Would you recommend a smart meter from Octopus energy?

[Deleted User]

Mstty said:

@Deleted_User @victor2 Strangely it had the opposite effect on us with the April cap price rise.

Now the smart meter is showing everything correctly priced per kWh wise we are looking to get under a certain amount each day as to not waste too much money on energy.

Deciding some days to use certain high energy usage items and it makes us think more about the energy we use.

I am sure we will settle into a rhythm and it will become less used but for now it's very useful to us.

So the example tonight is film night. We have a nice projector and are using it less since working out what it used on the smart meter and started using it for film nights only. We know how much it will use later on for three hours and we have decided go for a cheaper microwaved meal option rather than the oven to supplement this.

Oh more power to you if you gain something from it.

 I've found I'm just not wired that way in managing my habits to such a level of detail. 

Mstty

@Deleted_UserMore a case of having to to be honest. We aren't generally wired this way either with over 25 years of very cheap energy if we look back and analyse we've had a good run.

But the jump for us in price in April means if we don't look at it closely(with the help of the smart meter) "Fun things" for the year will just not happen.

We've had smart meters for the past 3 years and since April it's the first time we have really paid any attention to it..

But once we have a routine I suspect it will be turned off til this Winter when the next round of energy saving comes in with fiddling with the Air Source Heat Pump🤣

[Deleted User]

Mstty said:

@Deleted_UserMore a case of having to to be honest. We aren't generally wired this way either with over 25 years of very cheap energy if we look back and analyse we've had a good run.

But the jump for us in price in April means if we don't look at it closely(with the help of the smart meter) "Fun things" for the year will just not happen.

We've had smart meters for the past 3 years and since April it's the first time we have really paid any attention to it..

But once we have a routine I suspect it will be turned off til this Winter when the next round of energy saving comes in with fiddling with the Air Source Heat Pump🤣

its really a sad state of affairs when you think the money spent on these energy savings ideas and renewables over decades and the prices have steadily increased and then rocket 50% in April and god knows what in Oct. 

QrizB

Deleted_User said:

its really a sad state of affairs when you think the money spent on these energy savings ideas and renewables over decades and the prices have steadily increased and then rocket 50% in April and god knows what in Oct. 

Renewables are reducing your energy bills and saving you money. We just don't have enough of them yet.

The current "green levy" for CfD-supported generation is zero and this quarter the generators will be paying around £105M to Ofgem for the privilege, which will be taken off our electricity bills in due course. It's forecast to remain like this at least until next year, and possibly into 2024.

See:

https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/index.php/dashboards/cfd/levy-dashboards/interim-levy-rate-and-total-reserve-amount

wild666

[Deleted User] said:

However said:

Same situation as you, I had SMs fitted 24th March. You cannot verify they have been installed properly - you are told to wait for at least 14 days for them to work. In my case, the Gas started working quite quickly (three days) but the Elec didn't. The IHD sat waiting for data. After my email after 14 days, yesterday (4th May) Elec started working (and I got an email from Octopus saying so). The IHD was not mentioned in the email and is still 'wating', so I've sent another email - no reply as yet.

The whole purpose of the exercise is for me to be able to monitor and see what scope there is to reduce consumption other than the obvious, an IHD is mandatory (and that is exactly why Smart Meters were being pushed for in the first place). (And, don't anybody dare suggest the IHD is not part of the Smart Meter - they will get very very short shrift indeed.)

So six weeks after and ongoing, I am not satisfied with the installatioin process. I can no longer easily read the meters (I need a ladder because their displays are appallingly difficult to read). And I can't do what I wanted to do. And I'm fed up with the hassle or chasing. My advice is - don't bother.

PS: Octopus directed me to their blog on the process of and issues with SM Installation. The complexity is humungously staggering. I mean, stupidly so, beyond belief. The people who thought that up are idiots. No wonder there are problems. If I had come across that blog earlier, it would have been enough for me to avoid SMs at all costs.

Download the free App BRIGHT and sign up as per the website. If your meters are connected to the network then Hildebrand (a registered DCC User) will be able to extract your usage and tariff information into its App. Alternatively, sign up to N3rgy.com (use the I am consumer link).

