[ColT]

Hi, We live in South/ West Cumbria and if memory serves we had the Smart meter installed approx 4 yr ago. It has never worked in "smart" mode.

The IHD (Chameleon 3) has always displayed waiting for data.
WAN and HAN light flash once every 5 secs
After repeated calls to the supplier and no resolution, (unable even to get an engineer visit) we were resigned to it being a dumb meter. Fast forward some years and we're now EON customers and looking to install a solar array c/w battery bank.

Question 1 - If we do this would our meter track the feed into the grid from our solar, or would we be supplying to grid for no benefit to ourselves?

Question 2 - Any thoughts on the comms issue? I seem to be looking at a 3 month queue to speak to anyone dealing with Smart meters / comms and am wondering if the comms hub is cellular or LRR (phone signal (EE) is mid strength by the meter), looking at best options - new hub, new meter / hub unit with mesh option, ariel.

[retrotecchie]

@ColT

Your neck of the woods, you should be on LRR.

You will need new meters, SMETS2 with export function. Chances are your older meter is an earlier SMETS1. It may have an Export register, but probably not capable of handling solar.

So you could manually provide your own export readings for SEG purposes, with the right type of meter even if it doesn't communicate.

Mesh probably won't work unless you are in an urban area...it's pretty useless if you live anywhere semi-rural or remote.

EE won't help much either. If your meter is configured for cellular, it will be using the O2/Telefonica Network. And EE have already begun switching off 3G ahead of the 2032 deadline. Most of West Wales was switched off in October last year and as O2 code-shared with EE, most smart meters around me simply went dumb.

[ColT]

Originally Posted by retrotecchie

@ColT

Your neck of the woods, you should be on LRR.

You will need new meters, SMETS2 with export function. Chances are your older meter is an earlier SMETS1. It may have an Export register, but probably not capable of handling solar.

So you could manually provide your own export readings for SEG purposes, with the right type of meter even if it doesn't communicate.

Mesh probably won't work unless you are in an urban area...it's pretty useless if you live anywhere semi-rural or remote.

EE won't help much either. If your meter is configured for cellular, it will be using the O2/Telefonica Network. And EE have already begun switching off 3G ahead of the 2032 deadline. Most of West Wales was switched off in October last year and as O2 code-shared with EE, most smart meters around me simply went dumb.

Hi,

This is what I have, no idea if cellular or LRR

[retrotecchie]

@ColT

SMETS2 with LRR communications hub. Perfectly capable of supporting solar and export. Hit and miss whether your LRR signal is up to strength in South Cumbria. Folks in Whitehaven struggle with smart meters on LRR.

[ColT]

Originally Posted by retrotecchie

@ColT

SMETS2 with LRR communications hub. Perfectly capable of supporting solar and export. Hit and miss whether your LRR signal is up to strength in South Cumbria. Folks in Whitehaven struggle with smart meters on LRR.

Many thanks for that. Just so I'm clear - I don't need LRR to install and export solar as such, but presume I would need it if I opted for one of the octopus tariffs that needed the half hour signal?

Thanks again

[retrotecchie]

@ColT

Yes, that's the long and short of it. Does your meter show up at all on the network?

Check here https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

[ColT]

@retrotecchie

Not showing up on network. We're sending in readings or the bills are estimated, so not working in smart mode.

[retrotecchie]

@ColT

In which case, you're snookered. You can still go for solar, but your SEG submissions will need to be done manually. I think you are likely in a poor signal area for LRR so unless you do happen to have good O2 coverage where you are, then swapping a meter for a cellular one isn't really a solution either.

[ColT]

@retrotecchie

Ah well, thanks for the info anyway. I don't suppose there's any options for external ariel or signal booster is there?

[retrotecchie]

@ColT

Probably not options, I'm afraid. What you, and much of Cumbria, need is Arqiva to put a low power relay in on their Anthorn site, not too far from you, to reach that side of the county but that probably won't happen anytime soon.