British Gas EV tariff

[gazza487]

Ooooooh the saga and wondering if anybody knows.

Had a landis gyr and trilliant smets1 for an eternity on prepay - time to swap to an ev tariff. To make it simple thought as it hasn’t gone to the DCC a wise move to investigate the BG EV tariff as I have their meter. In my area day rate the same as octopus go, slightly cheaper standing and it’s 0.4p/kwh dearer off peak but you get 5h vs the 4. So far, so good! Authorise the swap - they stick me on standard variable, notice 1 day later so change online, great website says it’s changed.

Smart meter showing 1 rate and prices wrong. Website with current reading only increasing one reading only the other is there now but at 0. 2 weeks of battling with them (turn the IHD off for 2 hours and wait a week kind of muppetry and apparently now it transpires a smets2 is required so booked in for a swap and I really pushed on how will they bill me as I don’t think they have any record of off peak “it will be calculated, wait for meter swap then call in 2 weeks”. I’m assuming they will apply the 33% rule to useage being off peak.

Infuriating but does anybody know if this is correct (that all should be well and a smets2 is required) or am I best to get the meter swapped then cut and run to octopus and lose the extra hour?

 

[Jomarkh]

What EVSE (charge point) do you have as you could get 6 hours plus on Intelligent Octopus Go with an Ohme or Wallbox and soon the Zappi.

 

[gazza487]

What EVSE (charge point) do you have as you could get 6 hours plus on Intelligent Octopus Go with an Ohme or Wallbox and soon the Zappi.

I have a VChrgd7 so that one is out me thinks

 

[Anon70]

Smart meter specs and installation programs were set up by the Government and not the energy suppliers. Here is the DCC page on the upgrade program from SMETS 1 to SMETS 2 and why it is required for some connections

Upgrading first-generation smart meters

At the DCC, we're working closely with energy companies to migrate millions of first-generation (SMETS1) smart meters onto our network.

www.smartdcc.co.uk

Older Smart meter set ups used 2G and 3G mobile networks for the comms hub to send meter reads and as these are services are phased out this means the comms equipment needs to be updated for the meter to be read remotely

2G & 3G sunsetting: Looking into the future of connectivity

DCC's Chief Technology Officer, Mike Hewitt, clears up the myths surrounding the sunsetting of 2G and 3G networks and how it affects smart metering.

www.smartdcc.co.uk

Here is the Octopus page explaining that the type of meter you have will determine which of their tariffs you can sign up to

Joining Smart Tariff | Smart Meter Costs

We answer all the questions that might be stopping you from joining our Octopus Energy smart meter tariffs. Read our FAQs and discover the future of energy.

octopus.energy

 

[gazza487]

Smart meter specs and installation programs were set up by the Government and not the energy suppliers. Here is the DCC page on the upgrade program from SMETS 1 to SMETS 2 and why it is required for some connections

Upgrading first-generation smart meters

At the DCC, we're working closely with energy companies to migrate millions of first-generation (SMETS1) smart meters onto our network.

www.smartdcc.co.uk

Older Smart meter set ups used 2G and 3G mobile networks for the comms hub to send meter reads and as these are services are phased out this means the comms equipment needs to be updated for the meter to be read remotely

2G & 3G sunsetting: Looking into the future of connectivity

DCC's Chief Technology Officer, Mike Hewitt, clears up the myths surrounding the sunsetting of 2G and 3G networks and how it affects smart metering.

www.smartdcc.co.uk

Here is the Octopus page explaining that the type of meter you have will determine which of their tariffs you can sign up to

Joining Smart Tariff | Smart Meter Costs

We answer all the questions that might be stopping you from joining our Octopus Energy smart meter tariffs. Read our FAQs and discover the future of energy.

octopus.energy

Thankyou but my BG meter hasn’t gone over to the DCC and at this point I assume it never will (feels even more so as they are now on about swapping it). Apparently the landis gyr loads of different models S1 and S2 all with the same model number, trilliant and centrica WAN combos are a pain but who knows.

My thinking was in the beginning the BG EV tariff would be the most painless (I assumed it would be register based billing believing a bish bash bosh, a quick reconfigure for 2 rates and I’d be away as it was fully functioning with BG prepay) but there doesn’t really seem to be any clarification from them (they just said I needed a smart meter initially now after badgering them I need a 2nd generation) hence wondering if anybody here had it and knew.

Octopus obviously won’t work with what I have currently but that should change with the smets2 due on Friday but unsure if that’ll actually sort the BG side.

