Compulsory Smart Meters.

Lily-Rose_3

gettingtheresometime wrote: »

Thanks for confirming what I'd read but wondered if I had missed something.

I'm a little annoyed as the blurb that mum has received states that eon is phasing out our customer's old meters and putting in theses smart meters....giving mum the impression that she HAD to have one.

Obviously these smart meters are only useful as long as you stay with the relevant supplier....so it's a good idea but as usual poorly thought out.

They're only useful if you want one.

I don't, and shall be refusing very firmly if anyone tries to bully me into it.

teddysmum

I don't want one for a number of reasons:
1) The hand held is just another piece of clutter, which presumably one has to supply with batteries.
2) We are in our late sixties and use what we need so have no intention of skimping. We don't want to constantly read the handheld and think 'Goodness, that laptop is costing X pence a day; must use it less.'
3) Reading yourself and seeing the figure appear online shows that the readings have been received (not the case with some done by meter readers).
4) The current issues with meters not being usable by all suppliers, so changing to a non-user makes the whole installation a waste of time.
5) I don't know much about the meters, so wonder if there is any way that the gas and electric readings could be messed up in transmission , causing false readings.

Brooker_Dave

Presumably the big draw of smart meters for the energy company cartel is the ability to switch off a customers supply by remote control if there's a fall out?

System

Some misinformation is being spread around this forum. Thank god only a miniscule few actually trawl the energy forum for their misguided info on smart meters.
Today I ve been into around 30 properties who have had smart meters for years, all working fine.No hysterical claims coming from these happy BG customers I visit, and no one "bullied " anyone to have them fitted .Teddysmum ..for your info..the In House Display runs off the mains, costs around 60p a year and can be stuffed in a cupboard or binned if you prefer once you have worked out which appliances are very expensive to run.Brooker Dave . if the DNO s fancy shutting the electricity off for whatever reason then they can do it for everyone..smart or dumb at the pull of a lever ! so don t be silly.The hundreds of thousands however who steal energy can be cut off remotely and there is nt a person on here who would not like to see that happen.Cannabis farms shut down at the click of a mouse.
Misguided posters imploring people to wait for SMET2 may seem like sense but SMETS2 compliant meters may well take 10 years before they are fitted. British Gas have been fitting their smarts for around 10 years and they are nowhere near complete.The MK 2 SMETS1 meters they have been fitting for the last 6 years will only require a "hub" change to meet SMETS2 requirements, a quick 10 minute job.The meter itself is as smart as it ever needs to be and will not need to be changed. Early "sim card " meters will need the 20 minute job to be changed.

System

DavidP24 wrote: »

Thanks. Interesting site.

About the same amount we spend on Foreign Aid.

Problem is that MP's will get egg on face so they would rather waste £12bn than admit it.

I agree with your last point. Despite what my friend above alleges, I am not against smart meters. The problem is that the GB project is too expensive and too risky because it has been allowed to grow into a monster. For example, having said how vital it was that the meters should have remote disconnection and re-connection facilities, lawyers and HSE experts are suggesting that this is not a sensible or safe way forward - particularly, when gas is involved. Who is going to check that a gas ring wasn't left on when a supply was disconnected remotely, and before it is turned back on?

By building in the ability to disconnect/re-connect remotely, the meters then have a weakness which foreign States and/or other actors could exploit. It may well be a miniscule risk, but it is a risk nevertheless, and one that those who have been involved in the design of these meters, and the supporting infrastructure, are now concerned about. There is no practical way of updating the firmware in these meters OTA - particularly, if large numbers of meters are taken out in a DDoS attack.

FWiW, I actually have a very simple smart meter installed which carries nil exploitable risk. It sends my usage back to the Government as and when they require the information. This type of meter is all that is needed for accurate billing and switching. As a recent Parliamentary Report has just asked 'if smart meters are the answer, then what exactly is the problem that smart meters are trying to solve"? It would seem that those responsible for project - within DECC - weren't that sure.

Standing by for incoming.......

Brooker_Dave

Hengus wrote: »

I agree with your last point. Despite what my friend above alleges, I am not against smart meters. The problem is that the GB project is too expensive and too risky because it has been allowed to grow into a monster. For example, having said how vital it was that the meters should have remote disconnection and re-connection facilities, lawyers and HSE experts are suggesting that this is not a sensible or safe way forward - particularly, when gas is involved. Who is going to check that a gas ring wasn't left on when a supply was disconnected remotely, and before it is turned back on?

