I have an old smart meter, I have had no gas to any appliances since Friday evening and the meter is displaying open valve fail. It sounds like a battery fail. How can i get an emergency repair? Can't get through to OVO helpline until Monday??
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Updated on 03/07/24 by Abby_OVO
So sorry to hear of the issues you’ve been having with your gas smart meter which have also affected your gas supply over the weekend.
Great work on checking the meter screen for this error message. It sounds like your meter is experiencing a fault either due to low battery (which operates the valve on some smart meters), or a mechanical issue preventing that valve from opening/closing. All gas meters (Smart and traditional) have an internal battery that power them. This is designed to last for up to 20 years, with a meter recertification (exchanging the meter to replace it with a new one) scheduled every 10 years, so it’s unusual for this issue to crop up so soon. If your gas smart meter is making a beeping sound, it indicates that the battery is low and the meter will need replacing. If the battery fails this can affect the supply, as in your case, so it’s important to reach out to our Support Team if you do ever notice that your meter is beeping.
It’s really distressing to hear that this happened out-of-hours and you were unable to give us a call. Our Support team’s web messaging and WhatsApp opening hours are:
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8am - 6pm Monday to Friday
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9am - 2pm on Saturdays
Our Support team can be contacted by phone on 0330 303 5063 between:
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9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
You can see all open contact channels via our Help Centre.
If you need to contact the team on a Sunday, our Social team is able to support you. Send us a message on Facebook or Twitter from 9am - 5pm. This team is also able to schedule an emergency meter appointment if needed. More info on what to do in an emergency here.
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Yes, customer service on monday was very helpful and engineer arrived within 2 hours. But not happy that there was no emergency helpline over the weekend. my family managed but if there was a baby or disabled adult innthe house it would have been grim.
We appreciate your honest feedback, @Jimmy76ab . I'll make sure this is passed on. Glad everything's sorted now.
Hi Nancy,
Can I ask, does the valve close if the battery goes flat on a gas smart meter? Also is there any warning locally or remotely of a low battery?
Can I ask, does the valve close if the battery goes flat on a gas smart meter? Also is there any warning locally or remotely of a low battery?
Yes @geeeezer , both Smart Electricity and Smart Gas meters are required to "fail safe" in the event of the control electronics ceasing to operate. That means - no energy flows.
There should be a low-battery beep issued by a gas meter. See this discussed here.
I'm unsure if this warning is also transmitted to your In-Home Display. I don't (yet) have one.
If you had no warning, then it may be more than just a flat battery. They are designed to last 10 years.
I agree that there needs to be some sort of 7-day emergency call-out for this issue. There are a substantial number of elderly and vulnerable consumers who would not be able to survive without gas or electricity over a weekend. I'm surprised that such a requirement isn't built in to the Ofgem Regulations.
What's OVO's stance on this@Nancy_OVO ?
If the Energy Suppliers aren't providing 7-day cover for their PSR customers as a basic minimum, then it's the sort of issue I'd be raising with my MP. I don't know who yours is, but mine is excellent at demanding such stuff gets sorted out by the relevant officials.
And if it needs a change of law, then so be it. That's what MPs are for!
There should be a low-battery beep issued by a gas meter. See this discussed here.
I'm unsure if this warning is also transmitted to your In-Home Display. I don't (yet) have one.
If you had no warning, then it may be more than just a flat battery. They are designed to last 10 years.
I agree that there needs to be some sort of 7-day emergency call-out for this issue. There are a substantial number of elderly and vulnerable consumers who would not be able to survive without gas or electricity over a weekend. I'm surprised that such a requirement isn't built in to the Ofgem Regulations.
What's OVO's stance on this
If the Energy Suppliers aren't providing 7-day cover for their PSR customers as a basic minimum, then it's the sort of issue I'd be raising with my MP. I don't know who yours is, but mine is excellent at demanding such stuff gets sorted out by the relevant officials.
And if it needs a change of law, then so be it. That's what MPs are for!
Many thanks for your reply. Is it Ofgem that requires this fail safe mode?
