The Great Hunt: How smart is your smart meter?

clarmstrong

I had a smart meter fitted by British Gas back in May for dual fuel and think it is a great. All the details I need are there for me to see and I have made savings. My combine direct debit has gone from 62 pounds a month to 53 pounds for a two bedroom house. Combined with the information on line I feel totally in charge. It makes me think about what I am using and how. Using my microwave to heat water for my coffee is cheaper than using the kettle is just one way I have found to save.


I am a pensioner and every little helps. Now that the colder weather has started I can see the temperature in my house and switch off the heating when the temperature is right instead of just leaving the heating on. My timer switches on the heating 3 times a day but at the moment I switch off when I get out of bed and switch off when the other two cycles come on if the temperature is still ok. I use the meter "smartly". I set my own budget and can see when I go over it so expect to see more savings over the winter. I refuse to be cold but I refuse to use more than I need.

clarmstrong

I set my budget for gas at £2 day for the moment and yesterday I used 1.17 pounds. For electric I set £1 day for the moment and yesterday it was 89p. So far today £1.05 and 78p. respectively The temperature in my living room is 20 so the heating is off. I am in credit on the BG account so it will all work out ok. My electric is showing 2p an hour the gas zero because the heating is off and won't come on 'till the morning. I am happy with my Smart Meter. I could get a rebate but I feel it covers me for the winter.

Medsec10

Was offered smart meter 2years ago. Accepted as it could be read without entering property. Man came , installed it, but it would not work because he was using 02 mobile and the only thing that works in our rural village is Vodafone. So he had to remove it and put in an ordinary meter. When asked what happened to the new meter he had tried to install, he showed us a bag full of them that had had the same result as ours. He told us these would have to be returned to the boffins to be wiped and then sent out again. He was on his way to another installation in the depths of the country and he said he knew it would not work there either, but he had to go and go through the same attempted installation there.

I also asked him why my mother's smart meter would not work either when she lived in town and got good mobile connections. It transpired it is because the meter was installed in the airing cupboard when the property was built and you have to pass through her hallway and lounge to reach the meter in the airing cupboard in the inner hall.

So yes it all sounds great in theory, but until everyone gets a good signal and has the box sited on an outside wall, it ain't going to work. Rather like the saga of TVs years ago when one struggled to get a reception until the latest signal strength was upped and technology had moved on. Never mind they will eventually get there with smart meters everywhere no doubt.

lisa110rry

clarmstrong wrote: »

I had a smart meter fitted by British Gas back in May for dual fuel and think it is a great. All the details I need are there for me to see and I have made savings. My combine direct debit has gone from 62 pounds a month to 53 pounds for a two bedroom house. Combined with the information on line I feel totally in charge. It makes me think about what I am using and how. Using my microwave to heat water for my coffee is cheaper than using the kettle is just one way I have found to save.


I am a pensioner and every little helps. Now that the colder weather has started I can see the temperature in my house and switch off the heating when the temperature is right instead of just leaving the heating on. My timer switches on the heating 3 times a day but at the moment I switch off when I get out of bed and switch off when the other two cycles come on if the temperature is still ok. I use the meter "smartly". I set my own budget and can see when I go over it so expect to see more savings over the winter. I refuse to be cold but I refuse to use more than I need.

I'd just like to say what a positive and 'in control' (in the best way) this post is for older people (like me).

Joweymouth

Dont waste your energy - pun intended - or rather spend it looking for better deals - so far have had two days off work and still not working properly. British gas wrote to me saying meter needed to be changed and offering free in house display. Day 1 attended took 4 hours new gas meter working couldnt commision elec - then had to wait for SSE to put some putty on elec meter. Arranged new date for elec meter to be commissioned - 3 hours and two vans later - apparently commissioned but still no in house display - need to book again - why are these things so difficult?

[Deleted User]

Whichever bright spark who thought it was a good idea to install smart meters before they've organised a standard to enable them to be transferred between suppliers needs his nuts plugged into the mains. Presumably he's still trying to work out how to organise a p.ss-up in a brewery.

The.Far.Tall.Knight

micksboy79 wrote: »

My smart meter was fitted by EDF as an option. Not really saved any money since having it fitted, I just tend to look at it to see if I have left any power guzzling appliance on by mistake. Apart from that the display itself consumed a small amount of power so I reverted back to my battery powered version. After all, if you need to use something electrical you are going to switch it on, I don't fancy using candles instead of electric lights or lighting the BBQ to cook Sunday dinner!! I think the only benefit was the ability for EDF to get a reading from the meter but as I have now switched supplier this does not apply. Technology takes over too much of ones life and I sure ain't going to live my life looking at a display every time I switch something on, far better to pay less for what I use........or am I missing the point?

couldn't agree more: if you have that little monitor in the background eventually you'll start thinking either, "oh my goodness, I'd best not switch anything on" (and go back to the stone age) or "whatever, I need that electrical item on so it uses what it uses" (and get on with your life)
I think the only purpose they will serve is so that the energy companies will get more accurate readings more often to enable them to charge you for what is consumed more accurately, more so because getting readings is reliant upon either the customer being willing and/or able to give a reading or a meter operative being able to get a reading as perhaps its not outside and you may not be home and the problem the generation part has in this country is being able to supply on demand, we are already at capacity, generate too much and it costs millions, generate not enough and it's board games by candlelight several hours a week!
My old dad used to say "there's an energy saving device in every house in the country, its called common sense and a rocker switch, if you're not using something turn it off"

blondmusic

I had Smart Meters installed by OVO in July this year. I am on pay as you go and I have never had any problem with them.

I can top up using an app on my phone and see exactly how much I am using.

heygringo

Like bonjan, I too had the "call" for a smart meter to be installed by First Utility, but before I go any further, I'll just say that after being a SP user for a very long time we decided to switch to FU app 13 months ago. It's taken that long for the pair of them to finally get our account up & running correctly. An email last week confirmed that it is now finally sorted. Anyway back to the point of issue, "smart meter" installed app August, except it ain't very smart. Now I'm told that my area doesn't have a good enough reception for the meter to send the info to FU, so I'm back to doing it for 'em. I'd still have had to send in the gas readings anyway, so all in all, a complete waste of time. But to be honest, I'd rather do it that way, then I know that they have been received & I always request a conformation email to that effect & I also log them each time myself.

Tony68000

Had one installed by British Gas for both electric and gas. Got a nifty monitor for it too and can view my daily stats on their web site and via a tablet. Great, works perfect. However, I find it a little pointless now so the monitor lives in the drawer, never used. At least I never have to give a manual meter reading again.