New meter required and told I can only have a smart meter

Ultrasonic

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

For the vast majority of people, smart meters just make things easier by no longer having to send readings to a supplier, and with the in-home display making it easier to monitor usage for those who wish to.

Don't forget, they are running a business. With smart meters as I posted on this forum, we considered and most said avoid then the day after I read re 'variable tariffs during a 24 hour period.'  It's coming and this is why they want to lumber you with a smart meter. Avoid at all costs if possible IMHO.

I guess if you work during the day time like majority of workers, higher prices beween 5am and 10am then 4pm to 8pm - you are going to be properly ..... avoid.

The option for time if use tariffs is one benefit of smart meters but far from the only one, as part of a national 'smart grid'. As for your 'business' aspect note it's not the suppliers who are choosing to roll out smart meters.

diystarter7

Ultrasonic said:

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

For the vast majority of people, smart meters just make things easier by no longer having to send readings to a supplier, and with the in-home display making it easier to monitor usage for those who wish to.

Don't forget, they are running a business. With smart meters as I posted on this forum, we considered and most said avoid then the day after I read re 'variable tariffs during a 24 hour period.'  It's coming and this is why they want to lumber you with a smart meter. Avoid at all costs if possible IMHO.

I guess if you work during the day time like majority of workers, higher prices beween 5am and 10am then 4pm to 8pm - you are going to be properly ..... avoid.

The option for time if use tariffs is one benefit of smart meters but far from the only one, as part of a national 'smart grid'. As for your 'business' aspect note it's not the suppliers who are choosing to roll out smart meters.

The "option" you refer to, Have you read my post you quoted about those that go to work?
From that you can see that rather than "option" you put it as, workers on the whole will have little "option." other than to use gas/elec at max rates. Meaning if you work, you are penalised.

Please enlighten me to the other "benefits" of smart meters or than reading them automatically like water meters.

Alnat1

If you work 9-5 you're out of the house all day and don't have to heat it, huge bonus there, heating is the biggest cost for most of us

Ultrasonic

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

For the vast majority of people, smart meters just make things easier by no longer having to send readings to a supplier, and with the in-home display making it easier to monitor usage for those who wish to.

Don't forget, they are running a business. With smart meters as I posted on this forum, we considered and most said avoid then the day after I read re 'variable tariffs during a 24 hour period.'  It's coming and this is why they want to lumber you with a smart meter. Avoid at all costs if possible IMHO.

I guess if you work during the day time like majority of workers, higher prices beween 5am and 10am then 4pm to 8pm - you are going to be properly ..... avoid.

The option for time if use tariffs is one benefit of smart meters but far from the only one, as part of a national 'smart grid'. As for your 'business' aspect note it's not the suppliers who are choosing to roll out smart meters.

The "option" you refer to, Have you read my post you quoted about those that go to work?
From that you can see that rather than "option" you put it as, workers on the whole will have little "option." other than to use gas/elec at max rates. Meaning if you work, you are penalised.

Please enlighten me to the other "benefits" of smart meters or than reading them automatically like water meters.

I read your post. To date nobody has been forced onto a time of use tariff but many have chosen to for their own benefit. Hence 'option'.  

In a general sense I actually think charging that varies with demand/supply would likely be a good thing to help with the switch to more renewable power.

[Deleted User]

diystarter7 said:

Please enlighten me to the other "benefits" of smart meters or than reading them automatically like water meters.

I have been on time-of-use tariffs now for over 3 years and during that time I have saved a small fortune in my energy costs with little inconvenience.

Sadly, the Government has not done a very good job of ‘selling’ smart meters to consumers. Many of the benefits are hidden as far as consumers are concerned. For example, smart meters monitor the voltage of the electricity sent to your home. If the voltage is too high or too low, the meter will send out an alert. Earlier this year, I could see that at times my home voltage was in excess of 253volts and I was able to get my DNO to carry out a voltage data pull going back 12 months. On the basis of this information, a team was sent out to ‘tap’ the local transformer down to 240volts. In some parts of the Country, DNOs are using smart meter information to proactively adjust voltages. Is this important? Yes, over and under voltage can reduce the life of your home appliances.

Smart meters also monitor the frequency of the electricity supplied.

Why is the above important? As more renewables are deployed, Grid management becomes ever more difficult. My solar array outputs electricity at a higher voltage than the Grid. Similarly, with wind farms. These voltage and frequency fluctuations have to be managed along with early fault detection.

https://www.current-news.co.uk/news/northern-powergrid-unveil-voltage-control-project-to-increase-network-efficiency

If you want to know more about the technical side of smart meters then Search for SMETS2 Technical Specification.

