2024

Probably not recommended. The cost of re-wiring alone would be ridiculous.

Please also ask your DNO if you’re in a Load Managed Area for the purposes of THTC. If you are, then you’re probably stuck with it I’m afraid.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Rank 2
March 10, 2024

Probably not recommended. The cost of re-wiring alone would be ridiculous.

Please also ask your DNO if you’re in a Load Managed Area for the purposes of THTC. If you are, then you’re probably stuck with it I’m afraid.

Sorry, what’s not recommended? Getting rid of this THTC?
Are you saying I can’t get a smart meter either…but I also can’t stay on this THTC as it’s going to be defunct soon…but I also can’t stay as I am since the other meter is broken…oh and the RTS signal thing is being switched off soon too…so what on Earth do I do?
 

My DNO is SSEN apparently, I’ve no idea if we’re load managed for the purposes of THTC (or what that actually means!) we’re on the Isle of Arran if that helps (not even that remote usually but the wind has been mad and our boat is terminally broken so infrastructure is currently awful and we can’t really go anywhere much for this next year!) 

Rank 2
March 10, 2024

Probably not recommended. The cost of re-wiring alone would be ridiculous.

Please also ask your DNO if you’re in a Load Managed Area for the purposes of THTC. If you are, then you’re probably stuck with it I’m afraid.

How is it a big rewiring job please? The two meters are right beside each other, the hot water unit is only a few feet away, ditto the boiler…I’m being advised by a local bloke that it’s relatively simple: “the supplier OVO would generally fit a new meter, then one wire from that to a Henley block, and then 2 wires to each consumer unit”

 

This is all getting very techy for me I just want a person with no agenda to come round, look at our set up, and replace all the defunct stuff with the most efficient alternative and then shop around for the cheapest deal for our pattern of consumption, like maybe try the 🐙 tracker for a while! 😩😩😩

waltyboy
Rank 8
Rank 8
March 11, 2024

Hello @zedzedhoney your local electrician sounds correct to me…your supplier is obliged to replace the current defunct meter (you’re not now even sure whether it’s billing you correctly any more, presumably) at no cost to you, then, at your own cost (which by the sound of things won’t be enormous), get your consumer units and immersion hooked up via Henley blocks or equivalent, and after that, as you say, you can cast around for best tariffs and best use of your immersion etc.  

 

Main thing is, get that meter replaced as an urgent task, and while that’s pending your local electrician can be preparing things on the consumer side.  
 

You’ll find OVO customer services people friendly and helpful…I was migrated over from SSE and have had no problems whatsoever with OVO, quite the opposite.

Walt. 2013: 3.2kW PV East/West + Fronius IG, as at 01 Sep 2026 30 MWh, of which 22 MWh exported. 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”). 2026: Hyundai Inster 02 EV.
Rank 2
March 11, 2024

NOPE! It’s going to be HELL!

First they said they’d try to source a heritage meter to replace the broken one, now they’re not even doing that! Here’s a response from today:

 

Thank you for writing back to us regarding your THTC meter and tariff plan that you are currently on.I would like to offer my sincere apologies for the inconvenience that has caused you. I will be happy to get this sorted for you.

Regarding your recent request, I have reviewed your account, I would like to give an explanation about the THTC meter exchange to a smart meter. Unfortunately, at the minute, we are unable to change any exotic meters even for an older traditional style one. The reason for this is because they have stopped making the older meters and it's difficult to source them. We are expecting an update in the next couple of months. When we receive this update, this should allow us to start booking in meter exchanges for your specific meter type. We are hoping that towards the end of the year, all THTC meters are exchanged to keep in line with the new Radio teleswitch switch-off date in the first half of 2025.

Rest assured, as soon as we are able to exchange your meter, we will be in touch to discuss the heating you currently have in your property. We are looking at swapping THTC with either a single-rate meter, economy 7 or economy 10. It would depend on the type of heating you are using and whether off-peak rates would benefit you more.

Please see below current tariff that you are on:-

XxxxxxxX

I am sorry if this is not the answer you wanted but at the moment this is just not something we are able to do. Whilst we love our customer and hope to continue providing great customer service, we do understand that each and every customer gets to make their own choice in who their energy supplier is. This is something we can't currently offer, however, another supplier may be able to offer you a meter exchange and you are free to switch at any time without notifying us.

I can see that the previous agent have arranged a meter reading appointment. Once we get this information we should be able to update your meter reading in the system.

I hope this has been helpful and that this has clarified fully exactly how we will look to resolve this for you.

 

Rank 2
March 11, 2024

And my reply:

Hi XXXXX

I'll read this properly later today. 

But briefly, the part of your email that jumps out:

"Unfortunately, at the minute, we are unable to change any exotic meters even for an older traditional style one. The reason for this is because they have stopped making the older meters and it's difficult to source them. We are expecting an update in the next couple of months. When we receive this update, this should allow us to start booking in meter exchanges for your specific meter type"

 

So...meaning that we will not have a functioning electric meter of ANY kind until an unspecified time in several months but not even definitively then? 

 

How can it be legal that a broken, un calibrated and uncertified meter is left in place so that a customer is unaware what they are spending and unable to check that it is functioning correctly?

 

And since OVO choose not to replace it with a smart meter (or indeed ANY meter) we cannot switch so there is no choice as no other supplier supplies to customers with a THRC meter in place?

 

Again this seems not to be legal. The very least OVO could do until this is fixed is to put us on a reduced rate tariff, until a qualified person has come and we are satisfied that the current malfunctioning meter is recording our usage accurately how can we be satisfied to just take OVO's word for it?

 

Lastly, you have not explained WHY exotic meters can't be replaced by smart ones...it may be an OVO policy not to roll this out yet, but this shouldn't apply to your customers who have a NON FUNCTIONING METER.

 

The smart technology exists, I'm told that smart meters even without signals can function just like regular meters and we can phone in our meter readings, it would surely only involve a new meter installation and a disconnect/reroute of one wire from the hot water heater into the new meter...they are 2 feet apart in a large cupboard.

 

I'd appreciate a technical explanation as to why this type of installation can't occur, not a policy explanation.

 

Many thanks for getting back to us. 

waltyboy
Rank 8
Rank 8
March 11, 2024

Oooh @zedzedhoney, that’s not good, no.  But is it your THTC meter that’s actually at fault at the moment?  The THTC meter doesn’t need replacing right now?

 

EDIT Have just seen your additional post above, I quite agree with you, you need the broken/US meter replaced pronto, never mind the “exotic” one…

Walt. 2013: 3.2kW PV East/West + Fronius IG, as at 01 Sep 2026 30 MWh, of which 22 MWh exported. 2023: 2.4kWh LiFePo4 battery. 2024: Tadö wireless smart stat v3; Electriq split unit 2.6kW AAHP (“air conditioner”). 2026: Hyundai Inster 02 EV.