Smart Meters

carl.waring

buglawton said:

Gerry1 said:

buglawton said:

Why hasn't anyone made a smart meter accessory to simply connect into WiFi?

By blocking its access to wifi or switching off your router you'd be able to defeat its enforcement facilities, e.g. Load Limiting, Load Shedding and Remote Disconnection.

Very easily managed. You get some sort of alarm/warning that it's off-line and move to a basic consumption model (those extra features that probably aren't implemented anywhere yet would stop working). It might cost a bit more per kWh. Once you reconnect, the stored readings are uploaded. No different from when the communication goes down temporarily in current smart meters. I suspect when the hard core of thick-walled rural properties that are unable to use current smart meters is recognised, WiFi will indeed be the solution.

So ironic that a property can have fibre into the premises, a mesh WiFi and the smart meter is unable to communicate!

Not really. Just the same way that a mobile phone won't work in those circumstances

victor2

buglawton said:

Gerry1 said:

buglawton said:

Why hasn't anyone made a smart meter accessory to simply connect into WiFi?

By blocking its access to wifi or switching off your router you'd be able to defeat its enforcement facilities, e.g. Load Limiting, Load Shedding and Remote Disconnection.

Very easily managed. You get some sort of alarm/warning that it's off-line and move to a basic consumption model (those extra features that probably aren't implemented anywhere yet would stop working). It might cost a bit more per kWh. Once you reconnect, the stored readings are uploaded. No different from when the communication goes down temporarily in current smart meters. I suspect when the hard core of thick-walled rural properties that are unable to use current smart meters is recognised, WiFi will indeed be the solution.

So ironic that a property can have fibre into the premises, a mesh WiFi and the smart meter is unable to communicate!

It still doesn't address the problem you have now with smart meters not being usable in a block of flats where all the meters are in a single room in the basement, where there is no mobile signal, or WiFi for that matter. Enforce the utility companies to install a dedicated communications line? Which company would be responsible for that? Maybe the DCC should pay for it and spread the cost over all subscribers, which is ultimately us, the consumers, of course.

brewerdave

jimexbox said:

Why is a smart meter installer required to check your boiler flue? An installer turned up last week to install one, said he couldn't install them because he isn't allowed to access an unboarded loft to check the flue that is viable from the loft hatch. My loft due to the pitch is totally unsuitable to have boards down, so no smart meters for me then. 

When a gas meter is changed, the installer is supposed to check that all gas appliances are purged and checked after meter exchange. I suppose your installer could have been paranoid about relighting a possibly unsafe boiler??

johnc

Whats the general consensus on whether to get a Smart Meter or not? My electrician told me not to bother as the old meters are better and more reliable. Are the in home displays actually useful at all? I would love to see for instance whether my Fridge/Freezer is causing my electric bill to go up by looking at the usage overnight for instance. 

aurion22

I had a Smart Meter fitted but regret it for several reasons:

1. The display unit didn't work at all for the first few months and it took many calls/emails to get it working but then only intermittently so I've turned it off. 
2. The meter is much harder to read than the old one and takes up more space in the cupboard. 
3. The meter didn't send readings to my supplier so it looked as if my account was massively in credit. When I asked for a refund they realised there was a problem and hurriedly calculated how much I'd used in 3 months! 

My experience has been that getting a Smart Meter was just a series of aggravations so I would agree with your electrician: don't bother!
:-(
Loretta 

Ken68

It saves me having to move furniture away from the electric cupboard for the meter man. Also I can check on the display unit instantly for my own monthly records.
Yes,  I approve of smart meters and if they go wrong I have historical readings over many years of my own in the event of usage dispute.

carl.waring

johnc said:

Whats the general consensus on whether to get a Smart Meter or not? My electrician told me not to bother as the old meters are better and more reliable. Are the in home displays actually useful at all? I would love to see for instance whether my Fridge/Freezer is causing my electric bill to go up by looking at the usage overnight for instance. 

There is no good reason not to get one. All of the 'reasons' you see or hear about on the news, etc., are mostly nonsense.

Oh, and yes, you would be able to see that with the IHD.

(Can't post links yet but look for the Smart Energy GB website.

brewerdave

carl.waring said:

johnc said:

Whats the general consensus on whether to get a Smart Meter or not? My electrician told me not to bother as the old meters are better and more reliable. Are the in home displays actually useful at all? I would love to see for instance whether my Fridge/Freezer is causing my electric bill to go up by looking at the usage overnight for instance. 

There is no good reason not to get one. All of the 'reasons' you see or hear about on the news, etc., are mostly nonsense.

Oh, and yes, you would be able to see that with the IHD.

(Can't post links yet but look for the Smart Energy GB website.

And what is your job title at Smart Energy GB??

carl.waring

Yes. That's the only possible reason I'm posting in favour of smart meters 🙄🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️
Or perhaps it's really just because I believe in facts and common sense and not nonsense.

Gerry1

johnc said:

I would love to see for instance whether my Fridge/Freezer is causing my electric bill to go up by looking at the usage overnight for instance.

You certainly don't need a smart meter to do that !  Even if it has a spinning disk and pointy dials, you can easily read the meter last thing at night and first thing in the morning and see how many kWh you have used.

Better still, if it is a modern non-smart meter you can easily measure the consumption at any given time just by looking at the red flashing light.  For example, if it says '1000 Impulses per kWh' and it flashes every 30 seconds that's 120 flashes per hour which works out at 0.120 kWh per hour so you're using 120W.