Finally, if smart meters are an un-necessary add on to our Grid then why are countries across the World engaged in the rollout of smart meters? The difference with them and us is that they made it simple; that is, a single meter design; they didn’t leave the rollout to suppliers, and they didn’t give their energy users the right to refuse.

Ultrasonic

It's an American site but some general info. on the benefits of a 'smart grid' here:

https://www.smartgrid.gov/the_smart_grid/smart_grid.html

brewerdave

MarcoM said:

I have read that these smart meters can cause issues, do you think I can refuse to have one installed and ask they look for a more traditional meter?

Simplifying all the above :- 
 1. Some (a relatively small number) of smart meter installs are carried through by the fitter even tho' the meter cannot communicate with the DCC (the intermediary between the user and their supplier)
  2.  Even if the communication loop is successfully made , in some cases, the supplier cannot obtain readings..
  3.   Where the customer has both electricity and gas supplies, the gas meter readings may not be received by the communications hub based by the electricity meter due to geographical/construction difficulties.
  4..   It appears that some makes of smart meter are difficult to read manually (a requirement if 1 ,2. and 3. happen)

diystarter7

Alnat1 said:

If you work 9-5 you're out of the house all day and don't have to heat it, huge bonus there, heating is the biggest cost for most of us

Yes, true but most in London get up between 5 and 7am and not back unti 6/7 so have to pay higher rates, massive transport costs and dont froget that people that work pay taxes to run the country inc the benefits sytem and all gov jobs.

diystarter7

Ultrasonic said:

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

For the vast majority of people, smart meters just make things easier by no longer having to send readings to a supplier, and with the in-home display making it easier to monitor usage for those who wish to.

Don't forget, they are running a business. With smart meters as I posted on this forum, we considered and most said avoid then the day after I read re 'variable tariffs during a 24 hour period.'  It's coming and this is why they want to lumber you with a smart meter. Avoid at all costs if possible IMHO.

I guess if you work during the day time like majority of workers, higher prices beween 5am and 10am then 4pm to 8pm - you are going to be properly ..... avoid.

The option for time if use tariffs is one benefit of smart meters but far from the only one, as part of a national 'smart grid'. As for your 'business' aspect note it's not the suppliers who are choosing to roll out smart meters.

The "option" you refer to, Have you read my post you quoted about those that go to work?
From that you can see that rather than "option" you put it as, workers on the whole will have little "option." other than to use gas/elec at max rates. Meaning if you work, you are penalised.

Please enlighten me to the other "benefits" of smart meters or than reading them automatically like water meters.

I read your post. To date nobody has been forced onto a time of use tariff but many have chosen to for their own benefit. Hence 'option'.  

In a general sense I actually think charging that varies with demand/supply would likely be a good thing to help with the switch to more renewable power.

Ultrasonic said:

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

diystarter7 said:

Ultrasonic said:

For the vast majority of people, smart meters just make things easier by no longer having to send readings to a supplier, and with the in-home display making it easier to monitor usage for those who wish to.

Don't forget, they are running a business. With smart meters as I posted on this forum, we considered and most said avoid then the day after I read re 'variable tariffs during a 24 hour period.'  It's coming and this is why they want to lumber you with a smart meter. Avoid at all costs if possible IMHO.

I guess if you work during the day time like majority of workers, higher prices beween 5am and 10am then 4pm to 8pm - you are going to be properly ..... avoid.

The option for time if use tariffs is one benefit of smart meters but far from the only one, as part of a national 'smart grid'. As for your 'business' aspect note it's not the suppliers who are choosing to roll out smart meters.

The "option" you refer to, Have you read my post you quoted about those that go to work?
From that you can see that rather than "option" you put it as, workers on the whole will have little "option." other than to use gas/elec at max rates. Meaning if you work, you are penalised.

Please enlighten me to the other "benefits" of smart meters or than reading them automatically like water meters.

I read your post. To date nobody has been forced onto a time of use tariff but many have chosen to for their own benefit. Hence 'option'.  

In a general sense I actually think charging that varies with demand/supply would likely be a good thing to help with the switch to more renewable power.

Thank you. I feel you've misunderstood my post. We can expect the suppliers to force all to have varying daily fuel rates throughout the day so peak hours when most workers leave and return home rates are higher. Trust me once there are enough smart meters it will happen as there is more money for the suppliers

Awfully hot here - have a nice day

diystarter7

Ultrasonic said:

It's an American site but some general info. on the benefits of a 'smart grid' here:

https://www.smartgrid.gov/the_smart_grid/smart_grid.html

I was talking re smart meters and usage per household/meter.
Take care.