Smart energy meters, should I/shouldn't I?

[spen666]

I am currently in a long running dispute with a power company over my bills and the service they provide.

They have been repeatedly invited to issue county court proceedings over the disputed debt. They won't, I suspect because they would have to disclose forged records alleging meetings that never took place etc.

We are at a stalemate as I wont pay them. They wont sue me and they wont let me change supplier

They every so often threaten to seek a warrant of entry to my home.... I reply reminding them of their legal duty of full disclosure and specifically state my grievances again, so they are in no doubt. They always back down as they cannot get a warrant in such circumstances.

With a smart meter, they would be able to disconnect my supply without entering my home. Thus any rights as a consumer or leverage you have are effectively gone.

Smart meter? Not for me

 

[Kestevan]

My lot refuse to accept that a switch can be used to actually turn something off.... and apparently it's illegal to own a telly or PC that's not turned on.

I can trace the path that the teenager used on returning home... Kitchen light on and heating on full so your eyes melt when you walk in.... Coatroom light on, Hallway light on, livingroom light and telly on, bathroom light on, stairs light on, upstairs landing lights on, bedroom light on.

Oh and all the doors will be open too.....meanwhile teenager is asleep or out.

and breathe.....

 

[I like Skol]

Not 100% sure or not if this is the case but I remember hearing (money program radio 4 perhaps) that the power companies had yet to agree on a smart meter standard and were all offering their own version. This then limited your ability to easily and cheaply switch suppliers to find the best deal.

I am currently in a long running dispute with a power company over my bills and the service they provide.
...........With a smart meter, they would be able to disconnect my supply without entering my home. Thus any rights as a consumer or leverage you have are effectively gone.

These are exactly the kind of real life drawbacks that I am worried about. It is all rosy when the sun is shining, but if the relationship with your energy provider turns chilly then you have effectively given away many of your rights.

 

[accountantpete]

I asked our Meter Reader about them and he had heard of security issues that still needed addressing.

 

[rualexander]

I had smart meters installed when I moved into this house 12 years ago and was told then that the company could read the meters remotely, etc.
But they never did, they just either sent the meter reader round or estimated the reading!
Two years ago, my 'smart' gas meter developed a fault and started recording gas usage when there was nothing being used, the power company did not believe me when I reported the fault and I had to call them several times to point out that the meter was clocking up gas flow even with the main gas valve turned off. Eventually they sent a guy out to replace the meter, and he just checked for leaks of which there were none, then fitted an old school mechanical meter.
The power company never accepted that the meter was faulty, but did eventually refund me for the spurious usage, 'as a courtesy gesture'!
The replacement not smart meter seems to be working ok but I am using slightly more gas than I was before the old meter went faulty, which raises questions about calibration of these meters.
Is there any other instance of metering equipment which is installed and then never calibrated again, over the course of many years useage?

 

[Drago]

I've not got one. I'm quite happy to spend less than 1 minute every quarter typing the numbers into my suppliers website. No incentive at all for me to bother even opening the door to someone who wants to fit one.

 

[Brains]

Sooner of later you will have to have a smart meter as the leki companies will be unable to bill using mechanical meters.

I recon you may get away with it for another 8 years or so, but by the mid 2020's they will simply cut off mechanical meters as being not up to current H&S standards.

So it's not a case of 'if' but 'when'

 

[fossyant]

I went with as many led lights as we could as the kids never turn them off.

The candle leds were best buy as those ruddy energy saving halogen bulbs used to blow all the time tripping the leccy. And they weren't cheap.

 

[Drago]

5kW solar is great. I hammer all my energy hungry appliances during the daytime when God is paying for it. On top of that the FIT payments pay 3/4 of my bill.

 

[Brains]

As an aside, once everyone in the area has got a smart meter, it is a very simple job for the companies to compare all the smart meter readings (weather it be water, gas or leki) in an area with the master meter for the area.
If the two don't tally they know they have a leak, or someone bypassing the meter.

So the days of filling your swimming pool, running your dope farm and heating the house for free are numbered.

 

[Drago]

...unless you drill through your party wall and hook into the back of one of your neighbours sockets

 

[subaqua]

As an aside, once everyone in the area has got a smart meter, it is a very simple job for the companies to compare all the smart meter readings (weather it be water, gas or leki) in an area with the master meter for the area.
If the two don't tally they know they have a leak, or someone bypassing the meter.

So the days of filling your swimming pool, running your dope farm and heating the house for free are numbered.

Would take a really crap electrical engineer to discredit all of that in about 40 seconds .

Copper losses is the easiest one without thinking even remotely hard.

 

[classic33]

Would take a really crap electrical engineer to discredit all of that in about 40 seconds .

Copper losses is the easiest one without thinking even remotely hard.

How are street lights metered?

 

[Grant Fondo]

Just go un-smart turn off lights and all gadgets in standby, wear Aran sweaters and only spend 5 mins in shower...there you go.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

I had them installed a few months ago - I like them and have found them useful - they have already saved me a fair bit and alerted me to usage I didn't know was happening - the meter gives me a lots of information about current and daily usage in monetary as well as unit terms - I noticed very quickly that my new combi boiler was using £1 to £1.50 worth of gas per day when the central heating was off and I hadn't drawn any hot water - made me look into the boiler settings and put it into economy mode - it no longer keeps a tank of ready to use piping hot water and i have to wait a few seconds longer for hot water to run - but I'm up a few hundred quid a year in theory already!