Not yet. The RTS switch-off has been delayed again: Extension granted for RTS switch-off deadline “… agreement has now been reached that ensures the RTS service will continue into 2025.” Affected customers will allegedly be informed ahead of any change. 

It’s not far off in complexity.

Yes, I saw the news, With 900k RTS systems still in use, it’s just as well !

Well, the complex bit is what is embedded into the equipment, I’ve worked with control systems for 40 years, this is nothing that shouldn’t be 99% robust in use, the problem reading this thread seems there are not enough folk involved in the roll out that are properly qualified, and no proper measures by OVO to capture the issues, and get the right folk involved. It’s totally unacceptable to effectively disable someone's heating, for even 24 hours, let alone several weeks

I find it extraordinary, that nothing is really tested before the installer leaves site. It’s akin to having a gas boiler installed, and no one bothers to check the controller unit is actually working, they just get in their van and drive off.  

I think we all know that there is a shortage of adequately trained engineers in several fields. Installing smart meters is one; installing heat pumps is another. But I’m not sure you’re being completely fair in your criticism. Of the 30 million or so smart meter installations that have taken place over the past decade, a tiny minority will not have gone flawlessly. When it comes to installing something as sophisticated as a remotely-controlled electronic metering system, perhaps in a property whose wiring is both eccentric and archaic, it’s not surprising that not everything goes smoothly. I’m sure the installers conduct all the tests they’re required to before leaving the property, but some things - like whether a software-controlled time switch actually turns on when it’s expected to - may have to come down to a suck-it-and-see test. Remember all those computer systems that no-one could predict what would happen to when we moved from one millennium to the next?

There are some rare faults that are well-known, often with known remedies. Sadly, we can’t expect every customer service agent to recognize them when a user complains. Yes, there should be procedures in place to ensure that an appropriate expert is involved in this sort of case, and this will usually happen eventually. But all too often we hear that an engineer has been dispatched to fix something that can only be fixed by a remote controller who knows what he’s doing. 

It may not be rocket science, but it’s not always simple and straightforward.

I had my smart metre installed at the end of January 24.  The engineer said that there is a current running through the off peak wires of the boiler and storage heater (checked during the day so switch light was not on - comes on after 12am etc).

Okay so I call my landlord and they sent out an engineer who re-set the boiler and also stated that there is a current running through the wires.

I dont know if I should call OVO because on reading some comments etc it does not seem to work.  

Thank you for any help to come

Hi @Ellcvee , can you post a photo of your meter and cables please? That might help to get some information for you

You’ll have to give us a lot more details if we’re to make sensible suggestions.

• First, a clear photo of the meter and its surrounding stuff; you might need to take two so we read what it says on the display.
• Then a screenshot of your Plan page showing the Contract details and the Prices and unit rates.

That should do for a start.

You mention a boiler - is this an electric immersion heater for your domestic hot water? If not, what does it do?

It’s the meter that is particularly of interest @Ellcvee . I wonder if you can take another shot or two with more light (flash or use a torch).

It looks like that’s a 5 terminal meter (we need to make sure) and a close up of the display would be great (press the button to get the backlight on)

@Firedog I do not know if I have a plan page.  I clicked on your link and did not see any information as I am PAYG.  I just showed metre guide and app details etc

Yes, that looked the case from the first picture. 
It is a 5 terminal meter though - see the red and orange cables labelled T4 and T5 bottom right of the meter. 
These feed the peak and off peak circuits so presumably you have an Economy 7 tariff?

On the bottom right of the display, the little switch mimics show when each circuit is ‘on’. Of course at present the bottom (off peak) switch is off but this should be shown as closed during the off peak times. 

It could be that a command needs to be sent to make this behave correctly if that other ‘switch’ doesn’t show that it’s switched. 

@BPLightlog Wow I kinda know what your saying.  I OVO engineer did mention something about it) read in the Forums about something being done remotely/command to be sent from ?????  but the OVO engineer seemed so confident that everything was ok as the wires were ‘live’ 

Presuming the engineer was there during the day, they couldn’t have told that the off peak circuit was live but just ‘connected’.

You might get some more info from Firedog but you might want to get in touch with OVO customer support.
Support have to ask the Smart support team to send the ECAUL command to update your ALCS configuration. 

@BPLightlog and @Firedog THANK YOU so much.  I will ring them.

Sorry, I didn’t know you were on a PAYG tariff. Not to worry, that doesn’t change much.

Your ‘boiler’ looks to be a posh hot water cylinder. It’s not a boiler, because the water in it should never be anywhere near boiling point! I’m not quite sure how it works, but if it’s wired to the ‘offpeak’ circuit, the idea is obviously to heat it up overnight. There may be a ‘boost’ function that helps out if you need more hot water during the day - to be charged at full rate, so use sparingly!

Anyway, BPLightlog has said what needs to be said: OVO have to configure the extra switch in the meter that controls power to the offpeak stuff. We’ve seen many examples where new installations of this type of meter leave this switch (the Auxiliary Load Control Switch, ALCS) not configured, so the customer is left without heating or hot water. It’s not the engineer’s fault; it’s apparently a fault in the app he uses to set up the meter, which reports that all is OK even when it’s not. Support should be able to help if you ask them to get the smart team to send the ECAUL request to set the ALCS to the timings in your tariff. 

@Firedog I have been using the boost.  I try to leave it on for no more than 2hrs.  Its rubbish.  It can not even fill 1/3 of a bath etc.

I have called OVO customer service and although they did not know quite what I was talking about they were very kind and found out who could help etc.  I will check tonight and Weds night to see if the off peak comes on and take a photo of the metre as well.  He said it could take 24hrs to set up but I am extremely grateful for the information you all gave me because it help me explain so much better than I could have without it. (+ @BPLightlog )

@Firedog , @BPLightlog 

Hey @Ellcvee 

Sorry to hear you’ve been having some issues here, but by the sounds of things our volunteers have hopefully helped you find the fix you need for this. I’m glad the team were able to fins someone to help with this in the end.

Keep us update with how you get on with this and if the off peak begins to work correctly again.

@Abby_OVO Also thanks to Jack *edited by moderator* on the Customer Support help line.

It looks like you’re all up and running now, @Ellcvee - brilliant news 

One last question: what time did you take the latest photo of the meter? I hope it was sometime between midnight and 07:00 (depending on where you live).

I don’t remember seeing a similar result of ECAUL, but that may be because of the way your offpeak stuff is wired up. We’ve seen cases where the auxiliary contact is labelled either LC1 or LC2, depending on the wiring, but not both, so it’s another string to our bow! You’ll see this in the bottom right-hand corner of the display, where
            ı
      o¯o
  
indicates that switch no. 1 is closed as it should be all the time - this is what switches everything that isn’t offpeak on and off.

And about the hot water tank: the boost function in many tanks like this uses a separate heating element near the top of the tank, so it can quickly heat up, say, the top third if you’ve used up all the water that was heated up overnight. Hopefully you won’t have to use it now. Do keep an eye on how much electricity the tank is using, though; even though it’s insulated, it will cool down over time, so you may be heating it up again every night even though you won’t need a full tank the next day. I find that my 210 litre tank stays hot enough for two or three days’-worth of use even though it’s switched off. The third day’s bath might not be quite as luxurious, though.

Check its temperature as well. It probably comes with the thermostat set to 60ºC, which you may find is unnecessarily high. 55º is quite hot enough for most people, and those extra 5º could be expensive. It’s a balancing act, so have fun with some trial and error 
     

Hey @Ellcvee 

Glad that went well for you, and the Support Team were able to help here. I’ll pass that great feedback on to Jack and his manager, thank you for letting us know about this.

If you’ve ever got any other questions in future, please feel free to pop by the Forum any time and we’ll do our best to help.

My smart meter was installed on 27th September and I today checked my account online
The smart meter is sending readings and the account details show that the terminal THTC readings were correctly recorded however my account is now showing I am in debit by over £7000 pounds for electricity used in the time since installation. When the new meter was installed I had a credit balance of £300
Usage has continued as normal with no night storage heating in circuit
The smart meter reading history confirms our normal low usage and is set to Domestic Economy Tariff
I have just had a long and fruitless conversation with Customer Services who could not or would not inform me where the billed amount was raised/allocated to
Their system is to raise a query/complaint for investigation which will take 10 days.
A”Resolver” will telephone me within 24 to 48 hours to explain the OVO standard procedure if I am at home!
The C.S. operative was very unhelpful and would not allow me to speak to anyone who could take any immediate action
Meanwhile OVO are continuing to ignore the Smart Meter readings and rack up thousands of pounds of debt against my account!
Is there any way to get help with what I believe to be an accounting problem and speak to someone with the authority to take some immediate action?
The C.S. operative did admit that I did not owe the amount raised against my account but refused to confirm that by email

 

Interesting. Thanks for posting, sorry to hear you’ve had such a horrible experience. Just been on a chat with OVO because they keep sending comms about switching to a smart meter but we’re on an E10 “complex” tariff and I have read about dozens of similar post installation issues. They said any online account readings can be ignored for the first 6 weeks whilst systems are fully configured but that’s hardly reassuring because the customer is doing all the worrying and leg work during this time. I have decided to hold out as long as possible, in the meantime keeping a close eye on this forum and how issues like yours are being resolved. All the best with getting things sorted. 

I was considering a switch of supplier but OVO have effectively blocked any switch by showing my account is so much in debit

OVO do not inspire confidence!