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smart meters: questions to ask?

DavidMartin
My electronics does not quite extend to domestic power systems so would appreciate advice: 


We have a 4kW PV installation (which works well), but I understand some smart meters are incompatible with PV installations.  Partly for that reason I have prevented installation, so far.

I also understand that smart meter standards are still settling and not all meters being installed are guaranteed to work for the forseeable future, through changes in suppliers, etc.

There also seem to be issues around safely and future maintenance of some smart meter systems.


So ... can the team suggest questions I should ask to reduce the risk of a 'bad' smart meter installation ?


Thanks.
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    I would guess (and it IS a guess) that some smart meters are so NOT smart that they can't cope with energy flowing in the reverse direction.  I've seen this with modern electronic meters (not smart ones) that simply flash RED (reverse energy detected) and cease totalizing for a bit. A normal (to me) 'twisty dial' meter would simply go backward, thus paying you the same price as the power company charge you. They (power selling companies) don't like this.  Not one bit.



    I thought the specification for all smart meters required them to cope properly with exports too - although as Alan says, it may need to be enabled (to regard backward flow as legitimate rather than an indication of tampering). Even traditional meters shouldn't run backwards* when exporting - when you install a PV or other parallel generation system you're obliged to tell your supplier and they in turn are ment to ensure that your main meter is of the ratchet/pawl type that is prevented from running backwards (most of the later spinning disc types were anyway).


    * I've noticed that mine does run backwards slightly - when exporting starts it run backwards up to one rotation of the disc - as it seems the ratchet/pawl mechanism only engages once per rotation.


      - Andy.
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  • 0

    I would guess (and it IS a guess) that some smart meters are so NOT smart that they can't cope with energy flowing in the reverse direction.  I've seen this with modern electronic meters (not smart ones) that simply flash RED (reverse energy detected) and cease totalizing for a bit. A normal (to me) 'twisty dial' meter would simply go backward, thus paying you the same price as the power company charge you. They (power selling companies) don't like this.  Not one bit.



    I thought the specification for all smart meters required them to cope properly with exports too - although as Alan says, it may need to be enabled (to regard backward flow as legitimate rather than an indication of tampering). Even traditional meters shouldn't run backwards* when exporting - when you install a PV or other parallel generation system you're obliged to tell your supplier and they in turn are ment to ensure that your main meter is of the ratchet/pawl type that is prevented from running backwards (most of the later spinning disc types were anyway).


    * I've noticed that mine does run backwards slightly - when exporting starts it run backwards up to one rotation of the disc - as it seems the ratchet/pawl mechanism only engages once per rotation.


      - Andy.
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