[retrotecchie]

@CraigyT

I would also be cautious about whether what you have is actually true 'Economy 7'. That's about the closest matching scheme that the energy companies have that matches your system but RTS was a bit more clever than that with the older 'complex' heating systems like yours.

E7 is a 'straightforward' setup where you pay day rate for electricity for 17 hours a day, and get 7 off-peak hours. The off peak period is usually between midnight and 7am but this can vary according to which supply region you are in.

Radio Teleswitch System didn't rely on a meter or time-switch to determine peak and off-peak hours, but could send a signal to the RTS unit to give you cheaper electricity based on local demand and also give you an hour or two of cheaper 'boost' off-peak power to top up the heaters during the day in cold weather, or at weekends when industrial and commercial loads were lower.

Some of the older 'complex tariffs' even had four rates. Peak and off-peak for the general household electricity, and another two peak and off-peak prices purely for the heating.

You should see two rates and E7 on your tariff if they do have you on E7, but you'll possibly not get a straight 7 hours seven days a week because of the way the RTS box physically switches your meter rates.

A standard 5 terminal Economy 7 smart meter should work fine, but you may lose a daytime 'boost' function on your immersion or storage heaters if that is how your system is currently configured. The only way to know that, without getting an electrician in, is to see what happens when they swap the meter. Fingers crossed, all will be well.

My colleague @meldrewreborn is rather good at drilling down into the numbers and getting to the root of billing calculations/errors and putting together suggestions for moving issues forward. I'm more an 'on the tools' bloke with a bit more experience of the technical side of domestic and commercial installations. Unfortunately, neither of us are on the payroll of E.On Next and their 'energy experts' don't have the background or experience with some of the more 'interesting' problems that occasionally crop up. It is hoped that our advice doesn't fall on deaf ears and that if nothing else, we can at least provide community members with some 'ammunition' when they have to go 'toe to toe' with the supplier.

Good luck with the meter exchange, and keep us posted as to any developments. Any problems, we'll do our best to assist 👍

[meldrewreborn]

@CraigyT
@retrotecchie is correct, I’m a numbers man and experienced in DIY in the home. But with the current bunch of experienced volunteers on the forum there’s not many situations that leave us lost for something to say to help others with their issues.

what we don’t understand is why suppliers like Eon Next don’t seem to have similar people in their customer service teams.

[retrotecchie]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

what we don’t understand is why suppliers like Eon Next don’t seem to have similar people in their customer service teams.

They can't afford us 🤣

[CraigyT]

@retrotecchie and @meldrewreborn - How I *so* wish you both were on Eon's Payroll. I'm sure I'd have had a way more positive meter change experience were this the case. Yesterday meter change day came and went, which is pretty much what the installer did. Suffice to say, my set up seemed to baffle him, and he hadn't even been told I was E7, despite me confirming this with Eon several times and answering Eon's dozen or so questions in advance of meter change. Feel sorry for the chap, guess it's not his fault, and from past threads on forums maybe it's just as well I'm still left with the old current set up - at least I still have hot water this morning!

I know I'm ignorant in all things technical / electrical, but I can't help but think the installers shouldn't be in the same boat. Anyway, on the positive, my lovely neighbour has told me that there's been a very recent (as in last few days) announcement re an extension to the RTS Signal. This article suggests I'm good for another year, which gives time for, me to find a supplier who does know what they're doing, sorry, time for Eon to get their act together.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information...sumer-guidance

Whilst I don't particularly want to change supplier, it looks like Eon are forcing my hand to do so, in order to find a supplier who does know what they're doing. My downstairs neighbour had a totally different experience with her supplier a few weeks back, hers was super positive and she now has a new smart meter all compatible with E7, yet my experience was super negative.

Thank you again both for all your help, knowledge and experience, you clearly both know way, way more than Eon's team do, and it's a worry when I appear to know more than the installer does (and the only reason I knew more was owing to your help & knowledge), so thank you again.

