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Smart meters.....what's the latest thinking ??
- Thread starter Dave7
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For sure - usually on Facebook!
presta
Guru
Re accessibility, it's a bit of a bend to read the gas in the porch, but I'm still managing so far.
Re energy saving, it will only do that if you're motivated to switch stuff off, and a Dutch study found a lasting saving of only about 0.7% once the initial novelty had worn off.
Re snooping, I can't get worked up about that.
Re pricing, I'm sure that peak-hour charges are coming but I don't think having a dumb meter will save you, you'll just get put on an unfavourable tariff until you change.
The issue I have with them is that all the complaints I see about faulty meters seem to relate to smart, not dumb, meters. I don't want the hassle of trying to prove a crazy bill is caused by a faulty meter if I don't have to, I once had a wrong bill caused by incompetence, and it took a year, and a threat from debt collectors before it was finally sorted out.
Re energy saving, it will only do that if you're motivated to switch stuff off, and a Dutch study found a lasting saving of only about 0.7% once the initial novelty had worn off.
Re snooping, I can't get worked up about that.
Re pricing, I'm sure that peak-hour charges are coming but I don't think having a dumb meter will save you, you'll just get put on an unfavourable tariff until you change.
The issue I have with them is that all the complaints I see about faulty meters seem to relate to smart, not dumb, meters. I don't want the hassle of trying to prove a crazy bill is caused by a faulty meter if I don't have to, I once had a wrong bill caused by incompetence, and it took a year, and a threat from debt collectors before it was finally sorted out.
D
Deleted member 26715
Guest
Unfortunately I trust utility companies as about as much as I trust an MP, how do you know they are lying? their lips are moving. Ultimately they will use them to drive the cost up at peak times, by offering others access to cheap times,
I moved to British Gas nearly 3 years ago onto a fixed tariff, as part of that agreement I had to agree to having a smart meter, I'm still waiting for them to arrived
Not unless as above it's part of your agreement
A lot of the problems were based around the original smart meters, they weren't fit for purpose, I don't think any of them are now being fitted.
BoldonLad
Not part of the Elite
- Location
- South Tyneside
We switched to a British Gas Dual Fuel Fixed Tariff (turns out to have a good move, but, not by design). One of the conditions of the tariff was having a smart meter installed (free). Had the smart meter for about six months now. No problems. I don't feel it has made any difference to our usage, but, I didn't expect it too.
Cannot understand people's reluctance to have a smart meter, I am sure Amazon, Barclaycard and various others (including Cyclechat) know far more about me than British Gas do.
Cannot understand people's reluctance to have a smart meter, I am sure Amazon, Barclaycard and various others (including Cyclechat) know far more about me than British Gas do.
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We can read our smart meter and make sure it correlates to the bills.
I can’t quite understand all the conspiracy theories around smart meters, As far I’m concerned you fit it and forget about it, no need to submit readings every month.
steverob
Guru
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
I'm having a smart meter fitted next week. The only reason it's taken so long was because I refused until my 'leccy company could guarantee that I wasn't getting one of the old generation smart meters that turn dumb as soon as you switch provider (which until the recent price increases I did do quite often).
I'm also not bothering with the little display that shows how much you're using - not interested in that in the slightest, as I've already got my usage down to the bare bones, so if anything having another device in the house that I don't look at might put my usage UP! But they said I didn't need to use that, the meter readings would be sent regardless of whether it was switched on or not.
I'm also not bothering with the little display that shows how much you're using - not interested in that in the slightest, as I've already got my usage down to the bare bones, so if anything having another device in the house that I don't look at might put my usage UP! But they said I didn't need to use that, the meter readings would be sent regardless of whether it was switched on or not.
There has been an update which means the change of supplier issue is no longer a problem https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/our-smart-network/current-programmes/smets1-enrolment-and-adoption/
Luckily we have a 13a socket in our larder cupboard so it’s hidden out of sight.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Simple. They don't trust the reliability of the telemetry.
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
I resisted smart meters until I was assured the installer would give us second generation units and the meters duly arrived August 2021. Our gas meter is similarly positioned but not tucked in a corner so it is easier to read though I guess in years to come getting down to this level will get harder. The problem with the old meter was during winter condensation would form inside the window making it almost impossible to read. This was the main reason I chose to have smart meters, I simply wanted a new meter.
Our electric meter is positioned at 7' 4" above the front door. I can only read this by climbing on a chair which is OK to date but in a few years? The cost of moving the electric meter would be astronomical and involve rerouting the incoming supply, possibly for the entire terrace as I very much doubt our current installation would pass modern standards.
My smart meters have never worked in the sense the information is not transmitted to the supplier or to the little display unit we were given. British Gas are coming in September with the promise to fix this.
So to answer your question yes it will solve your problem if the meters do transmit the information and I'd suggest in the vast majority of cases they do. Is it possible to move the meter? Probably, but I doubt it would be done for free as part of installing smart meters. Your supplier should provide and install smart meters free of charge.
I don't have any concerns over smart meters and think it will be a real benefit when I'm too stiff to get down to 18" and too doddery to climb a chair. This by the way is our incoming MAINS supply!!!!!!
It's tacked to the wall at 9' above ground and runs along the front of 12 terraced cottages!!
Alien8
Senior Moment
- Location
- (A little bit north of) Cambridge
It's quite easy to access your smart meter collected data via, eg n3rgy, where you can downloaded it as a file or programmatically via the supported API.
The thing about this is that when I switched to OVO last year they claimed they couldn't access the smarter meter data for months on end, repeatably asking me to send them the same details, photos of the meters, where they were positioned etc.
Meanwhile, the data was being collected perfectly normally and reliably.
However, over the last few months with nothing having changed, OVO can now access the data and use it in my billing ... quelle surprise.
The thing about this is that when I switched to OVO last year they claimed they couldn't access the smarter meter data for months on end, repeatably asking me to send them the same details, photos of the meters, where they were positioned etc.
Meanwhile, the data was being collected perfectly normally and reliably.
However, over the last few months with nothing having changed, OVO can now access the data and use it in my billing ... quelle surprise.
I had a smart meter installed at a new building I did. Easy to see your usage day to day. Problem were seeing your meter reading. The numbers aren't on the display, but on the meter and are buried in sub menus. Other than that, they work on keeping your billing current, so no big quarterly surprises.
Our new place I've just converted all to smart meters and had them all converted to 3 phase for future upgrades
Our new place I've just converted all to smart meters and had them all converted to 3 phase for future upgrades
Hi Steve.
Smets2 is pretty standard now across the board. I did say only come if you have V2 No problems switching suppliers recently
