Smart Meters

mmmmikey

carinjo wrote: »

tried using the search function, but asking a question might be easier: am i able to get a smart meter if i have an old fuse box, the one with the wire coil(?)? Also, I am with Avro, who does not do installations, so am thinking of switching to a bigger company and then switching back, so i can monitor my usage, but now i read here that the new second generation meters giving issues. shall i wait to switch i bit longer?

Sadly, you might just as well walk into the House of Commons and ask what everyone thinks about Brexit as ask what people think about smart meters here. There are valid views expressed on either side of the argument, but just as the Brexit debate has become dominated by relatively small groups on the extremes of the argument taking entrenched positions, so has the discussion of smart meters here. Some refuse to acknowledge the benefits of accurate billing and energy monitors; others gloss over the high cost and implementation issues.



There seems to me to be very little balance in the argument here, so I would suggest discussing the merits and issues of them with people you know in real life!


As far as your specific question is concerned, yes, you can do that. There is a chance that the smart meter will stop being smart if you change supplier, but the newer (so called SMETS2) meters are designed to overcome that problem, and work is underway to make the older smart meters work with any supplier.

Michaelw

I've again got problems with my British Gas smart meters' after it not charging for electricity at all,Ive just noticed it hasn't updated to the current prices for electricity.It took British Gas a week to reconfigure the former however it hasn't updated on April the 1st but the gas price did increase on the gas meter.The HAN light is flashing red again also.

Theres no monitoring of meters' at this supplier and its only when its drawn to their attention that they become aware,also call centre staff gave the impression of nervousness in the system and the wrong solutions were given previously.

These meters' clearly need to kept an eye on,if the in home display is disconnected for any period their can be malfunctioning and the customer is unlikely to be aware of problems.I will have to be back on the phone again.

[Deleted User]

So when you say 'billed accurately'. Does that mean i would only get billed for exactly what i'd used that month?


So if i used £10 of energy in a month, i would be billed and my bank account would be debited £10 at the end of that month?

[Deleted User]

Lol, "accurate billing".


Yeah, like everyone else's billing is just "made up".


Incredible.

Nick_C

DeletedUser wrote: »

Lol, "accurate billing".


Yeah, like everyone else's billing is just "made up".


Incredible.

Before I had a smart meter, most of my bills were made up, aka estimated.

With accurate billing, I can change my DD or get a refund every month. As I'm with Ovo, I'm happy for them to pay me 4%on my credit balance. And like most people, I find it convenient to pay the same amount all year round.

matelodave

There are companies with variable direct debits that will just debit the cost for the month, you migh have to search for them but they are available.

Some people find it easier to budget with a fixed amount every month, others get into difficulties and then find it hard to get out of the debt.

Personally I'm happy to pay a regular £75 a month rather than £150+ in December, Jan and Feb and only £35 during the summer. Quarterly is worse when you get a bill for £400 just after Xmas and again at the end of March

mintyman99

I had been with TOTO and had a smart meter installed while taking their services, however I have now changed supplier (to reduce the cost of course), unfortunately the new supplier is unable to read any smart meter. After transferring I have now found that over 1400 units has been added to my bill as the smart meter only gives energy used (which start from 0), and not the actual reading as in the old dial type. I may be looking at the wrong part when pressing "9" but tried everything available on the web. Any suggestions as to how I can get the accurate reading as I know that when I move to a new supplier I will have to pay in excess of £1900. I think maybe go back to OVO but that will not sort out the situation I have.

matelodave

Of course the meter only give the current reading - it doesn't reset to zero when you change suppliers.
You get charged for the number of units between the previous and present readings. So I'm guessing that you might have given your new supplier the wrong reading - it should be the actual reading on the day you transfer (when the new supplier takes over). You do not start from zero.

Are you reading the actual meter or the indoor unit - you should be reading the meter outside if your indoor unit doesn't allow you to read the actual meter reading.

[Deleted User]

mintyman99 wrote: »

I had been with TOTO and had a smart meter installed while taking their services, however I have now changed supplier (to reduce the cost of course), unfortunately the new supplier is unable to read any smart meter. After transferring I have now found that over 1400 units has been added to my bill as the smart meter only gives energy used (which start from 0), and not the actual reading as in the old dial type. I may be looking at the wrong part when pressing "9" but tried everything available on the web. Any suggestions as to how I can get the accurate reading as I know that when I move to a new supplier I will have to pay in excess of £1900. I think maybe go back to OVO but that will not sort out the situation I have.

The reading you need is on the second screen after pressing button 9.It will show an 8 digit reading ( it has "HAN " under the reading and KW is also shown ) but only the first 7 digits are used. There is a hard to see decimal point after the 7 th digit which you should ignore.
This meter is constantly providing false readings when both customers and meter readers include the last digit.
There is also a KVarH reading on ,I think the , 5 th screen which should nt even be shown on any domestic electric meter in the UK. The kVarh reading is only used on business meters in the UK
.This shows the formerly business heritage of these totally unsuitable electric and gas smart meters much in use by cash strapped small suppliers grabbing a cheap meter off the shelf and foisting them on an unsuspecting public

mintyman99

Just look at the outside meter and the second screen is the one I have been reading, that one was set at "0" when the meter was installed. The number of units I have been submitting is consistant with previous years. It is the difference from 86** which was on the old meter and "0" which was on the smart ,meter. The old supplier has stated that had the old meter reading as 86** and in July when I changed I was using the smart meter reading on the outside which started at "0". My new supplier has tried to sort it out but have not got anywhere and has charged me the full rate. In July of last year was one of the hottest for sometime and my new supplier understands that but I have still been charged for all the extra. I think I may now need to take if further as this has become very expensive.
Thanks for the info on the readings, it confirmed I have been doing it right.