British Gas Smart Meter engineer broke Hive

Soldato
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Help!!!!

I'm going to a friends house tonight who is having real trouble with his Hive system. It seems as though British Gas forced him to have a smart meter installed, but after that his Hive has stopped working.

He's having the merry-go-round between British Gas and Hive as they are blaming each other.

Armed with a screwdriver, what should I be looking for?

I self installed my own Nest system a few years back so not a totally numpty.

Assume he's nicked a wire from the hive to feed some type of wireless device?

Thanks
 
Associate
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Try resetting the hive unit. More likely to be from where the power was switched off. Also doubt that the engineer would have force him to have smart meters, he probably booked the appointment.

Also the engineer wouldn't have touched the hive unit as the meters have nothing to do with hive.
 
Soldato
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Thanks!! I'll check that tonight and reset what I can.

Looking at the hive install pdf (similar to the nest) as you say, I can't see anyway it would interfere with anything. Just basic on/off switches.

He recksons he phoned them up to get a better deal, and they said they can only reduce his bill if he takes a smart meter
 

RJC

RJC

Don
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The Hive hub might just need switching off and on again (Should be showing a Red light on top if any issue) I have issues with mine especially after a power cut.

I normally disconnect all Ethernet cables and leave this plugged in.
 
Associate
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I have a feeling he may have misunderstood what he was being told, as the only tariff they have that has a requirement of smart meters wouldn't have been offered over the phone.

SOURCE: I worked there until recently
 
Soldato
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I have a feeling he may have misunderstood what he was being told, as the only tariff they have that has a requirement of smart meters wouldn't have been offered over the phone.

SOURCE: I worked there until recently

If it makes any difference hes registered disabled, and on one of their plans?
 
Associate
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May have been offered smart meters as a way of helping to reduce his bills, tends to be the way that its mentioned in the calls and most people only tend to call when there tariff is running out. Very common for customers to do 2+2 = 5

That is in no a comment about your friend, just things I noticed when I worked there. Understandable that people get confused over it.
 
Soldato
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Out of interest. What is the reasoning behind the "smart meters save energy" mantra? Other than having visibility of what you're spending maybe prompting you to turn off that TV on standby then I do not know.
 
Soldato
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There is no reasoning beyond giving you better visibility of your usage.

There's a big 'ol thread about smart meters and their virtual pointlessness on here.
 
Soldato
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Out of interest. What is the reasoning behind the "smart meters save energy" mantra? Other than having visibility of what you're spending maybe prompting you to turn off that TV on standby then I do not know.
Yes the last bit, you can see on the smart meter if consumption is higher than normal and try to find out what it is that it is using so much. It is still down to you to find the offending unit and all the smart meter does is show a red/amber/green light when consumption is at different levels.
The only real advantage of Smart meters is that the power company doesn't have to visit to take readings.
Andi.
 
Soldato
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I thought as much. All this advertising encouraging people to get smart meters to save money is misleading. I've spoken to people who who think that having one saves you money.
 
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