Waste of time and money
Live in a new build house - Smart Gas and Electric meters.
Solar panels fitted post build and self funded.
Call BG my supplier and ask about smart monitors.
They insist they need to visit and install device and 7 weeks later BG chap arrived with monitor/
First fail - it can't talk to the Smart Gas meter. Not compatible he says.
Then told electric smart meter ok and it can talk to it.
But then find out it sees power we generate on solar panels as power being imported from grid !
Well other than telling me the time , what's the point of the monitor then ?
Dustbin let me introduce to the smart monitor ....:rotfl:
why didn't BG ask me a few simple questions prior and save time and money in sending an engineer.
Solar panels fitted post build and self funded.
Call BG my supplier and ask about smart monitors.
They insist they need to visit and install device and 7 weeks later BG chap arrived with monitor/
First fail - it can't talk to the Smart Gas meter. Not compatible he says.
Then told electric smart meter ok and it can talk to it.
But then find out it sees power we generate on solar panels as power being imported from grid !
Well other than telling me the time , what's the point of the monitor then ?
Dustbin let me introduce to the smart monitor ....:rotfl:
why didn't BG ask me a few simple questions prior and save time and money in sending an engineer.
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Comments
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No point to the monitor at all..The freebie In House Displays they giveaway with smart meter installs are nothing more than a cheap trick to assist the suppliers to fit smart meters without too much hassle from the user. What happened to the original IHD which BG also fit and match when their smart meters are fitted..They don t usually come out with a replacement if the original one is dumped/lost/damaged ?.Smart meters primary function is to assist any supplier to run their businesses at the cheapest cost effective levels without constant problems with negligent consumers not supplying meter readings at a decent level of at least 4 times a year..As a meter reader myself for 20 years I can tell you that most people dump the tacky gift within a month or two.We do not need a gizmo to save electricity and gas, just a bit of common sense..0
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Dustbin let me introduce to the smart monitor....
I suspect you didn't mean it literally, but some people might.
Before 'binning' the IHD it would be worth checking the T&C's to ensure you are legally entitled to do so. Some companies describe it as a 'free' 'gift', but others make it clear that it is an integral part of their smart meter and therefore remains their property.
Although I'm not aware of anyone doing so yet, it isn't beyond reasonable to assume at some point the suppliers will not only charge for IHD replacement but also require you to leave the IHD behind or be billed the cost of providing a new one to the next occupier. There is a lot of the smart meter programme which is less than transparent, so I wouldn't assume that I was free to dispose of the IHD at will.
Also, since the IHD would be waste electronic equipment (WEE) it should be taken to an appropriate recycling collection point rather than being put in with domestic refuse.
House_Martin wrote: »No point to the monitor at all...
I'd go further. There is currently no point to the smart meter full stop.
Unless you are desperate for the ability to have your meter read remotely and are willing to stay with the same supplier. "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"0 -
I suspect you didn't mean it literally, but some people might.
Before 'binning' the IHD it would be worth checking the T&C's to ensure you are legally entitled to do so. Some companies describe it as a 'free' 'gift', but others make it clear that it is an integral part of their smart meter and therefore remains their property.
Although I'm not aware of anyone doing so yet, it isn't beyond reasonable to assume at some point the suppliers will not only charge for IHD replacement but also require you to leave the IHD behind or be billed the cost of providing a new one to the next occupier. There is a lot of the smart meter programme which is less than transparent, so I wouldn't assume that I was free to dispose of the IHD at will.
Also, since the IHD would be waste electronic equipment (WEE) it should be taken to an appropriate recycling collection point rather than being put in with domestic refuse.
I'd go further. There is currently no point to the smart meter full stop. Unless you are desperate for the ability to have your meter read remotely and are willing to stay with the same supplier.
This is the second smart monitor supplied. When the houses were being built and meters installed, the monitors were left with the developer who has lost them . That would be approx 200 of them
When the chap from BG installed the pointless monitor , he said developers losing the monitors was common.
Isn't the whole thing a complete waste of money ?
The adverts that cost a fortune are now even more annoying.
Oh the monitor is now unplugged and dumped in a box in the garage.
It will find its way into the wheelie bin in a few years next clear out.
Like when we moved and I dumped two sky plus boxes, bread maker , slow cooker , air fryer ... the bin men took it all. Just shove them a tenner and they will take anything. Well they did in Hampshire anyway.0 -
Reading a meter should not be an issue in our new build , where the meters are outside in a plastic box with a common plastic key.House_Martin wrote: »No point to the monitor at all..The freebie In House Displays they giveaway with smart meter installs are nothing more than a cheap trick to assist the suppliers to fit smart meters without too much hassle from the user. What happened to the original IHD which BG also fit and match when their smart meters are fitted..They don t usually come out with a replacement if the original one is dumped/lost/damaged ?.Smart meters primary function is to assist any supplier to run their businesses at the cheapest cost effective levels without constant problems with negligent consumers not supplying meter readings at a decent level of at least 4 times a year..As a meter reader myself for 20 years I can tell you that most people dump the tacky gift within a month or two.We do not need a gizmo to save electricity and gas, just a bit of common sense..
One thing however that did concern me when the solar men installed our panels. One of them busted the little metal wire and seel and removed the 100amp fuse. He replaced fuse , but all the anti tamper wires and seel are now gone. He said don't worry about it , they install hundreds of panels and never had feedback yet saying it was an issue.
