Smart meter display comparison

Raxiel

matelodave wrote: »

You must have an E7 meter then if it's recording day & night consumption separately. Does it not ahve a single aggregate total.

Do you have problems swapping suppliers?

I do. I assumed (which was my first mistake) that since I was on a single rate tariff that E.ON would swap my old mechanical E7 meter for a single rate smart meter, but they didn't, they swapped like for like. (They would have fitted single rate if I'd thought to ask)

My night usage isn't enough to justify an E7 tariff (although on my current E.ON tariff it would only work out about £2 a month more for the E7 version, so not the end of the world). And at least this way if the ratio changes I have the option of switching to E7.

The meter itself gives both day/night readings as well as a total reading, the IHD only gives the total. If I switch, my closing readings would need to be 2 rate, so my opening readings would need to be too.

If I wanted to switch to a company that refuses to offer single rate tariffs to people with dual rate meters I'd have a problem, but if Iresa can manage to do that, then there's no reason (beyond greed) that any other company can't, so I'm content they don't get my business.

Michaelw

House_Martin wrote: »

Non of these gizmos are "smart meters " that lies elsewhere in the property.
They are the cheap freebie In House Display . When it breaks down they wont replace it free.
and it will sure as hell go bang at some time .Most of them never even stay plugged in for more than a few months when they are binned or put to the back of a drawer.
The worst smart meter by a country mile is the Liberty Secure appalling meters.
Shame on Eon for cutting corners and saving a few bob by insulting their customers installing them.They only appeal to techo geeks

Its worth noting that while the in home display is part of the smart meter system at home the display does belong to the energy supplier.A number of British Gas displays' have appeared on Ebay for sale.They do not belong to the householder and they are channel locked by an installer pin and are of no use because of this also if a fault develops the terms and conditions state that British gas must be informed.

The installer informed me that they simply cannot pop one in the post and requires a callout.They could be more robust but thats opinion.

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/gas-and-electricity/our-energy-tariffs/standard/terms.html#content14

Most people won't have experience of one or two displays but the British Gas display does stand out Its clear segment colour bar is ideal simple to operate and covers all aspects of the smart meter operation.the downside is fingerprints on the display and is really needed to enter a vend code in prepayment although I have never had to use this and gas real time is behind but that is probably common to all smart meters.

There should be no need for monochrome displays' in todays' home and suggests a cost factor might be involved.

king312

thorganby wrote: »

It is good to find out before installation, exactly what features the various different suppliers smart meters provide.

I have read that not all in house displays show the actual volume meter reading from the gas meter in cubic meters. This is important for those with disability issues who want to periodically record their actual meter readings from the in house display and not some useless kWh approximation which will not be used for billing.

If the in house display does not show the actual meter readings then smart meters are useless as far as I am concerned. I am certainly not interested in a high, medium, low traffic light type display or silly CO2 figures.

Exactly, i want to know about everyone opinion. If it is different, how??? If it is a different display, post a picture.

There is a lot of variation with the displays and how they connect, without comparison and a little push none of the suppliers will change or improve their meters/displays

chiny

I'm still on dim meters, as none of the offerings to date have looked that good. I'd want a "connection" (USB, wifi, bluetooth, whatever) that enabled consumer access to the data, giving an easy way of routinely exporting the data.

Years ago, my electricity supplier gave me a Current Cost display device, using a clamp on detector feeding a box with a radio link to the display. It was all a bit naff and after the usual few months, just sat there, neglected, by the electricity meter in the garage. Years later, one dark winter's day, I came across it and got it going, with mods... and every hour, it now updates a web site page with electricity consumption. Entertaining to devise and it performed the useful function of making me switch off 24/7 gizmos at night, saving just under £100/year.

It does give rather a lot away about the household, although perhaps no more than social media but generally I don't share the info. Trickier to sort the same for gas.

System

I think that we should all expect the industry to move to apps or browser information in the next few years. Suppliers have never been keen on IHDs because of the cost.

https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2445266/energy-suppliers-to-trial-mobile-apps-in-smart-meter-display-experiment

Carrot007

Hengus wrote: »

I think that we should all expect the industry to move to apps or browser information in the next few years. Suppliers have never been keen on IHDs because of the cost.

https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2445266/energy-suppliers-to-trial-mobile-apps-in-smart-meter-display-experiment

I just want my HH data. I don't care where it comes from!

And web apps might be good but since they only read the meter once a day (for 48 reads if applicable). It would not be an instant display. The sane solution if obviously a wifi acces point the meter generates and you can connect to for info. but I don't see it happening.