A smart meter question.

[Milkfloat]

If you do go for a smart meter you don't need to send readings at all. The console just uses your electricity to tell you how much electricity you are using. The smart meter will send the reading itself, hourly or daily depending on how it is setup, no input from you at all. Of course, this means they can mess around with your tariff and start to charge you more during peak times if they want to.

 

[winjim]

ignore the console and it's daily, weekly, monthly usage 'data'... it's little more than a gimmick. Running around the house turning off the landing light won't make a notable difference to your quarterly bill.

If you know about saving energy then you know about saving energy and you don't need a little box to tell you. I think people think you need it to connect to the network but you don't. The gas meter talks to the electricity meter and the electricity meter talks to the network.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Side garden is locked so I would still nee to be in.

…not if you re-position it to a point accessible to the road. Of course, depends somewhat on the size of Château Dave7.

 

[midlife]

I pay mine quarterly by cheque with a paper bill. Means I have to read the meter, its a bit tricky to see up in the cupboard so just take a photo on the phone and read it from that. If it's getting tricky to kneel down to read I'd take a photo

 

[winjim]

I can just about see my gas meter in the back of the cupboard but I'm buggered if I can get to it or read it.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

this means they can mess around with your tariff and start to charge you more during peak times if they want to.

That's why I'm not having one and have ignored dozens of letters and emails urging me to book an appointment and have one installed. Bollox to them, they aren't pushing them for my benefit. It's just a mixture of greenwash and corporate self-interest.
ATM, all they know is how much energy I use over a period between my submitted readings. They haven't got a clue how much I use in peak hours vs off-peak hours or weekdays vs weekends. The only way you will save money with smart meters is if you modify your energy use behaviour in line with what the supplier wants to achieve - which with leccy is reduce peak demand and increase off-peak demand in order to reduce transmission losses and help with things like voltage/frequency supply stability.

 

[jowwy]

I have both electric and gas smart meters, they match up exactly every month with my bill too which i pay by visa.....not direct debit within 14 days of the bill

they cant put up your tarrif or change your bill unless you agree to it. I have the smart console on my office desk and yes switching off lights and sockets etc etc does make a difference.

there is no such thing as peak and off peak electric, you pay the same per w/h whether its morning, noon or night......

 

[midlife]

Blimey, economy 7 is still going lol

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/economy-7.html

 

[Bazzer]

there is no such thing as peak and off peak electric, you pay the same per w/h whether its morning, noon or night......

?? On one of SSE's current tariffs, off peak is 1.64p cheaper per kwh than standard.

 

[oldwheels]

?? On one of SSE's current tariffs, off peak is 1.64p cheaper per kwh than standard.

My tariff with SSE is approx 4p less for off peak than for standard. I use pretty much the same amount of standard all year round and off peak is used for hot water in summer plus one storage heater in winter. I read the meters weekly to keep an eye on consumption particularly in winter.

 

[ianrauk]

Blimey, economy 7 is still going lol

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/economy-7.html

I have Economy 7

 

[midlife]

I have Economy 7

Just seem to remember it as a blast from the past, 1970's when storage heaters seemed all the rage....

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Buy a kids periscope to do your meter readings without bending down so low.

 

[Tripster]

I was with Scottish Power who had installed a smart meter for electricity. Didnt like them so switched a year ago to Octopus Energy. Smart meter didn't work with them. I read meters every month and submit reading online. Within a few hours they email me a breakdown of bill. Scottish Power £125 a month...Octopus Energy started on £106 a month and after first 12 months its now down to £75 a month dual fuel. No bother reading meters each month for accurate bill. They have just asked me to register for a new Generation Smart meter for both gas and electric.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Firstly - if you have trouble reading the meter - get a cheap camera - or use a phone - and take a photo
much easier and then you have a record

secondly
if you get a Smart meter make sure you only let then instalklk it is it is SMETS2 - NOT 1
they are not supposed to install the old ones but they may still do to keep to targets

once you have a proper one you do no need to read the meter the console will do it for you - from your sofa if you want!

Also - if you use a lot of power over night - look at the electric car tariffs - in some cases they will actually pay you to use electricity (OK weird) because the generators have power stations that need to stay on tick over but three is no-one to use the power
Hence - they pay the suppliers to use it
Great for people with electric cars - but also great for doing the washing or using the dryer

WHich is the true benefit of smart meters
of course it does mean the supplier has access to all you power usage - but then does Google know where you are????? - always????

Personally I want a better smart meter - not the SMETS1 version I currently have which is as good as the old one they removed
at least I didn;t pay for it
- well actually we all did - thanks to everyone for paying to install a useless smart meter in my house
or maybe - WHO THE HELL AUTHORISED THIS TO BE PAID FOR THROUGH EVERYONE'S BILLS@


anyway

TLDR - SMETS2 - OK - possibly good
SMETS1 - bleedin useless
SMETS2 - loads of your usage data goes to the company