Several years ago OVO fitted two “Smart” meters and ever since then I have been unable to physically read the figures on the gas meter. The reason for this is because the meter is in a box in the ground and the “window” with the figures is pressed up against the side of the meter box.
Assuming they exist, I need a meter that has the display at the top.
Gas meters enclosed in a box in the ground are not unique but the inability to supply a meter reading scuppered my move to another Energy supplier a few years ago.
OVO refused to change it because it was not faulty.
The meters are several years old now & there is a black box (Zigbee?) plugged into the router to send readings to OVO.
So can my elderly “Smart” meters be read by other Energy providers these days?
I did read it was coming but that not all “Smart” meters are compatible.
Best answer by Chris_OVO
Updated on 04/07/25 by Abby_OVO
Hey @Williamyzfr1
As Blastoise186 mentions, your smart meter should be sending readings to us automatically. Are you able to see the smart meter readings on your online account?
It’ll be good to see a photo of the actual gas meter itself to understand the set up better.
Abby, Yes OVO are getting the readings automatically but my point is I was unable to give a manual reading to an alternative Energy provider for so they cancelled the changeover.
In a way through no fault of my own I was unable to move to an alternative Energy supplier because of the Gas meter (fitted by OVO).
I want to know if this is indeed still true or whether other Energy providers now have the ability to take readings from my “Smart” meters.
Pictures to follow….soon...
Hey @Williamyzfr1,
I've never encountered an energy supplier that requires manual readings when a smart reading is accessible. As long as the reading was taken within the last 24 hours, that's what they'd use to calculate your energy consumption. Additionally, when you switch suppliers, both the old and new providers upload industry readings to a portal to ensure accurate information. It seems whoever you were dealing with was overcomplicating things!
If you are on the Priority Services Register, an engineer can visit your property to read the meter manually and provide you with the reading if required. However, if your meter is already sending smart readings, the engineer's visit would primarily be to confirm the data we can access remotely. You can find more information about the Priority Services Register via the link below.
… it is physically impossible to read the gas meter …
I can see it being awkward, but if really needed for a one-off there apears to be plenty of room to get a hand, or shaving, mirror in there angled upwards.
Yes it would be awkward reading the upside down numbers, (but they would still read left>right).
That black box appears to be an old smart gateway device that OVO used purely in the early days. If memory serves, they are no longer supported. They were removed from support sometime around 2019/2020.
You should probably remove it from your setup. Meter readings are sent directly via the meters anyway - removing that device won’t have any impact.
As Blastoise186 mentions, your smart meter should be sending readings to us automatically. Are you able to see the smart meter readings on your online account?
It’ll be good to see a photo of the actual gas meter itself to understand the set up better.
As Blastoise186 mentions, your smart meter should be sending readings to us automatically. Are you able to see the smart meter readings on your online account?
It’ll be good to see a photo of the actual gas meter itself to understand the set up better.
Abby, Yes OVO are getting the readings automatically but my point is I was unable to give a manual reading to an alternative Energy provider for so they cancelled the changeover.
In a way through no fault of my own I was unable to move to an alternative Energy supplier because of the Gas meter (fitted by OVO).
I want to know if this is indeed still true or whether other Energy providers now have the ability to take readings from my “Smart” meters.
These are SMETS1 Secure Liberty meters, originally installed in 2015 by the looks of things, so they’re earlier units. You still have at least another 10 years service life in them yet. It looks like the gas meter was installed prior to when OVO developed the semi-concealed gas meter fitting kits though - which were developed in-house for precisely these situations.
These ones should communicate via DCC now, allowing them to work across all suppliers. You can run a check via https://homebrew.n3rgy.com if you want to be sure.
So can my elderly “Smart” meters be read by other Energy providers these days?
Most of those old SMETS1 meters have either been exchanged for newer SMETS2 devices or enrolled and adopted on to the DCC smart meter network. This test should tell you whether you’ve been E&A’d - run it for both meters: Check if your smart meter should work in smart mode - Citizens Advice. If E&A was successful, all suppliers should be able to access your meter’s data.
Just a thought: didn’t you get one of those excellent Secure Pipit 500 In-House Displays when these meters were installed? This sort of IHD may not be quite as sexy as the ones dished out today, but they provide a darn sight more useful data than the more modern ones. For example, the current meter readings with maximum precision …
Given the gateway, it was more likely a Chameleon IHD as IIRC it was Chameleon who did the gateway.
If you don’t currently have a Secure Pipit 500, DO NOT PURCHASE ONE. It will not work with your setup - and many of the ones on eBay are considered stolen so OVO won’t pair them to your meters.
So can my elderly “Smart” meters be read by other Energy providers these days?
Most of those old SMETS1 meters have either been exchanged for newer SMETS2
Just a thought: didn’t you get one of those excellent Secure Pipit 500 In-House Displays when these meters were installed? This sort of IHD may not be quite as sexy as the ones dished out today, but they provide a darn sight more useful data than the more modern ones. For example, the current meter readings with maximum precision …
If most SMETS1 meters have been exchanged for SMETS2 meter would OVO exchange mine?
I have never had an In-House display, I was just given the black box.
No. If your meters are running via DCC, you don’t qualify for an exchange to S2.
S1 EDMI were the only ones that automatically qualified for free exchanges to S2 because EDMI refused to play ball. Just about everything else has been migrated to DCC and that process is now completed.
As Blastoise186 mentions, your smart meter should be sending readings to us automatically. Are you able to see the smart meter readings on your online account?
It’ll be good to see a photo of the actual gas meter itself to understand the set up better.
Abby, Yes OVO are getting the readings automatically but my point is I was unable to give a manual reading to an alternative Energy provider for so they cancelled the changeover.
In a way through no fault of my own I was unable to move to an alternative Energy supplier because of the Gas meter (fitted by OVO).
I want to know if this is indeed still true or whether other Energy providers now have the ability to take readings from my “Smart” meters.
Pictures to follow….soon...
Hey @Williamyzfr1,
I've never encountered an energy supplier that requires manual readings when a smart reading is accessible. As long as the reading was taken within the last 24 hours, that's what they'd use to calculate your energy consumption. Additionally, when you switch suppliers, both the old and new providers upload industry readings to a portal to ensure accurate information. It seems whoever you were dealing with was overcomplicating things!
If you are on the Priority Services Register, an engineer can visit your property to read the meter manually and provide you with the reading if required. However, if your meter is already sending smart readings, the engineer's visit would primarily be to confirm the data we can access remotely. You can find more information about the Priority Services Register via the link below.
… it is physically impossible to read the gas meter …
I can see it being awkward, but if really needed for a one-off there apears to be plenty of room to get a hand, or shaving, mirror in there angled upwards.
Yes it would be awkward reading the upside down numbers, (but they would still read left>right).
I've never encountered an energy supplier that requires manual readings when a smart reading is accessible. As long as the reading was taken within the last 24 hours, that's what they'd use to calculate your energy consumption.
If you are on the Priority Services Register, an engineer can visit your property to read the meter manually and provide you with the reading if required.
To answer the first part, it was prior to the setting up of the portal.
Please note, it is physically impossible to read the gas meter Whether real time or within the last 24 hours.
… it is physically impossible to read the gas meter …
I can see it being awkward, but if really needed for a one-off there apears to be plenty of room to get a hand, or shaving, mirror in there angled upwards.
Yes it would be awkward reading the upside down numbers, (but they would still read left>right).