In fact it is actually unlawful under Ofgem regulations to cut pensioners and other vulnerable people , utilities from 1st October to 31st March. The big six have signed up to protect a much bigger group of vulnerable people and all year round. The fail safe mode would directly undermine this legislation with indiscriminate disconnection of gas supply’s at any time, in fact more often on colder winter days as batteries are much more likely to fail with a temperature drop.
I am currently in dialog with Ofgem on this matter but they have stated the gas supply remains on in the event of a battery failure. This is very interesting news and I also will be very interested to see OVO’s official response.
Ofgem Legislation :
www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-supply-disconnection-and-prepayment-meter-rules
In fact it is actually unlawful under Ofgem regulations to cut pensioners and other vulnerable people , utilities from 1st October to 31st March. The big six have signed up to protect a much bigger group of vulnerable people and all year round. The fail safe mode would directly undermine this legislation with indiscriminate disconnection of gas supply’s at any time, in fact more often on colder winter days as batteries are much more likely to fail with a temperature drop.
I am currently in dialog with Ofgem on this matter but they have stated the gas supply remains on in the event of a battery failure. This is very interesting news and I also will be very interested to see OVO’s official response.
Ofgem Legislation :
www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-supply-disconnection-and-prepayment-meter-rules
I agree with what you write, @geeeezer .
We may have stumbled upon an anomaly in the SMETS protocols.
From a technical viewpoint, I can't see how a gas meter can keep the valve open in the event of a battery failure. By definition, there is no power to open it, nor control circuit to issue the "open valve" command.
Nor do I believe that the valve is "normally open" unless it gets powered shut. This would give rise to widespread theft of gas!
By the way, I'm aware that@Jimmy76ab 's original message was probably not a flat battery... because otherwise there would've been no power to tell him that the valve-open command had failed!
But the general point remains the same... we're agreed that there must be a regulatory and practical system in place which prevents customers being left without energy over a weekend, particularly if they're on the PSR! I can think of several ways to achieve this, depending on the reason for the failure.
I'm still thinking of writing to my MP. He's a renewable-energy enthusiast, and will quickly grasp the implications of a Smart Meter failure. Should I wait 'til you've heard anything from Ofgem?
We may have stumbled upon an anomaly in the SMETS protocols.
From a technical viewpoint, I can't see how a gas meter can keep the valve open in the event of a battery failure. By definition, there is no power to open it, nor control circuit to issue the "open valve" command.
Nor do I believe that the valve is "normally open" unless it gets powered shut. This would give rise to widespread theft of gas!
By the way, I'm aware that
But the general point remains the same... we're agreed that there must be a regulatory and practical system in place which prevents customers being left without energy over a weekend, particularly if they're on the PSR! I can think of several ways to achieve this, depending on the reason for the failure.
I'm still thinking of writing to my MP. He's a renewable-energy enthusiast, and will quickly grasp the implications of a Smart Meter failure. Should I wait 'til you've heard anything from Ofgem?
A smart meter uses a latching solenoid valve or a motorized valve as a valve that required power to stay open would drain the battery very fast. As such an affirmative instruction is required to change the state of the valve from open to closed. This is a deliberate action to cut the gas supply and not caused by a fault. Power is not required to keep the valve in a particular state.
I agree with your statement from a technical viewpoint. I have several such mechanisms in my own house, such as the valves or my underfloor heating.
However, if the battery fails whilst the valve is open, I'd still expect the valve to close rather than stay in its last position. From a safety viewpoint, there has to be mechanism which allows the valve to stay open whilst consuming minimal power.
However, if the battery fails whilst the valve is open, I'd still expect the valve to close rather than stay in its last position. From a safety viewpoint, there has to be mechanism which allows the valve to stay open whilst consuming minimal power.
Any comments from OVO at all?
Well someone @ OVO has been reading here because I got a "Like" from @Tim_OVO on my message from last weekend.
Have you heard anything more from Ofgem yet,@geeeezer ?
I'm standing by to write to my MP, but he's just a tad embroiled with something called a Brexit Debate at the moment!
Have you heard anything more from Ofgem yet,
I'm standing by to write to my MP, but he's just a tad embroiled with something called a Brexit Debate at the moment!
