Shell Energy say Electric Meter needs replacing with Smart

DenBelms

Following on from my previous post and other people's,  here is a photo of my electric meter if anyone can tell me if it really won't work by end March
Thanks

MattMattMattUK

DenBelms said:

Following on from my previous post and other people's,  here is a photo of my electric meter if anyone can tell me if it really won't work by end March
Thanks

Are they saying it will not work (A radio / teleswitch, normally in Scotland)? Or are they saying that it will have reached the end of it's certification period?

Gerry1

You're likely to have another device that tells your meter when to switch registers.  It may be a Radio Tele Switch or a rotary timer: follow the thin grey cable.  Either way, the RTS signal is likely to continue until at least April 2025 (see P.9).

Even after that,  your meter would happily keep switching, although it might drift a minute or two every year.

EssexHebridean

Link to the OP’s other thread here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6408030/electric-meter-to-lose-functionality-in-march-2023#latest

DenBelms

MattMattMattUK said:

DenBelms said:

Following on from my previous post and other people's,  here is a photo of my electric meter if anyone can tell me if it really won't work by end March
Thanks

Are they saying it will not work (A radio / teleswitch, normally in Scotland)? Or are they saying that it will have reached the end of it's certification period?

They're saying my "RTS meter will lose functionality from March 2023.  This is due to an industry wide change that will affecct the radio signal your meter uses to communicate."

MattMattMattUK

DenBelms said:

MattMattMattUK said:

DenBelms said:

Following on from my previous post and other people's,  here is a photo of my electric meter if anyone can tell me if it really won't work by end March
Thanks

Are they saying it will not work (A radio / teleswitch, normally in Scotland)? Or are they saying that it will have reached the end of it's certification period?

They're saying my "RTS meter will lose functionality from March 2023.  This is due to an industry wide change that will affecct the radio signal your meter uses to communicate."

They are nominally correct, although the deadline has been pushed back to March 2025 now. The meter is also likely past it's certification date. Why not let them install a smart meter? 

DenBelms

Because I don't want one!  What guarantee have I got that they will install a SMETS 2 that should work when changing supplier?  Smart is a much misused word for something that is nothing of the sort!

MattMattMattUK

DenBelms said:

Because I don't want one!

That is not a valid reason as far as a national infrastructure rollout is concerned.

DenBelms said:

What guarantee have I got that they will install a SMETS 2 that should work when changing supplier?

SMETS1 Meters are no longer being installed.

DenBelms said:

Smart is a much misused word for something that is nothing of the sort!

It may be misused, but calling them Digital over the air reporting ToU capable meters would be a bit of a faff. 

Alnat1

Smart meters are for smart people.

Dumb meters..............aren't.

Alnat1

Nobody knows what will happen "in future".

At present, having a smart meter allows you to use off-peak discount rates. Instead of paying 34p/kWh 24/7 as those with dumb meters have to, I would only have pay that rate 4pm-8.30pm today (my battery is full so I'll use that instead). Electricity was free 2.30-3.00am and 3.30-4.00am and just 1p/kWh in the slots around those times. I ran my dishwasher and washing machine overnight, filled the battery for use at peak times and could have heated up the hot water tank if needed.

I would rather have a smart meter now and take advantage of the tariffs available than sit there in my tin foil hat worrying about what might happen in 10 years if I had a smart meter.

The most likely outcome for this mysterious "future" will be that those without smart meters will always pay the top rate (as they do now) and those with them will be able to shift usage and gain discounts (as now). Guess what - the "future" is already here!

EssexHebridean

DenBelms said:

Because I don't want one!  What guarantee have I got that they will install a SMETS 2 that should work when changing supplier?  Smart is a much misused word for something that is nothing of the sort!

To take your concerns then - the meters being installed now are SMETS2. The older style SMETS1 meters are now in the process of being enrolled onto thr system -  huge number have now returned to being “Smart” again, in spite of the fact that their users have changed tariff possibly many times since they were installed. 

We tend to refer to them as “Smart” because it fits in with modern terminology - the same as people talk about smartphones, smart plugs etc. in terms of the smart meters, they are “smarter” than the older style - often referred to here as “dumb meters” for differentiation - because they are capable of sending readings to your supplier - saving you needing to remember to do it - and also if you use them in conjunction with the In House Display unit they can inform you of your energy usage at a given moment - this can be particularly handy if for example you’re trying to work out if something is working as it should on E7 - for example whether a storage heater is taking charge.