Why has my Geo In Home Display started showing gas when I have no gas supply?

We have the same “waiting for data” issue.

we had the engineer commission the smart meter on Monday and all was working fine

after one day the gas was saying “waiting for data” and the screen shot you see shows status code 29-9 which I cannot find in any google search.

Hi,

The fact that you can’t find the exact reasoning behind those codes is intentional. You need to be either Geo themselves or an energy supplier to get access to the details… Or be me and have access to BlastoiseLabs infrastructure.

29-9 suggests that something isn’t quite set up right with gas. It may go away, but if it doesn’t please let OVO Support know.

Thanks for the quick reply.

seems very odd to keep these codes for troubleshooting under lock and key. I guess there is a safety aspect to consider, we don’t really want to be tampering with any of the gas or electric kit.

odd that it was working for a day. The annoying thing is they installed this 6 months ago and didn’t commission it. It took that long to send the engineer to get it working. It was fine for a day then the gas drops off.

is this something I could fix with a config setting at the meter or does this genuinely need an engineer. If the later then given the tussle we have had with trying to get them to return which I won’t go into here I think the device is going in the bin and OVO can stuff their smart readings. 

Geo doesn’t want the codes being made fully public for multiple reasons. I’m one of the only exemptions they ever granted - and that’s basically because they trust me. But in return, I have to keep the actual documentation locked away myself.

But it’s good enough for me to know what the codes mean and what to do next. You need to get OVO to remote fix this - engineer not required.

Also, please DO NOT bin the IHD. It needs to remain in the property. If you move out and someone else moves in down the road, they’ll need it.

Hey @SteveGoodsell,

Sorry for the issues you’re having,

These topics may have some helpful advice:

• Geo Trio smart in home display (IHD) FAQs F.A.Q.

I have just returned from holiday and my OVO IHD is showing Gas even though I only have electricity with OVO. Anyone know why this is and a way to get the screen back to normal?

This is an old problem, which may have some variants - the error codes (under ‘system status’) seem to vary a bit from case to case. I’ve not heard that the cause has been nailed down or that a general solution has been found. I think the last we heard - a long time ago! - it was ‘under investigation’. Perhaps one of the mods could check with the appropriate team to learn what the current status is @ChristopherS_OVO @Shads_OVO @Abby_OVO @Emmanuelle_OVO 

Hey @Stingrayman 

As Firedog has mentioned, this is something we’ve seen before and sadly without a known solution.

Can I ask if there have been any error screens, codes or other messages at all?

Have you tried restarting the device, or switching it off for a while and back on again? I know it sounds basic but it can kick the IHD back to normal sometimes.

Let us know if you’ve tried those, and if there are any other messages or errors please attach a photo if possible.

I had my smart meter fitted on Monday 1st, all was well until this morning and now it shows Gas Awaiting Data as per this thread. I spoke to Customer Service and after calling me back to tell me it’s a softest issue they are of and awaiting a fix. I reached out to the IHD manufacturer GEO and got this response.

Hi Mark, thanks for the note, yes we are aware of this issue but it is the manufacturer of the communications hub on the smart meter (not our In Home Display) where the issue is and they are working resolving this.

You can still get the information (that was on the right hand side of the screen) on the electricity usage by going to the home screen and selecting Electricity usage menu. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this is causing you. 

thanks

Russell   
 

Is there an update or a fix for the Communications hub of the smart meter ?

this may not seem a big issue to some,but it is not filling me with confidence as it has only been fitted 5 days.

It’s being worked on by DCC - but as it’s the Comms Hub this is not OVO’s responsibility to fix.

Who or what are DCC ? & is there a contact to email re the problem. 
if there is an issue why are they still being fitted ? 

It’s amazing what you can find in 0.26 seconds by using Google. You should try it sometime.

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/about-dcc/

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/

Long story short, DCC is the network operator that connects your Smart Meter to your chosen Energy Supplier, be that OVO or otherwise. They run the show in the background and are responsible for the underlying infrastructure that powers said network.

As an energy customer, you do not have any reason to contact DCC yourself - and there is deliberately no method with which to do so. DCC only talks directly to their own clients e.g. Energy Suppliers and Network Operators and the regulator Ofgem. There is nothing they can do for you directly due to the design of the whole system - they simply do not have access to your meters. Please do not contact DCC directly yourself - they will likely refuse to talk to you.

