Eon smart meter

mattcanary

jackshelac wrote: »

I had a new meter installed a few months ago. I don't know if it is a 'smart' meter but I had it installed because the previous one was keeping e7 heaters on at peak times. The new one is also doing this now costing me extra money and BG won't replace it. So if the new 'smart' meters can't even tell the time I wouldn't trust them. Apparently there's court cases in US. There's also the privacy angle. A potential burgalar could hack into your meter and know when your on holiday. If they can be hacked into what's to stop the energy companies falsifying the readings? Apparently the energy companies are going to spend 9 billion pounds on these meters so there must be something in it for them.

Sounds to me as if the timeswitch is faulty (the equipment that switches the meter onto the cheap rate from the day rate at the approproate time). The timeswitch will be located near the meter (if there is one - some meters have an inbuilt timeswitch and other customers have a teleswitch (a big black box) rather than a timeswitch) and you can see by looking at it what time it switches on and off. Maybe you need to ring your supplier to get them to change this rather than the meter?

System

I'd love a Smartmeter fitted but the thing that puts me off is that although my electricity meter is outside the property the gas meter is inside. If they are going to replace my gas meter i'd really like mine outside.

Kane99uk

Mr_Forgetful wrote: »

I nearly had one installed but they are only compatible with Eon.

That's quite false actually. Majority of Smart meters currently being installed are compatible with all of the "big six" Suppliers with regards to their systems and billing - the only thing that might influence compatability would be the choice of tariff as certain Suppliers cannot use/handle tariffs used by others (eg. Economy 10 / Economy 18 metering & tariffs are usually only used by E.ON).

HappyMJ

Kane99uk wrote: »

That's quite false actually. Majority of Smart meters currently being installed are compatible with all of the "big six" Suppliers with regards to their systems and billing - the only thing that might influence compatability would be the choice of tariff as certain Suppliers cannot use/handle tariffs used by others (eg. Economy 10 / Economy 18 metering & tariffs are usually only used by E.ON).

Why not? These smart meters measure usage in half hour intervals. Any time of use tariff will be compatible as the meter sends the usage in half hour blocks and the supplier charges for the units used in different times of the day at different rates.

Kane99uk

HappyMJ wrote: »

Why not? These smart meters measure usage in half hour intervals. Any time of use tariff will be compatible as the meter sends the usage in half hour blocks and the supplier charges for the units used in different times of the day at different rates.

It's to do with the settlement billing system used. Most homes will have a single supply number which appears on your bill (called an mpan), and all your usage is billed through that one supply number. E10 or E18 tariffs (normally for properties with elec storage heating) use two mpans, one that all your elec usage is recorded under, one for your stored heat. Many of these set-ups only have one meter involved, physically recording all usage on site - many Suppliers cannot handle the same meter being listed under multiple mpans, even if it's for the same premises.

HappyMJ

Kane99uk wrote: »

It's to do with the settlement billing system used. Most homes will have a single supply number which appears on your bill (called an mpan), and all your usage is billed through that one supply number. E10 or E18 tariffs (normally for properties with elec storage heating) use two mpans, one that all your elec usage is recorded under, one for your stored heat. Many of these set-ups only have one meter involved, physically recording all usage on site - many Suppliers cannot handle the same meter being listed under multiple mpans, even if it's for the same premises.

Couldn't the suppliers introduce a whole range of new tariffs with the smart meters. In the US if it's a really hot day some suppliers charge double during the peak hours of 3pm to 6pm to what they would on a normal day to discourage people turning on the airconditioning. They could do the same here to attempt to reduce the peak load on the system. So you could have E and any number you like after it and change the number to another number whenever you like depending on the offers of the day.

WhiteHorse

It's new technology, and with all new technology, it's best to let someone else iron out all the bugs.

Kane99uk

HappyMJ wrote: »

Couldn't the suppliers introduce a whole range of new tariffs with the smart meters. In the US if it's a really hot day some suppliers charge double during the peak hours of 3pm to 6pm to what they would on a normal day to discourage people turning on the airconditioning. They could do the same here to attempt to reduce the peak load on the system. So you could have E and any number you like after it and change the number to another number whenever you like depending on the offers of the day.

Ah but such a perfect world would be wonderful wouldn't it

The whole "Smart Metering" market still hasn't had it's operating rules and regs set out yet, nor have "official" guidelines been drawn up regarding what exactly the meters should be doing. The think-tank behind the whole she-bang could turn around in a couple of week's time and decide everything that's been installed up to now is wrong, and it would all have to be replaced. They haven't decided how the billing data will be processed, who would handle it, tariffs etc. It's still quite up in the air at the mo, although I believe a final decision would be due at some point within the next 6 months

chambta

No downsides then? As long as it won't stop me moving suppliers without difficulties I'll take it.

Candy53

Can you still read these meters yourself, so you can make sure your bill is correct?

Candy