Smart meters

[nigelp]

How do you set that up, that's another thing we've not been told about. I assumed they were sent every hour or so and haven't been told we can change anything.

This was what was in my ‘get ready for your smart meter’ letter.
“Your meter reading choice
Your smart meter will send us your meter readings automatically based on your chosen preference Daily. You can change this and find out more about how we use your data at edfenergy.com/smartdata”

 

[slowworm]

Thanks Nigel, just found mums letter and hers is half hourly.

 

[Paul_B]

OK I have smart meter not least because I moved into a house with one but I also have other meters due to having solar panels which were put in before they changed the system to a less favourable one.

The hype around smart meters revolve around energy demand planning. If everyone had a smart meter the could plan energy supply much more efficiently. What does that do to benefit you? Little thing called climate change. Less wasted generation of electricity means less fossil fuel used when not needed. No idea how much that contributes but it'll be better than nothing.

Look at it this way, what does it cost you? I suppose you like taking meter readings or waiting in for a meter reader because they've overcharged you on your bill because they don't have you meter reading or they do but they still estimated instead of accepting your meter readings for several quarters. So now you have to wait in for the meter reader before you get your money back.

Sorry but I just see this as ppl not liking change and seeing conspiracy where there likely isn't. I also think installers aren't experts in how meter readings are used they're just sparkies who can be as much conspiracy theorists as any Qanon flower.

From my experience, I pay monthly direct debits for gas and electricity. I overpay slightly in summer but underpay in winter in order to get average monthly direct debits. We have reduced our energy demands and our supplier noticed and actually reduced our direct debit once. Subsequent inflation and energy cost increases have absolutely wiped that out but it was a good thing when it happened. Plus we're terrible at giving meter readings. It worked well for us when we moved into a house with a smart meter.

 

[Toddy]

I think the 'conspiracy' bit comes when we hear that the Govt is paying £800 quid to folks other than the folks paying the bills, to install them.

 

[nigelp]

I think the 'conspiracy' bit comes when we hear that the Govt is paying £800 quid to folks other than the folks paying the bills, to install them.

What do you mean ‘other than the folks paying the bills’? The government doesn’t pay anyone as such, certainly not directly as an actaul payment- they just allow the energy companies to levy the cost onto everyone via the standing charge.

 

[Stew]

I think the conspiracy theory comes around companies being able to turn your supply off remotely.

I don’t believe there’s any big benefit to having one. I’m not on a smart meter and the amount of direct debit changes as my meter reading is given. That’s nothing to do with the smart meter.

It’s also no benefit to help the supplier to know when there’s more or less demand. They knew that long before smart meters.

 

[Paul_B]

They just get a better dataset to work from. When climate change is such a big issue, every step to help is important especially when the actual cost isn't that high.

As to turning off technically true but they still have to go through the same procedures as with dumbb meters. Namely discuss the issue over payment with the customer, help available, etc. Plus get a court warrant 7 days before I believe. Turning off is supposed to be a last resort but send suppliers have ignored that a bit or their contractor has.

 

[Stew]

The other benefit for the supplier is for those with solar - previously on an old school wind up meter you could get it to spin backwards with solar. They don’t like that so insist it’s changed.

 

[slowworm]

Look at it this way, what does it cost you? I suppose you like taking meter readings or waiting in for a meter reader because they've overcharged you on your bill because they don't have you meter reading or they do but they still estimated instead of accepting your meter readings for several quarters. So now you have to wait in for the meter reader before you get your money back.

Sorry but I just see this as ppl not liking change and seeing conspiracy where there likely isn't. I also think installers aren't experts in how meter readings are used they're just sparkies who can be as much conspiracy theorists as any Qanon flower.

I'm complaining about problems we've had and are having so certainly not a conspiracy. My mum used to read the old meter so no waiting in for meter readers, now she has a meter she cant read and we need another visit to fix the bad install. As for climate change my mum is at the stage in life where she will not change her usage and quite rightly too, like many she's careful with her money so there's not really much she can cut down on. Just because you were wasteful dont assume everyone else is.

Hopefully the meter is providing readings remotely but I was disappointed that we need to wait 2 weeks to see if it works. The meter does have various lights that flash but we were not left with any instructions about what they mean. My mum does really use search engines so would not have any way of finding out and the company involved doesnt seem to understand the products it fits.

