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Martin2024
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July 26, 2024
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200 amp single phase smart meter, can OVO do this?

  • July 26, 2024
  • 24 replies
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We have a single phase 200 amp supply, which supplies several, all electric, holiday let cottages in Snowdonia.

Our current supplier (and previous supplier too) wouldn’t listen to me and when they came to install our smart meter, sent out a normal engineer with a simple 100A meter.

The first supplier said they couldn’t help us so we moved to Octopus, who after their failed installation have now given us the run around for the past 5 months. They tell me that they can install a 200A smart CT meter, that will give us access to the agile tariffs that we’re after, but that an external company has to do this (SMS) and that they have no free appointments in our area for the foreseeable future!

If we moved to OVO would they be able to install us a 200A CT smart meter? I have read other informative threads on this forum, but they refer to polyphase or 3 phase supplies.

Thanks in advance

 

 

Best answer by Lukepeniket_OVO

Updated on 06/11/25 by Abby_OVO

Just reading up elsewhere about others who have done this (split a single feed), one of the main hurdles is to make sure that one of the feeds cannot back feed to the other but if the single incomer is split correctly and then the 100A fuses are in place, it should be easy to use a breaker going into the separate meters and then to the distribution boards. 
Your solar and batteries might need a bit more thought to ensure isolation. 

^ obviously it will be necessary to check this out with a professional. Your DNO will probably need to be involved for the split and fusing

 

Hello all,

This i believe will be the only way, downrating from CT 200A supply to multiple single phase supplies. The kVa might be enough that you could get multiple 100A single phase supplies from that cutout but only the DNO would be able to do this. Snowdon area I know I have a 3 phase engineer up that way who covers that whole area. 

Good luck OP!

 

The following topic may also be helpful:

 

24 replies

Blastoise186
Super User
Blastoise186Super User
Super User
July 26, 2024

Hi @Martin2024 ,

OVO does have experience with this stuff - would you mind showing us some photos of what you’ve got now as this helps Forum Volunteers like myself get a better idea of what’s going on. We will not use this to have OVO try and sell you stuff - it will just be used here on the Forum only.

Just curious, but who were your previous suppliers if you don’t mind me asking? Mentioning them here is totally OK with us - this Forum is open to everyone. :)

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BPLightlog
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BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
July 26, 2024

If I read your question correctly @Martin2024 , you are talking about a commercial supply (rather than domestic) which I don’t believe that OVO can offer

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
    Blastoise186
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    Blastoise186Super User
    Super User
    July 26, 2024

    True, but I think we can probably still try to de-mystify this a bit. :)

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      Martin2024Author
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      July 26, 2024

      the meter was installed with our new 50kva supply back in 2019. it’s in dumb mode.

      M
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      Martin2024Author
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      July 26, 2024

      If I read your question correctly @Martin2024 , you are talking about a commercial supply (rather than domestic) which I don’t believe that OVO can offer

      Our account is a domestic one. which was a big relief over the past couple of years

       

        Blastoise186
        Super User
        Blastoise186Super User
        Super User
        July 26, 2024

        Thanks!

        If you’re on a Non-Domestic supply, OVO can’t serve you as they only do Domestic supplies.  If you ARE on a Domestic supply, you might be able to get OVO to serve you. However, the House Rules here still allow us Forum Volunteers to offer you advice for free either way - if we can do it for a couple of schools, I’m sure we can get away with a few holiday flats. :)

        You don’t have a Smart Meter there. That’s an Elster A1140 which is actually an AMR Meter which is a different beast entirely. I’m truly sorry to tell you this, but you’ll never get Agile Tariffs e.g. Octopus Agile with an AMR Meter.

        Unfortunately, your setup is incompatible with ALL known SMETS1 and SMETS2 Smart Meters - you’d have to go for AMR again if you replaced it. Even though OVO can support AMR Meters, it’s the CT Metering thing and the 200A Supply that’s the upgrade blocker here.

        Sorry about that.

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          Martin2024Author
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          July 26, 2024

          found this old photo which shows the incoming cable. It’s definitely only single phase as only one phase comes up the hill to our property. We inquired about having a 3 phase supply when we were doing the building work, but due to the distances involved were quoted a 6 figure sum.

          We haven’t measured our usage, but in winter there are 2 medium GSHP’s, three kitchens and one shared EV charger using the same supply, so at times we will be using more than 100A

          Blastoise186
          Super User
          Blastoise186Super User
          Super User
          July 26, 2024

          Yup, that’s a CT Supply alright. One of OVO’s internal experts told me about this stuff once. I’m not surprised at the quote you got either…

          But as far as I know, efforts to develop CT SMETS1/SMETS2 Smart Meters were ultimately abandoned as being too complicated and already covered by AMR - which is what you have now.

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            BPLightlog
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            BPLightlogSuper User
            Super User
            July 26, 2024

            Are you sure? 

            L1, L2, L3 and N are usually indicative a 3 phases and neutral and if you’d just shown that picture, I’d have said it was 3 phase

            Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
            Blastoise186
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            Blastoise186Super User
            Super User
            July 26, 2024

            Tell you what though… I might just use my Phone a Friend lifeline just to make sure…

            Got a sec @Lukepeniket_OVO ? I know you love technical questions! :)

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