[Mailman]

Since I moved in last year I did spot a reading on my gas that was recorded as Meter Reader. The day in question I never saw anyone at the outside gas meter but never thought anything of it until now. Fast forward to just over a year since being in current property and noticed in my electricity account recently another reading marked as Meter Reader. Hmm now this electricity meter is definitely inside the house hidden in the coat cupboard and the reading looked to be correct although nobody presented themselves as a Meter Reader. Both meters are Smart and Eon regularly pulls the data off them without issue.

Q1) How are readings recorded as 'Meter Reader' taking place if nobody has physically read the meter?

Q2) Has the sanctity of my home been violated by The Invisible Meter Reader? 🥂

[Mailman]

I'm wondering if the MOP Meter Operator organisation that Eon Next are using (such as Morrison - not the supermarket) is actually pulling reads directly from the DCC (for Smart meters only) and passing it off as a 'Meter Reader' entry as opposed to a 'Smart' entry. If the MOPs are being paid by Eon Next to do a 'Meter Reading' service my experience suggests that they are not.

[Tommysgirl]

@Mailman
This has happened to me and my next-door neighbours (who are also with Eon Next) twice too. Our meters are outside near our kitchen windows and neither of us saw their van or anyone go past our windows to the meters either, but assumed we had missed seeing them. Yours is even more spooky with your meter being inside your home. It must have been The Invisible Man.😲👻

[meldrewreborn]

or they might use something like this:

OCR Meter Reading for Workforce (anyline.com)

[retrotecchie]

@meldrewreborn

That would still require physical line of sight access to the indoor meter.

But, that has just given me a brilliant idea, for which I will give you a percentage of the royalties (payable in wine) if it pans out...

My 'leccy meter is on the end wall of the house, in a meter cubby and to get to it, I need to go out of the kitchen, through a lean to utility room, round the garden, climb round the oil boiler and take a reading. I read it most days, but it is a pain, especially when it's blowing a hoolie and chucking down with rain.

I have some old monochrome PCB video cameras scrapped from a recent project that have built-in infrared illumination.

Stick one in the meter cubby...run a cable back to Mission Control in the office. I COULD easily add OCR but as long as I can look at a video image and read the numbers myself, I can submit readings...

But with OCR and regularly scanned readings, I could also automate my spreadsheet inputs...a DIY Smart Meter! All the benefits with none of the systemic network/DCC/supplier failures.

Oooh.... Could be onto a winner here. 😎

[Han_EONNext]

Hey @Mailman & @Tommysgirl!

I too have been visited by the 'mystery meter reader' so I get why its confusing!! If I'm honest, I thought nothing of it as my meter is outside...but as you say, come to think of it I haven't seen anyone either! It really did get the cogs turning in my lil' old brain 🧠.

After asking round and searching within our E.ON Next space I have the answer! ⭐ & you are totally right about the MOP @Mailman - it seems as though sometimes the MOP can pull a remote reading from the meter to ensure that if we ever do have to estimate for whatever reason they will be in line.

It's a strange one I know, and I have fed back this being confusing - but at least now you can rest assured that there isn't any meter reading ghosties around 👻

[Han_EONNext]

Originally Posted by retrotecchie

@meldrewreborn

That would still require physical line of sight access to the indoor meter.

But, that has just given me a brilliant idea, for which I will give you a percentage of the royalties (payable in wine) if it pans out...

My 'leccy meter is on the end wall of the house, in a meter cubby and to get to it, I need to go out of the kitchen, through a lean to utility room, round the garden, climb round the oil boiler and take a reading. I read it most days, but it is a pain, especially when it's blowing a hoolie and chucking down with rain.

I have some old monochrome PCB video cameras scrapped from a recent project that have built-in infrared illumination.

Stick one in the meter cubby...run a cable back to Mission Control in the office. I COULD easily add OCR but as long as I can look at a video image and read the numbers myself, I can submit readings...

But with OCR and regularly scanned readings, I could also automate my spreadsheet inputs...a DIY Smart Meter! All the benefits with none of the systemic network/DCC/supplier failures.

Oooh.... Could be onto a winner here. 😎

@retrotecchie Oooo I do like your thinking!!!
Do the cameras run off your mains though? Surely it would be using unnecessary energy 🤔

[retrotecchie]

@Han_EONNext

And there was me thinking, based on @theunknowntech 's assertion that @Beki_EONNext is actually a giant enemy robot spider, that you had a secretly-developed team of robot nano-spiders you had sent out on a mission to read people's meters by stealth means.

My illusions have been shattered. I'm a broken man. You get in that Comrades Corner and put the kettle on as I am badly in need of tea and sympathy now 🙁

The cameras are USB powered from the 'pooter, which will be on anyway to pull the readings.

[Mailman]

Originally Posted by Han_EONNext

Hey @Mailman & @Tommysgirl!

I too have been visited by the 'mystery meter reader' so I get why its confusing!! If I'm honest, I thought nothing of it as my meter is outside...but as you say, come to think of it I haven't seen anyone either! It really did get the cogs turning in my lil' old brain 🧠.

After asking round and searching within our E.ON Next space I have the answer! ⭐ & you are totally right about the MOP @Mailman - it seems as though sometimes the MOP can pull a remote reading from the meter to ensure that if we ever do have to estimate for whatever reason they will be in line.

It's a strange one I know, and I have fed back this being confusing - but at least now you can rest assured that there isn't any meter reading ghosties around 👻

In which case why not call it a 'Smart' read? as that is what it is. Oh well not really important in the scheme of things. BTW never needed an estimated reading as all of mine have been 'Customer' or 'Smart' reads.

Personally I nearly thought I would have to call Ghostbusters .....

[retrotecchie]

@Mailman

You have not been 'haunted' by a metergeist 👻, thank heavens!