How do I get an In-Home Display (IHD) for my Smart meter?

To be fair, I am waiting for a replacement IHD and was told they can’t tell me when it will arrive because they’ve just had to return a huge faulty batch and simply don’t have any at the moment.  This was yesterday. 

That’s a replacement for a Geo Trio II supplied by OVO in December with new SMETS2 meters.

Like a lot of companies nowadays trying to run before they can walk.   🥴

Except that Chameleon, Geo and Hildebrand have been going for a long time and are very experienced in IHDs. It just sometimes happens that you get an unlucky batch every once in a while.

When I moved in here there were old SMETS1 meters, and a British Gas IHD.

I signed up with SSE. and then in January got transferred to OVO - in all of my time with SSE and OVO the BG IHD still gave me readings, it just wasn't able to pass them to the supplier.

I think what I am saying is if you still have SMETS1 meter(s) and the IHD that goes with them it will still work for YOU (meter readings etc.) It just won't send data to OVO.

OVO fairly recently changed my electricity meter (but not the Gas) to a SMETS2, although they didn't give me a new IHD  I did manage to request a one and got sent one a few weeks later that works with the new meter, but the old gas meter is now totally dumb.

SMETS1 and SMETS2 kit are not cross-compatible with each other I’m afraid. S1 only works with S1 and S2 only works with S2.

The IHD never really talks to the supplier as it’s just a device for the customer to look at - the meters do the submissions rather than the IHD.

Yes. I was just making the point that if you still have SMETS1 meters then the old IHD will still show YOU data and readings from that old meter, so it may be worth putting batteries in it, or plugging it in, to take a look what it may still show YOU even if that is all that it does.

Eg. My new IHD only shows the new electricity meter, so I now have to go outside into the cold to read the old gas meter and send those in myself.

Hi guys, newbie here!

I moved into a house a year ago that has a SMETS1 meter, but there was no in home-display.

I called OVO and asked for a new display. They say they have none in stock and added me to a waiting list which I have been on for forever. In truth I think they will never send me one.

In my dismay I purchase a SECURE Pipit 500 In-Home Energy Display meter (that shows the FirstUtility logo on startup) from eBay and rang OVO to get it connected. It didn’t work.

Should I proceed with trying to get this to work? If so, how?

Should I get another SECURE Pipit 500 In-Home Energy Display, this time not registered to any utility provider?

Should I pester OVO to get me an official one?

Should I get something more like a ivie Bud? Will OVO pay for this?

All I want to do is very my energy usage, and I feel like OVO don’t care one bit.

Thanks, Steve

Hi @stevowmt ,

Unfortunately, no supplier is prepared to support an IHD purchased from unauthorised sources for security and integrity reasons. As a result, OVO won’t support nor pair an IHD purchased on eBay.

Additionally, it’s the consensus of the Forum Volunteers (such as myself) and the Forum Moderators here on the OVO Forum that we will likewise not provide any support or assistance with eBay purchased IHDs, other than to recommend you return them for a refund.

We strongly recommend against buying any more IHDs off of eBay.

The Secure Pipit 500 has reached End of Sale at the manufacturer Secure, so there won’t ever be any more stocks of them. The Chameleon IHD6-CAD-PPMID-S1 is a thing that OVO can get, but stocks are constantly being drained due to massive demand and very limited supply from Chameleon. The only ones OVO will pay for are the ones OVO supplies directly - you’re liable to cover the costs of any other third-party IHD yourself I’m afraid. And if you get scammed by the eBay IHD Rip-Off Machine Scammers… Sorry but you’re on your own there.

Your best option is either the ivie Bud or Hildebrand Glow IHD. We’ve got a guide on both of them that you’re welcome to check out.

Hi @Blastoise186, thanks for your reply!

All understood, I will return the eBay one I bought!

You say the Chameleon IHD6-CAD-PPMID-S1 is a thing that OVO can get, but stocks are constantly being drained due to massive demand and very limited supply from Chameleon. Is there a chance I will ever get one of these from Ovo?

If not I will go with either the ivie Bud or Hildebrand Glow IHD. Can they be paired by me, or do OVO have to do it?

Thanks again for your help!

No worries! Use the eBay Money Back Guarantee if you have to - this is what it’s there for.

It’s possible you might eventually get that IHD from OVO, but upstream stock at Chameleon is so terrible you’d be waiting some time unless you were considered high priority - PAYG customers are generally higher priority for them than PAYM customers because they rely on the IHD so heavily. It’ll be faster if you get one yourself.

Both the Bud and Glow can be self-paired. They use very slightly different methods but it’s reasonably easy to do. :)