Suppose I’ll probably just have to wait and if it does work I’ll post back as an extra hour of off peak vs octopus go for virtually the same cost can’t be bad if you are trying to use as much off peak as possible without the integrations like octopus or ovo.

 

[gazza487]

New meter fitted. Another landis gyr unit but with the Toshiba comms hub so smets2. Fitter couldn’t get an IHD paired so didn’t leave one and said they’d be back in a few weeks.

Now I suppose I wait. I have a bad feeling about this as I have even less info available now. Jabbing the meter and I can just see a total import reading … wish me luck.

 

[DBedford]

Here my experience : A NOT SO short update on our British Gas Hive EV charger installation.

Yes they swopped out our gen 2 Octopus smart meters for their own ( gas and electric), I was told on the phone they had to change the electric smart meter, but the engineer doing the job said it was a waste of time’

Scheduling remains an issue with the British Gas Hive app, but I’m hanging in there with a years free EV charging coming soon!!

 

[gazza487]

Here my experience : A NOT SO short update on our British Gas Hive EV charger installation.

Yes they swopped out our gen 2 Octopus smart meters for their own ( gas and electric), I was told on the phone they had to change the electric smart meter, but the engineer doing the job said it was a waste of time’

Scheduling remains an issue with the British Gas Hive app, but I’m hanging in there with a years free EV charging coming soon!!

Huum that isn’t filling me with confidence tbh. This all seems like too much effort, 2 rate electricity metering has been going on since at least the 70s grrrr

 

[bcrawley57]

I have old EON smart meters, must be 10 years old at least. I contacted British Gas and once I gave them the numbers they were able to connect instantly. I am now on British Gas EV tariff and it’s working well.
I am using it with my newly installed Hive Charger.

 

[Wheado]

Don’t know if this helps but I have the L&G SMETS2 meter with BG (had to wait some time to move over to it as there was a shortage of devices).
On a previous EV tariff it stopped measuring the different rates so I complained and sent them my calcs (xx kw per night x no days etc) and they credited me.
Moved over to the current EV rate in Sept and also moved my solar export tariff to them as it tripled the rate if importing and exporting with them.
Waiting for the billing cycle to come round but the meter reads shown 2 different readings each month so both are going up.
Assume yin know you can work through the readings - BG a website gives instructions for different meter types.

 

[Anon70]

If you want to monitor your energy usage and don't have an IHD you could try this app

Unlock your Smart Meter with Loop. Sign up for free today!

The Loop app shows you easy ways to use less, save money and cut your impact.

loop.homes

 

[Mick b]

Ooooooh the saga and wondering if anybody knows.

Had a landis gyr and trilliant smets1 for an eternity on prepay - time to swap to an ev tariff. To make it simple thought as it hasn’t gone to the DCC a wise move to investigate the BG EV tariff as I have their meter. In my area day rate the same as octopus go, slightly cheaper standing and it’s 0.4p/kwh dearer off peak but you get 5h vs the 4. So far, so good! Authorise the swap - they stick me on standard variable, notice 1 day later so change online, great website says it’s changed.

Smart meter showing 1 rate and prices wrong. Website with current reading only increasing one reading only the other is there now but at 0. 2 weeks of battling with them (turn the IHD off for 2 hours and wait a week kind of muppetry and apparently now it transpires a smets2 is required so booked in for a swap and I really pushed on how will they bill me as I don’t think they have any record of off peak “it will be calculated, wait for meter swap then call in 2 weeks”. I’m assuming they will apply the 33% rule to useage being off peak.

Infuriating but does anybody know if this is correct (that all should be well and a smets2 is required) or am I best to get the meter swapped then cut and run to octopus and lose the extra hour?

What charger have you got please

 

[AndyNWuk]

Interestingly enough, SMART Meters north of Manchester right up to the tip of Scotland don't use Cellular communication at all, they are on what they call "Long Reach Radio" but that too is hit and miss, Octopus struggles to communicate with my meter and I am on GO, so more often than not I am paying the normal flexible rate to charge my two MG cars rather than the GO 4 hour discount overnight rate. I have an appointment booked for an engineer to replace the comms hub in early December, personally I don't think that is the answer, I blame the DCC for having too many "radio blackout spots" around the country. We will wait and see.

