Smart meters

The hub is on top of the elec meter and takes power from it.

The gas meter has a battery to send its readings to the hub.

The elec meter uses mains power to sends its readings.

The hub then sends readings the IHD.

All the above is usually done with Zigbee.

Now there's a thought: a 5:2 diet tariff! Set prices higher 2 days a week to encourage customers to eat less those days. Lets the supplier shift domestic use from 2 weekdays (different ones for different cohorts) to weekends. Supplier saves overall and can share benefits with customers.

on 22/10/2021, Andy Burns supposed :

Nothing I have said is at odds with your above description, the hub - HAN I think they call them, is in the electric meter and powered from the mains. The gas meter only communicate with the hub, the electic meter talks to the supplier, the IHD and receives data from the gas meter.

How many people are on a variable tariff that requires a smart meter?

people can "time shift" with a dumb meter if on Economy 7 (if it's still called that)

so that they can measure the actual usages within the timed periods

I see it the other way, with SMETS1 the hub is an integral part of the elec meter, with SMETS2 the hub "clips" to the top of the elec meter and is powered from it, different types of hub provide different comms options.

And how would you propose that the electric company calculate your bill?

Tim

Just about every EV owner. A lot of folk with solar panels, with or without batteries.

But not with as favourable tariffs.

Tim

OK. From the Ovo pictures, there was definitely a separate hub (made by Trilliant) on some SMETS1 installs.

I thought you were suggesting there was a comms hub separate to the elec meter? So if you aren't dual-fuel and your gas supplier wants to install a smart meter, they install the gas meter (with battery) and the comms hub, without replacing the electric meter?

In which case the question I'm asking is: how is it wired to get power? It's not the sort of thing you can just plug into a socket or add on a spur, so it needs to be wired at the meter board.

So do they put a Henley block between the cutout and the electric meter to tee off a feed for the 'comms hub' if you don't have a smart electric meter?

Or are you just saying that sometimes on SMETS1 it was integrated into the elec meter and sometimes it was a separate box, and on SMETS2 it is always a separate box, which can be mounted on top of the elec meter? But in both cases you need a smart elec meter installed to power it, because there's no standalone comms hub without a smart elec meter?

Theo

ok, not seen any like that.

Well it is separate, but it clips/bolts on top of it, the meter is supplied by your DNO (or maybe they're owned by the elec retailer these days?) the hub is supplied by the DCC.

So if you aren't dual-fuel and your gas supplier wants to install a

no, why would they want a gas meter under those circumstances?

yes, it gets power from the elec meter

I think with SMETS1 it's always inside the elec meter, and with SMETS2 it's always a bolt-on to the elec meter, but thetype of hub can vary around the country (south=mobile, north=arqiva) but with mobile+mesh versions for awkward locations.

kinky

Wouldn't some aluminium foil wired to a croc clip and a good earth serve the same purpose? Or is Love Technologies a Russ Andrews company?

You decide ...

Hips or lips?

It doesn't have to be earthed, a simple metallic/conducting screen will prevent signals getting through.

I was right! :-))

what?

Is that right

do you have evidence for that?

It?s all they talk about on the EV forums. ;-)

No figures but variable tariffs that offer cheap rate charging make absolute sense when you have a large night time load. You?d be a fool not to be on such a tariff when the advantages are so plain.

Tim