Pre pay smart meter questions

spacesaver90

Just got one installed and I have been told there is something that has to be plugged into the mains all the time.

Just wonder how this works since what happens if I accidently turn it off at nighttime and wake up in morning and did this quite often or lets say I had it in kitchen and turned all the stuff off by accident(as I hate leaving stuff switched on that isnt used)

I worry that this will flag me up as suspicious as I had these installed to replace a meter that previous tenant had tampered with.

Sorry if I should of continued old thread, thought a new one would be easier.

lstar337

spacesaver90 wrote: »

Just got one installed and I have been told there is something that has to be plugged into the mains all the time.

Like what?

Sounds odd to me.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

spacesaver90 wrote: »

Just got one installed and I have been told there is something that has to be plugged into the mains all the time.

Just wonder how this works since what happens if I accidently turn it off at nighttime and wake up in morning and did this quite often or lets say I had it in kitchen and turned all the stuff off by accident(as I hate leaving stuff switched on that isnt used)

I worry that this will flag me up as suspicious as I had these installed to replace a meter that previous tenant had tampered with.

Sorry if I should of continued old thread, thought a new one would be easier.

Were you supplied with this "something"? Does it have a label? Can you post a picture?

And a new thread is the right way to go :T

spacesaver90

I guess this is how they check your usage but what would seem strange about that is what happens if its turned off by accident for long periods, since you get a top up card not a key so if its done electronically how would the credit get to the meter? I assume that is why but if thats the case if I unplugged it what else would I lose?

Sorry MSE refuses to let le give links as I am new but google utilita smart meters.

Hedgehog99

Is it your in-home display? This is separate from the meter and is nothing to do with the readings the meter sends to your supplier. The IHD is supposed to be for your reference, to show how much boiling your kettle uses etc. But then, the IHD in itself uses electricity and needs a plug. If it is the IHD, you don't have to leave it on all the time, you can just plug it in if & when you want usage reports.

spacesaver90

No its a touch screen thing that shows your balance and lets you press a button to activate emergency credit should you need it.

I assume that would all be on the meter itself but it isnt.

I just thought of another thing, what happens if I want to change supplier in the future who doesnt yet support smart meters,

I just assume that this is what is telling the companies what I am using therefore it has to be plugged into to do so, and also worried if I turn it off by accident as currently its in a hall with 1 socket I use for vacumn cleaner(so I may turn it off if its in a extension) they will knock on my door saying I have it turned off.

Also what if I move out and someone moves in and doesnt know about it?

lstar337

spacesaver90 wrote: »

No its a touch screen thing that shows your balance and lets you press a button to activate emergency credit should you need it.

I assume that would all be on the meter itself but it isnt.

But when you run out of credit your supply goes off, and this will too if it needs to be plugged in.

If you want to post a link, just do it with spaces and somebody here will fix it.

spacesaver90

utilita.co.uk/smart-meters/utilitas-smart-meters

lstar337 wrote: »

But when you run out of credit your supply goes off, and this will too if it needs to be plugged in.

If you want to post a link, just do it with spaces and somebody here will fix it.

Thats a good point, though they also have "friendly credit" which says if you run out after 5pm during week it wont cut you off till the morning.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Looks like it's a remote display.
http://www.utilita.co.uk/smart-meters/utilitas-smart-meters

spacesaver90

So is it actually important? i.e does the utility company get the data from the meter without it? just wonder why they say it has to be plugged in all the time.