I've just switched this week, no issues so far but it's obviously only been a few days. My smart meter has successfully migrated over, only complaint so far is that I didn't receive any communication from them after switching on their website nor for a few weeks afterwards, it was only the week before the switch that I started getting emails through. Confusingly they also reminded me repeatedly to provide a meter reading on the day of the switch, but on logging into my account they've used the smart meter reading, as I'd have expected they would anyway.
Energy Suppliers
- Thread starter craig_t
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I've just switched this week, no issues so far but it's obviously only been a few days. My smart meter has successfully migrated over, only complaint so far is that I didn't receive any communication from them after switching on their website nor for a few weeks afterwards, it was only the week before the switch that I started getting emails through. Confusingly they also reminded me repeatedly to provide a meter reading on the day of the switch, but on logging into my account they've used the smart meter reading, as I'd have expected they would anyway.
Yeah that's exactly why I got smart meters fitted. They can fix it or have no readings, I'll just put money aside for the eventual bill.
I don't get it though it was my understanding that the gas meter talks to the electric meter then that sends the readings to the supplier and in home display, both are showing on the display fine and they're getting electric readings.
not quite.
Top half of your elec meter is a communications hub, basically a 2G mobile device with a Zigbee connection to the Elec meter, Gas meter and Hand held (called a PPMID in the industry). Both meters talk to the Comms Hub at no point do the meters talk to each others. If the gas is showing on the Display then it should be talking to the DCC (data handlers). One thing we have been experiencing recently is a software update has crashed the Gas meters and requires a battery pull to reset the gas meter and get it communicating again, BUT as its showing on the display then no reason its not sending data as its obviously talking to the comms hub.
@BigBoy - I didnt want to create a whole thread for this, but i know that you are heavily involved in metering and knowledgeable about that.
Why does my (soon to be) new property have 2 meters seemingly daisychained, would you think? The supply is probably not going to be adequate, i am going to need to look at getting this upgraded i think - not immediately as i am wiping myself out buying this place.
Why does my (soon to be) new property have 2 meters seemingly daisychained, would you think? The supply is probably not going to be adequate, i am going to need to look at getting this upgraded i think - not immediately as i am wiping myself out buying this place.
That’s all there is in the building bar sockets and lights. It’s a big building though, the water heating and air conditioning will soon push that supply along with all of the domestic stuff like ovens and hobs, and then I need to consider EV charging down the line too. I don’t think 100A will be good enough, although I suppose getting a 2nd feed in purely for EV later on may be doable. Thats for another thread down the line though 
The meters were what immediately were of interest, i wondered what on earth there would be 2 for, daisychained like that. The first one must be the supply meter but then what is the second doing
The meters were what immediately were of interest, i wondered what on earth there would be 2 for, daisychained like that. The first one must be the supply meter but then what is the second doing
That’s all there is in the building bar sockets and lights. It’s a big building though, the water heating and air conditioning will soon push that supply along with all of the domestic stuff like ovens and hobs, and then I need to consider EV charging down the line too. I don’t think 100A will be good enough, although I suppose getting a 2nd feed in purely for EV later on may be doable. Thats for another thread down the line though
The meters were what immediately were of interest, i wondered what on earth there would be 2 for, daisychained like that. The first one must be the supply meter but then what is the second doing
The second is possibly a check meter, to check the original supply meter was reading correctly. As it's after the cut off (white box between meters, on and that's only rated for 40A best to rip that out when you get a chance) it must be customer owned, possibly the previous owner installed it for some reason. Nothing stopping you ripping it out! The whole installation needs redoing it's a mess!
Also I hope to god that's not the only fuseboard?
100A is plenty for a domestic residence. Plenty of calculators online to check your max load.
With the onset of EV and heat pumps the requirements for more power will increase, having a new supply for EV is actually a good idea as it can have a variable tariff to suit when charging. This does not mean you will get a new incoming supply though, all they will do is spur from the current incoming cable and add a new single phase cut out.
The concentric cable you have incoming is only single phase, if it was 3 phase you would have a three phase cut out. To upgrade your incoming to 3 phase will cost a small fortune, and on top of that 3 phase metering is 3x the cost of single phase. Also 3 phase does not mean you get more power it's about power stabilisation. You can potentially draw upto 400A via 3 phase but for domestic that's hugely overkill.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about the 100A, you’ve basically just described a normal modern house these days (no gas).
