Meridian Electric Car Plan

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ccoutts

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#280919 19-Jan-2021 16:56

Meridian (who we are with) have an Electric Car Plan, offering about 11c/kWh at night, and regular 21c/kWh during the day. I'm considering signing up for it, but confused about 1 point: They want to install a new Day/Night meter.

https://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/your-home/pricing-and-rates/electric-car-plan/element/2187/finished#uff

I assumed that using the current smart meter they could detect time of day, and charge the usage at night at 11c and usage during the day at 21c. Why do they need a funky new Day/Night meter?

I'm wondering if they also need me to hook my EV charge port (right down the other end of the house) into the Night output of the meter, so that only it can utilise the Night rate? It doesn't mention that in the website, and initial correspondence from Meridian.

Asking here first, as I'm going to get a much more intelligent answer from you guys than the 1st level support at Meridian! :-)

Cheers

Chris

Scott3

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#2638329 19-Jan-2021 17:56

I think the lines companies charge money to go from a 24 plan to a day/night plan. ($150 for vector in Auckland) I think. I don't think the meter is physically swapped. Meridan covers this cost if you agree to a fixed term.

No need to connect the ev to the meter. Your entire house's power consumption is charged at the day / night rate depending of the time.

cokemaster

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#2638336 19-Jan-2021 18:04

I have the Meridian’s EV plan.

Yes - they change your smart meter. The replacement is also a smart meter but has dual register support so there is a day register and a night register.

I also queue up (manually) the hot water, washing machines and dryers to go after 9PM to maximise the lower power rate.

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nickb800

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#2638424 19-Jan-2021 20:20

It seems that many of the incumbent electricity retailers don't have the IT systems to convert the half hourly usage data from smart meters to specific time periods like day/night - they need to meter configured to do this for them.

Newer retailers like Flick seem to be able to do the obvious thing with half hourly usage data from smart meters.

ccoutts

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#2638462 19-Jan-2021 22:22

nickb800: It seems that many of the incumbent electricity retailers don't have the IT systems to convert the half hourly usage data from smart meters to specific time periods like day/night - they need to meter configured to do this for them.

Newer retailers like Flick seem to be able to do the obvious thing with half hourly usage data from smart meters.

Yeah, that's the bit I don't understand. If I designed the system, i'd just take the 1/2hrly data and split it up depending on time. Doesn't make much sense to me to swap the meter out for that, unless you also wanted 2 distinct circuits in your house so they could control stuff.

Thanks guys for the info though. Subtly in the support emails one of the reps said something vaguely suggesting they just "reconfigure" the existing meter, rather than swapping it out.

Anyway, all good, they can do what they like, as long as they don't need me to rewire stuff in the house, and I can leverage the night rate for other stuff: hot water, spa, and hungry appliances. Maybe just a timer/relay with override switch incase the hot runs low? Surely I won't need an electrician for that, haha, shhhh.

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#2638463 19-Jan-2021 22:24

Potentially - I can export usage data from Meridian which has it at 1/2 hour / hourly intervals. I ingest it into Power BI :)

Suspect you might be right though.

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ccoutts

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#2638477 19-Jan-2021 22:25

cokemaster:

Potentially - I can export usage data from Meridian which has it at 1/2 hour / hourly intervals. I ingest it into Power BI :)

Suspect you might be right though.

You set up auto exports from meridian, or manual?

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#2638478 19-Jan-2021 22:28

Manual - I do it now and then, however in rather large time periods.

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#2638479 19-Jan-2021 22:30

The funny thing with the onboarding process for the EV plan; changing the name on the account triggered a new meter installation.
We had 3 meters within 6 months (old - dual meter EV plan with old name - dual meter EV plan with my name) :)

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kotuku4

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#2638575 20-Jan-2021 08:28

ccoutts:

Maybe just a timer/relay with override switch incase the hot runs low? Surely I won't need an electrician for that, haha, shhhh.

I have a small timer that swaps into the RCD slot for the hot water. Old mechanical style with an auto/manual selector, digital options also available. Was used to control hot water heating prior to installing a solar hot water diverter, left it in place.

ccoutts

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#2638591 20-Jan-2021 09:25

kotuku4:

ccoutts:

Maybe just a timer/relay with override switch incase the hot runs low? Surely I won't need an electrician for that, haha, shhhh.

I have a small timer that swaps into the RCD slot for the hot water. Old mechanical style with an auto/manual selector, digital options also available. Was used to control hot water heating prior to installing a solar hot water diverter, left it in place.

Cool, something like this I guess: https://nz.rs-online.com/web/p/time-switches/8966885/

kotuku4

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#2638618 20-Jan-2021 10:29

Yeah mine is narrow type, but what ever suits your application. Sparky installed mine at time of solar install March 2013 and was about $230 extra with labour.

Seems to be the right way to control hot water timing.