 

[Wildgoose]

I wouldn’t say I’m a conspiracy theorist, but I don’t like being mislead either.

When my provider first started the roll out they called to offer one, stating it could save me money. When I asked how much the operator reluctantly said “£11 a year”. A day off so they can fit it would cost me about £250.

They then just started to send appointments through, presumably in the hope I just let them fit it. I ignored them.

The companies constant campaign of “we all have to act on climate change” unfortunately isn’t met by them.

Growing up I didn’t have a smart meter telling me to turn off the light or turn down the heating, I had two working parents who were pretty efficient at telling me!

 

[MartinK9]

I wonder who now employs all the redundant meter readers?

 

[Woody girl]

I'm already an electric scrooge. I'm still using the money the gov gave us for power bills and have £120.78p still left in the kitty.
I guess I'll have to start using my own money again very soon.
I live in a bungalow, the meter is set into the outside bedroom wall. I'd be less than 2 meters away from all those lovely radio waves all night long. Can't move the bed, as it won't fit anywhere else. They say you shouldn't sleep close to them. So I'm not having one. It wouldn't help me save any more cash. I know what I'm using anyway, as I can read my present meter easily.
Why change what works well?
Not for me.
My neighbour has had all sorts of problems with his, and regrets having one installed, and they won't let him go back to the old style, so he's stuck with it.

 

[SaraR]

We resisted for as long as we could until the company wouldn't renew the contract without one being installed. I thoroughly dislike it for a variety of reasons, but mainly because companies are not being honest about why they're "a good thing".

Also our company will only take a reading once a month, so nothing different to me sending them one once a month like I used to. (Perhaps they do download the detailed usage data once a months, but that's not what they told me.)

And with the display unit, we now have another thing that needs to be plugged in 24/7 - using up electricity and presenting a potential fire hazard...

 

[Stew]

We resisted for as long as we could until the company wouldn't renew the contract without one being installed. I thoroughly dislike it for a variety of reasons, but mainly because companies are not being honest about why they're "a good thing".

Also our company will only take a reading once a month, so nothing different to me sending them one once a month like I used to. (Perhaps they do download the detailed usage data once a months, but that's not what they told me.)

And with the display unit, we now have another thing that needs to be plugged in 24/7 - using up electricity and presenting a potential fire hazard...

The display unit makes no difference to the meter operation - just unplug it and put it in a drawer.

 

[SaraR]

The display unit makes no difference to the meter operation - just unplug it and put it in a drawer.

The information said it needed to be connected for the readings to be sent through, which is why we've left it on.

 

[Stew]

The information said it needed to be connected for the readings to be sent through, which is why we've left it on.

That’s the first time I’ve heard that.

 

[Paul_B]

I'm complaining about problems we've had and are having so certainly not a conspiracy. My mum used to read the old meter so no waiting in for meter readers, now she has a meter she cant read and we need another visit to fix the bad install. As for climate change my mum is at the stage in life where she will not change her usage and quite rightly too, like many she's careful with her money so there's not really much she can cut down on. Just because you were wasteful dont assume everyone else is.

Hopefully the meter is providing readings remotely but I was disappointed that we need to wait 2 weeks to see if it works. The meter does have various lights that flash but we were not left with any instructions about what they mean. My mum does really use search engines so would not have any way of finding out and the company involved doesnt seem to understand the products it fits.

It's wastage at the supply level. If enough take up smart meters they get a better view of usage which allows for more accurate supply predictions. At scale it could result in a peaker station not being needed or delayed use. That is one potential wastage reduction that I was thinking about.

It's not about you seeing your usage and going on some campaign to reduce your use, although you'd be surprised at what reductions are often possible in a modern house IF people wanted to go down that route. Although an elderly lady might not have many of those opportunities due to age and probably lifestyle.

 

[SaraR]

That’s the first time I’ve heard that.

Yeah, might not be true or just clumsily written, but...

 

[nigelp]

The information said it needed to be connected for the readings to be sent through, which is why we've left it on.

The meter connects via a SIM card and send its own information.

 

[Stew]

Yeah, might not be true or just clumsily written, but...

I would just turn it off any way then see if your readings turn to estimated.