As for this particular issue, it is relatively minor and would be considered Low Priority on just about every severity scale out there. The justification is that your equipment still works as intended, albeit with what is basically just a cosmetic issue with certain combinations of equipment like the one you’ve got. This is nowhere near serious enough to justify a halt to installations - it can and will be fixed later with Over-The-Air Firmware Updates.

Thank you for the lengthy and knowledgeable reply, although the 1st comment was unnecessary.

One thing that Blastoise forgot to mention is that while your meter belongs to the electricity supplier, e.g. OVO, the communications hub (usually on top of the meter itself) belongs to DCC. That’s why they have to diagnose and fix problems with it. Read more about comms hubs here: https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2.html#comms-hubs 

i too  have this gas display with no gas in the house or even the village , it has worked fine since install 2 weeks ago but today “waiting  data” i have tried everything restarts, resets, disconnecting power for a while but nothing . i see from this thread this has been going on for at least 2 years . so i was wondering is there is a fix or am i whistling in the wind ,very disappointed    

solar panels are exporting 1.51kw ,the nearest gas meter is 2 miles away 

Just out of interest, what does System status say? 

It’s always a good idea if you come across error messages and seek help interpreting them to quote them in full, including any cryptic error codes. It makes it so much easier for those who might be able to help. 

i contacted ovo and this is their reply , if it works i shall post it here 

Upon receiving your email today I have checked on the relevant system, and I can confirm the IHD is not linked to any gas supply, so what I have done is remotely repair the IHD with your electric meter in the hope that this will fix the issue, this can take up to 24 hours to take effect, however if it does not fix the issue, it may just be due to the fact the IHD's are designed for a duel fuel supply and this may persist, I understand this may be annoying but rest assured it will be measuring the electric correctly.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted in this thread thus: “This is an old problem, which may have some variants - the error codes (under ‘system status’) seem to vary a bit from case to case. I’ve not heard that the cause has been nailed down or that a general solution has been found. I think the last we heard - a long time ago! - it was ‘under investigation’. “

Since the error is only cosmetic, annoying as it may be, there seems to be no urgency about the search for a solution. The only advice we can give is to grin and bear it. You can be sure that if and when a solution is found, someone will post about it here.

Upon receiving your email today I have checked on the relevant system, and I can confirm the IHD is not linked to any gas supply, so what I have done is remotely repair the IHD with your electric meter in the hope that this will fix the issue, this can take up to 24 hours to take effect, however if it does not fix the issue, it may just be due to the fact the IHD's are designed for a duel fuel supply and this may persist, I understand this may be annoying but rest assured it will be measuring the electric correctly.

well as i thought NO difference what so ever still showing gas

I’m not sure what you’re expecting. Reposting: “this is something we’ve seen before and sadly without a known solution.” 

It may be that repairing the IHD connection or rebooting the IHD will work for some customers with a similar problem, so it’s worth trying. If it doesn’t help, then I’m afraid you’re stuck until GEO and/or DCC come up with a fix. Please don’t waste any more time on it.

This is indeed just a cosmetic issue at best and I also echo the stance: don’t waste time messing around with something this minor - it still works and you can workaround it by just ignoring the gas stuff. This is a P3 at best - Will Get Fixed Eventually

I’d be FAR more concerned if there was a gas meter installed and the IHD wasn’t picking it up.

I too have this issue and arrived here.

i noticed various different replies from support and my take on this know bug is that these companies use a third party to develop the firmware ie the UI and other other aspects. That third party may well have been the manufacture of the pcb and sometimes you can discover info printed out either on the pcb or chips used within. 

I will  try to explain why they take this approach and why it’s not fixed after 2 years.

These meters and comm units don’t require constant updates, it’s a very simple communication and display model so they don’t require in house developers that are constantly changing features. The firmware from all parties will have been most likely third parties contracted or from source and so as seen here a bug which it is will not likely get fixed any time soon.

The ultimate question is will any of the companies evolved really want to budget an outlay to correct this bug.

Like some earlier posters who do not have gas our meter worked for a week or so then started ‘waiting for gas data’ .Is there a standard engineer password to access the settings that might enable this to be corrected?

That’s not how it works - there is no engineer password as you can’t make changes locally. Additionally, the device you’re referring to isn’t the Meter - it’s an In-Home Display, or IHD for short.

Please post photos of what you see under the System Status menu, ideally with all the Status Codes so I can diagnose this.

Thanks!