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MikeMilf
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August 13, 2023
Solved

Has my Smart Meter or IHD developed a problem overnight......suddenly seeing a red usage light

  • August 13, 2023
  • 48 replies
  • 3161 views

Just switched to Ovo from SEB, but have had a type2 smart meter / IHD for about a year. Im on Economy 10 and Ive got very used to what Im normally charged at various times of the day.

Got up for a pee at around 1:30am today (not a spring chicken any more) and was surprised to see the red usage light on. Normally its amber as the off peak heating comes on.

Upon checking my IHD I saw was racking up £1.29 per k/wh when Im normally at around £0.84 when the overnight heating is charging up. To check, I turned off the off peak switch and it dropped to £0.14

I also checked the ‘boost’ switch in my cupboard to make sure I hadnt turned it on by mistake and no it was off

I think I may have found the possible issue. When I checked the tariff readings on my IHD, it said I was being charged peak rate at 2am in the morning, and it would revert to off peak at 6am. This puts it out of sync with my storage heaters / immersion cylinder and would explain the red usage light

I have literally just switched from SEB on 09.08.23

I understand there can be switchover problems, but this is going to waste me money just for using my hot water. Do you think its a) an IHD fault or b) someone at Ovo has not put me on the correct Economy 10 hours?

If I am right, who/how do I contact at Ovo to get this looked at asap? I dont want to be racking up an excess bill, then having to fight to get money back through no fault of my own. I would prefer a contact other than general customer services as my experience with SEB was truly horrific in that regard (waiting up to an hour to get answered, then speaking to pretty clueless staff).

Would really appreciate some help….thank you in advance

 

 

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Updated on 25/03/25 by Ben_OVO

When switching suppliers or having new meters installed you may need to reset your IHD and the set budget. You can find out more here:

 

 

 

Hey @Adeline,

 

You’re billed based on the readings sent across from your smart meters themselves. So to see how much you are being charged you can check your Online Account:

 

 

It sounds like the budget/target for ‘high usage’ has changed when you’ve switched over to OVO. We’ve seen this happen to other Community Members. 

 

I believe what’s happened is your IHD is currently showing the color's based on an ‘average consumer’. After a while, your IHD will re-learn your habits and adjust everything on your energy use.

 

Hope this helps.

48 replies

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MikeMilfAuthor
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August 20, 2023

Sorry but I think there is confusion here now about what constitutes a problem with the red usage light

I believe  Jessic and Ia are talking abot the light that appears at the bottom centre of the IHD. In my case, this is the light that previously shone amber in off peak times, but has now switched to red. It will only affect the instant usage ‘speedometer’

I thought we had agreed that this could well be due to an incorrectly set register in the meter and would probably need an engineer visit? So your house switches on an off peak heating circuit but it gets matched against a peak rate tariff. Result - an instant red high usage light

The user set daily budget (say £6) only affects the daily usage speedo and will turn red as you exceed the budget - but this is a different thing entirely imho

If I’m wrong, I can handle it and I apologise, but please specify which user-changeable IHD setting can be altered to fix this problem.  I really dont think its that easy a fix

Adeline - if you dont mind me asking, what energy plan are you on?

 

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MikeMilfAuthor
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August 21, 2023

Well Ive done my load test now three times and I think it confirms the problem of an incorrectly matched tariff

  1. Just before going to bed, ensure everything in flat is off or on standby
  2. On or around 11pm, turn on off peak switch in immersion cupboard…...make a note of readings on meter
  3. 7 am next morning, turn off the off peak switch, note readings

Three times same result…...off peak readings increase by 1, peak readings increase by 6 or 7. The hours between 1am and 6am are supposed to be off-peak

If I leave the immersion switched off all day, the peak readings only alter by 3 or 4 ALL DAY

Re the advice givem to Adeline, Im curious to know which of the user changeable settings on the IHD will alter the red usage light (not the instant usage speedometer)?

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
August 21, 2023

Hi @MikeMilf , there are no user adjustable limits for that as far as I’m aware

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
M
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MikeMilfAuthor
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August 21, 2023

Then im really confused now….you said to her

“you need to change the usage level setting….doing a full reset wont have any effect”

Think I best keep out of it

 

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
August 21, 2023

Then im really confused now….you said to her

“you need to change the usage level setting….doing a full reset wont have any effect”

Think I best keep out of it

 

That wasn’t one of my responses so I’ll let others reply. On the IHD, the colour levels aren’t usually a user setting option for instantaneous usage

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
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MikeMilfAuthor
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August 21, 2023

My apologies for the error….Been looking at meter readings too much, must have made my eyes wonky lol

Im going to do a couple more load tests this week, by which time Jessica may have had some feedback. Failing that I will just have to make contact with CS

I do wish when you filled in that online support form they gave you a ticket number for your query

 

    Firedog
    Super User
    FiredogSuper User
    Super User
    August 21, 2023

    Im curious to know which of the user changeable settings on the IHD will alter the red usage light (not the instant usage speedometer)?

    It’s explained on the SSE help page:

    From the home screen of the In-Home Display, use the Left and Right arrows to switch to Energy today. From here you can see how the energy use for today compares with the budget you've set.

    Press the O button and change the value between cost as pounds an hour and energy in kilowatt hours (kWh).

    For electricity use, you can also look for the coloured LEDs that appear beneath the O button. When the LED is green it means you are under your target. If it's amber (orange) it means you're on track to meet your target. When it turns red, you've gone over your target.

     

    Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
    M
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    MikeMilfAuthor
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    August 21, 2023

    Firedog

    Please forgive me but I think you are wrong.

    I am only interested in the light that comes on underneath the O button as that has been the warning I noticed that my usage wasnt as it should be

    The usage budget you mention is only of relevance to the  daily usage speedo dial, it has no effect at all on the instant usage dial, so that is no use as a warning, and is certainly not linked to the O button light

    As a test, I set my daily budget to 0.01

    The instant usage speedo was completely unchanged at 0.12 and the arrow still pointed to green

    The daily usage speedo did of course turn red as I was 99% (at least) over my daily budget

    Importantly, the O button stayed green as only 0.12/hr is being used. If I go boil a kettle it goes red for the duration, then back to green

    I firmly believe that the O button light (the one you instantly see) is set by whatever your instant usage is, and is not related to daily budgets. That is why it is affected by incorrect tariffs kicking in at the wrong times

    Im not arguing for the sake of it mate as youve been so helpful. I just needed to point this out to you

    Edit - changed my daily usage budget back to what it was and the daily usage speedo went back to green. The instant speedo and O trade light stayed exactly as they were

    (Sorry again)

     

     

    Blastoise186
    Super User
    Blastoise186Super User
    Super User
    August 21, 2023

    It’s a Geo IHD right? You need to change the Usage Level setting to High if you have stuff like Storage Heaters.

    Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
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    MikeMilfAuthor
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    August 21, 2023

    Sorry I feel we are now going round in circles and acheiving nothing

    The O light that used to show orange when my offpeak circuit came on, now shows red.

    The tariff shown on my IHD is the reverse of what it should be, and my load tests bear that out

    At no stage did I touch the stored budget, so that hasnt caused anything

    Instant usage that used to show at around 85p/hr now shows at £1.30  because the wrong tariff is being applied

    I think id best leave it at that. Dont want to fall out with anyone

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