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PAYG meter card contact failing continuously

  • 4 February 2024
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We've had a painful saga with a traditional PAYG card meter for gas, where the card contacts were failing but OVO's diagnostics did not check that over the course of 9 months. So we had a total of 5 weeks without gas until finally the meter was replaced. The National Grid engineer seemed to say that this is quite a common failure, so why not check for it? If you put your card into the meter and the display doesn't come on, chances are the contacts for the card are failing. Why not ask that simple question early in the process? Before sending a new card, asking for the contents of all 32 screens, sending customer to look for a shop that has a new card in-stock... I have lodged a complaint because the OVO process and outcomes were absolutely painful. I hope posting here may shortcut this for others... 

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Best answer by Blastoise186 5 February 2024, 09:04

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Blastoise186
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Hi,

Just so you know, these are my personal thoughts. I don’t speak for OVO.

I’m afraid this isn’t an OVO specific problem so a true fix won’t be easy.

 

Siemens Quantum and other similar systems used to manage this stuff are effectively stone age, but the meter itself is supposed to detect card slot failure. I forgot which error code it is for that one, but it definitely exists and should trigger the Call Help warning at very least.

 

However, it’s not easy to diagnose the exact fault remotely unless it’s a Smart Meter and it’s more often than not a dead card, so I can kinda see why the card is blamed as the initial culprit. The chips get a lot of punishment over time from wear and tear  but slots can also get damaged by abuse too - especially if folks ram the cards in way too hard. I hate to admit it, but I’ve heard that happens far more than I’d like to admit.

 

It’s difficult to fix one part of the process without breaking another. That’s not to say I don’t agree with you - I actually do - but at the same time, fixing this one could break another part of it...

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
Nukecad
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Computer techie tip - A pencil eraser is a good way of cleaning any electrical contacts such as those on a card.

Rub it lightly in the direction that the card (or whatever) inserts.

Also works for mucky battery contacts.

Today I have zero energy, my plan zero is going back to sleep.
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@Nukecad we tried that on the many cards they sent. @Blastoise186 I don’t think saying “it’s supposed to work” is really a helpful fault-finding approach. It wasn’t giving an error code, over the course of 9 months - hence my helpful suggestion that the call-handlers adda simple question to the list - when you put the card in, does the display come on? Not hard. 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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I’m really sorry to hear this @Patient1, it sounds like a very stressful situation. If a customer is off supply, they should be able to book an emergency appointment to be there within a matter of hours.

 

If you’re having an issue with topping up via cards, I’m surprised they haven’t booked in a smart meter exchange. 

 

Can you please confirm if you are with OVO PAYG or Boost? 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.

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