Skip to main content

Hi, 5 days ago my IHD began showing lost connection. It had been working perfectly since install in September.

I’ve read on this forum that it could be to do with no mobile reception but we have that and can tell by the WAN red light flashing frequently on the elec meter. (Plus it worked perfectly before).

Does the IHD need repairing with the smart meter?

Thanks
Will

Updated on 12/06/24 by Abby_OVO
 

Noticed an issue with your Chameleon In-Home Display, we’re here to help! We know how useful these devices can be for keeping an eye on the usage data we’re receiving from your smart meters so want to make sure any technical bugs can be ironed out! :bug:

 

Missing some data, spotted some incorrect unit rates (excluding the 5% VAT difference) or has the device started rebooting? These could all indicate an issue we may be having with the connection between us and your meters (also known as the Wide-Area Network or WAN) or between the device itself and the smart meters (also known as the Home-Area Network or HAN).

 

Newly installed Smart meters?
 

Eager to get tracking your smart meter usage data straight away? We hear ya! Whilst most devices are up and running from the date your new meters are installed, it’s not unusual for them to lose some data or experience a few teething-issues as we carry out some behind-the-scenes initialising process (read more about these on this great user-guide). We’d recommend keeping the device plugged in close to your electricity meter if you notice any issues during the first 6 weeks following a smart meter installation - hopefully things should start working as expected once the smart meters are fully up and running but if not, read on to check our next trouble-shooting steps.

 

Checking the smart meter connection (WAN) via your Online account or OVO App

 

Been over 6 weeks since the smart meters we’re installed and you’re still noticing issues with your Chameleon device ? - It’s time to start doing some investigating! First place to check is your online account or OVO app (download for Android or iOS). If we’ve lost connection to your smart meters for over 5 days you may see this message on your home-screen:

 

Exact wording may vary

 

In this case the best next steps would be to carry out a smart meter health check for your meter type below and forward the results on to our Support Team:
 

 

 

Once any communication issues with your meters are resolved, we’ll be able to get your IHD connected and showing your usage data again too!

 

DIY steps to help with issues with your Home-Area Network (HAN)

 

Checked your online account and no ongoing smart meter communication issues to see? In this case it’s more likely to be an issue with the connection between the device itself and the smart meters (also known as the HAN). The In-Home Display connects to your smart meters via the communications hub attached to your electricity meter, so it sometimes helps to move your IHD closer to your electricity meter to help it re-gain connection. It’s best to leave the IHD in this new spot and try re-booting the device after 24 hours  (a classic turning off and on again move), sometimes this simple step will do the trick!

 

Contacting our Support Team

 

Can’t get things back on track with the above steps? Not to worry - our Support Team can help get the issue escalated to our Smart metering team for further investigations.

 

Before you get in touch it’s best to complete the following IHD health check so we can make sure we’ve got all the information we need to carrying out some remote processes to get the IHD re-connected:

 

  1. Does the device show a correct time and date?

  2. Is the WiFi symbol solid/flashing/not there?

  3. Could you confirm the Device ID? (Long ID number on the bottom of device)

  4. How far away from your electricity meter do you store your IHD? Are there any walls in between that could be blocking the signal?

  5. What is the issue with your IHD? E.g. not showing electricity/gas usage, displays incorrect tariff, device is rebooting itself?

  6. Please confirm if your device is an IHD3 (black all over) or IHD6 (black on the front and white on the back)

  7. If your IHD is showing incorrect rates: what rates does your IHD currently show? Are the rates shown on the IHD higher or lower than your actual rates?

 

Your responses to these questions can be forwarded to our Support Team (we’d recommend via live chat which you can access at the bottom of this page) who’ll let you know the next steps. 

 

 

Another way to check your usage

 

So long as we’re in communication with your smart meters themselves, don’t forget you can always keep an eye on your usage data by checking the ‘Usage’ pages of your online account, whilst we get the IHD issues sorted. Check out the great guide below for an introduction to the usage info you can see here:
 

 

 

OVO member but not got a smart meter yet? - Book today!

 

Interested but not yet an OVO member? - Check out our plans!

My Chameleon IHD6 is not working. It says “Connection lost”

 

It is about 3 metres from the Smart Meter, and has one bar of connection.

 

It was given to us at the start of the pandemic and only worked for about a week!

 

What should I do?

 

Mike

 

 

Hey @mboursnell ,

Could you show us photos of the smart meters as well please? We’ll see what we can figure out for you. :)

Hi,

 

Thanks. Here’s a photo. All the comms lights except MESH are flashing every 5 seconds. The HAN has bars!

 

The IHD is 1m away from the Smart Meter. I think the firmware is up to date.