Biggest risk is granny freezing to death because some energy company can switch off supply with a key stroke.

GingerBob_3

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Biggest risk is granny freezing to death because some energy company can switch off supply with a key stroke.

Exactly. And despite all the assurances that I'm sure will pollute the airwaves and printed press, and that will reassure people this will never happen, it almost certainly will. Being able to remotely disconnect customers will have the suppliers in a state of perpetual orgasm.

Rubidium

House_Martin wrote: »

Some misinformation is being spread around this forum. Thank god only a miniscule few actually trawl the energy forum for their misguided info on smart meters.
Today I ve been into around 30 properties who have had smart meters for years, all working fine.No hysterical claims coming from these happy BG customers I visit, and no one "bullied " anyone to have them fitted .Teddysmum ..for your info..the In House Display runs off the mains, costs around 60p a year and can be stuffed in a cupboard or binned if you prefer once you have worked out which appliances are very expensive to run.Brooker Dave . if the DNO s fancy shutting the electricity off for whatever reason then they can do it for everyone..smart or dumb at the pull of a lever ! so don t be silly.The hundreds of thousands however who steal energy can be cut off remotely and there is nt a person on here who would not like to see that happen.Cannabis farms shut down at the click of a mouse.
Misguided posters imploring people to wait for SMET2 may seem like sense but SMETS2 compliant meters may well take 10 years before they are fitted. British Gas have been fitting their smarts for around 10 years and they are nowhere near complete.The MK 2 SMETS1 meters they have been fitting for the last 6 years will only require a "hub" change to meet SMETS2 requirements, a quick 10 minute job.The meter itself is as smart as it ever needs to be and will not need to be changed. Early "sim card " meters will need the 20 minute job to be changed.

House_Martin wrote: »

Some misinformation is being spread around this forum.

Yes and all of it posted by you.

The fiction that you repeatedly post driven by your obsession for smart meters certainly helps nobody!

House_Martin wrote: »

Misguided posters imploring people to wait for SMET2 may seem like sense but SMETS2 compliant meters may well take 10 years before they are fitted.

Until SMETS2 meters are being fitted and the DCC is fully working in all regions, then smart meters are not fit for purpose and are best avoided.

You seem to forget that this is a money saving site and most readers switch suppliers to save money and a not fit for purpose smart meter is as much use as a banana in a hardware store.

Remember that myself and others only post factual information, so that readers are fully informed of the current smart meter situation and can decide for themselves and they are unlikely to believe a non technical meter reader, no matter how many time you post your uncorroborated rubbish.

Savvy MSE'ers will continue to say no to smart meters until the sorry fiasco is eventually sorted out or cancelled when we leave the EU.

GingerBob_3

Hengus wrote: »

I agree with your last point. Despite what my friend above alleges, I am not against smart meters. The problem is that the GB project is too expensive and too risky because it has been allowed to grow into a monster. For example, having said how vital it was that the meters should have remote disconnection and re-connection facilities, lawyers and HSE experts are suggesting that this is not a sensible or safe way forward - particularly, when gas is involved. Who is going to check that a gas ring wasn't left on when a supply was disconnected remotely, and before it is turned back on?

By building in the ability to disconnect/re-connect remotely, the meters then have a weakness which foreign States and/or other actors could exploit. It may well be a miniscule risk, but it is a risk nevertheless, and one that those who have been involved in the design of these meters, and the supporting infrastructure, are now concerned about. There is no practical way of updating the firmware in these meters OTA - particularly, if large numbers of meters are taken out in a DDoS attack.

FWiW, I actually have a very simple smart meter installed which carries nil exploitable risk. It sends my usage back to the Government as and when they require the information. This type of meter is all that is needed for accurate billing and switching. As a recent Parliamentary Report has just asked 'if smart meters are the answer, then what exactly is the problem that smart meters are trying to solve"? It would seem that those responsible for project - within DECC - weren't that sure.

Standing by for incoming.......

There's a surprise. Smart meters are like driverless cars - a solution looking for a problem.

phillw

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Presumably the big draw of smart meters for the energy company cartel is the ability to switch off a customers supply by remote control if there's a fall out?

Even if the meters have a remote kill switch, it would be a legal nightmare for them to use it. The compensation claims from a hack would put them out of business.

The advantage for them is that they can tell when you are using energy and charge different amounts at different times (as it costs them different amounts at different times). However I think this is going to be a billing disaster.

You will still have a meter inspector visit your property.