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Storage Heater not working after Smart Meter installed

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  • mazza
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I had a smart meter installed 2 weeks ago and since then my storage heaters and immersion element to heat up the water in a big cylinder tank are not working anymore. Both only run on off peak electricity. I have raised this with OVO, an emergency engineer, a commissioned engineer, came but couldn’t solve the problem. Since then I’m daily on the phone with OVO but nobody is able to help. I’ve raised a complaint, got a call from OVO and was told that my case is being looked into and I would get a call back. Nobody was ringing back. It’s very stressful to call daily, explain the same problem each time and not getting anywhere. I was even told by one operator that it’s my problem and not OVO’s.. It’s absolutely outrageous that an organisation like OVO is not able to rectify the problem. I wonder if someone had similar experience and can give advise how to handle the matter. Thank you

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Best answer by Blastoise186 22 October 2023, 21:54

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Blastoise186
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First thing to try is ask the Support Team to reconfigure the ECAUL/ALCS Configs on the meter via SMETS Commands.

Please post photos of your setup, it may help a forum volunteer like myself figure this out.

Also, it’s not going to speed up your case if you keep smashing them to pieces every day. Please try to be patient - someone will be in touch when they can.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
M
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Jeez, if it’s anything like here it’s baltic so can’t imagine what you are going through with no heating and hot water.  Welcome to the shambles that is Ovo  😕

BPLightlog
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How was your previous set up controlled @mazza ? Did it have a separate time control for off peak?

I was just wondering if that was still connected and out of step with the new meter.

The new system probably uses a separate circuit which is controlled by the meter to switch on at the off peak times which is why Blastoise has suggested that command update as a first check.

 

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M
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First thing to try is ask the Support Team to reconfigure the ECAUL/ALCS Configs on the meter via SMETS Commands.

Please post photos of your setup, it may help a forum volunteer like myself figure this out.

Also, it’s not going to speed up your case if you keep smashing them to pieces every day. Please try to be patient - someone will be in touch when they can.

Hi Blastoise,

thank you so much for your reply. I will have to ring OVO again to ask them to reconfigure as per your suggestion. The engineer who came last week suggested a reconfiguration which only OVO can do. Operators at OVO I spoke to didn’t know how to transfer me to the correct staff so I was not successful. Btw. I don’t smash them to pieces by calling everyday, there is always a different operator on the line and none of the many I spoke to knew what to do. 

I don’t manage to get pass the operator so I’m hoping someone from OVO will get in touch as I think I’ve had a missed phone call from OVO this morning.

 Please see here picture from the smart meter.

 

thank you

M
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Jeez, if it’s anything like here it’s baltic so can’t imagine what you are going through with no heating and hot water.  Welcome to the shambles that is Ovo  😕

Thank you Maureen for your message. Luckily it’s not too cold right now but no hot water and organise to take showers at friends house is just awful. Having to boil a kettle to try to wash myself in the morning before work is doable for a few days but not since 2 weeks. 😳

Blastoise186
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You don’t need to speak to a specific operator as such. If the agent assisting can’t help directly, they can reach a colleague internally to run the requested action.

Give me a few hours to think about this one - I’ll be back in a bit.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
Blastoise186
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Jeez, if it’s anything like here it’s baltic so can’t imagine what you are going through with no heating and hot water.  Welcome to the shambles that is Ovo  😕

Commissioning a Smart Meter isn’t just a case of pressing a button and making magic happen. There’s a LOT of technical stuff that runs in the background to make that “Kapow!” happen.

Sometimes it just doesn’t quite work as expected, but these things can - and will - be fixed remotely.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
M
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How was your previous set up controlled @mazza ? Did it have a separate time control for off peak?

I was just wondering if that was still connected and out of step with the new meter.

The new system probably uses a separate circuit which is controlled by the meter to switch on at the off peak times which is why Blastoise has suggested that command update as a first check.

 

Hi BP

Thanks for your reply.

There is a switch to turn on off peak which I do have on. Not sure if this is what you mean by separate time control and I don’t know if that’s still connected. Hoping to reach someone at OVO to do the command update.

 

Jeffus
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@mazza

Just a thought. 

Are you elegible for the priority service register? It is quite a long list. 

https://www.ovoenergy.com/help/article/priority-services-register

M
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Jeffus,

looking at the criteria’s to qualify I don’t think it’s applying to me. 
 

Jeffus
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@mazza

There is a chance that sending an email to the CEO teams will help while you are trying to get someone to sort out your issue. They are looking for feedback. Two weeks is a long time without heating and hot water. 

Include your account number, address, phone number, details of your experience. 