Ah, this is extremely useful info, @Lucy_OVO .
Today I've been at a National Energy Action seminar about Smart Meters where this issue was discussed.
So, firstly I'm pleased to see that a Smart Gas Meter will stay "live" if the battery fails and it's a Pay Monthly Account.
Secondly, this is the first I've learned that the Energy Supplier receives an alarm/warning if the battery is low. I can't see this specifically in the list of SMETS Commands, so I assume it's within the Status Message "Communications Hub Status Update ? Fault Return".
Some users on this Forum are reporting a catastrophic battery-failure, with no alarm warning. Is this because
3 I still have concerns about customers with a PAYG account.
I'm going to suggest that this group is more likely to include those in fuel-poverty, and those on the Priority Services Register. So I am doubly concerned that they could be left without gas over a weekend.
Are you able to say how OVO might address such a scenario please@Lucy_OVO ?
National Energy Action are setting up a network of local-community Energy Champions. So if OVO themselves don't (yet) have an answer, then there are other options to explore. Can we please keep this discussion positive whilst we discuss solutions?
Today I've been at a National Energy Action seminar about Smart Meters where this issue was discussed.
So, firstly I'm pleased to see that a Smart Gas Meter will stay "live" if the battery fails and it's a Pay Monthly Account.
Secondly, this is the first I've learned that the Energy Supplier receives an alarm/warning if the battery is low. I can't see this specifically in the list of SMETS Commands, so I assume it's within the Status Message "Communications Hub Status Update ? Fault Return".
Some users on this Forum are reporting a catastrophic battery-failure, with no alarm warning. Is this because
- they weren't within audible range of the gas meter, (but it did beep)?
- it doesn't get reported on the IHD?
- a sudden battery failure can't be communicated due to no power?
3 I still have concerns about customers with a PAYG account.
I'm going to suggest that this group is more likely to include those in fuel-poverty, and those on the Priority Services Register. So I am doubly concerned that they could be left without gas over a weekend.
Are you able to say how OVO might address such a scenario please
National Energy Action are setting up a network of local-community Energy Champions. So if OVO themselves don't (yet) have an answer, then there are other options to explore. Can we please keep this discussion positive whilst we discuss solutions?
Every now and again the gas valve closes automatically in the gas meter which turns off the boiler and the gas to appliances and we have no heating or hot water until I can open the valve using the buttons in the meter. I am on a direct debit so not sure why my valve closes. It will happen every few days then not for weeks at a time or even months. The meter is eight years old and put in new when the house was built.
I could also do with seeing photos of the meter including at least one of the display lit up. It often reveals a clue!
It's freezing I'm disabled with a 2 year old they put me a smart meter in a week ago and I've had nothing but trouble now I have 70 odd quid credit and sat in freezing cold because there's no contact lines it just sends you in circles I need help desperately
Actually, you might be able to fix this yourself.
Please turn off ALL gas appliances completely. Then try to reconnect the supply again using the IHD or meter.
Let me know if you get stuck.
This issue usually happens because you didn’t shut off all the appliances properly when trying to reconnect the supply. It’s a safety feature to prevent gas leaks.
If that still doesn’t work, please get in touch with Support in the morning.
No still same message thanks for the tip though
Ok, something’s gone wrong then. This isn’t because of it being a smart meter as it can happen to any of them. You probably got a dud unit.
You can arrange for it to be replaced in the morning. Someone can be out pretty quickly in that case. Your credit will be recoverable so you won’t lose that either.
Hey
Really sorry to hear this, what a stressful situation to be in.
Is this resolved now? If not, please contact our Pay As You Go Team.
Waiting on an engineer coming out currently hopefully they can fix the issue
Hopefully it all gets sorted today.
Out of hours emergency contact options are not great with lots of suppliers.
If you ever think about switching, it might be worth looking at Octopus. At least on paper their emergency contact options out of hours look much better than OVO via both phone and email.
Hi
If you haven't already, it might be worth looking into signing up for the priority service register if you find you are eligible
https://www.ovoenergy.com/register-for-priority-services
https://www.ovoenergy.com/help/priority-services-register
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