[CraigyT]

Hi all,

Me again, with an update. Later in Feb, Eon are coming to change my old Economy 7 RTS meter and install a new smart meter.

However, on glancing around the forums, there appears to be some postings indicating that EON are not capable of dealing with scenarios that don't just involve a differing rate on the E7 hours, but that actually involve a "switching on" of power to heating / water? Is this true?

I have what I think isn't unusual, in so much my storage heaters & hot water tank are wired to a circuit that only receives electricity during the switch into E7 mode, and that cease getting electricity when the E7 mode switches back to the peak / day mode.

Is it true that EON are unable / unwilling to install a meter that not only has two different charging rates, but that also switches power to some appliances only during the E7 hours, and switches the power off when it swaps back to day / peak charging?

Sadly, storage heaters are my only (short to medium term) option (as there's no gas where I live), and they're only charging up during the E7 period and have no other on / off / override option. Does this mean my heating will stop working, or will it all be charged at peak rate?

Re my hot water, whilst my small water tank does have a secondary booster switch, this uses the peak / expensive rate, and so it's not ideal if I have to now resort to using this option to have hot water, where as with the RTS meter the switching was automatic and it all seemed so easy.

A neighbour's recently had her RTS meter switched (She's with Shell Energy?) and she said her smart meter was installed by SMS Plc - she's happy with her, it's all working as to be expected, and she's amazed at the concern I have and amazed at the thought that EON can't do as her supplier has?

You can likely tell I don't really understand all of this, and I'm afraid I'm a bit old school, so the whole thought of a smart meter doesn't really appeal to me, and the thought of losing my heating with a smart meter scares me.

Any thoughts / advice / pointers much appreciated, surely a company as big as EON can't struggle to fit new meters that offer switching on / off for some circuits based on whether it's E7 time or not?

Cheers
Craig

[retrotecchie]

@CraigyT

So long as they fit a 5 terminal meter configured for E7, you'll be fine. In theory.

Any chance you can post a photo or two of your existing setup? That will tell me if it's a simple swap, or other work needs to be carried out (which the meter team may or may not be able to do). I'm sure, with some 47,000 RTS meters to swap out by April, the metering techs should have a bit of experience by now.

[CraigyT]

@retrotecchie Hi & many thanks for your help. Once back home I will get a pic, in the meantime if it helps (apologies if it doesn't) inside the meter box is the grey meter itself, and that has two sets of numbers, one above the other. The top is "low" and bottom row of numbers is "normal" and this meter says Property of London Electricity plc (I've no idea who they are?). To the right of this grey meter, and slightly bigger than the meter, is a black box, that I think says Radio TeleSwitch, but I will get a proper pic once back. Other than some wires, there's nothing else in the meter box. Re your advice of 5 terminal meter, should I be passing that info onto Eon now so they come with the right equipment? They've said the meter install will either be by them or Morrisons (which I hope isn't the supermarket) but I don't know if I need to let them know to come with a 5 terminal meter? Many thanks

[retrotecchie]

@CraigyT

If their job sheet says it's a RTS upgrade, then they should have the right tackle with them. Morrisons Meter Services are a subcontractor used by many energy companies, and are also contracted to provide scheduled reads on non smart meters, so no....you won't get any More points on your loyalty card.

[CraigyT]

Thanks for the steer - will upload a pic of the set up tomorrow - the meter cabinet itself is way bigger than the meter & black box - not sure why.

[meldrewreborn]

@CraigyT

london electricity were the regional supplier prior to privatisation many moons ago. Your storage heaters are likely to be quite old and not built with the thermostat control on modern equipment. Replacing one or two would save you money on running the system.

overnight storage heaters can’t foresee the weather changes and thus homes can become too hot when a warmer sunnier day comes along necessitating opening windows to dispel the heat. Thermostatic control reduces the problem and using some older ones as base load and some newer ones to properly regulate the temperature would be sensible.

[CraigyT]

@retrotecchie - Apologies for delay, small family emergency with my elderly father, and thankfully now all good. Here is the pic of the meter, which am guessing is the original from around late 1990's when I think the block was built.
@meldrewreborn - I like you idea and didn't know newer ones were available. You've hit the nail on the head, I need to know the day before what the weather will be like so as to set the input & output options on the heaters. Sometimes I get it wrong and the flat is cold, and other times it's too hot.

Anyway, thank you both again for your input and knowledge, I'm really worried about Eon replacing my meter given what I've read on the threads, however with the RTS switch off, I guess I've no option.

[meldrewreborn]

@CraigyT

Happy to help. As far as I understand it, the newer heaters store the same amount of heat but are much better able to control the release (or not!) of that stored heat, using temperature sensors in the room. I’ve never experienced them in action, but the theory seems sound.

[retrotecchie]

@CraigyT

Your system will need replacing as the dual reading meter swaps between day and night rate under control from the RTS box, which also controls your heating and hot water. When RTS is switched off (more of which in a moment) your meter will be stuck on one rate or the other, so your heating will either be on all the time, or won't work at all.

The setup needs replacing with a 5 terminal meter and in theory, that should do the job. There will need to be a few minor wring changes but the meter installer should know what they are doing as this is not a 'one off' but something that affects about 1.1 million consumers in the UK.

RTS is being shut down, but the actual system for sending data via the Radio 4 Long Wave transmitter will still be operating for a while yet as other services use the system, notably the Environment Agency. It's just that the energy industry have decided, rightly or wrongly, to no longer pay their share of the operating costs for running RTS. In theory, any meters that have not been replaced by the deadline can still carry on as usual, subject to paying the costs, but the energy suppliers would rather not. It's cheaper to replace a million meters than to carry on subscribing to RTS but despite knowing this has been coming for a long time, it's whether or not they can do the necessary outstanding works between now and the end of March that is the real question. The good news for suppliers is that RTS systems are predominantly in two concentrated geographical areas, Scotland and the South of England so in theory, the metering teams don't have to cover too much of the whole country to facilitate the changes.

[CraigyT]

Once again, thanks @retrotecchie and @meldrewreborn for your input. Never ceases to amaze me the knowledge you both have and willingness to help others. I know I'm at one end of the spectrum (ignorant about all things electrical and technical) and you both are at the other end, very knowledgeable!

Meter change day is this coming week, however I'm more anxious than normal, as when checking the appointment this past week, the person at Eon didn't appear to know I was on E7 😔

It sounds like E7 is a bit of an old fashioned / niche set up, it's not one I chose, nor did I choose Eon (I was with another supplier, think it was NPower?) and then Eon took them over some years back. As there's no gas in the block, electricity is the only option, despite E7 not being ideal.

I have fingers & toes cross all will go well, if the meter person has the same knowledge as you both have then I'm sure it will, however I'm still spooked by the stories I read about Eon on the forums - seems many of the Eon team don't have the same amount of knowledge as you both have.