Smart Meter Engineer says I must pay an electrician to move my current smart meter outside before it can be replaced

[FarleyRow]

Can anyone help me understand why this work would be necessary?

A smart meter engineer visited my property in August to replace my current Smart Meters. He looked at the outside cupboard where the cut out is and said he couldn't fit new smart meter due to "the way the power comes into the property". He said I would have to pay an electrician to "rewire from consumer unit as the meter would need to be moved outside by the cut out". (Meters are currently in cupboard on other side of the wall). He said he had seen quite a lot of these and would update my records so that BG wouldn't keep hassling me to upgrade and I thought that was the end of it.

However, this week the smart meter on my gas has developed a fault and keeps switching itself off and closing the valve. BG have told me I need to have the electrical work done to upgrade for this to be resolved.

I had an electrician round to quote for the work (£365 !) to "install meter tails from the external meter cupboard to the Henley blocks by the main fuse board" but, when I asked him why it might be necessary he said he wasn't sure and that maybe it was because outside signal was better or that their T&Cs said to have it outside. He said the work would leave me with no power until BG come to install the smart meter. BG say they will try to co-ordinate so it can be done on the same day.

I have scoured the internet but haven't found anyone else who has been told they need to have this type of work done. I would really appreciate any advice/information.

 

[Murdochcat]

I would be politely telling your supplier that the smart meter HAS to go where the current meter is positioned

 

[ericmark]

I have had problems getting a smart meter installed, and to be frank in my case the solar panel installers are at fault, the meter installer is required to fit the meter on a fire resistance board, and the solar panel installer had not left enough room. But only way I could get the solar panel people to agree to move their equipment was to get them to talk direct to guy fitting the meter.

It seems some thing lost in forwarding what the meter installer had said, so got an answer like @Murdochcat suggesting. Once the two talked to each other, then a solution was agreed upon.

I was also getting comments like job has come on my phone, for this install it needs to come on my tablet, which it seems had resulted in him having wrong meter for use with solar panels.

 

[GRC]

If you don't actually WANT a smart meter, and the only reason you're getting one is because your supplier is pushing it, then don't.

 

[Colin Brenton]

100% agree. They are for the benefit of the supplier, certainly not the customer.

But they ARE the reason the standing charges are so high for everyone else!

 

[EFLImpudence]

100% agree. They are for the benefit of the supplier, certainly not the customer.
But they ARE the reason the standing charges are so high for everyone else!

If so, then it is by order of the government; not the suppliers.

 

[Murdochcat]

If so, then it is by order of the government; not the suppliers.

The suppliers have targets set by HM gov and they are hopelessly behind their targets which were set

 

[FarleyRow]

If you don't actually WANT a smart meter, and the only reason you're getting one is because your supplier is pushing it, then don't.

But my problem is that I already have smart meters that are coming to the end of their life and BG want to replace. Last weekend the smart meter on my gas developed a fault and keeps shutting the valve off - so looks like I do need them replaced.

I have a BG 'meter specialist' coming out on Friday to look at the gas meter and advise me, so was just trying to get informed beforehand.

 

[flameport]

Several problems:

1 - The cutout should be located next to the meter, so it can be safely isolated while the meter is replaced.
Having the cutout outside and the meter inside does not allow that, so it's either move the meter outside or fit a second red link cutout inside next to the meter.

2 - Cable from the cutout is not the correct type, looks like a piece of grotty old T&E that someone has hacked about. Replacement required.

3 - That 'meter cabinet' isn't one, it's just a modern GRP door shoved over the hole where some previous and much older cabinet / door would have been.


The best solution would be to install a new meter cabinet (recessed or surface) next to the existing cutout, have the network operator relocate the supply into it with a new cutout, have the energy supplier install the meter into the cabinet with the new cutout, and then have your electrician install cables from that to the consumer unit inside.
The hole in the wall where the old one is would need to be reinstated afterwards.
Unfortunately that will incur a non-trivial set of costs and will require that the DNO, supplier and electrician are all there on the same day.

