is it worth installing smart meter? (EON)

brewerdave

1. STILL haven't seen anyone posting that their "SMETS2" meter has continued to send readings AFTER a change of supplier - I suspect there are still problems with the DCC
2. Many of the small (cheaper) suppliers are still not set up to use SMETS1/2 meters ,so still require manual readings to be supplied.
3. Still comms. black spots throughout the UK, meaning smart meters may not be a goer for several more years in some areas.
4. I'm led to believe (by someone in the industry locally) that there are shortages of SMETS2 meters so that some suppliers are still fitting SMETS1.
5. Adoption of SMETS1 meters into the DCC seems to be a slow train coming ( perhaps run by Northern Rail:rotfl:)

sevenhills

shaggy wrote: »

For the past few years i have been reluctant to get a smart meter installed due to incompatibilities when changing supplier. But now I've switched to EON they are telling me i am eligible for a free 'second generation smart meter' meaning it is fully compatible should I leave EON.

Is it worth going for smart meters in this day and age and what are the drawbacks ?

I got my smart meter when I was Scottish Power 18 months ago, I moved to Zebra Power and the remote readings stopped. I have now moved to Shell Energy and they tell me that they can read my meter remotly again.

mac.d

I know someone who had a smart meter installed by British Gas (it'll be SMETS1 as it was a couple of years ago), and has just switched back to them after being with another supplier for a year, and their welcome letter states that unfortunately they won't be able to get readings from the smart meter.

The meter is fitted in a box high up on the wall. With the old meter you could read it by standing on a chair & peering up at it (or the floor if you're really tall!), now to get readings you have to stand at the very top of a step ladder so you can push buttons to get to the reading.

So they're more difficult to read, and clearly not fit for purpose if its hit and miss whether or not even the original supplier can properly utilise them? Then we have reps posting on here admitting that they are having problems with some SMETS2 meters.

The sheer incompetence of the smart meter rollout is mind boggling.

sevenhills

mac.d wrote: »

So they're more difficult to read, and clearly not fit for purpose if its hit and miss whether or not even the original supplier can properly utilise them? Then we have reps posting on here admitting that they are having problems with some SMETS2 meters.

My smart meter has a cordless screen which I have on the kitchen window sill, this can display the readings at the push of a button. Your friends may not be aware of this.

brewerdave

sevenhills wrote: »

My smart meter has a cordless screen which I have on the kitchen window sill, this can display the readings at the push of a button. Your friends may not be aware of this.

By cordless screen ,I presume you mean the IHD? The problem is that not all of these devices actually give the true meter reading - certainly not in the case of gas which has to be reported in cubic meters (or 100s cu ft) NOT kwh.

sevenhills

brewerdave wrote: »

By cordless screen ,I presume you mean the IHD? The problem is that not all of these devices actually give the true meter reading - certainly not in the case of gas which has to be reported in cubic meters (or 100s cu ft) NOT kwh.

I can only say that my display seemed correct, I dont see why it would not be.