Hot water issue after smart meter installation

[catear]

We had smart meter installed 12 days ago and since then the hot water would run out in the evening. We're family of 4 with 2 small toddlers and even with very short showers, I'm having lukewarm to cold showers at the end of the day. The meter usage shows a jump in usage from 1am onwards which is presumably when the hot water system is getting heated. We're on controlled load 1 so it SHOULD kick in at 10pm (not 1am) which I don't mind if it's the case and I can a shower at 11pm but right now I have to wait until 2am to get hot water again.

Called and spoke with AGL 5 times so far, reassured it'll be investigated in 24-48hrs over the week, the matter gets "escalated" with lots of reassurance and sympathy but even when the "resolution team" called and I get a text 2 days later saying they're "unable to complete your electricity meter investigation." and to call again. Can't change to controlled load 2 because they want to sort this meter issue out first which is fine but please fix the issue! 

Can someone please have a look since it's the long weekend and calling AGL doesn't seems to get any results. Thank you.

[Sally1]

We've enjoyed more hot water but prices have increased. Time to investigate further. Don't enjoy having no control tho.Sent from my Galaxy

[Johnomalley]

Just experiencing the same issue after a smart meter install. Guessing I'm not the only one and there is a fox for this now???

[pwalex]

Avoid communicating with any AGL personnel; instead, report the issue directly to the ombudsman. The pipe started leaking following the installation of the new meter, and I must locate a repair service before filing a claim. I'm extremely exhausted from dealing with all of this post-meter installation.

[lismich]

Well im on controlled load 2 and am waiting 8 hours for hot water since having smart meter installed. Im supposed to be getting 18 hours power a day for hot water but im getting approx 2. I have complained 3 times and still waiting for resolution. Ive told them to just try and give me a high bill when ive spent the whole quarter going without showers or waiting all day for one. I wont be paying it.

[Xander-AGL]

Hi @lismich thank you for your comment, I'm sorry to hear about your trouble with the hot water, I can imagine how frustrating that would be.

I'm going to reach out privately to get some more details.

Kind regards,
Xander

[Christylee]

Same issue, new meter installed Monday June 3rd,  we never have run out of water until Monday night, had a plumber come by today Tuesday, change thermostat and fuses in box to make sure, now second night go to shower my toddler and no hot water after one person only had a 10 min shower. 
called AGL now waiting on a response back as it’s now to late in the evening to investigate. 

[Danniellef]

Nice to know this is still an issue, smart meter installed on Thursday, Friday we have no hot water except for maybe two hrs a day 😤 and then a lovely email this morning stating our rates are basically doubling 

[Caban]

I am lucky in that I very rarely have to heat water with electricity. I used to have my booster on the SHW connected to CL1 but worked out that was an expensive option as it was only used less than ten days a year and I was paying a daily fee every day. Got rid of the CL1 and now switch on the booster when required. Just make sure I do that after 10pm or on a weekend.

The issues that people here are having is that to get the most from your system YOU require an understanding of how your system and supply operate.

These posts seem to mainly concern stored off peak hot water. This works by heating the whole tank up when power is cheap and due to it being insulated there is enough for the whole day. So to do this the capacity of the tank has to be adequate for the usage. If everyone is having 10-15 minute showers then you may require a larger tank.

These storage tanks ofhen have two elements. The main one at the base, a booster higher up. This is so you heat the whole tank on the normal daily cycle. If more hot water is needed the booster is used and it only heats up a smaller proportion of the tank, which makes this quicker (less water being heated) and a lower cost too. What is possible is that when the new meter was being installed a sparky may have mixed up the two elements. This would effectively make the capacity of the tank smaller as only the top is being heated. It is the only explanation I can think of for a reduction of hot water volume when the meter is changed. Unless someone specifically looks for this error it would be hard to detect.

[Lester]

Excellent thoughts @Caban 

A lot of people forget how good the solarhart type panel HWS were in the day, and still can continue to assist is that regard for minimising HW cost.

Most now of course are onto solar PV and solar PV with battery, which makes old SHWS more or less obsolete in modern terms.

Hopefully yours will give you many more years of good service.

I did something similar recently, and got mine of CL as it was outside ability to use excess solar to heat it.

I got that switched to normal circuit, had a timer fitted, and usually just leave it on very cheap EV tariff early hours.

Only costs 30c-40c each day, but in summer and shoulder nice sunny days I hit the timer to on and heat the water free during good solar soak, and when it boosts very briefly early morning, it only uses 4c-6c.

@Danniellef I got my July 1 price rise email this morning . . . where are you located and did it really double across the board ?

From memory, NSW was to get somewhere around 9.5% increase, QLD 3.5%, and SA 3.2%, but my peak here in SA went up nearly 15%, and daily supply charge up nearly 14%.