You can also include a link to this forum page

https://forum.ovoenergy.com/smart-meters-136/storage-heater-not-working-after-smart-meter-installed-16278

The feedback email address is

Raman-feedback@ovoenergy.com

 

 

M
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Thanks Jeffus. This will be my next step.
Currently waiting for another emergency engineer as I was told by another agent I spoke to at 4pm that they need to have a second report from an engineer before looking further into the matter. Again, it’s not an OVO engineer. Left work 2 hours early, waiting for the engineer who should here by 19:00…

Abby_OVO
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Hey @mazza 

 

Sorry to hear about these issues.

 

Did the engineer arrive last night?

Currently Playing: She's Electric
M
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Hi Abby,

he arrived shortly before 8pm but couldn’t fix the problem. He was advised by OVO engineers helpline that the meter needs to get changed. The emergency engineer was very helpful but he didn’t have a meter left with him to install. He did reconfirm that I don’t have any readings for of peak. I guess OVO will need to request his report as I learnt the reports don’t necessarily get sent to OVO.
So that will be me ringing again, explaining to the advisor and so on. Anyways, this disaster is still ongoing…

Jeffus
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Hi Abby,

he arrived shortly before 8pm but couldn’t fix the problem. He was advised by OVO engineers helpline that the meter needs to get changed. The emergency engineer was very helpful but he didn’t have a meter left with him to install. He did reconfirm that I don’t have any readings for of peak. I guess OVO will need to request his report as I learnt the reports don’t necessarily get sent to OVO.
So that will be me ringing again, explaining to the advisor and so on. Anyways, this disaster is still ongoing…

Hi @mazza

You are automatically entitled to £30 compensation if an engineer turns up without the stuff needed to complete the work under the law/ofgem rules. 

So ask for this the next time you contact ovo if you want to. 

If the compensation isn't paid within 10 working days of the event then ovo need to pay you another £30.

This may also be relevant for any other visits you have had, obviously I don't know.

Obviously just getting the heating and hot water working is the main priority 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Hey @mazza,

 

That sounds really frustrating, I’m very sorry to hear this.

 

I’ll ask Forum_Support to reach out via private message. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
Jeffus
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Hey @mazza,

 

That sounds really frustrating, I’m very sorry to hear this.

 

I’ll ask Forum_Support to reach out via private message. 

@mazza look out on this page for the message 

https://forum.ovoenergy.com/inbox/overview

M
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OVO reached  out on a Privat message to say they would look into the matter. After replying I didn’t hear back all day. At 16:30 I rang OVO once again, got transferred to another agent and he booked an engineer for tomorrow morning 8:00-12:00 to change the meter back to an old 2 phase meter as OVO’s smart meter don’t support 2 phase meters running on off peak energy 7 tariff. I suggested this all along to all the agents I’ve spoken to but no action was taken.
So, I have to take off time at work again on a short notice. Hopefully after being back on a old meter off peak will be running again. After almost 3 weeks without hot water and storage heating.
Hopefully this story can prevent everyone of getting a smart meter. Smart meters provide no advantage whatsoever. 

Blastoise186
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That job will fail. You can't just install 2-Phase over a Single-Phase setup 

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
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I have no clue. Original set up was working perfectly fine before the smart meter.  I believe that was 2 phase? I feel like OVO is expecting me to tell them what to do, 

Blastoise186
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It can’t have been 2-Phase. That’s just not possible for a Single-Phase setup.

It’s probably also worth mentioning that even though a user who is watching this thread will not like this you won’t get much traction in a thread like this one by trying to discourage smart meter adoption.

Whether people like it or not, it’s the ONLY migration path for anyone who has an RTS Meter.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
Abby_OVO
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Hi @mazza 

 

I’m sorry to hear this is ongoing. You should have received a response from the Forum_Support, who’ll look into things for you.

 

Blastoise186’s advice is spot on here, but the Forum_Support will be able to look into this in depth. 

Currently Playing: She's Electric
Jeffus
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I have no clue. Original set up was working perfectly fine before the smart meter.  I believe that was 2 phase? I feel like OVO is expecting me to tell them what to do, 

Hi @mazza are you all sorted now? 

M
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Hi Jeffus,

thank you for asking.

No, engineer didn’t turn up. Engineer booked after that cancelled. OVO told me yesterday that they expect me to book a privat electrician myself.  Don’t understand what the electrician can do what OVO can’t.
Clearly OVO thinks it’s all my problem. 

Jeffus
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Hi Jeffus,

thank you for asking.

No, engineer didn’t turn up. Engineer booked after that cancelled. OVO told me yesterday that they expect me to book a privat electrician myself.  Don’t understand what the electrician can do what OVO can’t.
Clearly OVO thinks it’s all my problem. 

Hi @mazza 

Always difficult to know as obviously I don't have all the details, but I don't understand either.

1. You had a working system before you had your smart meter

2. You have already had an engineer visit and say the meter needs replacing. 

If feels like you are potentially being told different things by different people as they look at your case. 

I think you are being very patient. I have flagged the ovo  moderators again 

. 

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