Off-peak charging: Stuck with old Smart Meter (SMETS1)

[mangobay]

Hi all
Ive recently moved house and, as part of trying to port my Octopus Go tariff over, have realised that the smart meter installed in my new property is only a SMETS 1 first gen meter. As many of you may know, these are a bit of a disaster, and dont work to transmit half-hour data as they should as they generally stopped working when people switched away from the originally installing supplier.

It looks like I am stuck in a problem period of having to wait out for the meter to be upgraded, and Octo are saying there is no way of rushing this as the central authority (DCC) have control over when these get upgraded. Which means no off peak charging as there is no off peak!

Has anyone else encourntered this and found a way around it please?
thanks a lot

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[Porsche-Guru]

What is the make of your SMETS1 smart meter?

All SMETS1 meters should support 30 minute profiles; as well as 2 rate tariffs..... so the meter should not be an issue, unless this is a specific make/ model.

Post a photo of your meter if you can... and I will have a dig.

 

[mangobay]

Thanks that’s really kind. Mine is a Landis. I know Octopus have always said they can only support smets1 meters made by Secure. Cheers

 

[Porsche-Guru]

You meter is absolutely fine and it does support both features.
½ hour (or 30 minute profile) as well as 2-rate tariffs.

So there should not be any issue on the metering side.


Attached is the SMETS1 standard specifications. See page 27/28.

Speak to Octopus

1) Inform them that you have a DCC enrolled SMETS1 meter and that this meter would not have been enrolled (if it did not meet the SMETS1 standard).

2) All Octopus needs to do is to send a config to the meter to enable 2-rate tariff.

3) Octopus need to execute a change tariff command on their business system to send a 2-rate tariff to the meter.
The command is DUIS SRV 1.1.1 (Update Import Tariff - Primary Element)

4) If Octopus also want to read the 30 minute (½ hour data) the
command is DUIS SRV 14.8.1 (Read Active Import Profile Data)

If Octopus state that your SMETS1 meter has NOT YET been enrolled (regarding Point 1), then inform them that is an energy suppliers obligation to either enrolled the SMETS1 meter or replace with SMETS2.
Say that you intend to complain to OFGEM - as you as a consumer is not able to get an appropriate tariff for your property due to Octopus policy.

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Hope the above gives you enough ammunition to talk to Octopus and get your tariff.

(Assuming you are able to get a 'sensible' call centre operative on the other end, who can understand this !)

Good luck !

 

[mangobay]

@Porsche-Guru , thanks very much, I really appreciate your time. I will give it a go!
cheers
Omar

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