 

Mike

 

Hmm… I see.

Well, it seems as if the electric meter is working, so my first guess is that the IHD isn’t paired properly?

I’d suggest having a chat with the Support Team to see if they can try to unpair and re-pair your IHD as that can sometimes fix things. Did you try letting the battery completely drain yet? Try leaving it on overnight without being plugged into the charger so that the battery runs out, then fully charge it up near the electric meter. It might work!

Yes I think the meter’s working OK. It works with the OVO App.

They installed the meter, and gave us the IHD at the start of the pandemic, and it worked for about a week then failed.  It’s only today that I’ve tried plugging it in again, in the vain hope that it might have fixed itself.

So the battery will have been drained. I switched it off and on right next to the meter. No joy.

I can’t chat with the Support Team as the Chat won’t allow it, and they won’t answer the phone.  May someone from OVO on this forum can help @Jess_OVO or @Tim_OVO 

Please….

Hi @mboursnell and thanks for flagging with so much info and photos. 

 

I think @Blastoise186 is right in saying that it’s likely that we need to perform an action ‘on the back end’ behind the scenes. Especially if you say you’ve only just plugged it in after multiple months (or years?). I’d like to see it re-paired before anything else. 

 

Our support team are in today via online chat. Feel free to link them to this topic to save you having to explain everything!

Hi Tim,

Thanks for getting back to me.

That sounds good. I’ll go onto the Chat now (I’m 30th in the queue!)

How do I link them to this topic?

Mike

https://forum.ovoenergy.com/smart-meters-136/chameleon-ihd6-not-working-connection-lost-11105 is the link to this thread. Simply copy and paste that into the chat. :)

By the way (extra information) the IHD is now plugged in about 2 feet from the Smart Meter (a wall in-between) and is only receiving one “bar” form the Meter.

 

Yup, definitely lost connection. The fact the time is 00:00 on it despite the photo being taken less than an hour before you posted it here means the IHD definitely isn’t talking to the Comms Hub properly.

Thanks for posting that here by the way! If you provide the link to this thread to the Support Team, they’ll be able to easily see everything posted here at anytime.

I’ve just been on the Chat to OVO, and they have tested the IHD and say it isn’t working, so they’re sending a new one.

Ah well, fair enough. You’ll either get another Chameleon IHD6-CAD-PPMID like the one you had before, or the new Chameleon IHD7-CAD-PPMID, depending on stocks.

Thanks for your help. I’ll let you know how the new one goes!

Hi OVO.

 

I haven’t had my new IHD yet, and the Chat line won’t let me speak to anyone.  Could you get them to send it please? @Tim_OVO @Lukepeniket_OVO 

 

Please don’t say “You’ll have to ring up the help line”. The whole point of the internet is that you shouldn’t have to hang on the phone for hours.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

@mboursnell sorry buddy you'll have to call up to get one..…

 

Just kidding DM me your details and I'll get one ordered for you on Monday 🙂, I'll have to find out how long it takes to arrive for you.

 

 

Hey Luke, any chance you can order 10 IHDs for me and send me them in the post? I promise I totally have a valid reason for wanting them! And it’s definitely not just to have a whole family of Kecleon in my flat. XD

Oh yes it is. XD

Hi @Lukepeniket_OVO 

 

Thank you! Sent a DM.

 

Mike

@mboursnell should arrive within 5 to 10 days. Any issues let me know.

Brilliant! Thank you so much.

Hi @Lukepeniket_OVO 

My IHD hasn’t arrived (15 days).

This is the second time I’ve been promised that it will be sent.  Not sure what’s wrong?

Hope you can help.

Thanks,

Mike

Hi @Lucy_OVO @Tim_OVO @Nancy_OVO

Can anyone else help with this?

 

My replacement IHD hasn’t arrived (15 days).

This is the second time I’ve been promised that it will be sent.  Not sure what’s wrong?

Hope you can help.

Thanks,

Mike Boursnell

Hi @mboursnell and thanks for coming back to this thread. 

 

This forum isn’t the usual way for In Home Displays to be requested, or for updates like this to be sent to you. 

 

Our Support team will be able to check the account notes to see if an In Home Display has been sent out. If it has, it’s tricky for anyone to know why it hasn’t arrived yet. 

 

Hi Tim,

Thanks for getting back to me. I’ve tried the Chatbot, who doesn’t understand, and both Chat Agent and Phone hasn’t managed to get it delivered, even though they said they were sending one.

My current IHD has basically never worked. 

I’m afraid I’m getting rather frustrated. Who should I complain to?

Mike

Hey @mboursnell,

 

Sorry to hear this, you can find out more about our complaint procedure on our website.

 

Hope this helps. 

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings