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Why do I have high overnight usage showing on my smart meter In Home Display (IHD)?

  • February 6, 2019
  • 5 replies
  • 7658 views
E
New Member*

Hi

Just started to review our usage on the small monitor and don't understand why the hourly usage between 1.30am and 5.30am is almost as high as when i had the washing machine and dish washer on this morning. Any idea? Thanks

Best answer by Tim_OVO

Updated on 23/10/25 by Ben_OVO

 

Great to hear your checking the usage data sent from your smart meter to your In-Home Display (IHD)! You can also view this data in some handy to read graphs on the usage pages of your online account or OVO app (download for Android or iOS).

 

If your smart meter is set to provide half-hourly reads, then you’ll have a half-hourly usage breakdown on the ‘Usage’ section of your online account / app. You can use this to work our what times the usage may be spiking, to help you narrow down which appliance is causing it. If your smart meter isn’t set to provide half-hourly reads, you can set this up online or via the app by using this guide:

 

 

It’s worth mentioning that the daily standing charges are added to your IHD around midnight each day which could explain why you notice some costs showing when you check in the morning, Also bear in mind some appliances (like fridge/freezers and TVs on standby) still use a fair amount of electricity overnight. 


If this does not explain the high daily usage cost shown on your IHD, it could be that your tariff rates have not been correctly updated to your meter, in which case reach out to our Support Team.

 

For further information on how to use your IHD see the usage guide for your meter/IHD type below:

 

S2 smart meter and Chameleon IHD

S1 smart meter and Chameleon IHD

S1 meter with a Pipit IHD


GEO IHD

 

The FAQ’s page below gives some really handy advice about energy usage, and there’s also some great info on our website. For further energy saving advice, you can try a quick Google search of ‘energy advice in (your local area)’. You should find that there’ll be energy advice charities / organisations, and maybe even your local council will offer this advice.

 

 

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

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

5 replies

Tim_OVO
Retired Moderator
  • Tim_OVO
  • OVO Forum Legend
  • Answer
  • February 14, 2019

Updated on 23/10/25 by Ben_OVO

 

Great to hear your checking the usage data sent from your smart meter to your In-Home Display (IHD)! You can also view this data in some handy to read graphs on the usage pages of your online account or OVO app (download for Android or iOS).

 

If your smart meter is set to provide half-hourly reads, then you’ll have a half-hourly usage breakdown on the ‘Usage’ section of your online account / app. You can use this to work our what times the usage may be spiking, to help you narrow down which appliance is causing it. If your smart meter isn’t set to provide half-hourly reads, you can set this up online or via the app by using this guide:

 

 

It’s worth mentioning that the daily standing charges are added to your IHD around midnight each day which could explain why you notice some costs showing when you check in the morning, Also bear in mind some appliances (like fridge/freezers and TVs on standby) still use a fair amount of electricity overnight. 


If this does not explain the high daily usage cost shown on your IHD, it could be that your tariff rates have not been correctly updated to your meter, in which case reach out to our Support Team.

 

For further information on how to use your IHD see the usage guide for your meter/IHD type below:

 

S2 smart meter and Chameleon IHD

S1 smart meter and Chameleon IHD

S1 meter with a Pipit IHD


GEO IHD

 

The FAQ’s page below gives some really handy advice about energy usage, and there’s also some great info on our website. For further energy saving advice, you can try a quick Google search of ‘energy advice in (your local area)’. You should find that there’ll be energy advice charities / organisations, and maybe even your local council will offer this advice.

 

 

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

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

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
S
New Member*
  • SeanLancs
  • New Member*
  • November 28, 2022

Hi, we had a smart meter fitted a month ago, and since then I've been monitoring our usage. 

For some reason the total used through the night doesn't seem to reflect our true usage. 

Gas and electricity usage through the night (according to the current usage displays) should have been around £1.49, however the actual reading showed £2.37 - a difference of some £0.88 - Electricity was showing 0.24p an hour and gas was showing total used 0.33p - these figures shouldn't change during the night whilst we are all in bed asleep. 

We can explain the electricity through devices used, and the £0.33 gas is probably the standing charge, but where does the additional cost come from? 

If this happens every day of the year, it means that a total amount of £541.48 is being added to our bill annually. 

I haven't checked the hourly readings through the night yet, but I plan to stay up one night and monitor the actual hourly usage against the total usage shown.

One thing is for certain, the total amount used is showing too high for the actual consumption according to the smart meter itself!!

Can anyone tell me why? 

BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
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  • BPLightlogPlan Zero Hero
  • Plan Zero Hero
  • November 28, 2022

Hi @SeanLancs are you looking at your In Home Display (IHD) rather than your smart meter? I presume so and you will see a section on that to do with tariffs which could be not your real tariffs, however your bill will be calculated from your smart meter readings and the tariffs on your plan.

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP}
Emmanuelle_OVO
S
juliamc
Carbon Catcher***
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  • juliamcCarbon Catcher***
  • Carbon Catcher***
  • November 28, 2022

If your meter is set to send half hourly readings you could see the usage on your account and not have to stay up all night !!

M.isterW
Emmanuelle_OVO
Abby_OVO
M.isterW
Carbon Catcher***
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  • M.isterWCarbon Catcher***
  • Carbon Catcher***
  • November 28, 2022

There are several apps available that allow you to view the data from your smart meter. I use Bright but there are others. If your meter is setup to send half hourly readings you can then, using one of these apps, see exactly how much electricity is being used through the night without having to stay awake.

1992 4 bed detached house. Solar PV + battery, Zappi EV charger, Mitsubishi Ecodan ASHP and i-life2 fan assisted radiators.... No gas 😊
Emmanuelle_OVO
Abby_OVO
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