You need the serial number off the IHD and if you don't have the IHD, as I don't  then your screwed 

[Deleted User]

QrizB said:

Deleted_User said:

its really a sad state of affairs when you think the money spent on these energy savings ideas and renewables over decades and the prices have steadily increased and then rocket 50% in April and god knows what in Oct. 

Renewables are reducing your energy bills and saving you money. We just don't have enough of them yet.

The current "green levy" for CfD-supported generation is zero and this quarter the generators will be paying around £105M to Ofgem for the privilege, which will be taken off our electricity bills in due course. It's forecast to remain like this at least until next year, and possibly into 2024.

See:

https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/index.php/dashboards/cfd/levy-dashboards/interim-levy-rate-and-total-reserve-amount

I look forward to the removal of April and October price increases next year or 2024 

k_man

wild666 said:

[Deleted User] said:

However said:

Same situation as you, I had SMs fitted 24th March. You cannot verify they have been installed properly - you are told to wait for at least 14 days for them to work. In my case, the Gas started working quite quickly (three days) but the Elec didn't. The IHD sat waiting for data. After my email after 14 days, yesterday (4th May) Elec started working (and I got an email from Octopus saying so). The IHD was not mentioned in the email and is still 'wating', so I've sent another email - no reply as yet.

The whole purpose of the exercise is for me to be able to monitor and see what scope there is to reduce consumption other than the obvious, an IHD is mandatory (and that is exactly why Smart Meters were being pushed for in the first place). (And, don't anybody dare suggest the IHD is not part of the Smart Meter - they will get very very short shrift indeed.)

So six weeks after and ongoing, I am not satisfied with the installatioin process. I can no longer easily read the meters (I need a ladder because their displays are appallingly difficult to read). And I can't do what I wanted to do. And I'm fed up with the hassle or chasing. My advice is - don't bother.

PS: Octopus directed me to their blog on the process of and issues with SM Installation. The complexity is humungously staggering. I mean, stupidly so, beyond belief. The people who thought that up are idiots. No wonder there are problems. If I had come across that blog earlier, it would have been enough for me to avoid SMs at all costs.

Download the free App BRIGHT and sign up as per the website. If your meters are connected to the network then Hildebrand (a registered DCC User) will be able to extract your usage and tariff information into its App. Alternatively, sign up to N3rgy.com (use the I am consumer link).

You need the serial number off the IHD and if you don't have the IHD, as I don't  then your screwed 

You can apply without the IHD, you just need some account info.

masonic

Deleted_User said:

QrizB said:

Deleted_User said:

its really a sad state of affairs when you think the money spent on these energy savings ideas and renewables over decades and the prices have steadily increased and then rocket 50% in April and god knows what in Oct. 

Renewables are reducing your energy bills and saving you money. We just don't have enough of them yet.

The current "green levy" for CfD-supported generation is zero and this quarter the generators will be paying around £105M to Ofgem for the privilege, which will be taken off our electricity bills in due course. It's forecast to remain like this at least until next year, and possibly into 2024.

See:

https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/index.php/dashboards/cfd/levy-dashboards/interim-levy-rate-and-total-reserve-amount

I look forward to the removal of April and October price increases next year or 2024 

Don't forget about the new Government tax clawing back the £200 being dished out in October.

However

Dolor said:

Fair enough but I would want to know whether my smart meters were working: ie, connected to the network. Delays can be down to the industry procedures which are of a bygone era. 

They are. I am in contact with Octopus who confirmed that an hour after my last posting.

I was disturbed, though, that their advice to me was check that my WiFi was strong enough to connect to the IHD. The IHD I have has no WiFi capability. What exactly is the diagnostic capability of these people?

theid

I have just been told by Octopus that my electricity meter is out of registration time and will be replaced and that they could do the gas meter at the same time.     Having read the horror stories about smart meters I am very nervous about this so this particular link has helped reassure me.    I have been very happy with Octopus over the years and I guess I'll just have to trust that all will go well.