Advantage of having smart meters

JGB1955

I have a SMETS1 meter from BG.  I put the IHD back in the cupboard-under-the-stairs (probably) 5 years ago.  We've moved providers every year (3 times in the last year).  I'm not fussed about it.  Prefer to read (and submit) my meter readings monthly.  Job done.

[Deleted User]

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.

What has turning off appliances got to do with having or not having a smart meter? The information/data that DNOs are desperate for is 30 minute usage data. KWhs/year doesn’t work as more people install heat pumps and EVSEs. Smart meters provide that level of granularity so that DNOs can better manage the Grid.

BikingBud

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

Why?

What benefit do you get from leaving the router on if nothing else is powered up?

Also in cold weather, heating turned down, the fridge and freezer are unlikely to warm up too much. Turn them off overnight and you could probably save yourself another tanner!

QrizB

kimp22 said:

Update so now I have to wait till the 12th of January. I have had a few telephone calls which they said it wasn't on there system that we had an appointment. But I had received emails from them so they couldn't get out of it. They are supposed to be sending £30 compensation for the missed appointment. I was thinking of switching suppliers because my credit on meters are so low.

Sorry to hear you'be been given the run-around but I guess £30 is better than nothing!

wild666

jrawle said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

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.

As I said in my comment, I would have no objection to a new meter being a smart meter when the time came for it to be replaced anyway. What I object to is meters being replaced before it's necessary, due to waste, and the potential for unnecessary damage to be done to my property.

I also dislike the deceitful letters the big suppliers send out saying my meter is "obsolete" and must be replaced as soon as possible. Clearly twaddle, motivated by targets for smart meter installation set by the government. It's little better than the situation at the start of privatisation when salesmen would call and say you had to switch supplier as the old one had "run out of gas". Lies, plain and simple.

A friend who moved into a new build flat in 1983 is being pressured into having the meter changed for a smart meter. He is like me, a very low user, using around 120 kWh per month on electric and around 1 unit gas in summer and 4 units in winter per month. His meter readings haven't changed in nearly 40 years, his monthly DD for gas in winter is more than his usage. He uses hot water bottles and extra layers of clothing in winter. 
He turns everything off at the socket, even before I started to do so. 

Keep_pedalling

wild666 said:

jrawle said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

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.

As I said in my comment, I would have no objection to a new meter being a smart meter when the time came for it to be replaced anyway. What I object to is meters being replaced before it's necessary, due to waste, and the potential for unnecessary damage to be done to my property.

I also dislike the deceitful letters the big suppliers send out saying my meter is "obsolete" and must be replaced as soon as possible. Clearly twaddle, motivated by targets for smart meter installation set by the government. It's little better than the situation at the start of privatisation when salesmen would call and say you had to switch supplier as the old one had "run out of gas". Lies, plain and simple.

A friend who moved into a new build flat in 1983 is being pressured into having the meter changed for a smart meter. He is like me, a very low user, using around 120 kWh per month on electric and around 1 unit gas in summer and 4 units in winter per month. His meter readings haven't changed in nearly 40 years, his monthly DD for gas in winter is more than his usage. He uses hot water bottles and extra layers of clothing in winter. 
He turns everything off at the socket, even before I started to do so. 

If he is still on the original meter then it sounds like it is due for replacement because of its age. It won’t make any difference to his usage or how much he pays so why object to it being replaced?

wild666

Keep_pedalling said:

wild666 said:

jrawle said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

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.

As I said in my comment, I would have no objection to a new meter being a smart meter when the time came for it to be replaced anyway. What I object to is meters being replaced before it's necessary, due to waste, and the potential for unnecessary damage to be done to my property.

I also dislike the deceitful letters the big suppliers send out saying my meter is "obsolete" and must be replaced as soon as possible. Clearly twaddle, motivated by targets for smart meter installation set by the government. It's little better than the situation at the start of privatisation when salesmen would call and say you had to switch supplier as the old one had "run out of gas". Lies, plain and simple.

A friend who moved into a new build flat in 1983 is being pressured into having the meter changed for a smart meter. He is like me, a very low user, using around 120 kWh per month on electric and around 1 unit gas in summer and 4 units in winter per month. His meter readings haven't changed in nearly 40 years, his monthly DD for gas in winter is more than his usage. He uses hot water bottles and extra layers of clothing in winter. 
He turns everything off at the socket, even before I started to do so. 

If he is still on the original meter then it sounds like it is due for replacement because of its age. It won’t make any difference to his usage or how much he pays so why object to it being replaced?

