Smart gas meter not being read

[davecooper]

I had smart meters installed by EON in November 2022. However, they were never able to read my gas meter remotely, only my electricity meter. As a result, I had to send monthly manual gas readings. I asked if they could investigate this problem a number of times but nothing happened. In the end, I got fed up with the lack of support so switched to Octopus last November. I was still half expecting the gas meter issue to persist, which it has. However, I am hoping that Octopus might actually investigate the issue.
However, in the meantime I just wanted to check there was nothing at my end that might be causing a problem. I am aware that the smart gas meter sends regular readings to the electricity meter which then sends both the gas and electricity readings to the energy supplier. As such, this would suggest that my gas meter is not sending information to the electricity meter or it is sending info but it is not reaching the electricity meter. However, my home display unit is picking up the gas meter information. Is this transmitted in a different way to the gas meter to electricity meter signal?
My meters are in an under stairs cupboard on different walls and around 1.5m apart. I have lot in this cupboard including a tumble drier, racks for shoes, vacuum cleaner, ironing board and coats etc. Is there any chance that any of this could effect the signal between the two meters? Any advice welcome.

 

[Alec_t]

The tumble drier, having the largest metal content, would be the most likely thing to attenuate the signal. But with the meters only 1.5m apart I'd be surprised if they couldn't still communicate. Could you temporarily move the drier out to see if it makes any difference? Your electricity meter display should have a LED indicating if the local network is working.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

However, my home display unit is picking up the gas meter information. Is this transmitted in a different way to the gas meter to electricity meter signal?

My understanding of the system, is that the gas meter sends data to the electric meter, the electric meter then sends it back to the supplier, as a full 24 hours batch, and via the HAN to your indoor display. So if the indoor display shows gas consumption, the data must also be available to send in to your supplier.

So pester your supplier to sort it out - Octopus seem to be one of the better companies to sort these problems out.

 

[davecooper]

Thanks for the replies. The tumble drier isn't actually between the meters but it is close to the electricity meter so I might try moving it out temporarily. Is there any way that I can tell whether the electricity meter is actually receiving gas meter data?

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks for the replies. The tumble drier isn't actually between the meters but it is close to the electricity meter so I might try moving it out temporarily. Is there any way that I can tell whether the electricity meter is actually receiving gas meter data?

As has been said/implied, your in-house display will presumably be getting its information from the electricity meter. Hence, if that display is showing your gas usage satisfactorily, that information must be getting to the electricity meter - so the problem presumably must be that, for whatever reason, the electricity meter is not 'passing on' that gas data.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Alec_t]

A flickering HAN LED on the electricity smart meter should indicate data being passed on the HAN (home area network).

Edit:
I don't know if this meter-check would work for you?
[Link broken. Corrected in post #8 below]

 

[JohnW2]

A flickering HAN LED on the electricity smart meter should indicate data being passed on the HAN (home area network).

Yes, probably - but, as I wrote, if (as we've been told) the gas usage data is getting to the in-home display, it surely must be coming from the electricity meter via the HAN, mustn't it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Rodders53]

I don't know if this meter-check would work for you?

Link goes to 404 not found on the Citizens Advice website.
https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/ is the correct one...hopefully

 

[davecooper]

OK. Thanks for the info. I just wasn't sure of the protocol with respect to the flow of information. Specifically, I didn't know whether the data from the gas meter was relayed through the electricity meter to the IHD or whether the gas meter communicated directly with the IHD. If the IHD picks up both electricity and gas data from the electricity meter, this makes troubleshooting much easier as this proves (as has been mentioned above) that the gas meter is communicating with the electricity meter. This removes any concerns over a blocked signal.

 

[JohnW2]

OK. Thanks for the info. I just wasn't sure of the protocol with respect to the flow of information. Specifically, I didn't know whether the data from the gas meter was relayed through the electricity meter to the IHD or whether the gas meter communicated directly with the IHD.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the situation is that the amount of electrical power available to the gas meter is so small (reliant on what it can generate from gas flow) that it could not reliably communicate directly with the IHD- hence the use of an electricity meter as a 'relay point'. One cannot have a 'smart' gas meter without an electricity one.

If the IHD picks up both electricity and gas data from the electricity meter, this makes troubleshooting much easier as this proves (as has been mentioned above) that the gas meter is communicating with the electricity meter. This removes any concerns over a blocked signal.

Indeed. It certainly sounds as if the problem is that the electricity meter is not doing the (gas) 'data forwarding' (to the supplier) that it should- albeit it seems a bit odd that it's not doing that,even though it is 'forwarding' to the IHD.

Whatever, if the gas data is getting to the IHD but not to the supplier,that';s surely a problem which 'they' need to investigate and resolve?

Kind Regards, John

 

[davecooper]

Thanks very much for the Citizens Advice link, I was not aware of this. I did a check via the site and it says my gas meter is working correctly in smart mode. Therefore the next step will be contacting my supplier about the problem. Its just nice to have a bit of prior knowledge before speaking to them. Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[Alec_t]

I'm with British Gas for both elec and gas. My energy usage displays in my online account seem very hit and miss. Electricity use is shown for all days but gas usage is shown only spasmodically. Weird.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm with British Gas for both elec and gas. My energy usage displays in my online account seem very hit and miss. Electricity use is shown for all days but gas usage is shown only spasmodically. Weird.

Does your indoor display show regular gas updates?

 

[flameport]

The tumble drier isn't actually between the meters but it is close to the electricity meter so I might try moving it out temporarily

Waste of time.
Readings are obviously reaching the electricity meter, as the in-home display gets all of it's information from that.

Whatever problem is elsewhere, either in the data network or at the supplier.
Nothing you can do about it, it's 100% up to the supplier to fix.

 

[Alec_t]

Does your indoor display show regular gas updates?

I've no idea. I only switch it on on random occasions (~ once per month?).