Another cheaper and quicker option would be for someone to fix a second cutout to the wall inside, connect tails to it and run them through the wall to the existing cutout leaving the ends outside unconnected.
You might be able to convince the energy supplier to connect those to the cutout, and then connect their meter inside to the second cutout.

 

[ericmark]

It seems the solar panel people are moving my consumer unit on Friday and I get smart meter on Monday.

If you don't actually WANT a smart meter, and the only reason you're getting one is because your supplier is pushing it, then don't.

Although they can't force you to have a smart meter, they can only offer certain tariffs to people with them, and only pay for exported power when you have one.

But my problem is that I already have smart meters that are coming to the end of their life and BG want to replace. Last weekend the smart meter on my gas developed a fault and keeps shutting the valve off - so looks like I do need them replaced.

I have a BG 'meter specialist' coming out on Friday to look at the gas meter and advise me, so was just trying to get informed beforehand.

Seems your problem may also be solved, please say how it goes, I do see your point, if you already have one, then you can't now refuse one. It does seem we should provide the supplier with a special board to mount them on, and in theroy nothing else should go on the board, and we should provide the tails, I can see how that can be done with a new install, but we can't provide tails when everything already connected.

I think I have some some where, but I would hope if they need longer tails British Gas will provide them?

 

[Murdochcat]

Several problems:

1 - The cutout should be located next to the meter, so it can be safely isolated while the meter is replaced.
Having the cutout outside and the meter inside does not allow that, so it's either move the meter outside or fit a second red link cutout inside next to the meter.

2 - Cable from the cutout is not the correct type, looks like a piece of grotty old T&E that someone has hacked about. Replacement required.

3 - That 'meter cabinet' isn't one, it's just a modern GRP door shoved over the hole where some previous and much older cabinet / door would have been.

I think you need to back up

1. With facts, as the suppliers seem to have their own rules outside good old 7671

2. The tails from the head to the meter is the responsibility of the supplier


So the OP has some juggling to do if he follows your comments

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If you don't actually WANT a smart meter, and the only reason you're getting one is because your supplier is pushing it, then don't.

OP suggested he already HAS SM's, they just need replacing. Nowt at all wrong with SM's or wanting them, I'm paying at the moment close to half the Kwh rate, for both E&G, which would not be possible without the SM's. Further, I am not doing anything special, to achieve that low cost - no EV, no off-peak, no solar, no batteries, just use energy when I need energy, and same price all day long.

100% agree. They are for the benefit of the supplier, certainly not the customer.

But they ARE the reason the standing charges are so high for everyone else!

No, the cost is due to the energy companies which went bust, plus the move to green energy.

 

[SUNRAY]

2 - Cable from the cutout is not the correct type, looks like a piece of grotty old T&E that someone has hacked about. Replacement required.

grotty old T&E??

I've never seen round T&E in this country.

Very obvious to me that is split con used in a very normal/standard way by DNO.


As has been stated already not the responsibility of the customer and certainly not up to anyone but DNO/supplier to say it needs replacing.

 

[FarleyRow]

Thanks for the replies so far. A 'smart meter specialist' is coming tomorrow to look at the faulty gas smart meter (but hopefully can advise me regarding the suggested move of the electric meter too). I will let you know what happens.

 

[FarleyRow]

The meter specialist has been out and has confirmed that the smart meter on my gas supply is faulty and needs to be replaced. It is showing the letter F beside the meter reading.

He was not from BG and does not install smart meters., but was very surprised that I have been asked to relocate my meters (and pay for the work), said he has never heard of that before and sees no issue with where they are at the moment.

Currently, I have an appointment on 22 Feb with a "VIP Smart Meter Engineer" to survey my current installation and check that the advice the installer gave me last August (re electrical works required) is accurate. Am trying to arrange a sooner appointment as I am concerned that if the gas meter does completely fail between now and then I will be left with no heat/hot water!

Fortunately, the gas meter seems to be working okay at the moment. It hasn't cut out at all this week, due, I think to the weather being milder (the problem started when we had the recent cold snap and eased when the temperatures increased).

Will, post an update when I have one - hopefully it will be helpful to anyone else having similar issues!