I’m currently with SSE but hope I can get an answer here as they have been taken over by OVO. I have two separate electricity meters, one for standard rate, and one for storage heater and hot water, the latter being controlled by a clock which gives two separate charging periods. We don’t use the heater except for background (low rate is about 45% total usage) and I think Economy 7 would be cheaper. Is this possible to move to a single E7 meter (smart if poss) and would there be a charge? The whole system dates from the 1960s and so far as I know the only change has been two new meters a few years ago. Picture of distribution board attached.
Hey @johnlbrooks - that’s an “interesting” historical electricity fuse-board!
Your initial question is reasonably straightforward, although there are some alternatives to consider.
But the photo raises some other factors which are worthwhile considering… particularly around the area of safety.
We’ve got a great guide to help you figure out who’s responsible for each part of your set up and who to contact when you need to make changes:
2: Safety of the existing installation:
a; The larger silver isolator switch at top centre looks like the mains incomer. We wouldn’t fit that now. Your local Distributed Network Operator (DNO) needs to be asked if they could change this to the usual 100A Service Fuse.
If you don’t know who is your DNO, fill out your Forum Profile and I’ll work it out for you.
b; The green earthing wires are too small. They need replacing with 10mm² green/yellow wire and your earth connection (copper stake?) checked for compliancy. This requires a local electrician. I’m unsure if OVO would be prepared to change you to a Smart Meter unless you had adequate earthing.
c; Your only safety (earth-leakage) trip appears to be on the input to the fusebox feeding the storage radiators. There’s no RCD that I can see on your lighting/power circuits. As the house wiring is old, there’s an higher chance of faulty wiring which could cause damage, but fail to blow the fuse. Not good!
Personally I’d be asking a local electrician to quote for a new “split load” Consumer Unit. These come ready-built with two RCD (safety) trips and a range of MCB trips which replace the present set of fuses.
The Consumer Unit here has ten MCB trips of a mix of different Amp ratings. There is a wide range to choose from. This one I found on the website of the electrical wholesalers, TLC Direct.
For customers wanting to go from Single Rate to Economy 7
It’s a good idea to start by comparing Economy 7 prices, to get the best one for you. At OVO, we’ll be able to give you a price outline for Economy 7 – as part of your quote from us.
Once you have an Economy 7 meter installed, it can be set up with your chosen plan, to best suit your home and lifestyle. And if you need to switch between Economy 7 and a standard energy plan, you can even do this remotely once you have a smart meter.
You can get a smart meter that’s set up to work with an Economy 7 tariff. Once you do that, the rates will be displayed on your electricity smart meter and In-Home Display.
We offer the latest type of smart meter (called SMETS2), which will work with Economy 7 plans. Find out more about how to get a smart meter for your Economy 7 plan.
@Ray780 - I’ve checked online the area around your (rural) site. Whilst I don’t have the electricity Distribution Grid map for the SSEN southern region, I can see well enough how the 440v 3-phase feed proceeds westwards along Thackhams Lane from your local substation.
My suggestion for your site is as follows:
Ask SSEN if they can bring 3-phase into the house (instead of the existing 2-phase). This is likely to be chargeable.
Ask your Energy Supplier to install a 3-phase Smart Meter, such as the Aclara SG1433B, which we’ve been discussing recently with another member over on this other topic. There is no charge for installing a Smart Meter where there wasn’t one previously.
That means you’d have one 3-phase meter rather than two single-phase ones. Having a single MPAN for just one meter makes it easier to switch between Suppliers in future.
These changes will radically open up the possibilities for:
3-phase rapid charging of Electric Vehicles
Option to use a more efficient 3-phase Heat pump in future.
Better opportunity for export of electricity from PV Solar Panels if you wish (because you won’t be causing losses due to phase imbalance).
Greater flexibility for on-site electricity Storage Batteries.
Please ask if you like us to elaborate on any of this.
Hi Tim, i must admit that i haven’t reported it yet as due to speak to Lisa again next Monday ( as she is on holiday this week ) and i thought i would pick it all up together, I am sure you’ll repeat i should report it asap which i know is the correct thing to do and i will now do so. Ray
No worries Ray, the main thing is that you’re aware of it. That’s our biggest concern. :)
Feel free to send Lisa a link to this forum thread if you’d like to. It might help her to see what’s already been said here and adds a bit more context.
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!
Please let SSE know the address for this topic @Ray780 - They can then see your photos and the points we’ve made about the apparatus.
Bah!…. Blastoise made the same point whilst I was still writing!
Although we’re now discussing safety issues and regulations, I haven’t forgotten the original question.
I’m ready to discuss how to better divide the phases across various ‘loads’ both with your existing heating/energy requirements, and those which you may want in the future.
Our suggestions here will take into account the forthcoming Time Of Use tariffs, based on half-hourly time-slots and controlled via your Smart Meter.
Houses in your area are well above average size and will be prohibitively expensive to heat in the early evening period of peak demand. Having three phases will help, but some form of energy storage will soon become a necessity.
Much of what we say here would apply equally to your neighbours, who are obviously welcome to pitch in here if you let them know.
Thanks for your previous help and I’d appreciate some more support. I have been directed to SSEN to report the A07 fault but they say they can only get involved when a metering engineer asks them to get involved. Can you help to understand who i should contact to arrange this as i keep getting passed from one place to another. @Transparent Your suggestion to take account of the Time-of use tariffs seems sensible but again i am not sure how to progress this as i haven’t spoken to anyone who can help me with this.
The fault codes I’m referring to are those which the Electricity Networks Association (ENA) requires 3rd-party meter engineers to use when reporting a safety issue to the regional Distribution Network Operator (DNO). These are specified in the MOCOPA Guide.
There are three levels of fault:
A: Emergency Codes - immediate attention required by DNO
B: Remedial Work Codes - to be rectified within a few days
C: Asset Condition Codes - to be investigated at some later date
They’re all related to safety, and in the case of Level-A faults, the Guide states
MOCOPA Guide p.12
Whyever wouldn’t SSEN want to respond to a Level-A code just because it’s been reported by a customer? That doesn’t make it any less serious.
If I could’ve found an appropriate Level-B or C code which relates to an exposed Neutral conductor, then I would’ve done so. But I can’t see one, and in any case, that isn’t the reason they’ve given for failing to properly respond.
As I see it you have four options:
1:Write (email) to SSEN under their Complaints Procedure. It’s more detailed than that used by OVO and has four steps before a matter could be taken to the Ombudsman. Make sure you provide the URL for this discussion here on the Forum.
2: Write to your MP, who has the authority to refer the matter to BEIS and/or Ofgem to seek their advice.
3: Write to Matt Allright at BBC Watchdog, who has already featured safety issues with the unsafe installation of some Smart Meters.
The only Energy Supplier which has ever offered one is Octopus. It’s called Agile, but is currently not being offered to new customers due to the widely fluctuating price of electricity generated by gas-turbine sites.
Sorry to hear you’ve had difficulty in getting your DNO to respond when raising the safety issues our community members have spotted with your live neutral wiring, @Ray780.
It might also be worth raising this directly with your current supplier who are responsible for maintaining your meter setup so should report any issues following a ‘Site survey’ directly to the DNO.
Have you forwarded the photos you’ve posted here to your current supplier?
I have spoken to SSE ( who have seen the photos ) and they have advised me to email photos and link to this forum to SSEN which i have now done. I will let you know how i get on as others may want to know.
