Smart meters are working but not communicating with OVO - why?

Sounds like most things are working fine then.

Can you run both meters through this tool please? https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Thanks, I’ve used that site and gas and electric both seem to work. 

“Your gas meter's working in smart mode” Supplier: OVO Gas Ltd

In that case, the fix should be fairly easy. Try asking the Support Team to set the Read Schedules back up for both meters. I recommend Half-Hourly Mode if you want to get the most out of them. But you can choose Daily or Monthly instead if you prefer.

After successfully sending in my readings since installation my smart meter stopped communicating in August. I was informed such when I received an email from OVO in September. I checked connections and both Internet and cellphone networks are up and running. The smart meter display shows current and daily readings etc so how can I get OVO to test the connection or reinstate it?

Since posting a few minutes ago I have completed S2 healthcheck routine and all lights are present and flashing at correct intervals including WAN and HAN, meters are recording properly and transmitting correct data to IHD. All connections are operating and strong. so why is there no communication with OVO.

Hey @barnsleybetz,

Welcome to the OVO Online Community.

That sounds frustrating. You’ve done the right thing completing a smart meter health check. This will help our team determine what the issue is. Even if your HAN is strong, it may be that your WAN (the signal needed for OVO to communicate with the smart meters remotely is weak).

Has it recently been enrolled on the Data Communications Company (DCC)?

I’d advise checking what meter serial number is appearing on your Online Account and seeing if that matches with your meter.

Hope this helps.

Thank you Emmanuelle.

Firstly, the meter serial numbers on the meters match those on my online account identically.

Secondly our smart meter installation is relatively recent and the meters are the latest models. They communicated readings to OVO  seamlessly from installation until comms dropped off before the end of August. Nothing has changed at this site, signals are strong; HAN and WAN lights are functioning correctly.

Please can your engineers test and (?) “reboot” the connection from your end where the problem appears to lie

Regards etc

Hi @barnsleybetz if you haven't already, you could try downloading one of the ofgem regulated third party apps to see if they can pick up readings. That way you know whether it is an ovo specific issue. This is one many of us use. 

https://www.glowmarkt.com/

Hey @barnsleybetz,

Thanks for your response. 

Once Support has your smart meter health check results they will forward them to a team of experts who’ll try to re-gain remote communications with your smart meters.

In the meantime you can submit meter readings manually via the Online Account. We have a live billing system so whenever your reads are submitted the account balance will update accordingly. We have a great guide about this topic here:

Hope this helps. 

I have a Pipit smart meter that shows the correct symbol in the top left corner to show it is communicating. It gives me accurate data on usage of gas and electricity. I get monthly bills which I have assumed are based on smart meter readings as there is no indication that they are estimated. However, I have just logged into my Ovo account and under meter readings I have the following message - “Your electricity smart meter hasn't sent us any readings lately. To keep your account up to date, you'll need to send us regular manual readings.” The reading history lists no readings since August 2020. Can Ovo really have been estimating my readings for the last two and a half years without telling me?

There’s clearly something very wrong here, so your meter needs looking at. I’ll leave it to @Emmanuelle_OVO to suggest the best way forward in that respect.

The Pipit device is an ‘In Home Display’, which simply displays the data that the meter itself transmits. The (electricity) meter is also supposed to store readings for 13 months, so data for the period since November 2021 should still be available so long as it’s not irreparably broken.

Are you able to take readings from the meters themselves? Just to be sure, this is the sort of thing you’re looking for; a typical gas meter on the left, a common electricity meter on the right:
  

How to take a reading varies with the type of meter. There are guides to most of them at this site, e.g. How do I take a manual reading from my OVO smart meter? | The OVO Forum 

Please have a look at your bills for previous months. Is there no indication on them that the readings they’re based on are estimated?

Hi @Gary Sams

We have seen similar things like this before so i personally would not worry. For example

In other similar cases we have seen OVO did have the readings and were not estimating. 

Give OVO a call in the morning. I am sure they will be able to sort it out and get the readings to show again on your account. 

You can always give OVO link to this thread if you think it might help so they can see it has happened before for others. 

https://forum.ovoenergy.com/smart-meters-136/smart-meter-13528

Let us know how you get on. 

Thanks for your replies. Firstly, I can confirm that there is no mention of estimated readings on any of my bills. I have cleared out the cupboard under the stairs so I can get a reading from the meter itself. However when I press the button 6 or 9 I get a sequence of messages and numbers appearing for a couple of seconds each, and I am not sure which is the actual reading. However, for gas one of the numbers is 08078. Given that my bill shows a reading of 7658 on 21 Nov and 7892 on 20 Dec, this looks like an accurate reading. For electricity one of the numbers that pops up is 19728.6. My bill shows 19069.1 on 21 Nov and 19432.4 on 20 Dec. Again, this looks very much in line with expectations. If I am looking at the right numbers, it looks like they are getting the readings and the message that they are not, is innaccurate. I will try ringing them, though my my recent experience with call centres does not leave me with confidence that I will get through. I will keep you informed

As expected, phoning is a waste of time. I did, however manage to contact OVO. They have confirmed they are receiving accurate readings and the message is an error. However, they can’t remove it for some reason. Problem resolved - thanks for your help

Getting a bit fed up having to send manual meter readings. Sent manual reading before last bill (18 January). Just looked at usuage and in red - send manual meter readings. Surely OVO can come up with a resolution to this as I see it has been discussed on forum many times.  If this is happening a lot then they need to have a manual check to see what’s happening. My meter is set up to send half hourly readings so there should be no need to send manual readings

Hey @IChap55 !

Please post photos of your meters. We might be able to figure out what’s wrong.

@Blastoise186 we’ve been through this conversation before, and I sent photos and everything was ok. Husband has checked meter and everything is connected so it’s something at OVO. It sits above meter so there can’t be any issues with connection from meter to meter. I can read how much we’ve used on smart meter 

In that case, https://smart-meter-help.ovoenergy.com might work for you

Ok thanks will give it a try. Customer service is practically non existent, spent about three hours online chat and got nowhere as person must have been dealing with numerous conversations at the same time so gave up, emailed them after that and still waiting on reply 

The other option is 0330 303 5063

@Blastoise186 tried your link but need to wait 45 days for reply! Have tried phone number too, the wait was about as long as online chat.

Thanks for your help, if it continues then will try again and ask for engineer to come check

Hello all,

Recently set up an account with Ovo and have registered via the ovo app.

I've got a couple of questions that I need help with if possible.

    1) We've been advised by Ovo that our property has smart metres and that they can take half hourly readings. The issue is the metres aren't sending readings as there is no signal where the metres are located in our apartment building. 

  I've uploaded a couple of manual readings since the account went live at the end of February; however I can't see any details re energy usage on the app. Is that purely down to the fact the metres aren't able to send readings automatically?

    2) We've only set up our account and received our account number recently and we are going to pay on demand...however the account is showing a few hundred pounds in credit and I am not sure why that would be the case?

Any advice as always would be appreciated.

Thanks, 

Adam 

Hi @adam_miller it may be a delay while things are set up but it could also be that readings have been estimated or at least before your manual readings. 
There is a known problem with the usage data feed at the minute but you should see what has been logged as meter readings on your account page 

https://account.ovoenergy.com/meter-readings

Hi @BPLightlog 

Thanks for coming back to me!

The only readings that appear to be logged our my manual readings...no automatic readings have been sent - I am 99 percent sure it will be due to lack of signal. 

I was more confused about the account showing in credit when we haven't made any payments as of yet. 

Are they the £66, £67 credit for the Energy Bill Support Scheme?