Andy (Blackpool)

 

[AdyC]

Im on the British gas EV tariff and the information in your post and the saga with British gas is spot on with the issues I first encountered. With the original smart meter it just didn't work. BG installed their latest smart meter and all works fine. With my old smart meter I would wake up to it showing 13 to 14.quid overnight. Now it shows about 5 quid for the whole day if I charge overnight. Mine was about 3 weeks from order and BG gave me 75 quid as compensation for the issues.

 

[gazza487]

If you want to monitor your energy usage and don't have an IHD you could try this app

Unlock your Smart Meter with Loop. Sign up for free today!

The Loop app shows you easy ways to use less, save money and cut your impact.

loop.homes

Only works when enrolled to the DCC which assume will happen over the next few weeks, old meter was firmly stuck in smets1 on centrica WAN.

What charger have you got please

VChrgd7 so not on the nice list for the intelligent tariffs, seems reliable enough though.

Im on the British gas EV tariff and the information in your post and the saga with British gas is spot on with the issues I first encountered. With the original smart meter it just didn't work. BG installed their latest smart meter and all works fine. With my old smart meter I would wake up to it showing 13 to 14.quid overnight. Now it shows about 5 quid for the whole day if I charge overnight. Mine was about 3 weeks from order and BG gave me 75 quid as compensation for the issues.

That sounds somewhat promising Thankyou, I fear I’ll be on the phone to them quite a few times before it’s sorted. There aren’t really any forums or support saying you need x,y and then z will happen and their support teams don’t seem too clued up either. Everything crossed!

 

[graham starkey]

We changed to BG to get the Sept 24 EV tariff in August and as of today 5th Nov still not sorted, no functioning app and no meter readings. After numerous calls it was decided to get an engineer to visit and check the meter which they did and it was fine, he established that they could read the meter and they were receiving the information they needed. The latest we have is that they are changing the system and the the delay is because things are ‘ migrating across’. The only saving grace is that after charging overnight the cost shown on the monitor reflects the cheap night rate.

 

[gazza487]

We changed to BG to get the Sept 24 EV tariff in August and as of today 5th Nov still not sorted, no functioning app and no meter readings. After numerous calls it was decided to get an engineer to visit and check the meter which they did and it was fine, he established that they could read the meter and they were receiving the information they needed. The latest we have is that they are changing the system and the the delay is because things are ‘ migrating across’. The only saving grace is that after charging overnight the cost shown on the monitor reflects the cheap night rate.

Interesting, my smets1 recoded only 1 rate (on the meter and IHD and the 2nd reading in my account says 0 for one of the rates). They haven’t left me an IHD with the new meter and for the life of me can’t see a rate two on the meter. They wonder why people call EVs?

I’m still on the old system btw as my acc numbers starts with 85

 

[AdyC]

Only works when enrolled to the DCC which assume will happen over the next few weeks, old meter was firmly stuck in smets1 on centrica WAN.


VChrgd7 so not on the nice list for the intelligent tariffs, seems reliable enough though.


That sounds somewhat promising Thankyou, I fear I’ll be on the phone to them quite a few times before it’s sorted. There aren’t really any forums or support saying you need x,y and then z will happen and their support teams don’t seem too clued up either. Everything crossed!

BG are quite clueless around EV charging however there is a specific department who deals with EV tariffs.

 

[gazza487]

BG are quite clueless around EV charging however there is a specific department who deals with EV tariffs.

Those are the ones only available by phone Mon-Fri 9-5 me thinks so good advice I mean honestly it’s not as if people are at work during those hours - they got the meter change instigated but it took about an hour on the phone in work time.

For anyone reading forget the web chat - you will lose much hair with no gain.

 

[Alchemist]

For what it’s worth, have BG Sept 24 EV tariff, with SMET 2 smart meter. No problems from the start. Also have solar system with battery. After a bit of vino-fuelled research, discovered I could configure charging of my 6.5 kWh battery using off-peak electricity and use the energy during peak times, effectively 42kWh per week at 9p/kWh, in additional to normal background use.

Also ordered Alfen Eve EV charger from Hive (BG). Installation was a bit awkward, so BG failed at first attempt and off-loaded to Zenith Eco Systems who completed the installation professionally and efficiently. On setting up, discovered Hive offers 12 months reimbursement of EV charging if using the Freecharge function on the Hive App. It’s an “intelligent “ system that charges connected vehicles when demand is low, or defaults to off-peak tariffs if you have one. So far, has operated without issue for MG4. Tonight, I am trialling my wife’s Mini PHEV for the first time.