Don’t forget you won’t be maxing out all your appliances at the same time. Some of your demand will be in the day and some will be overnight like hot water and EV chargers. Good EV chargers have protection s built in to monitor your grid demand and ramp down the charger if needed so they don’t blow your main fuse.
I’m not an electrician but I’d be pretty concerned about the electrical set up post the first meter. It looks like between meter 1 and 2 there is a 40A RCD and in that little consumer unit there is a second RCD and two MCBs running the whole house.
Id have expected to see an isolator between meter and the consumer unit and well a proper consumer unit. It’s not recommended to have two RCDs protecting the same circuit either. There doesn’t appear to be any cables thick enough to be supplying another board.
Is there water or gas supply? There doesn’t appear to be any bonding for those either (assuming copper pipes).
@BigBoy, are you sure that’s a proper isolator? It looks like an RCD to me.
Don’t forget you won’t be maxing out all your appliances at the same time. Some of your demand will be in the day and some will be overnight like hot water and EV chargers. Good EV chargers have protection s built in to monitor your grid demand and ramp down the charger if needed so they don’t blow your main fuse.
I’m not an electrician but I’d be pretty concerned about the electrical set up post the first meter. It looks like between meter 1 and 2 there is a 40A RCD and in that little consumer unit there is a second RCD and two MCBs running the whole house.
Id have expected to see an isolator between meter and the consumer unit and well a proper consumer unit. It’s not recommended to have two RCDs protecting the same circuit either. There doesn’t appear to be any cables thick enough to be supplying another board.
Is there water or gas supply? There doesn’t appear to be any bonding for those either (assuming copper pipes).
@BigBoy, are you sure that’s a proper isolator? It looks like an RCD to me.
No problem.
There is a hell of a lot to be concerned about on the meter board, for starters if that is a 100a fuse the cables/meter tails are under sized 16mm² (what you have now) are good for 86a ish, more concerning is the RCCB being only 40a it does not leave you much headroom.
To be honest I would want to rip the lot out and start again including the CCU as that is hugely undersized for any property.
There is a hell of a lot to be concerned about on the meter board, for starters if that is a 100a fuse the cables/meter tails are under sized 16mm² (what you have now) are good for 86a ish, more concerning is the RCCB being only 40a it does not leave you much headroom.
To be honest I would want to rip the lot out and start again including the CCU as that is hugely undersized for any property.
Still looking for one?
Caporegime
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If you have 100amp tails and install a new consumer unit, do you know if the regs state "a maximum combined amps for breakers"?
Looking to swap out our consumer unit soon and need to add a 40amp RCD for the swim spa, 2x 25amps for split AC and want future expansion for a solar install and car charging, worried given the existing high amp cooker and multiple socket ringmains etc we have going to have a problem.
Thats the information which i was after!
(the second meter being customer owned, ie will be mine - i will bin it then - i obviously wanted to see what someone in the know thought though in case i binned something billable!), thankyou for the reply.Yes that is all that is installed at the moment - for the current use that small 40A breaker is more than adequate (it is a large agricultural barn which now has C3 change of use and planning for the works) - it only has 2 circuits as you may be able to see from that tiny CU, feeding loads of sockets and lights. The entire install will be ripped out back to the supplier meter as it isnt relevant once converted - i am just happy that it has a working 100A feed at all so that we can hit the ground running without any cost on that front.
Interesting about your later point about them simply splitting the supply within the building - i would still hope that this would give the ability to meter separately (as you say, ideal as the main house can be on a cheap any time, the EVs and perhaps water heating could be on a smart tariff or similar which suited them overnight.
Hi, thanks for the reply. See my post just above this for the situation - that is indeed all there is in terms of installation, currently it simply feeds (via just two circuits within that tiny CU) loads of sockets and lighting within a big open barn. Just happy that it has a working 100A feed which i can strip back to (hence questioning that 2nd meter!).
No water or gas supplies are present (nor available at the location). I'd be rather alarmed if a domestic house had a setup like that agreed
It'll all be stripped back to the first meter with a domestic setup installed.Yes, however their website is a ******* mess since ive tried it in 3 different browsers and not one will let me get past stage 2 to get a more accurate quote. So considering i cant even get a quote from them im wondering if i really want to switch to them....
Edit: About the 27th attempt and its now letting me get a quote