3-Phase Smart Meter Install - Tariff and Billing

@BPLightlog thanks, but definitely NOT what I wanted to hear if I've understood you correctly! In the summer we have lots of periods of consumption on phase 2 (swimming pool pump etc) with simultaneous excess solar export on phase 1, resulting in "free" running of the pool. If we were to be billed for all that phase2 import then life will become much more expensive! 

It does depend on the meter to some extent @salokin but that’s what I’ve understood so far. That’s also why the inverter being installed (in my install) has a system to feed back to the phases used.

I have very nearly finished building a new house with ASHP and 7.8kw of solar with a 3 phase supply as required by National Grid locally. We move in on the 16thJune  and now need to commission all the systems. As an existing SSE customer at the new house I need to now change to a 3phase smart meter but told until we move to OVO it cannot be done. Who do I speak to, to order a meter change and install NOW. 

Hopefully easy to to but little time to spend on the phone to SSE for no actual progress.

Hi @Chris F ,

You might be able to initiate a manual switch to OVO via https://switch.ovoenergy.com which would get you moved over pretty quickly. Once you’re on OVO, you can go ahead and get a Three-Phase Smart Meter via https://smart-booking.ovoenergy.com .

This is the fastest option I can think of.

@BPLightlog I've now had several phone calls and email conversations with a Technical Assurance Manager at EDF who was interested to learn how my current system worked. He also confirmed that the import on the three phases and the export on the three phases are all recorded on separate registers. It is then up to the electricity provider to decide how to compose a bill from all the figures. He has passed the situation on to someone else to see if any sort of netting of import and export could be done in the back office when my bill would be put together. For the moment I remain on my non-smart meter but the switching off of the RTS signal next March continues to draw nearer.

I have drawn up some plans to move some loads between phases which would prevent some of the expected increase in the bill if no netting is to be permitted.

I have looked through the manual for one of the 3-phase meters which EDF currently uses and have spotted that the power being used on each phase IS being noted approx every second, so the meter COULD be programmed to make it operate in much the same way as my present non-smart meter ... but I very much doubt whether any company would bother do produce such firmware!

I would love to hear the make and model of the inverter that you mention.

Hi @salokin , I’m not sure if we are talking at cross purposes here but let’s see if I can be clearer. 
The inverter chosen was 

SolaX Power

10 kW Total Inverter Rating

1 x X3-HYBRID-10.0-D

If the generated power is spread between the phases then it will limit the import during that time. If the system doesn’t sense or spread the generation, then you may face power being drawn on one phase when you are exporting on another. If the system can monitor and feed to the relevant phase(s) then you will be minimising your imported power. I cannot see a scenario where the export reduces the power recorded as drawn from the grid. 

@BPLightlog it was your sentence "That’s also why the inverter being installed (in my install) has a system to feed back to the phases used" that caught my eye. If it can vary the amount put into the three phases to minimise import then I need to investigate more ... thanks for the info.

Ah, I see. As I mentioned, there is no real history to report on so far but the management system is meant to monitor and adjust depending on the power consumption in each phase.
https://www.solaxpower.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/X3-hybrid-G4.pdf

I would be interested in what you eventually choose and how it fares