He's stubborn, he believes if it ain't broken don't try and fix it and that's what he thinks about changing meters. His meters are outside the flat so the energy company could just send someone to replace them and notify him that they are changing them when they come to change them by knocking at his door and telling him he will lose power whilst they change the meters.

uptdale

Keep_pedalling said:

wild666 said:

jrawle said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

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.

As I said in my comment, I would have no objection to a new meter being a smart meter when the time came for it to be replaced anyway. What I object to is meters being replaced before it's necessary, due to waste, and the potential for unnecessary damage to be done to my property.

I also dislike the deceitful letters the big suppliers send out saying my meter is "obsolete" and must be replaced as soon as possible. Clearly twaddle, motivated by targets for smart meter installation set by the government. It's little better than the situation at the start of privatisation when salesmen would call and say you had to switch supplier as the old one had "run out of gas". Lies, plain and simple.

A friend who moved into a new build flat in 1983 is being pressured into having the meter changed for a smart meter. He is like me, a very low user, using around 120 kWh per month on electric and around 1 unit gas in summer and 4 units in winter per month. His meter readings haven't changed in nearly 40 years, his monthly DD for gas in winter is more than his usage. He uses hot water bottles and extra layers of clothing in winter. 
He turns everything off at the socket, even before I started to do so. 

If he is still on the original meter then it sounds like it is due for replacement because of its age. It won’t make any difference to his usage or how much he pays so why object to it being replaced?

Alternatively, if the existing meter works, is easily readable, and meets his needs, why bother with the hassle of having it changed just because his current supplier wants him to?

Keep_pedalling

uptdale said:

Keep_pedalling said:

wild666 said:

jrawle said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

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.

As I said in my comment, I would have no objection to a new meter being a smart meter when the time came for it to be replaced anyway. What I object to is meters being replaced before it's necessary, due to waste, and the potential for unnecessary damage to be done to my property.

I also dislike the deceitful letters the big suppliers send out saying my meter is "obsolete" and must be replaced as soon as possible. Clearly twaddle, motivated by targets for smart meter installation set by the government. It's little better than the situation at the start of privatisation when salesmen would call and say you had to switch supplier as the old one had "run out of gas". Lies, plain and simple.

A friend who moved into a new build flat in 1983 is being pressured into having the meter changed for a smart meter. He is like me, a very low user, using around 120 kWh per month on electric and around 1 unit gas in summer and 4 units in winter per month. His meter readings haven't changed in nearly 40 years, his monthly DD for gas in winter is more than his usage. He uses hot water bottles and extra layers of clothing in winter. 
He turns everything off at the socket, even before I started to do so. 

If he is still on the original meter then it sounds like it is due for replacement because of its age. It won’t make any difference to his usage or how much he pays so why object to it being replaced?

Alternatively, if the existing meter works, is easily readable, and meets his needs, why bother with the hassle of having it changed just because his current supplier wants him to?

With such an old meter there is a reasonable chance it is no longer functioning within spec, and that tends to mean running faster rather than slower.

Swipe

Keep_pedalling said:

uptdale said:

Keep_pedalling said:

wild666 said:

jrawle said:

wittynamegoeshere said:

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.

As I said in my comment, I would have no objection to a new meter being a smart meter when the time came for it to be replaced anyway. What I object to is meters being replaced before it's necessary, due to waste, and the potential for unnecessary damage to be done to my property.

I also dislike the deceitful letters the big suppliers send out saying my meter is "obsolete" and must be replaced as soon as possible. Clearly twaddle, motivated by targets for smart meter installation set by the government. It's little better than the situation at the start of privatisation when salesmen would call and say you had to switch supplier as the old one had "run out of gas". Lies, plain and simple.

A friend who moved into a new build flat in 1983 is being pressured into having the meter changed for a smart meter. He is like me, a very low user, using around 120 kWh per month on electric and around 1 unit gas in summer and 4 units in winter per month. His meter readings haven't changed in nearly 40 years, his monthly DD for gas in winter is more than his usage. He uses hot water bottles and extra layers of clothing in winter. 
He turns everything off at the socket, even before I started to do so. 

If he is still on the original meter then it sounds like it is due for replacement because of its age. It won’t make any difference to his usage or how much he pays so why object to it being replaced?

Alternatively, if the existing meter works, is easily readable, and meets his needs, why bother with the hassle of having it changed just because his current supplier wants him to?

With such an old meter there is a reasonable chance it is no longer functioning within spec, and that tends to mean running faster rather than slower.

I think you'll find in most cases an old mechanical meter will be running slower, rather faster. It certainly was in my case too.