Smart meters. Good or bad?

brewerdave

E30M3 wrote: »

Interoperability tests concluded in January 2019 showing that SMETS1 meters can now connect like a SMETS2 meter allowing people to change supply and retain their smart meter functionality :T

Can you give us a reference for this claim??

BML

Many thanks for all of the advice upon which my conclusion is that I don't find any information that attracts me to the conclusion that its worth having one.

badmemory

E30M3 wrote: »

Interoperability tests concluded in January 2019 showing that SMETS1 meters can now connect like a SMETS2 meter allowing people to change supply and retain their smart meter functionality :T

Well when enough people come on here and say that this has ACTUALLY happened, I will reserve judgement. Unfortunately it is too dark at the moment to see the pigs flying overhead.

PennineAcute

That depends what you want them for. I wanted them so I could measure my daily gas and elec usage, so I could enter the daily usage into my spreadsheet. My In Home Display also shows my meter readings. So to me, even though they are now dumb, just what the doctor ordered.

[Deleted User]

badmemory wrote: »

Well when enough people come on here and say that this has ACTUALLY happened, I will reserve judgement. Unfortunately it is too dark at the moment to see the pigs flying overhead.

https://utilityweek.co.uk/smets1-devices-proven-interoperable-dcc-test-shows/
I m not saying this proves much , but maybe you, and others on here may have to take your sun glasses off to see the flying porkers !
I have only read the headline from Utility Week and not delved any further on the website but it sounds like its certainly possible.
If it only works with just Secure Liberty meters it would be a good thing. These are the meters the majority of money savers will be using because most/all the small suppliers opt for them.

cfw1994

bonus2010 wrote: »

I've had a smart meter that worked for a short while when I was with Scottish Power and considered it a good idea with not having to open the door to meter readers etc... but when I moved over to Our Power it wasn't compatible with their system, but the In-house display continued to work, which meant I haven't needed to look into dark cupboards to get a meter reading.

I think they're a good idea but disappointed that there's different types of smart meters not compatible with all suppliers... hopefully that'll change though

So: with a SMETS1 meter, if you move supplier in the future (as you did), I assume you just go back to providing readings (as I currently do with GNE!) - is that right, or am i missing something that meant you were limited to who you moved to?

If so...then aside from indignation at what a utter shambles it appears to be....why the fuss?
Any 'genuine' issues to be concerned with?

Okay, it would be NICE to be portable, and the apparently delayed SMETS2 will resolve that....but right now we are coming to the end of a deal, & the best one we can find is Octopus GO (we will have an EV within 6 months, so useful for that to get cheap charge!)....but with the delays, they are only installing SMETS1 meters....& I haven't paid enough attention to what this might mean!!

thx for any advice!

brianposter

cfw1994 wrote: »

Any 'genuine' issues to be concerned with?

One that we have come across recently in Spain - the smart meter cuts off the electricity supply if you exceed the contracted current. You have to switch off at the fuse box to get back the supply.
It means in practice that we switch off the heating before using the oven or the kettle.

bonus2010

@cfw1994

Yep you're right. It was a Scottish Power smart meter I had fitted and then when I moved to Our Power their systems couldn’t communicate with Scottish Power’s smart meter, which isn’t very smart.
My smart meter was fitted late 2016 so I’m only assuming it’s a SMETS1 because that would agree with the info I’ve found that70% of them are not cross compatible with every supplier, unlike SMETs 2 which uses a different communication system.

I had to go back to just providing Our Power with regular meter readings as before by submitting them to their website . However, the little In-house display still talks to the smart meter, but that just helps me in getting the meter reading.

Nobody is limited as to which supplier they can choose or switch to because of their smart meter, at worst the meter just becomes dumb as like the traditional meter, i.e. the supplier can’t communicate with them.

From what I’ve read all suppliers are now required to fit SMETS2 except those suppliers (12 of them ) that have an exemption until end of March 2019, but mainly for reasons if they fit pre-payment meters.

binao

E.ON SMETS1 or 2 now

Hi all, I've been receiving regular phone calls recently from E.ON re having a smart meter fitted.


The question is, are E.ON now fitting the newer type 2 in my area? Doown sooeth.

Maybe the E.ON rep has inside info. TIA.

matelodave

binao wrote: »

E.ON SMETS1 or 2 now

Hi all, I've been receiving regular phone calls recently from E.ON re having a smart meter fitted.


The question is, are E.ON now fitting the newer type 2 in my area? Doown sooeth.

Maybe the E.ON rep has inside info. TIA.

If you keep getting phone calls then surely it would be easy to ask whoever phones you what sort of meter they are offering.

I really can't imagine why anyone on here would know especially as we dont know where you live