Advantage of having smart meters

[Deleted User]

schiff said:

BikingBud said:

schiff said:

wild666 said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

jrawle said:

There was a similar thread a couple of weeks ago, and I posted my view there:

I have so far resisted having a smart meter not because I have something to hide or am a conspiracy theorist, but because I don't like having things messed with unnecessarily. My meters work perfectly well at the moment. I have seen several accounts of people who have had gas leaks following a meter exchange. It seems that just about every job I have done at home by a tradesman is substandard, or results in damage being done to my property. If my meters genuinely wear out and need replacement, I would be happy for the replacement to be a smart meter, but not for them to be changed just for the sake of it. There is also an environmental impact of having a meter changed before the end of its life.

I also do not like the way the adverts give the impression that smart meters magically save energy, with small print such as "consumer action required" the only disclaimer. Non scientifically minded people may well believe this, and actually do less to save energy once they have smart meters.

I do not believe automatic meter reading will cut excessive credit balances, either. This has little to do with estimated readings, and anyone who gives their supplier a regular reading well knows. It is more to do with suppliers deliberately running up a credit to make a few extra pennies out of each customer.

All meters have a lifespan, they always have had.  The components inside wear over time and they lose accuracy.  I remember getting our old cogs and gears one replaced with one with a digital display back in 2000-odd.  This is just exactly what has always happened.  It just so happens that the latest meters do a bit more than older ones.

They definitely do save energy, evidenced by the huge number of threads on here where people are trying to work out what is costing them however much per hour or whatever - people are alerted to this consumption by their meter.  They work out what's needlessly costing them money and switch it off.  In the old days they wouldn't have known any of this.

If it doesn't need to be on in my place then it's off at the socket the only appliances that stay on 24/7 are the fridge, freezer and router everything else is off and stays off unless I want to use it.

I've found this very useful and I'm now enrolled into the system! I've 'found' two plugs that are switched on for a phone and a laptop that I've not used in years. Now switching off the kettle (in use probably 20 minutes a day) and the microwave about the same. TVs laptops etc. One simple thing I'm unsure about - I click off the plugs via the red rocker switch on the wall socket. Is that enough (the connection no longer being live) or should the plug be taken out altogether for the required result? TYIA

"Found" two plugs?

Was this via a quick visual review/inspection of all your sockets or as a result of getting a smart meter?

Fundamentally it is about overall approach to power usage, consumption, even low levels, should be evident irrespective of the type of meter that is installed.

Checked every socket in the house - one was a bit out of sight under a wall cupboard and the other was for my fixed phone line that I haven't used in years. I've set my mind against a smart meter until I'm forced to. I submit my readings on the last day of every month and now that I'm using (thanks to wild666 inter alia) these little economies in the use of power, I feel in control.

Then you might miss out on some of the other benefits of having a smart meter. For example, I have been seeing voltages in excess of 253volts which has the potential to damage appliance/boiler PCBs; LED lights etc. I asked my DNO to review the voltage data recorded by my smart meter and it has acknowledged that there is a voltage issue which needs to be addressed at sub-station level. This is what smart metering is all about.

By way of background, the UK grid has a nominal voltage of 230 volts with permissible tolerances of -6% and +10%. As more and more renewable generators are rolled out (wind farms; solar and batteries), the average Grid voltage has been increasing. My average voltage is now 249volts.

jazzy

Just moved into a property, previous owner was using British Gas for both electric and gas also a smart meter at the property. Are there any issues if I change my supplier regarding the current smart meter which I presume is set up for British Gas?

[Deleted User]

jazzy said:

Just moved into a property, previous owner was using British Gas for both electric and gas also a smart meter at the property. Are there any issues if I change my supplier regarding the current smart meter which I presume is set up for British Gas?

No and Yes. If the meter is a SMETS2 or a SMETS1 which has been enrolled on and adopted by the DCC, then the meter is not supplier dependent. If the meter is a SMETS1 which hasn’t been ‘ E and A’d or one of BG’s earlier smart meters then it may go dumb on supplier switch. You will need to ask your proposed supplier.

All that said, why are you looking at a new supplier when you are already on BG’s cheapest tariff? Other suppliers may only agree to a transfer if you agree to one of their very expensive fixed price contracts.

wild666

jazzy said:

Just moved into a property, previous owner was using British Gas for both electric and gas also a smart meter at the property. Are there any issues if I change my supplier regarding the current smart meter which I presume is set up for British Gas?

I had my BG SMETS 1 meter installed in 2015 and neither OFTM, Bulb or Avro could read the meter but Octopus can. I was relieved when I checked my account and it said "Explore my energy usage" on the dashboard when I logged in at the beginning of November.

savers_united

The IHD that get supplied with the Smart meter are for the most a little pointless but have recently helped me reduce / save some energy.

I have it set to current useage and its plugged in on the kitchen worktop. A couple of times now I have seen it spike from around 450w to 2.2kwh without any obvious reason. After trying to track down the spikes, found that the EV had suddenly starting charging (out of off peak schedule) and on another occasion one of the kids had left the electric heater on up the attic, but as it was on a low thermostat setting was only kicking in now and again. So they can be useful, although there are alternatives without having to get a smart meter fitted that do a similar job. 

littlemoney

wittynamegoeshere said:

Why would anyone would want to buy other equipment, muck about with meters or keep spreadsheets to do the thing that a free thing provided by your supplier does better than anything else?

I'd rather put my time and effort into things that are actually worth caring about.

I don't want another organisation knowing when I am or not at home by tracking my usage. I am yet to be assured of the security of something that sends such data.

swan6060

i think smart meter allows for better managing our usage,  can save money that way!!! great for budgeting. 

Keep_pedalling

littlemoney said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

Why would anyone would want to buy other equipment, muck about with meters or keep spreadsheets to do the thing that a free thing provided by your supplier does better than anything else?

I'd rather put my time and effort into things that are actually worth caring about.

I don't want another organisation knowing when I am or not at home by tracking my usage. I am yet to be assured of the security of something that sends such data.

You need one of these.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_foil_hat

Chino

Dolor said:

By way of background, the UK grid has a nominal voltage of 230 volts with permissible tolerances of -6% and +10%. As more and more renewable generators are rolled out (wind farms; solar and batteries), the average Grid voltage has been increasing. My average voltage is now 249volts.

Historically the UK has had a nominal voltage of 240V. The only reason it became 230V was to align with Europe. So your claimed average voltage as measured by your uncalibrated smart meter of 249V is nothing out of the ordinary.

CRISPIANNE3

Personally we are old fashion people and like to take the readings ourselves and submit them as and when requested.