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Bonesy
Rank 2
December 31, 2024
Solved

Old style prepaid electric key not topping up correctly

  • December 31, 2024
  • 15 replies
  • 296 views

Hi newbie here and need advice.

We were with SSE but I believe OVO took over the account some time ago. The last 3 top ups I have done have definitely not added up. We put  the emergency 2 days ago which is £15 and we only get notification at 50 pence left. Today I put £30 on the key and went to top up, the meter said about £8 left of emergency,so we owed £7 to my mind. So I put the £30 in and the meter showed the key had £30 on it. The meter then showed that we had only £13 credit whereas it should have been £23, a shortfall of £10. There is no debt with this meter and to be honest we rarely use the emergency except during the colder periods purely because of the lack of warning until 50 pence left. We have got letters from them saying that we haven't topped up in a while but every week for many years at least £25 goes in a week without fail. So are OVO charging £10 every time you use the emergency electric or are they scamming us or have been hacked themselves. Any thoughts welcome but as I've said the last 3 top ups have deducted an extra £10 on what the key needed to replace the emergency electricity used(last 3 weeks £30 lost), thanks.

Best answer by Nukecad

Mainly the issues that you do still see nowadays are not with the Smart Meters themselves but with the communication network coverage.

Some areas, and some local locations, can still have an issue connecting to the required network - but the meter is still metering as it should and just needs help to communicate that, in other words the customer sending a manual reading rather than the meter sending it over the airwaves.

Just like with mobile phones* coverage can vary from place to place and time to time.

*In the South of the UK smart meters do generally use the 3G or 2G phone network, with updates to 4G starting to happen.

In the North though they communicate by a long wave radio signal instead.

Both systems have their blackspots, or can have outages at times.

As usual it's rural areas that tend to be the most affected by poor or no signal.

We are currently seeing a lot of that in Scotland where a big change in what radio signal they use is underway and a lot of old ‘RTS’ meters are having to be replaced before they stop working altogether later this year.

15 replies

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Nukecad
Super User
NukecadSuper UserSolved
Super User
January 2, 2025

Mainly the issues that you do still see nowadays are not with the Smart Meters themselves but with the communication network coverage.

Some areas, and some local locations, can still have an issue connecting to the required network - but the meter is still metering as it should and just needs help to communicate that, in other words the customer sending a manual reading rather than the meter sending it over the airwaves.

Just like with mobile phones* coverage can vary from place to place and time to time.

*In the South of the UK smart meters do generally use the 3G or 2G phone network, with updates to 4G starting to happen.

In the North though they communicate by a long wave radio signal instead.

Both systems have their blackspots, or can have outages at times.

As usual it's rural areas that tend to be the most affected by poor or no signal.

We are currently seeing a lot of that in Scotland where a big change in what radio signal they use is underway and a lot of old ‘RTS’ meters are having to be replaced before they stop working altogether later this year.

I said, Hey - Watts going on.
    B
    Rank 2
    BonesyAuthor
    Rank 2
    January 24, 2025

    Hi Blastoise, 

    Thank you for help here, the last month was not a good one so I  haven't been on or taken this any further as yet. I will however after the weekend contact as you advised. I will say that I  have run the meter and used the emergency credit over the last 3 weeks ish in various ways. Another £30 top up while in credit again resulted in just £20 being added. A £15 top up whilst on emergency credit with £8.70 left(£15 just replaces emergency on key) and left me £8.54. Then added £10 and it was £18.54, sort of good. Next £10 added at £12.78 and got to £21.40 I think. Found that by adding lower amounts it still takes a bit but not the 33% for a big top up. £5 top ups result in 1 being fully credited and the 2nd losing between 16 and 40 pence. Checked my weekly charge which us £3.59 and checked the current dual rate kw/hr charge and that's now 28.01p and 17.88p as we still have storage heaters on the 2nd tariff. These when I 1st posted were about 34p and 22p so they have dropped since then confirming that the key can do this.

    Anyway thanks for your help/advice, much appreciated  and I  will let you know the outcome when I  get to the bottom of this.

      Blastoise186
      Super User
      Blastoise186Super User
      Super User
      January 24, 2025

      Hey, no worries!

      If ya EVER need us for anything else, you know where to find us! :D

      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!
        B
        Rank 2
        BonesyAuthor
        Rank 2
        January 24, 2025

        Cheers again, I might just do that, just thought I'd better add that we rarely use the storage heaters. We have 4 3kwh(I think) units and they can run from 12.30am to 7.30am so 7 x (3×17.88 pence) means £3.75 a night each and to be fair they are stone cold by midday lol. Oh for the days when you could afford to rely on the heat from your 100 watt light bulbs to help with the heating haha. I suppose the reality is that if we were anywhere else other than Europe then this bill would be 25% of what we pay now so hoping for a short winter here again.

          Emmanuelle_OVO
          Retired Moderator
          Emmanuelle_OVO
          Retired Moderator
          January 27, 2025

          Hey ​@Bonesy 

          Energy prices are really high but there is lots of support out there. This topic might be helpful:
           

           

          Also I appreciated the joke about relying on 100 watt lightbulbs to help with heating 😂😂😂

          Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
          Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement

          OVO Energy Ltd, Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ, (Company no. 06890795) registered in England and Wales.

          OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ.

          OVO (S) Gas Limited is part of OVO Group Ltd