THTC meter - Removal Request

I’m going from memory here, so please forgive any minor inaccuracies.

Arqiva, contracted by DCC to manage this WAN, were enjoined to ensure that 99.5% of properties in the northern CSP region were covered by some date which has now passed. This they claimed to have achieved, and now say they cover 99.7% of properties. That means, sadly, that 0.3% will be outwith the WAN. I doubt that much energy and expense will be spent on rounding up the unfortunate ones.

I’ve seen references to ‘buddy mode’, where one meter out of WAN range connects to a neighbour’s that’s in range, but I’ve not heard of an instance in practice.

Then there’s the possibility of a new generation of communications hubs equipped with a backup 4G SIM, so if LRR fails, there’s a chance that a (provider-agnostic) mobile signal could. That’s still months if not years away, though.  

I’ve mentioned DIY solutions before. It would be really good to hear from anyone who has tried, whether it was successful or not. This is a repeater involving a 710mm dipole located high up and aimed at the nearest TV transmitter, connected by low-loss coax cable taking the shortest possible route to the meter cupboard, where a mini dipole is fixed near the comms hub. It’s a low-cost solution that has been proved to work for some customers. 

Quick question for the cognoscenti…

If I have a “dumb” smart meter (i.e. outwith WAN reach) on a dual tariff, what happens when the clocks change???

Does it adjust for “winter time” internally itself, can it be manually set to “winter time” or do I just make allowance for the time change in my usage?

Thanks in advance!

The entire electricity industry operates on UTC all year round. That applies to smart meters, too. We still don’t know for certain what will happen with these new meters in Scotland when BST ends. It will be a case, I think, of ‘watch and pray’. You will soon notice (e.g. on your IHD) on 27 October whether your heaters start charging at different times from the day before.

It would be helpful if you could come back and tell us, assuming your meter has been installed by then.

Probably a lot of old tosh, but anyway… on TV tonight.

 

I raised this topic at my local Community Council meeting yesterday which also had members of the Highland Council present. A letter will be sent to Deputy First Minister and MSP Kate Forbes highlighting the very real worries many residents have re. what will happen to their heating / hot water after the RTS turnoff if they haven’t received a Smart Meter by that time.

It’s fair to say most at the meeting were blissfully unaware that it was even happening.

To try to circumvent the more serious issues that may arise, I’ve asked for a “dumb” smart meter to be installed (I think I’m legally entitled to request one) now - i.e. BEFORE the RTS turnoff.
At least then I will have removed my dependence on RTS - even if I have to enter my smart meter readings manually until the DCC put the SM-WAN signal in my area (if they do).

 

The short answer to that is ‘nobody knows’. Every single RTS-controlled system is unique, with different combinations of metering equipment and controls, and different wiring arrangements for different combinations of heating equipment. Some may stay in the state they were in when the signal was turned off; some may have fail-safe systems that just turn everything under RTS-control off if no signal is received.   

There is no such animal as a ‘dumb’ smart meter these days. The SMETS2 meters being installed by OVO in Scotland are of the same type, and they don’t have a ‘dumb mode’. What ‘serious issues’ are you hoping to circumvent?

“...even if I have to enter my smart meter readings manually ...” sounds as if that’s not what you’re doing at present. Is it?

Hi Firedog,

• By “dumb” I mean a Smart Meter operating outwith the SM-WAN. I imagine it’ll be pre-setup with a tariff (E10) and I’ll have to enter the meter readings manually to my supplier periodically, instead of the meter being read remotely. At least, that’s what Ovo have told me.
• By “serious issues” I mean finding out the day after RTS turnoff that I don’t have the heating and hot water facility I had up until that point. As you say, ‘nobody knows’ what will happen to their heating / hot water after the RTS turnoff if they haven’t received a Smart Meter by that time.

OK, I think. You’re going ahead with having a smart meter installed instead of your current RTS-controlled THTC system. That sounds sensible to me, and it will avoid the serious issues you’re concerned about, whether the meter is communicating with the WAN or not. 

The pre-programming you refer to is less certain. These meters normally come configured for Economy 7, and the re-configuration for Economy 10 would normally happen during the commissioning phase - which depends on its being in contact with OVO. I hope it will be possible for this to be done prior to installation, but I’m not certain about it. Even if it were possible, there remains the question of the peak/offpeak switching times, which again have to be done while the meter is in contact with the mothership. I’m afraid you’re just going to have to wait and see what happens when the engineer gets there and tries to do his stuff.

Did I suggest you find out where your (proper, not Freeview) television transmitter is? That may be a significant factor in determining whether you’ll have a chance of connecting to the WAN. And while we’re at it, can your mobile phone connect over 4G if you stand near the meter?

Hi @Firedog

There is no 4G or any other mobile signal in the village. Can I ask what it’d be needed for re. the smart meter as I’m in Scotland?

I’m having difficulty locating the nearest (non-Freeview) TV transmitter. Lots of broken or out of date internet links.
Any ideas???

You got that right!