Requesting Smart Metre?

buglawton

sacsquacco wrote: »

Switching is unlikely ever to be a too speedy process at any time. Ofgem dont like the idea of supplier switching to be too fast a process. 4 weeks is fast enough . There would be problems if people could just flit around with a few days notice

If in the future you cannot switch suppliers in the same sort of time frame as you can mobile phone networks while keeping your number, then smart meters are doing nothing for us.

But yes you're right Ofgem don't like EASY switching, it might frighten the horses!

[Deleted User]

buglawton wrote: »

If in the future you cannot switch suppliers in the same sort of time frame as you can mobile phone networks while keeping your number, then smart meters are doing nothing for us.

But yes you're right Ofgem don't like EASY switching, it might frighten the horses!

A quick look on Ofgems targets reveal Spiro to be correct in next day switching as a future target. at the moment 3 weeks is the current target. Personally I think it will be another weapon used by the free energy believers, like Gypsy sites who frequently switch just to confuse whilst bypassing their electric meters. One I ve been targeting has supposedly 3 different suppliers to the same park home, meter bypassed as usual with RPU people too scared to brave the dogs etc

buglawton

With smart meters, true pay as you go will be possible. Also once the UK is 100% smart metered, an instant audit will be possible that flags up fraudulent connections.

martinthebandit

buglawton wrote: »

With smart meters, true pay as you go will be possible. Also once the UK is 100% smart metered, an instant audit will be possible that flags up fraudulent connections.

.......not to mention the possibility of really complicated tarrifs.

There is only going to be one winner with smart meters and it isn't the consumer. We are just the cash cows that'll pay for them.

GingerBob_3

buglawton wrote: »

With smart meters, true pay as you go will be possible. Also once the UK is 100% smart metered, an instant audit will be possible that flags up fraudulent connections.

This will absolutely not be possible. Main reasons: (lack of) accuracy of measuring devices, transmission loss.

penrhyn

Smart meters are as accurate as the dumb variety, and what has transmission loss got to do with anything?

[Deleted User]

buglawton wrote: »

With smart meters, true pay as you go will be possible. Also once the UK is 100% smart metered, an instant audit will be possible that flags up fraudulent connections.

Trouble is they have to actually get into the property to fit the smart meter, those of dubious character with ulterior motives simply wont open the door. They have a camera up sometimes. The meter fitters simply wont get in. with the last prepay meter change they withdrew all the cards at a certain date which flushed them out mostly. They would have to withdraw the prepay keys,, that will be in 2032. Lower cover removal on a smart electric meter triggers an error code. whether anyone out there takes any notice of it is a different matter. At the moment I m assured they dont but its clearly possible to put that straight in the future

GingerBob_3

penrhyn wrote: »

Smart meters are as accurate as the dumb variety, and what has transmission loss got to do with anything?

The poster appeared to be suggesting the readings on meters at, say, the power stations, could be reconciled with the total of all readings from smart meters, UK wide. Such an approach is not technically feasible. Even if the upstream meters were at the local substations the suggested reconciliation would be wildly inaccurate, and even if it wasn't, all it would tell you was that someone, somewhere was tapping into the cables.

I remember my physics teacher telling us about the enterprising householder who had HV cables running over his house, so he stuck a whacking great coil in the loft and syphoned off power. Such an arrangement couldn't be spotted by smart meters.

[Deleted User]

GingerBob wrote: »

The poster appeared to be suggesting the readings on meters at, say, the power stations, could be reconciled with the total of all readings from smart meters, UK wide. Such an approach is not technically feasible. Even if the upstream meters were at the local substations the suggested reconciliation would be wildly inaccurate, and even if it wasn't, all it would tell you was that someone, somewhere was tapping into the cables.

I remember my physics teacher telling us about the enterprising householder who had HV cables running over his house, so he stuck a whacking great coil in the loft and syphoned off power. Such an arrangement couldn't be spotted by smart meters.

You re right, they cant narrow it down. Judging by the strong smell of growing cannabis in my rough terraced street theres at least 2 properties growing a house full of cannabis.all on free energy of approx £85 a week of course.

victor2

On_Stanley_on wrote: »

I'm in the process of switching to BG. They said that it could take upto 10 weeks before they even look at offering appointments to install Smart Meters but they haven't said that its even available in my area.

I'm desperate to get them installed as I seem to be paying way too much on gas and electric and can't work out why?

OSO

You don't need a smart meter to work out why you're using a lot of energy, just read your meters daily (at about the same time each day) for a few weeks, and convert the meter readings to a cost - you can find the rate (and conversion formula in the case of gas) on your latest bill. If you've got gas, you probably don't have an E7 electric meter, so things shouldn't be too complicated.

Once you've got a idea of your typical daily costs, you can probably figure out which utility is costing you "too much", and then concentrate on ways to save. Just remember that gas usage will be much higher in the winter months if you have gas heating, where electricity tends to be more constant throughout the year if not used for general heating.