[CraigyT]

@retrotecchie and @meldrewreborn I have replied to this thread, but apparently it's been sent to a moderator. No naughty words used, but perhaps Eon don't like negative comments about their abilities (or rather, their lack of them) - will see if they allow the post as it updates you on the meter change saga. Suffice to say, meter day came and went, which is pretty much what the installer did. Still have the old meter in situ, maybe that's a blessing?

[retrotecchie]

@CraigyT

Just to clarify one small point. RTS is not operated by the BBC but by Arqiva who operate and maintain the Long Wave transmitter at Droitwich and Energy Networks UK who manage the data feed to Arquiva. The transmitter pumps out a lot of power in order to broadcast Radio 4's long wave signal across the majority of the British Isles with two additional lower power transmitters in Scotland to cover the highlands and islands.

The RTS signal is superimposed onto that signal using something called phase shift keying which is capable of transmitting the digital data at a very slow data rate. Other agencies also use the system to send countrywide information. The Environment Agency use the system to control remotely operated weirs and other larger flood control defences (including the Thames barrage I'm informed) so it's not going to be 'switched off' until every piece of infrastructure has been migrated to an alternative system.

Extending for another year is of advantage to the energy companies as it was obvious they were going to miss the deadline by some margin, just as they have with the smart metering rollout.

Agreed that where a property is known to have an RTS setup, clearly identifiable by the MPAN for the supply, the suppliers should not just deploy a 'meter technician' to swap the meter itself, but a qualified electrician to do any work needed on the consumer side of the meter.

The supplier's will argue that anything downstream of the meter is the punters problem, but that does not hold with complex metering systems like RTS which were installed, set up and maintained by the old regional electricity boards prior to privatisation.

So if it was installed and set up by Scottish or by Southern, then whoever took on their supplier obligations should take responsibility. You might argue that it became SSE's problem, but with the market opened up to competition, if you change to a different supplier, then the new supplier should now 'own the problem'. The sad fact is that the supplier's never really took that on board. But it's clearly their responsibility to provide a meter capable of doing the job and to ensure that it's business as usual for the customer.

According to Energy Networks UK:

We have overall responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the central radio teleswitch system in the UK on behalf of the electricity suppliers.

Current status

Radio teleswitches are being replaced as part of the smart meter rollout programme. To enable the programme to continue, the service has been extended to March 2025.

[CraigyT]

@retrotecchie @meldrewreborn - Thanks again for the super detailed info above - you guys certainly know your stuff!

What irks me the most, is that a lovely downstairs neighbour had a super positive experience only the other week, hers was swapped over no issue - and she was on the exact same set up as me.

Not sure whether to go back to Eon and request another appt, or whether all Eon's folks will struggle, and perhaps swapping supplier means swapping the install team, to the likes of the chap who did my downstairs neighbour and who, by all accounts, was excellent.

[retrotecchie]

@CraigyT

I wouldn't be surprised if E.On Next appoint the same contractor as your neighbour's supplier to do the meter swap. The big problem is the appointments team informing the meter team exactly what the existing setup is and then the engineers having the savvy and the kit on the van to do the job.

[CraigyT]

Hi @retrotecchie

I wish Eon would - it was Morrisons who did my neighbours and who was well clued up on the set up - her change took around an hour.

I think you're again spot re where the issue lies, in so much the chap who rocked up hadn't been informed by Eon of the details, and thus it took him a bit by surprise. He took some photos of the meter, then made some phone calls, and after pondering over it for close to an hour, he left.

I know it's not his fault, and he was pleasant enough, and I do feel sorry for him. Got to say, Eon don't give off a good impression, not only is there a disconnect between the booking team and the actual folks out doing the hard grafting on site, but the chap turned up in plain white van, no uniform, no ID and no idea about the password that Eon suggested I provide during the appointment booking process.

I don't want to go through the same again & really not sure what to do? Do I *really* have to source a new supplier, or is there a hope Eon will get a wiggle on & deliver the goods? I do feel sorry for the chap who turned up, however based on this experience I could never recommend Eon - a shame.

[meldrewreborn]

@CraigyT

I feel a complaint coming on.
Your experience encapsulates the disfunction between Eon Next and the installer. These events just add to cost we all face and waste everybody's time.