why are energy companies pushing smart meters? what's the catch??

[Deleted User]

wild666 said:

My 65" TV uses around 90 W per hour in standby, it's G rated, by turning it off at the socket I'm saving over 2 kWh per day. Everything else turned off is saving me another 1.5 kWh per day. 

More or less all new TV's are G rated, the most energy efficient ones are E rated since the changes in March 2021.

But that is based on "switched on" power usage - kWh per 1000 hours use is the typical measure and doesn't include standby, it never has done in the rating - so the G-rating of your TV is irrelevant to the standby consumption.

The G rating was used 2011 to 2013 and then only re-introduced in March 2021, your TV is either very old or very new.

From 2013 the 1 watt standby came into play as well so any since that date won't be using 90 watts in standby so guessing a pre-2013 TV.

How do you know it is using 90 watts in standby? That is an significant amount of heat and absolutely unbelievable to think any electronic device could make use of that much power when in standby.

brewerdave

Swipe said:

Verdigris said:

I also had a busybody smart meter installer to swap the meter on the wall outside who insisted on coming into the house and started poking around inside the cupboard where my old style consumer unit is located. As far as I was concerned he was there to swap the meter on the wall and had no business coming inside

They aren't allowed to connect to an unsafe gas or electric system. How are they going to ascertain that without looking?

Well, the last meter swap I had, the installer didn't set one foot inside.

About 3 years ago, our next door neighbours came home and found a card thru the door - their leccy meter had been swapped whilst they were out - they hadn't even confirmed an appointment!

alsa1

I actually want a smart meter so the meter reader stops calling round every 3 months, but I’ve never had a supplier that pushed one apart from the odd letter that said they were installing in our area. When I tried to book a few months ago there were never any slots available, and since then haven’t even received an email reminder they promised when the slots would be available.

EssexHebridean

Wow - every three months?! I genuinely can't remember the last time anyone (other than us!) read our electric meter! 

[Deleted User]

We have lived in our present property for 3 1/2 years and unless the meter readers have taken to climbing over 2M fences, we have never seen a meter reader. Ironically, the meter reading requirement changed and then was dropped a few years ago. The saving of £3 per meter per year is included in the smart meter business case.

Astria

Verdigris said:

I also had a busybody smart meter installer to swap the meter on the wall outside who insisted on coming into the house and started poking around inside the cupboard where my old style consumer unit is located. As far as I was concerned he was there to swap the meter on the wall and had no business coming inside

They aren't allowed to connect to an unsafe gas or electric system. How are they going to ascertain that without looking?

They managed to change the electric meter before without me even being in the property (and weirdly enough, it's the only time they've even seen their meter as they've never requested access again since) - they simply said when they were calling and I left the gate unlocked for them to have access. They are already providing electric to the property and don't need to visit every so often to ensure it's still "safe", so I don't see why they need to make sure it's safe when they install a smart meter.

alsa1

EssexHebridean said:

Wow - every three months?! I genuinely can't remember the last time anyone (other than us!) read our electric meter! 

First visit this year was in the spring and then another in August. Bizarrely a reader just called round again last week. Due to working from home it might mean I just see them more often, unless there is some alert on our house to check it more often. 

I upload regular meter readings so its not that they don’t get informed.

 

EssexHebridean

The last time I recall our electricity meter being read it was when I was still self employed - so around 5 years ago. The gas meter may well have been done more recently/regularly but they could do that one easily enough without my knowledge. 

longlegsmama35

Are so-called SMART meters really smart, or not? A programme I watched suggested they are unreliable and put some customers into difficulties. I am being badgered by my dual fuel provider to get a smart meter but am nervous about it and not eager to be tied to the company I'm with by the meters they fit for gas and electricity. Any advice?

FreeBear

longlegsmama35 said:

Are so-called SMART meters really smart, or not? A programme I watched suggested they are unreliable and put some customers into difficulties. I am being badgered by my dual fuel provider to get a smart meter but am nervous about it and not eager to be tied to the company I'm with by the meters they fit for gas and electricity. Any advice?

Advice - Don't go necro-posting on treads that are 3 or 4 years old.

Doesn't matter which supplier fits the meters, it won't stop you from switching and could actually make the process smoother - Eon fitted smart meters here. Within six months, I switched to another supplier without any trouble.