Also the meters being outside anyone could open the plastic box and turn our power off or gas supply.
So thinking of adding an extra lock to the box.0 -
it can't talk to the Smart Gas meter. Not compatible he says.
Theres incompatibility issues with first generation meters.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/team-blog/2016/12/22/smart-meter-stopped-working-its-probably-because-you-switched/0 -
Isn't the whole thing a complete waste of money ?
The adverts that cost a fortune are now even more annoying.
Totally and utterly.One thing however that did concern me when the solar men installed our panels. One of them busted the little metal wire and seel and removed the 100amp fuse. He replaced fuse , but all the anti tamper wires and seel are now gone. He said don't worry about it , they install hundreds of panels and never had feedback yet saying it was an issue.
Also the meters being outside anyone could open the plastic box and turn our power off or gas supply.
So thinking of adding an extra lock to the box.
You might want to think about contacting your supplier about the broken seals. Attitudes towards broken seals vary between the electricity companies, some don't care much, others get very annoyed. A broken seal might be interpreted as attempted (or actual) energy theft so at the minimum alerting the supplier would give you evidence that they were aware of the problem and you had reported it.
The downside is they might want to come and inspect and remake the seals, for which they might charge. If you do have to pay then you might want to pass the cost on to the solar panel company - in which case doing so sooner rather than later would be better.
But if you do get charged and the solar company won't pay you back you may have to accept the loss. So some people might suggest you do nothing and hope nobody notices. It's your call
Unless you get permission (which is unlikely to be given) you cannot add a lock to the meter cabinets. They are outside to enable the suppliers to access the meters more easily and adding a lock would prevent this.
In any event, since smart meters have the facility to cut supplies off remotely, locking your meter cabinets would only work until someone figures out how to hack the smart meter system and randomly cut people's supplies off. I would guess you are at a much higher risk of having your supply cut off remotely by a hacker than you are of someone cutting off your supply at the meter cabinets.... unless of course you have managed to seriously annoy your neighbours already
"In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"0 -
You need to contact your DNO (think that is what they are called) like Western Power to have the meter resealed. The Solar Panel company should have told you to contact them, but as you say, most don't and leave it, letting the house owner deal with the issues it can create.
One thing however that did concern me when the solar men installed our panels. One of them busted the little metal wire and seel and removed the 100amp fuse. He replaced fuse , but all the anti tamper wires and seel are now gone. He said don't worry about it , they install hundreds of panels and never had feedback yet saying it was an issue.
Our installer needed to break the seal, in order to make the connections safely, but told us to contact Western Power, who came the next day to reseal it. There was no charge for doing so.
If your supplier thinks you may have been tampering with the meter, you could be faced with a large bill.0 -
You are not allowed to add an external lock to an outside box.Reading a meter should not be an issue in our new build , where the meters are outside in a plastic box with a common plastic key.
One thing however that did concern me when the solar men installed our panels. One of them busted the little metal wire and seel and removed the 100amp fuse. He replaced fuse , but all the anti tamper wires and seel are now gone. He said don't worry about it , they install hundreds of panels and never had feedback yet saying it was an issue.
Missing seals are usually no concern to the suppliers unless a theft of energy is suspected, and some suppliers are not even interested in known theft of energy (British Gas excepted ) I have seen new whole estates where the electric meter seal is nt in place and in my opinion its rare for a supplier to want to come out , at their expense, to replace seals.They are readily available on Ebay anyway for pennies.. All our meter readers in my area are also aware of wholesale theft of energy by a particular new "community" who have been thieving energy the minute they obtained a terraced house courtesy of the local rate payer..This was 10 years ago, they are even worse now so a refused access is expected by all my colleagues in this area
Also the meters being outside anyone could open the plastic box and turn our power off or gas supply.
So thinking of adding an extra lock to the box.
.Thanks for keeping me and other meter readers in employment coming out to read your meter polluting the air and assisting climate change in my company vehicle
..Meter reading teams will be kept to a bare minimum in future..we are not needed when a smart meter does it all more efficiently. .Also in the pipeline once the roll out is completed is customer billing for smart meter refusers..That`s what happens in Florida and California, and rightly so..a figure of £60 a year metering costs has been mentioned but that will be many years the rate the roll out is going0 -
House_Martin wrote: »Thanks for keeping me and other meter readers in employment coming out to read your meter polluting the air and assisting climate change in my company vehicle
You should raise your concerns with your employer and demand they set an example by providing you with an electric vehicle. It is absurd that electricity suppliers expect their staff and contractors to travel in petrol/diesel vehicles.House_Martin wrote: »Also in the pipeline once the roll out is completed is customer billing for smart meter refusers..That`s what happens in Florida and California, and rightly so..a figure of £60 a year metering costs has been mentioned but that will be many years the rate the roll out is going
And some people keep on reminding us that smart meters are optional (and always will be). We need more people like you to spread the truth about this con. "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"0 -
And some people keep on reminding us that smart meters are optional (and always will be). We need more people like you to spread the truth about this con.
If they decide to make a "reading charge" then you either have the option to have a smart meter and avoid the charge or stay with a standard meter and pay the charge to have a non automatic read or for a man come round and read it.
They would still be optional but you could end up paying a hefty premium for the inconvenience of manual readings. They might even impose a separate charge for gas and another for the leccy - even f it's the same man on the same day. Say £60 a meter and it could work out quite expensive.Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers0
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