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ccooky98
Rank 1
March 5, 2019
Solved

New IHD showing high levels of usage - is this right?

  • March 5, 2019
  • 110 replies
  • 8627 views



Hi, I had my smart meters installed yesterday lunchtime, this morning my IHD tells me I used a combined gas and electric totalling over £25!! there is no way this is correct. My daughter had a shower this evening for 5 minutes and the electric cost went up on the IHD by £5.....anyone else having these unusual readings? its worrying me as my bill is going to be massive!
    Best answer by jewelie

    Updated on 23/10/25 by Ben_OVO

     

    Sorry for the inaccurate usage costs you’re seeing on your In-Home Display (IHD).

     

    With a smart meter the tariff information showing on the device should match the rates showing on the ‘plan details’ page of your online account or app. If the tariff figures loaded on your device aren’t correct, it may appear that your usage costs are far higher than they should be - reach out to our Support Team to get that corrected. You can find out how to see your plan details using this guide:

     

     

    It is worth bearing in mind the following: 

     

    Usage costs on your IHD may not 100% match your daily charges

     

    If the unit rates loaded on to your device are not accurate the daily costs shown here will not match what you are actually charged. For this reason we’d always advise checking the actual usage charges on the ‘Billing’ page of your online account or app. You can find out how to use the Usage pages using this guide:

     

     

    No increase in costs due to a smart meter:


    Having a smart meter installed won't directly increase your costs. There are no hidden effects on usage, and your tariff won't change. 

     

    Your meter will be accurate:

     

    The meter will clock accurately. Old meters (this does depend on how old your previous meter was) can slow down, or even speed up meaning they're not measuring your energy usage correctly. We'd only expect to see this with very old meters. A brand new meter, smart or otherwise, will clock what you're using accurately.

     

    IHD user guides can be found here:

     

     

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

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

     

    110 replies

    Show previous replies
    M
    Newcomer
    Mleeson
    Newcomer
    June 18, 2019
    Hi All,

    A few days ago my IHD stopped showing live electricity usage or historic usage. This is replicated in my electricity usage data on My OVO, which hasn’t updated since 13th June. Gas usage is still being displayed.

    I’ve tried turning it off multiple times and left it off overnight last night. Still nothing.

    My smart meter (SMETS2) is showing all lights green (flashing every few seconds, as they should). Meter is showing a connection to the IHD and cellular signal is very good (-99dBm).

    Has anyone else been experiencing this, or suggest what can be done to resolve?

    Cheers,


    Matt
    Amy_OVO
    Retired Moderator
    Amy_OVO
    Retired Moderator
    June 19, 2019
    I've moved your post here, @Mleeson, you'll find more info near the top of thread.

    Thanks!
    OVO-Joyed to help!
    M
    Newcomer
    Mja
    Newcomer
    June 19, 2019
    Same thing happened on mine a week ago @Mleeson, it first showed electric only, then both electric and gas (electric much too high cost and gas much too low cost) but now is only showing gas. Like you the lights on the meter look fine, but electric readings are not shown as being given to OVO in my Ovo account online. Given up looking at it all🙄
      M
      Newcomer
      Mleeson
      Newcomer
      June 19, 2019
      I've moved your post here, @Mleeson, you'll find more info near the top of thread.

      Thanks!

      Hi Amy.

      I’m not sure this thread answers the main part of my query, which is related to my IHD suddenly not showing my live usage or historic usage and smart meter not updating my daily usage onto MyOVO. Basically, the IHD is now completely useless for electricity usage, as I can’t see what I’m using or what I’ve already used.

      I also have the same irritating glitch whereby the IHD showing ridiculous costs for electricity, but that’s not the main issue I need assistance with. Could my query please be moved back to its own separate topic?

      Cheers,


      Matt
      M
      Newcomer
      Mleeson
      Newcomer
      June 19, 2019
      Same thing happened on mine a week ago @Mleeson, it first showed electric only, then both electric and gas (electric much too high cost and gas much too low cost) but now is only showing gas. Like you the lights on the meter look fine, but electric readings are not shown as being given to OVO in my Ovo account online. Given up looking at it all🙄

      That’s exactly the same time mine started playing up. Sounds as though it’s probably part of a wider system issue.
      Eva_OVO
      OVO Staff
      Eva_OVO
      OVO Staff
      June 20, 2019

      There's a known issue which is affecting IHD's connecting with SMETS2 meters, @Mleeson, there may also be an issue with the communication between us and your electric meter. We need to look into this further can you send us a message on Facebook, Twitter or webchat through the Help Centre with your name, DoB and account number please? 

      My friend told me how electricity is measured and I was like Watt!
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      June 20, 2019
      May I just jump in and clarify what @Eva_OVO has written?

      @Mick85, @Mleeson and @Mja - the issue with erroneous readings on the Chameleon IHDs has been clarified by OVO yesterday. The software bug is in the Communications Hub which sits on top of your SMETS2 Electricity Meter, rather than the IHD itself. See what I posted here on this other Topic yesterday, and the following message from @Darran_OVO where he explains why he edited what I'd just posted.

      This is actually somewhat of a relief. Unlike the IHDs, the Comms Hubs can have their software upgraded remotely without a site visit. So when OVO have finished testing the new code, it will be uploaded directly.

      Dealing now solely with the points made by @Mleeson and @Mja , do I understand correctly that you both have gas meter readings showing on your IHD, but not electricity?

      Do you see the same when you log in to your My OVO account page?

      If so, could you please fill out your Forum Profile pages? I'm looking for details like the area of the country you live in, and whether you have PV solar panels etc.

      Thanks.
      Save energy... recycle electrons!
      M
      Newcomer
      Mja
      Newcomer
      June 20, 2019
      @Transparent , my meter install was May 24th, initially only electric showed on the IHD, gas came along after a couple of days, engineer said this would be the case. However, the usage cost displays were clearly incorrect, electricity too high, gas too low.

      IHD is now only showing Gas and has been that way for a couple of weeks, which makes sense in that June 5th is last Electricity reading in MyOvo account. I will update my forum profile as suggested.

      @Eva_OVO I see that you have advised @Mleeson to contact Ovo to report problems. I was advised to do the same when I came to the forum to discuss the cost display issues, the response was the same as the reponse we got on here, issues that would resolve after 4-6 week sync. Should I contact Ovo again now that I have the additional issue of the electricity not being displayed? The confusing thing is the initial advise that the IHDs has a fault (the cost display) but @Transparent‘s post is pointing at bugs in the meter comms hub.

      Obvious question is this all one issue or are there separate issues with the IHD and Comms Hub?
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      June 20, 2019

      Thanks @Mja.

      Fortuitously I was at OVO's Bristol HQ on Monday. So although I'm just a fellow customer like you, I was able to speak with members of the SMETS2 Team. I'm gradually piecing together some background information on a number of faults and quirks with recent Smart Meter installations.

      Yes, you should definitely make contact with OVO directly about the loss of your electricity data. This is a completely separate issue to the "IHD erroneous readings" problem. 

      I know of one other person with a SMETS2 meter installation which has lost electricity data whilst gas data is still active. However, what you've just written in your Profile tells me that you have different symptoms.

      Can you have a look at the message I wrote on this other Topic where I put diagrams of the flashing LEDs on the Toshiba Communications Hub?

      What LEDs are flashing at what rates on your Comms Hub?

      If you're still unclear on any of this, please ask again.

      Save energy... recycle electrons!
      M
      Newcomer
      Mja
      Newcomer
      June 20, 2019
      @Transparent mine is the toshiba hub and all LEDs are flashing other than mesh, uniformly every couple of seconds.
      Show more replies
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