Octopus Energy want to replace my meters with Smart Meters.

TELLIT01

There were lots of problem with 1st generation Smart meters.  They ceased to be smart if you changed supplier in many cases.  2nd generation are supposedly more reliable but there are still stories like the one p00hsticks posted.  Probably a small minority but damn annoying if it happened to you.  If I don't have to have the meter changed I won't.  If the engineer had to switch off the incoming power to change the meter they would have fun.  The switch is right at the back of the cupboard under the stairs and the cupboard is jammed full of stuff the the missus has kept over the years 'because it might be useful'.

Ergates

redwhopper said:

Octopus Energy have emailed me to say that the certification period on my electricity meter is about to run out. They want to replace it with a smart meter because they say that traditional meters aren’t “readily” available anymore. I don’t want a smart meter and I understand that I am not legally required to have one. What are my rights.

What this means is that the supplier can't arbitrarily insist you change your existing meter for a smart one if your existing meter is working fine.   

However, if your existing meter has reached the end of it's life, then it will need to be replaced, and if will be replaced with a smart meter - you cannot insist that either you keep your old meter (if it's out of certification it's not considered accurate) or that they find and install a new "dumb" meter.

sheramber

When I moved into my house it was discovered that he smart meter for the as supply wasn't sending information ot British gas.

As it was during covid it took ages for it to replaced.

I was able to read the meter and note the readings.  I gave the information over the chat facility.  

peter_the_piper

Just to put the oldies view, we were offered smart meters and jumped at the chance. Our gas meter is at floor level, at the back of a cupboard and is very inaccessible to us so reading it is very difficult. I do have to check every few months just to make sure the readings are ok but the smart meters do make life a lot easier for us.

TELLIT01

Our meters are easy to access.  Electric straight in front when I open the understairs cupboard and the gas meter is outside.

If the gas meter is going to be 'smart' does it need an electrical supply to it, or is the 'sender' for want of a better word, battery powered?

The_Fat_Controller

The comms module in the gas meter is battery powered and reports its reading back to the electricity meter which then sends readings to your supplier.

Hopefully your meters will be close enough to each that they can stay in communication.

TELLIT01

They are about 10 feet apart.  What range do the units have?

MattMattMattUK

TELLIT01 said:

They are about 10 feet apart.  What range do the units have?

It depends on the environment. Clear line of sight around 50 meters, through brick and plasterboard walls less, through stone walls less again, through and kind of metal much less. Power lines, microwaves, fridge-freezers etc. can all impact signal if they are between the two units. 

Spies

The other thing to consider is that you could be overpaying for your energy if your old meters have drifted out of calibration so you could stand to save money by having a new meter. 

Similarly it may work against you if the old one is under reading...